Recorded in Troyes on May 22nd, Live 1981 is an unprecedented account of the artist's encounter with KGDD and with Boris Bergman's lyrics. Bashung revisits tracks from Pizza, Roulette russe, and Roman-photos. Live 1981 is completed by 2 additional tracks captured in Melun during the same tour: 'Milliards de nuits dans le frigo' and 'Elsass Blues'.
It was with his third album Pizza, released in 1981, that Alain Bashung was propelled into the forefront of French rock. Combined with the lyrics of his accomplice Boris Bergman, his new tracks are transformed by a lineup that would mark a turning point in Bashung's career. United under the acronym KGDD, Manfred Kovacic (keyboards, saxophone), Olivier Guindon (guitar), François Delage (bass), and Philippe Draï (drums) steered Bashung's production towards unexplored horizons.