In 2012 Rachid Taha celebrates his thirty years in the music business, the ideal occasion for a career overview in the form of a 'Best Of' compilation. Live yours truly found Taha often to be just a little too garishly and eclectic, but on record his tracks have withstood the test of time. Compared to Taha's mix of chaabi, raï, techno, rock and punk, the songs from his contemporaries Khaled and Faudel now sound almost corny. In his lyrics Taha remained ever critical: from first blow 'Douce France' (a reworking of a classic by Charles Trenet), over 'Voilà Voilà' (targeting Jean-Marie Le Pen's Front National) to 'Rock El Casbah' (Taha's version of The Clash classic 'Rock The Casbah' with which he already seemed to predict the Arab Spring back in 2004). Rachid Taha, dandy, bon vivant and provocateur is best summed up in his own words: "Algérien pour toujours et tous les jours Français!" ("Algerian forever and forever French!"). Essential listening!