Les Trois Accords
Encyclopedia
Les Trois Accords is a rock band from Drummondville, Quebec
. The band launched its first album Gros mammouth album
in 2003. Some of the notable songs, taken from that album, include "Hawaïenne", "Saskatchewan" and "Lucille". Along with their videos, these songs received heavy exposure in Quebec. In 2004, Gros mammouth album turbo was released with two extra tracks, "Loin d'ici" and "Turbo sympathique". In 2006, they released their second album, entitled Grand champion international de course
.
"DONUT" was included in an enhanced podcast Épisode #1 - Rouyn-Noranda that was released by bandeapart.fm in 2005. In 2006, bandeapart.fm featured the band in a video podcast Les Trois Accords au camping — Baladovidéo.
The band's most prominent show to date was in September 2005, when they were an opening act for The Rolling Stones
in Moncton, New Brunswick
. The concert drew an estimated 85,000 spectators.
Originally formed in 1997 by Olivier Benoit and Simon Proulx, the band's current membership is:
Many of their newer songs can be classified as surrealist
because of the frequent presence of pun
s, word play
, and unusual images.
They also like to embellish their concerts with little pieces of humour. The sense of humour is also evident in their music videos where the images being shown have nothing do to with the song. We see, for example, in the music video for "Saskatchewan", the band members practising ninjutsu moves for the whole video. The same goes for the music video for "Turbo sympathique" where the group becomes firemen and puts out a barn fire.
, BARF
, Les Krostons, Les Unknownes).
Les Trois Accords can be classified along the same lines as French
punk
bands like Bérurier Noir
, Parabellum
, Les Cadavres or Wampas (all well known in Québec), but with a more California-pop sound. We can compare them more to Ludwig von 88
because of their obnoxious interviews—most notably, their interviews for Tout le monde en parle
, Bon baisers de France, and Musique Plus. Les Trois Accords have had complaints about their lyrics before expressing their opinions but they believe that expressing themselves inspires them.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. The band launched its first album Gros mammouth album
Gros Mammouth Album
Gros Mammouth Album is the first album by Québécois rock/pop band Les Trois Accords released in 2003 and re-released in 2004 as Gros Mammouth Album Turbo featuring two new tracks, 'Loin d'ici' and 'Turbo sympathique'.-Track listing:...
in 2003. Some of the notable songs, taken from that album, include "Hawaïenne", "Saskatchewan" and "Lucille". Along with their videos, these songs received heavy exposure in Quebec. In 2004, Gros mammouth album turbo was released with two extra tracks, "Loin d'ici" and "Turbo sympathique". In 2006, they released their second album, entitled Grand champion international de course
Grand Champion International de Course
Grand Champion International de Course is the second album by Québécois rock/pop band Les Trois Accords released in 2006 featuring the single, "Grand Champion"...
.
"DONUT" was included in an enhanced podcast Épisode #1 - Rouyn-Noranda that was released by bandeapart.fm in 2005. In 2006, bandeapart.fm featured the band in a video podcast Les Trois Accords au camping — Baladovidéo.
The band's most prominent show to date was in September 2005, when they were an opening act for The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
in Moncton, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
. The concert drew an estimated 85,000 spectators.
Originally formed in 1997 by Olivier Benoit and Simon Proulx, the band's current membership is:
- Pierre-Luc Boisvert (bass; joined in 2001)
- Charles Dubreuil (drums and percussion; joined in 2001)
- Alexandre Parr (guitars, vocals; joined in 1999)
- Simon Proulx (vocalist, guitars)
Musical style
The second album from Les Trois Accords was released September 5, 2006. This album did not break with the rock-pop style of Gros Mammouth and was more outrageous in its lyrics. The music video for Grand Champion can be viewed at Bande à part. The second music video is "Tout nu sur la plage". The album rose to the top of the charts after its first week.Many of their newer songs can be classified as surrealist
Surrealism
Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early 1920s, and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members....
because of the frequent presence of pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s, word play
Word play
Word play or wordplay is a literary technique in which the words that are used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement...
, and unusual images.
They also like to embellish their concerts with little pieces of humour. The sense of humour is also evident in their music videos where the images being shown have nothing do to with the song. We see, for example, in the music video for "Saskatchewan", the band members practising ninjutsu moves for the whole video. The same goes for the music video for "Turbo sympathique" where the group becomes firemen and puts out a barn fire.
Genre classification
Free from logic, rationality, and politics, the lyrics of Les Trois Accords are a throwback to the punk québécois genre of the nineties (like Banlieue RougeBanlieue Rouge
Banlieue Rouge was a punk band from Montreal, Quebec active through the early to mid 1990s. They disbanded in 1999.Banlieue Rouge was formed in 1989 in Longueuil, a Montreal suburb. Heavily influenced by French punk rock bands such as Bérurier Noir, they started with a drum machine, which was...
, BARF
Barf
Barf may refer to,* Vomit * Barf , a hill in Cumbria, England* Barf, a half-man, half-dog character in the movie Spaceballs, played by John Candy* Barf , a line of soaps made by the Paxan company of Iran...
, Les Krostons, Les Unknownes).
Les Trois Accords can be classified along the same lines as French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
bands like Bérurier Noir
Bérurier Noir
Bérurier noir is a French punk band formed in Paris in 1983 by Loran , François and Dédé . They called themselves "noir" for the color of mourning and for anarchy and "Bérurier" after the character from the novels of Frédéric Dard...
, Parabellum
Parabellum
The word Parabellum is a noun coined by German arms maker Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken and is derived from the Latin saying si vis pacem, para bellum, meaning If you wish for peace, prepare for war...
, Les Cadavres or Wampas (all well known in Québec), but with a more California-pop sound. We can compare them more to Ludwig von 88
Ludwig von 88
Ludwig von 88 is a French punk rock and alternative rock band mostly active in the 1980s and 1990s, and which gained an important success in the underground scene of its country. The band has not released any new material since 2001, but has not disbanded and is thus officially still active...
because of their obnoxious interviews—most notably, their interviews for Tout le monde en parle
Tout le monde en parle (Quebec)
Tout le monde en parle is a Quebec talk show hosted and co-produced by Guy A. Lepage, broadcast on Radio-Canada since 2004. It has been adapted from the French show of the same name, created and hosted by Thierry Ardisson.- Concept :...
, Bon baisers de France, and Musique Plus. Les Trois Accords have had complaints about their lyrics before expressing their opinions but they believe that expressing themselves inspires them.
Studio albums
- Gros mammouth albumGros Mammouth AlbumGros Mammouth Album is the first album by Québécois rock/pop band Les Trois Accords released in 2003 and re-released in 2004 as Gros Mammouth Album Turbo featuring two new tracks, 'Loin d'ici' and 'Turbo sympathique'.-Track listing:...
(2003) - Gros mammouth album turbo (2004) (updated version)
- Grand champion international de courseGrand Champion International de CourseGrand Champion International de Course is the second album by Québécois rock/pop band Les Trois Accords released in 2006 featuring the single, "Grand Champion"...
(2006) - En beau country (2008)
- Dans mon corpsDans Mon CorpsDans mon corps is the third studio album from Québécois Rock/Pop group Les Trois Accords released October 13, 2009.-Track listing:# "Dans mon corps"# "Ton pantalon est plein"# "Caméra vidéo"# "Elle s'appelait Serge"# "Nuit de la poésie"...
(2009)
Demos and albums
Demos:- Demo de la Commune (1999)
- Demo Live at Drummondville (2001)
- Demo Jaune-Brun (2002)
Music videos
- "Hawaiienne"
- "Loin d'ici"
- "Saskatchewan"
- "Turbo Sympathique"
- "Vraiment beau"
- "Grand champion"
- "Tout nu sur la plage"
- "Ton avion" (In the video the song is a symphonic cover of the original)
- "Youri"
- "Nicole"
- "Dans mon corps"
- "Le bureau du médecin"
- "Elle s'appellait Serge"
- "Grand champion international de course"