Offenbach (band)
Encyclopedia
Offenbach is a Quebec
blues rock band, initially active from 1969 to 1985. Following a successful reunion tour in 1996, the band released a new album in 2005.
in the late 1960s as Les Gants blancs, the band went through a variety of names (including "7e Invention", "Grandpa & Company", "Offenbach Pop Opera" and "Offenbach Soap Opéra") before settling on Offenbach. The band initially consisted of vocalist Gerry Boulet
, guitar
ist Johnny Gravel, organist
Pierre Harel, bassist
Michel Lamothe (son of country singer Willie Lamothe) and drum
mer Denis Boulet (Gerry's brother).
Offenbach released their debut album, Offenbach Soap Opéra, in 1971. Although the band's material was primarily in French
, that album also included two English songs.
Denis Boulet left the band in 1972, and was replaced by Roger (Wezo) Belval. In November of that year, the band performed a "Mass for the Dead" at St. Joseph's Oratory, which was released on album as Saint-Chrone de néant.
In 1973, the band toured France
, and were based there for the next two years as they toured Europe extensively. Several performances from this era were documented in the concert film Tabarnac. Harel left the band in 1974, but was not replaced; his keyboard duties were taken over by Gerry Boulet. In 1975, the band returned to Montreal.
Lamothe and Belval left in 1977 to join Harel in Corbeau
, and were replaced by Norman Kerr on bass and Pierre Lavoie on drums; Jean Millaire also joined the band that year as a second guitarist, but left within the year and was replaced by John McGale. Kerr and Lavoie departed in 1978, and were replaced by Breen Leboeuf on bass and Robert Harrison on drums.
In 1976, the band recorded its first of two English
albums, Never Too Tender, and toured across Canada to promote it. They subsequently released two more French albums, Offenbach and Traversion, before their second English language album, Rock Bottom, was released in 1980. Traversion won the band its first Félix Award
for rock album of the year in 1979.
In 1979 Offenbach toured Quebec with the Vic Vogel Big Band. A recording of their concert at the St. Denis Theatre was issued in 1980 as Offenbach en fusion, which won the Félix Award for rock album of the year in 1980. The band also received Félix Awards in 1980 as group of the year and for show of the year, the latter honoring a concert on April 3 in which Offenbach became the first Québécois band ever to headline at the Montreal Forum
.
In 1982, Harrison left the band and was replaced by Pat Martel.
The band released three more albums of new material, as well as the live album À fond d'train (documenting a successful tour with Plume Latraverse
), before creative tensions within the band led Gerry Boulet to record his first solo album in 1985. The band performed final shows at the Colisée de Québec and the Montreal Forum that year; the Montreal concert was released on album as Le Dernier show and as the concert film Marci.
, Julie Masse
, Isabelle Boulay
and Toyo. Harel, Lamothe and Belval formed the new band Corbach to capitalize on the history and popularity of both Offenbach and Corbeau. Gravel formed the band Patriotes, and Martel played with pop singer Carole Ann King.
In 1992, the band's back catalogue began to be remastered and rereleased on compact disc
, and several of their albums once again hit Quebec's pop charts in the new format.
In January 2007, Leboeuf was announced as the new bassist for April Wine
, replacing the departed Jim Clench.
, who had recently won Quebec's L'Empire des futures stars
competition. They toured extensively for two years, and released a greatest hits
compilation in 1999. A second volume of hits followed in 2002.
In 2005, the band released Nature, which consisted of acoustic versions of their classic hits. It also includes one new song "L'amour est cruel" (Love is cruel). The music was written by Gravel in the 1980s and the words were later added by Deschamps.
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....
blues rock band, initially active from 1969 to 1985. Following a successful reunion tour in 1996, the band released a new album in 2005.
History
Formed in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in the late 1960s as Les Gants blancs, the band went through a variety of names (including "7e Invention", "Grandpa & Company", "Offenbach Pop Opera" and "Offenbach Soap Opéra") before settling on Offenbach. The band initially consisted of vocalist Gerry Boulet
Gerry Boulet
Joseph Gaétan Robert Gérald Boulet was a Canadian rock singer. Most famous as vocalist for the Quebec rock band Offenbach, he also released two solo albums...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Johnny Gravel, organist
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
Pierre Harel, bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Michel Lamothe (son of country singer Willie Lamothe) and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mer Denis Boulet (Gerry's brother).
Offenbach released their debut album, Offenbach Soap Opéra, in 1971. Although the band's material was primarily in 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...
, that album also included two English songs.
Denis Boulet left the band in 1972, and was replaced by Roger (Wezo) Belval. In November of that year, the band performed a "Mass for the Dead" at St. Joseph's Oratory, which was released on album as Saint-Chrone de néant.
In 1973, the band toured France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and were based there for the next two years as they toured Europe extensively. Several performances from this era were documented in the concert film Tabarnac. Harel left the band in 1974, but was not replaced; his keyboard duties were taken over by Gerry Boulet. In 1975, the band returned to Montreal.
Lamothe and Belval left in 1977 to join Harel in Corbeau
Corbeau (band)
Corbeau was a Quebec rock group, very popular at the end of Seventies. The group was formed in 1977 by the film-maker and lyricist Pierre Harel with Michel « Willie » Lamothe and Roger « Wézo » Belval . Donald Hince joined the group some time later, and Jean Millaire completed the make up of...
, and were replaced by Norman Kerr on bass and Pierre Lavoie on drums; Jean Millaire also joined the band that year as a second guitarist, but left within the year and was replaced by John McGale. Kerr and Lavoie departed in 1978, and were replaced by Breen Leboeuf on bass and Robert Harrison on drums.
In 1976, the band recorded its first of two English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
albums, Never Too Tender, and toured across Canada to promote it. They subsequently released two more French albums, Offenbach and Traversion, before their second English language album, Rock Bottom, was released in 1980. Traversion won the band its first Félix Award
Félix Award
The Félix Award is a music award, given on an annual basis to artists in the Canadian province of Quebec.The first Félix awards were presented on September 23, 1979, by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois...
for rock album of the year in 1979.
In 1979 Offenbach toured Quebec with the Vic Vogel Big Band. A recording of their concert at the St. Denis Theatre was issued in 1980 as Offenbach en fusion, which won the Félix Award for rock album of the year in 1980. The band also received Félix Awards in 1980 as group of the year and for show of the year, the latter honoring a concert on April 3 in which Offenbach became the first Québécois band ever to headline at the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
.
In 1982, Harrison left the band and was replaced by Pat Martel.
The band released three more albums of new material, as well as the live album À fond d'train (documenting a successful tour with Plume Latraverse
Plume Latraverse
Plume Latraverse is a prolific singer, musician, songwriter and author from Quebec. His career spans over 30 years; Latraverse is probably one of the most influential names in Quebec counterculture.-Albums:...
), before creative tensions within the band led Gerry Boulet to record his first solo album in 1985. The band performed final shows at the Colisée de Québec and the Montreal Forum that year; the Montreal concert was released on album as Le Dernier show and as the concert film Marci.
Post-breakup
The musicians involved in Offenbach each pursued solo projects through the next decade. Boulet released two solo albums before his death in 1990. Leboeuf and McGale released a project together as Buzz Band; Leboeuf subsequently released several albums as a solo artist, after taking part in the hugely successful promotional tournée of Céline Dion's Incognito album (1987-1988). McGale released one solo album, entitled "Bridges", as well as collaborations with Dan BigrasDan Bigras
Dan Bigras is a francophone rock singer and actor from Canada. He was discovered by Gerry Boulet in 1983, and his first album Ange Animal was released in 1990....
, Julie Masse
Julie Masse
Julie Masse is a Canadian pop singer.-Biography:Masse released her self-titled debut album in 1990, a French language album that made her a star in Quebec and France, with the singles "C'est Zéro", "Billy", "Sans t'oublier" and "Prends bien garde"...
, Isabelle Boulay
Isabelle Boulay
Isabelle Boulay is a francophone Canadian pop singer.-Biography:In 1990, some friends registered her at the Petite-Vallée song festival without her consent, but she completed a performance there and was regarded as a huge success. The following year she won at the Granby song festival for her...
and Toyo. Harel, Lamothe and Belval formed the new band Corbach to capitalize on the history and popularity of both Offenbach and Corbeau. Gravel formed the band Patriotes, and Martel played with pop singer Carole Ann King.
In 1992, the band's back catalogue began to be remastered and rereleased on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, and several of their albums once again hit Quebec's pop charts in the new format.
In January 2007, Leboeuf was announced as the new bassist for April Wine
April Wine
April Wine is a Canadian rock band formed in 1969. According to the band, they chose the name 'April Wine' simply because members thought the two words sounded good together...
, replacing the departed Jim Clench.
Reunion
In 1996, Gravel, Leboeuf and McGale reunited as Offenbach for a reunion tour, enlisting Bob Saint-Laurent on drums and Bernard Quessy on piano. For vocals, they selected Martin DeschampsMartin Deschamps
Martin Deschamps is a Canadian rock singer from Quebec. He records and performs both as a solo artist and as the lead vocalist for the reunited Offenbach.-Young age:...
, who had recently won Quebec's L'Empire des futures stars
L'Empire des futures stars
L'Empire des futures stars was an annual contest for new musical bands in the Canadian province of Quebec, sponsored by CKOI-FM in Montreal. Many musical artists used the contest as an effective springboard for their careers.-See also:...
competition. They toured extensively for two years, and released a greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation in 1999. A second volume of hits followed in 2002.
In 2005, the band released Nature, which consisted of acoustic versions of their classic hits. It also includes one new song "L'amour est cruel" (Love is cruel). The music was written by Gravel in the 1980s and the words were later added by Deschamps.
Discography
- Offenbach Soap Opéra (1972)
- St-Chrone de néant (1973)
- Bulldozer (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1973)
- Tabarnac (1975, liveLive albumA live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
) - Never Too Tender (1976)
- Offenbach (1977)
- Traversion (1979)
- Rock Bottom (1980)
- Offenbach en fusion (1980)
- Coup de foudre (1981)
- Tonnedebrick (1983)
- Live à fond d'train (1984, live)
- Rockorama (1985)
- Le Dernier Show (1986)
- Offenbach (1990, re-issue)
- Les 20 plus grands succès (1999)
- Les 20 plus grands succès, volume 2 (2002)
- Nature (2005)
- l'Ultime (2007)