Sloche

[Trane]

I figure there'd have been a serious attempt made at getting them to play here if there'd been a chance. Possibly opening for an international band Steve has promoted in recent years...

If there was ever a choice event for that, it would've been at release time of their albums

[smcfee]

I'd still be curious about a one-day event featuring solely those artists on your label that can and would play live.

Just so it's clear (and I know this is really just a wording thing), I am just a valued alumnus at this point. Nothing I ever say should be construed as representing anything Stephen thinks 8^).

That out of the way, my thoughts is that it could be tough sledding to do something like that. Based on the likely draw you'd have to keep the costs down, and a number of the outfits that could be signed are not active bands but are professional musicians who get together, rehearse, and perform a show if hired to do so.

I think the closest things we have right now to "ProgQuebec bands" would be the Conventum Trio who almost opened for Echolyn, and the Molignak band if they are all brought together. That Molignak band was probably the closest we'll ever get to a Maneige reunion because Alain Bergeron and Yves Leonard are effectively out of music. I forget the story on Vincent Langlois, but he either has been out of music or doesn't want to perform right now. So you had Jerome, Gilles, and Paul Picard, and then add Francois Richard and Mario Legare to make up for Bergeron/Leonard, and add Bernard Cormier on violin... it was really as "70s Quebec prog" as we could have hoped to get.

We also could POSSIBLY have gotten Morse Code at one point but health issues got in the way of that coming to fruition.

I think Stephen's strategy of having a Quebec group open for a more known group is the right one.

[TheH]

There where some rumors about new Albums by Contraction and Charles Kaczynski last year, what happend to those?

[Yves]

Thanks Sean.... Just a little wishful thinking on my part as I know that "Je Me Souviens" is merely something on our license plates, not in our hearts and minds. I'd venture that 95% of Québecois have never heard any of the artists on your label. I know this because on St-Jean Baptiste I play Québecois music in my yard and my neighbours have no clue about 75% of the music they are hearing. I spent my teenage years here (early 80s) and I hadn't heard of any of the bands on your label except VEBB. I discovered them through writing reviews of the stuff you sent me. So try selling THAT to a local audience! You'd have to book an outdoor show with Premier Ciel as your headliner then slip in some of your bands on the undercard.

[Progbear]

I am a big booster of both the Sloche LPs. Based on others’ recommendations, I bought them sound unheard and they quickly grew to be favourites. I wish I remembered who to thank for introducing me to them! The closest I’ve heard to a non-Canterbury band coming to the spirit of those first two National Health albums.

RE: Quebec bands that haven’t been mentioned before: L’Orient d’Ô. They have a kind of synth-heavy prog sound and I seem to be the only one who likes them very much. Oh well. Speaking of “synth-heavy,” there’s that Moog-slathered first Eclipse LP, which is the most bizarre mix of hard-hitting space-prog and bouncy Francophone pop! I haven’t heard their second album (Night and Day, on Casablanca), but apparently it sucks (unsurprisingly).

[smcfee]

Yves, I appreciate how you always supported us. If we had another 500 or so of you, we could have done some cooler things. As it is, no complaints.

[PROGMONSTER]

I think the first album is a good star better than the second album. The compositions are just cooler

[Scrotum Scissor]

Did anyone ever actually attempt to reissue that Pangee Hymnemonde thing? Next to Miriodor, Interference Sardines and Rouge Ciel they are one of the truly fine post-70s Quebecois progressive groups to my ear.

[Yves]

Yves, I appreciate how you always supported us. If we had another 500 or so of you, we could have done some cooler things. As it is, no complaints.

If you'd had 500 of me there might still be an FMPM. Of course, the seats would all be empty for Knight Area and Magenta!

[Progbear]

Here’s what the first Eclipse album sounds like (in its better moments):



There’s a couple of tracks of the second album up, too. Predictably, they’re lame, including a synth-disco version of the Kinks’ “You Really Got Me”

[Don Arnold]

I was going to ask those who have both albums, if you were to recommend one of them to someone who wanted to take the Sloche plunge, which of their two would you choose? I'd like to pick up one at some point, and if there is a clear favourite, I'll go with it. - - thanks! - -

Finally took the plunge! Stadacone was available for a good price so I snagged it. And...love it! Not a dud on the (albeit short) album. I particularly like Isacaaron, the eleven minute closer. This frenetic yet controlled piece doesn't stay put for long with their being multiple change-ups. Like a great quilt, it all works well together. Unless my ears deceive me, I hear some Gentle Giant influences too.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for their debut.

[Phlakaton]

Finally took the plunge! Stadacone was available for a good price so I snagged it. And...love it! Not a dud on the (albeit short) album. I particularly like Isacaaron, the eleven minute closer. This frenetic yet controlled piece doesn't stay put for long with their being multiple change-ups. Like a great quilt, it all works well together. Unless my ears deceive me, I hear some Gentle Giant influences too.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for their debut.

Cool man... I really love the first one - more than the second probably. Hope you find a nice copy of that.

[alucard]

Had a bit of Québec binge listening with Sloche, Pollen, Maneige, Harmonium, Fiori-Seguin, Opus 5... both Sloche records are among my favorite Fusion+ records...no other band had this stylistic mix....

[Trane]

Had a bit of Québec binge listening with Sloche, Pollen, Maneige, Harmonium, Fiori-Seguin, Opus 5... both Sloche records are among my favorite Fusion+ records...no other band had this stylistic mix....

been spinning in the car for weeks the Sloche albums and the two Live Maneige Progresson releases, as well as Lasting Weep's two posthumous releases (not that they ever had a historic release) and Dionne-Brégent's two.
also at home been listening to Madore's Komuso à 6 Cordes (since it was never reissued - sadly so)

Planning on revisiting Toubabou, Ungava, and L'Engoulevent's two

[smcfee]

Funny to read my post a decade speculating about Maneige or Morse Code playing live. Both have now done so... Morse Code without Christian obviously, since he passed away, and Maneige with four original members (and some of the others appearing as guests in their concert).

[Steve F.]

Maneige have a new archival recording coming out at the end of this month (on ProgQuebec), at about the same time that they will be doing a reunion show

[alucard]

Et Cetera: same 76 ....unfortunately their only record...this one went totally under my GG Radar...copycatish but in a good sense ...they assimilate the music of GG ans do their own thing ... still amazed to discover records like this

[Trane]

Maneige have a new archival recording coming out at the end of this month (on ProgQuebec), at about the same time that they will be doing a reunion show

We've been waiting quite a while to release this album... and the day has come! Released the same day Maneige returns to the Théâtre Outremont in May 2024, this LIMITED EDITION reunites the sole track on "Composite" drawn from this 1979 concert with all the other performances from this show, all previously unreleased, including the composition "La débarbouillette" which makes its first recorded appearance anywhere! This recording boasts excellent sound quality and contains many compositions from the "Libre service / Self-Service" album, as well as an extended version of the composition "Douce-amère" from "Ni vent, ni nouvelle..." The band's dynamic and energetic performances in front of a warm Montréal crowd results in an archival release worth hearing. Hurry!

(For all other recordings from the album "Composite," refer to the bonus tracks on the CD reissues of "Libre service / Self service" and "Ni vent, ni nouvelle..." also available in this webstore!)

Maneige.jpg

1. La débarbouillette / L'envol des singes latins
2. Solo de batterie / Max the whale
3. La Noce
4. Troisix
5. Les pétoncles
6. La Belle et la Bête / Bagdad
7. Douce-amère

[Scrotum Scissor]

still amazed to discover records like this

Quite renowned among collectors already by the early 90s. I bought the original vinyl from Geir Hasnes (superlative voice of allthings GG-related here in Northern lands) at a record fair in my then-hometown of Bergen in 1997, at that time aware of its repute though not too much of its sound.

I dug it instantly, but only later did a friend of mine get to hear it and utter the basic case of its faint similarity to a contemporary artist of note back then: Stereolab. This was in regard to "Entre Chien Et Loup", the closing track on side 1.

I wasn't really into 'lab at that point.

[Trane]

Maneige have a new archival recording coming out at the end of this month (on ProgQuebec), at about the same time that they will be doing a reunion show

pre-ordered (though PQ said it was shipping tomorrow)

hopefully, it will escape punitive import taxes (asked Stephen to try to ship it like a regular mail)

[Hunchentootz]

This thread gave me the umph to finally buy the CDs before they disappear. Thanks!

[Trane]

Funny to read my post a decade speculating about Maneige or Morse Code playing live. Both have now done so... Morse Code without Christian obviously, since he passed away, and Maneige with four original members (and some of the others appearing as guests in their concert).

Hi Sean,

hopefully Stephen has thought about at least the recording and/or filming of this reunion show

[smcfee]

Hi Hugues,

I'm not sure if he is the promoter, actually, although he was in the know about the show months ago and was planning to sync this release with the concert at that point. I don't know if the new formation is planning any recordings.

[smcfee]

Just got back from Maneige, really glad I went.

There was a core band of seven, and then Jerome Langlois, Denis Lapierre, Michel LeFrançois, and Vincent Langlois appeared at different parts of the concert.

Someone has saved me a bunch of work and already posted the setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/manei...-2356c847.html

Jerome Langlois was there for the first three pieces (these were all excerpts). Denis Lapierre joined for 6 and 7 and took the big guitar solo in Douce-amère.

Michel LeFrançois played on "Hey You!". The post-Libre Service material all came out pretty well live.

Vincent Langlois came out to play piano on Miro Vibro. After that was done he stayed out, all the previous guests came out, and he went into the classic piano solo from Les Porches de Notre-Dame, and then everyone played through the rest of the piece. Big ovation for that, really nice surprise.

Throughout the show different members (Alain, Yves, Gilles, Paul) took the mic and would engage with the crowd, tell little stories, etc...

About two hours total on stage. They did a Q&A after the show but I bailed since I had to hit the highway.

maneige1.jpg

Jerome, Alain, Yves, Gilles, Paul on Clarophone & Saxinette

maneige2.jpg

The core seven members

maneige3.jpg

Michel LeFrançois joins them

maneige4.jpg

All eleven musicians on Les Porches.

[alucard]

I finally decided to create a Prog-Québec section in my filing System...mainly build around Harmonium, Beau Dommage, Sloche , Maneige and other French sung records I decided to include also purely instrumental music...I did the same with the Italian JR Bands like Arti e Mestieri , Area etc who fit nicely with Italian Prog section...so I went through my files and CDS and Re-discovered three bands that I'd forgotten (or actually never listened to...who knows)
-Contrevent : mid 80s chamber JR...really nice mainly acoustic vibes featuring acoustic and electric cello and vibraphone...thanx to Hugues for his reviews over on PA...I agree totally for the ECM and would add Windham Hill they have a similarity to 'Montreux'...records are not easy to find ...I found the second one quite cheap last weak...Terre de Feu would be my favourite
-Solstice : mid 80s JR a bit wilder then Contrevent , they have listened to Mahavishnu etc. Less melodic then Contrevent...they have released two records that were later released as a twofer in CD