Les Colocs

Les Colocs (The Room-mates) were a rock music group from Québec formed in 1990 in Montreal.

Les Colocs
Background information
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresAlternative rock, blues, swing revival, Senegalese music
Years active1990 (1990)–2000 (2000)
LabelsBMG
Musicomptoir
Associated actsMononc' Serge
Websitecolocs.qc.ca
Past membersDédé Fortin
Patrick Esposito Di Napoli
Mike Sawatzky
Serge Robert
Jimmy Bourgoing
André Vanderbiest

Profile

Founded in 1990 and fronted by Dédé Fortin, Les Colocs gave Québécois songs coloured with humanity, simplicity and social conscience, especially regarding poverty. They marked the history of Quebec music with their sound, infused with brass sounds, first very wild and festive, later more mellow, as well as more inspired by swing, country, blues and African music. This new direction inspired a collaboration with the Senegal-born Diouf brothers for the album Dehors novembre (1998).

The group promoted tolerance and had a multicultural line up. For example, Mike Sawatzky is a Cree from Saskatchewan, André Vanderbiest is from Belgium, and Patrick Esposito Di Napoli was from Northern Catalonia. Dédé Fortin (as well as members such as Serge Robert, later to be known as Mononc' Serge) was a passionate Quebec sovereigntist. The band played an important role in the 1995 Quebec referendum via partisan shows. They were part of the resurgence of political songwriting in Quebec, after a drought in the 1980s and part of the 1990s. They were past contenders in the music band contest L'Empire des futures stars.

The festive nature of many of their songs contrasts with the deaths of two of their players. In 1994 Patrick Esposito Di Napoli died of AIDS. The band effectively came to an end in 2000 after frontman Fortin took his own life. They are considered to hold a major place in the history and evolution of the music of Quebec and have many music fans.

Members
  • Dédé Fortin (songwriting, vocals, guitar, drums, etc.)
  • Mike Sawatzky (guitar, saxophone & harmonica)
  • Serge Robert (double bass; later known as Mononc' Serge, quit after "Atrocetomique" for a solo career)
  • André Vanderbiest (double bass; replaced Serge Robert)
  • Patrick Esposito Di Napoli (harmonica; died of AIDS in 1994)
  • Jimmy Bourgoing (drums, quit before recording "Dehors novembre")
  • Justin Allard (drums, replaced Jimmy Bourgoing)
  • Jean-Denis Levasseur (clarinet & saxophone; joined for "Dehors novembre")

Additional associated musicians
  • Louis Léger ( guitar )
  • Mara Tremblay (violin)
  • Joel Zifkin (violin)
  • Guy Bélanger ( harmonica)
  • Benoît Gagné (trombone)
  • Benoît Piché (trumpet)
  • El Hadji Fall Diouf (singer and percussionist)
  • Pape Abdou Karim Diouf (singer and percussionist)
  • Michel Dufour (drums)

Discography

Albums
  • Les Colocs (1993)[1]
  • Atrocetomique (live; 1995)
  • Dehors novembre (1998)[2]
  • Les années 1992-1995 (compilation; 2001)
  • Suite 2116 (posthumous; 2001)
  • Live 1993-1998 (live compilation; 2004)
  • Il me parle de bonheur (2009)

Videography
  • Les Colocs: L'integrale 1993-2000

See also

References
  1. "Les Colocs Discography". Allmusic. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
  2. "Les Colocs Discography". Discogs. Retrieved 25 January 2011.
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