French B - Au delà du délai

Tracks

		Track Name	Length
	1	Au delà du délai	03:55
	2	Quitter son pays	03:59
	3	Choisir	03:37
	4	Paresse	04:13
	5	Voyeur	03:27
	6	Neigbours	03:31
	7	L'évidence	04:04
	8	Overdose	05:43
	9	Pas d'problème	03:48
	10	Fin du monde	05:13
	11	Interlude	04:49

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Information/Write-up

French B. emerged in Montréal in the late 1980s, a period of cultural tension and creative upheaval in Québec. Founded by lyricist and vocalist Richard Gauthier and keyboardist-composer Jean-Robert Bisaillon, the group grew out of the ashes of Disappointed a Few People, an experimental bilingual band whose breakup exposed the linguistic and artistic fractures of its time. Gauthier, a theatre student, and Bisaillon, trained in inter-arts, had known each other since CÉGEP. Their partnership took shape under the name French Bastards—a provocative moniker soon shortened to French B.—and set out to confront both musical convention and social complacency.

The duo debuted on Montréal’s underground circuit, opening for literary and performance icons such as William S. Burroughs and Lydia Lunch, aligning themselves with a wave of politically charged, avant-garde art. In 1989 they released their landmark single “Je m’en souviens”, issued on the Audiogram imprint Sumo. Built from a mosaic of archival samples—voices of Parizeau, Chartrand, De Gaulle, Vigneault, and Charlebois among them—the song stood as both a lament and a manifesto. It captured the conflicted identity of a province still reckoning with defeat and disillusionment after the 1980 referendum. At once electronic, poetic, and subversively nationalist, “Je m’en souviens” fused programmed rhythms with political memory, and is now recognized as one of the earliest rap-influenced recordings in Québec.

Though it became a cultural flashpoint, the single was boycotted by major radio networks such as Télémédia, criticized for its defiance and public funding support. Yet it found a life of its own through word of mouth, college stations, and performances that blurred the lines between concert and protest. In 1990, French B. released their first full-length album, French B., through Audiogram. The record featured the Gauvreau adaptation “Ode à l’ennemi” alongside “Je m’en souviens,” and introduced guitarist Roger Miron, transforming the duo into a trio. The album earned nominations at the Gala de l’ADISQ for Microsillon de l’année – Rock and Arrangeur de l’année, while the band continued to provoke debate for its irreverent stance toward industry norms.

French B.’s concerts became known for their intensity and theatrical unpredictability. Joined at various times by Nicole Mayer on vocals, François Giroux and later Martin Petit on drums, and Nicolas Jouannaut of Les Chiens on bass, the group often swelled to more than a dozen musicians on stage. Their 1993 album Légitime démence, recorded at their rehearsal space on rue Atateken and mixed by Éric Goulet with Pierre Girard at Studio Victor, represented their artistic zenith. Self-produced and self-released, it contained a haunting version of “Monsieur l’Indien” (by Claude Péloquin and Jean Sauvageau) and a musical setting of Baudelaire’s “Enivrez-vous.” The record’s artwork—an original painting by Michel Pednault—evoked both fragility and defiance, mirroring lyrics that explored madness, poverty, desire, and moral decay. Its title track, “Légitime démence,” delivered an unflinching vision of social collapse rendered with punk poetry and existential rage.

By the mid-1990s, French B. were fully independent, producing Au-delà du délai (1996) and maintaining a presence at events like the FrancoFolies de Montréal and the Rock sans frontières tour. Their sound—equal parts electro-rock, industrial rhythm, and chanson noire—stood apart from commercial radio trends. In their universe, social critique replaced romantic cliché: alcoholism, consumerism, language politics, and spiritual desolation were recurring subjects. “Il faut choquer,” Gauthier once said, “aller chercher les émotions. Parce qu’à un moment donné, les histoires de blondes, ça fait un temps.”

Despite their critical stature, the group disbanded in 1998, citing exhaustion and an industry unreceptive to politically engaged rock. A posthumous compilation, Chronoreg, collected concert recordings and studio outtakes, serving as their final testament. The members briefly reunited in 2002 for the event Outrage aux Sinners, but never resumed regular activity.

Over time, French B. have come to symbolize a rare convergence of art-rock intelligence and social conscience in Québec music. Their fusion of sampling, poetry, and protest anticipated later waves of francophone electronic and hip-hop expression, while their fearless approach to identity and resistance remains singular. For collectors and historians, their 1989 single “Je m’en souviens” and its 12-inch Bill 101 Remix stand as enduring artefacts of a band that dared to make memory sound dangerous.
-Robert Williston

Richard Gauthier: lead vocals, backing vocals
Jean-Robert Bisaillon: organ, electric piano, synthesizer, programming, backing vocals, lead vocals (track 6)
Roger Myron: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, E-bow, backing vocals
Martin Petit: drums, backing vocals

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