Pop Stress

Pop Stress was primarily the creation of Charles Foucrault, who first became known as a member of the Montreal punk band Narcisse between 1977 and 1979. He subsequently wrote material for Lucien Francoeur.

Discouraged by the limited response to his French-language rock songs, Foucrault began composing in English under the name Eddie Zawa. With François Doyon, manager of The 222’s, acting as producer, a recording session was arranged in April 1980.

The musicians included drummer Richard Lacoste, formerly of Narcisse, The Essentials and VEX and later a member of Les Parfaits Salauds; guitarist François Matt, formerly of Lorne Ranger’s group; keyboardist Yves Foglia; and bassist Jean-Guy Lahaie.

An advertisement seeking additional musicians attracted bassist Denis Durand, formerly of Heaven Seventeen, and keyboardist Antoine Caron, who suggested the name Pop Stress.

In July 1981, Foucrault issued a self-produced single through his own Micatube Records label. Its A-side, ‘It’s So Good to Be in Love’, was an optimistic, immediately catchy song driven by abundant keyboards and an exuberantly youthful attitude.

Pop Stress performed only five or six times before Caron was recruited by Rational Youth and later formed Red Shift. The remaining trio briefly continued with singer and keyboardist Va Va Vol, formerly of The Essentials, before separating in March 1982.

Foucrault returned to working with Lucien Francoeur in 1983 and helped reshape the singer’s artistic direction for the album Jour et Nuit. He adapted several Pop Stress songs into French and co-wrote the successful ‘Rap-à-Billy’.

By 1985, Pop Stress had ended, but Foucrault was invited to contribute to the influential Panic Panic compilation issued by Psyche Records. He submitted ‘Sister of Night’, with lyrics written by The Essentials guitarist Michael ‘Mick’ Lynes.

Although released under Foucrault’s own name, the recording featured musicians who had recently accompanied him as Pop Stress. It became his final recorded composition of the 1980s. After brief periods with Transparence in 1984 and Les Parfaits Salauds between 1985 and 1986, Foucrault changed direction professionally and returned to school.