This article was written in 2009 and was originally scheduled to be published in a fanzine that never emerged. Let me change the usual tone of this blog, just to talk of Different.
Long hair shirts, weight, ties, flower pants funny ... The Different had everything he needed to stand out from the array of groups in Quebec in the 60 - and now reaching the status of classic Quebecois garage. They were playing their own compositions, recorded no return and mastered the art of fuzz. Above all, The Different sought to provoke, by their dress, their attitude and music with a lot harder than most groups of their kind.
On their own, unique and highly sought-after album, the group describes itself this way: "Different, this is not the style of all groups, it is something to them. They differ not only by their compositions, but also by their style, their gender, their ways of dressing that is seen only at home. " They have the guts . Apart from the Sinners and Les Miserables as well as some lesser known groups which hit hard, the differences are among the few to openly oppose the industry to "take back" and the purchase of composition. If you want my opinion, the differences had a very punk attitude, anti-conformist, rebellious and shocking. 
Colored and not sympathetic
from three obscure groups (including one named The Absolute), the differences are in Chambly, near Montreal, in 1966, originally under the name The 4 Different. Johnny "Blondinette" Whitton (vocals), Jacques aka "Jimmy" aka "the diplomat diplomats Moreau (lead guitar), Richard" the greatest among the greatest "Trottier (guitar), Jean-Claude" muddy the poet " Durand (bass) and Claude Lamontagne (drums) - first member of the Fan Club Various - made their first public appearance at École St-Joseph de Chambly.
With their look very colorful, more than mod, almost hippie, they immediately attract a large audience of young rebels starved wild noise. The best example of their style of dress provocative is the main propaganda tool they used during their careers: Poster promoting Discworld (right image top). It shows the 5 different, long hair and sideburns provided, in their strange attire, displaying an attitude of bad boys with boiled rollingstonienne not sympathetic, backed by a stone wall. Even one member is ... ... a miniskirt and tights! It almost sounds like Robin Hood! The pouch The album shows them in a different angle similar in all the splendor of their colors, but with an attitude a little less unpleasant.
the popularity of different spreads like wildfire. More than simple local dance groups, they are rapidly turning to Rosemont, Victoriaville and Rimouski, and then to the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, where they are presented as "The Rolling Stones Canadian" and where they are engaged as orchestra Filming for some of the local TV show Hard 67. The differences are quickly noticed in the new cities as they visit their Vannetti tour is painted in psychedelic colors and is very showy decorated with two large hands on either side glued to dangle in the wind!
But their stay in this region is not as happy. In an interview, Jacques Moreau, lead guitarist, told in Saguenay, the differences have had to save the old man who had threatened to cut off their hair, scissors in hand!
Highlights of World Records
In early 1967, The Different contact Ken Ayoub (the very man who discovered The Sultans, among others), company Discworld (the French equivalent of the discs Trans-World who gave us The Haunted, The Rabble, etc.). A contract is signed and in February '67 and the various lock themselves in Stereo Sound studio in Montreal for three days, recording their only self-titled album (Discworld 65001). It is said that 5,000 copies are printed. Commercial success is not to go, but music side ... ouch! It's hard!
A debate remains: the figure of 5000 copies is it true? For several years, that figure runs followed by the words "making it one of the rarest albums of Quebec." Yet we know that the LP of Haunted, for example, was printed in 1000 copies. It is very rare, but seen to sell from time to time, here and there. Several of those we never see him, almost. This leads me to believe that only 500 copies could be printed / sold, not 5000. Perhaps there was an error in the number of the first researcher who obtained this info?
Piece by piece
Still, the album's different today is extremely sought after by collectors. It's a real gold nugget of garage punk Quebecois strongly inspired Rolling Stones 12x5 time.
The LP opens with I do not want a little gem and well fuzzée primitive desire, which would have to blush before any composition of American garage groups of the era. It reminds me very vaguely Psychotic Reaction Count Five of or certain times of Seeds. Next word is hammered on the unrequited love hard and accusatory tone: "I will see you again / I'm going to a black country / I hope to find hope / I want nothing more to know / NO! . I do not want
And how have they done to get that fuzz sound? Reached by telephone, Jacques Moreau said he was looking for this sound even before there fuzz pedals. As was customary at that time among groups garage, he carved the speakers of his amp with a razor blade. But Moreau had another weapon: a huge church organ amp, solid wood, he pushed up, to get a powerful distortion. And he dragged the holy juggernaut in all different concerts!
classic among classics Let different was compiled on Rumble in the 90s, but originally appeared in 45 laps before the album's release, coupled with All girls (Discworld 865, 1967), opposite B. Real "statement" of the group "We need to be different" summarizes the essence, the lifestyle of training - and so many young Quebecers at the time - on a noisy and fuzzée frame, perfect little nugget garage. If it was an anthem for Quebec youth of the 60s, Be extremely different would do the trick.
Let different
I'd be lying if I told you that the rest of the album is up to these two pieces biting well. Garage ingredients are all present: the fuzz back here and there ( Abandoned ), twelve string guitar Richard Trottier adds a touch of "jingle-jangle" in the Byrds on a few tracks ( All girls ) and harmonica Johnny Witton spices many other songs ( Solitude), which often pay in electric folk / prostest song to Dylan and Anthony on the theme of rebellious youth with long hair (The Stone ). It remains a good album Quebecois garage, but the recipe does not rise forever. few pieces of Various, Bulk
That leaves the piece de resistance, I love you , which opens the B side of a long game and was compiled on Quebec in the wind Vol. 1 . I love you kicks with a guitar solo quasi-psychedelic and develops over a beat that hits hard, in line with its then U.S.. Are all, it is excellent and probably the best song of the album! I love you
A classic $ 300
The Different split in 1969. Only Richard Trottier continues in the world of music groups with Jimmy and The Four Times and The Quebecers. Their existence, the differences were naturally not received the recognition which would have been due. Too bold, provocative, and ahead of their time working in the context of a nascent industry, rather closed-minded. The time has yet given due to different, dedicated their album "mythical" and "classic Quebecois garage, making drooling fans worldwide garage. But this album really worth the $ 300 typically charged for a copy in mint condition? Hard to say ... in fact I would strongly advise anyone interested in this long-play, acquire primarily a reissue. It might as well do the job!
The photos published in this article are courtesy of Denis Lalonde Store The Pick Up in Montreal.
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