Any Offenbach fans here?

Telarkaster · March 3rd, 2008, 08:43 PM

This band had it all: blistering Strat solos & a Hammond B-3, and Gerry Boulet had a killer voice and the best rock hair...

Two of my favourites from their farewell show:

Ayoye

Je Chante Comme Un Coyote

I really don't think you need to understand French to get this music...

sneakyjapan · March 3rd, 2008, 10:34 PM

I remember them, they were quite popular at one time in Quebec. UZEB is another great band from then, Michel Pagliaro another, Harmonium among many more.
Was " Calling the Do Blues " by them as well? Just saw you`re from Montreal too...allez les canadiens...first place in the division, as it should be.

boneyguy · March 3rd, 2008, 10:38 PM

I went to high school with the guitar player, John McGale, if he's still in the band. Don't know anything about the band though.

John was one of those young prodigies. He plays flute as well and back in the 70's he would do a pretty mean cover of Aqualung at the high school dances.

the naked guitar player · March 4th, 2008, 12:11 AM

any of you saw the article in "la presse" about the 50 best albums in quebec? Its very interresting

If I remmember good, Offenbach got the mention for being the 5th greatest band in quebec history. Thats pretty good Id say. and nobody sings the blues like Gerry.

but Im more of a Harmonium fan, sorry :)

Unseen · March 4th, 2008, 05:07 AM

Offenbach? Didn't they manufacture motors for Indy 500 cars for many years?

bluetele54 · March 4th, 2008, 06:37 AM

sneakyjapan · March 4th, 2008, 08:26 AM

this thread got me thinking...I remembered... Nanette Workman, Beau Domage, Plume Latraverse, Robert Charlebois, Claude Dubois, Kashtin, ....oh yeah and whats her face...Celine somethingorother... heeheehee

Telarkaster · March 4th, 2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the naked guitar player

but Im more of a Harmonium fan, sorry :)

They were a great band! But Offenbach flat out rocked.

I'm digging Les Colocs now, another singer who left us too soon...

Boneyguy, do you have any other stories about McGale? He's one of my favourite guitarists. I was trying to find footage of them playing in front of a studio audience in the 70s when they had that bald drummer and only one guitarist, and McGale was blazing away. The farewell concert footage from the Forum didn't do him justice I found.

I remember hearing how they were actually from Ontario (Franco Ontariens), and half of them didn't even speak French...

They tried to break into the English speaking music market and released and album in English but it didn't do too well. They went back to singing in French and the rest is history. RIP Gerry. (He died of brain cancer)

SneakyJapan, you named some great bands! I believe UZEB came after them, more of an 80s band. I associate Offenbach more with the 70s. I saw UZEB at the free show (Grand Spectacle) at the Jazz Fest many years ago, that was a blast...

Here they are:

By the way, the song you're thinking of is "Caline de Blues", which translates as %$# Blues. (roughly, it's idomatic...). Caline is a polite word for a swear word, something like "Shucks" or "Darn". The chorus is "Caline de doux blues" or "darn smooth blues", and yes, Offenbach is famous for that song.

Pagliaro was a serious dude in his day too, he had a string of hits in both languages and recently played a comeback show.

By the way, the Habs lost last night to San Jose and we're no longer in first. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!

boneyguy · March 4th, 2008, 09:19 PM

[quote=Telarkaster;1141880]..... Boneyguy, do you have any other stories about McGale? He's one of my favourite guitarists. I was trying to find footage of them playing in front of a studio audience in the 70s when they had that bald drummer and only one guitarist, and McGale was blazing away. The farewell concert footage from the Forum didn't do him justice I found./QUOTE]

It's funny you should ask because after this thread jogged my memory a bit I actually remember that he sort of stole my girlfriend at the time. I remember skipping school one day with some friends and heading to the beach and there she was frolicking with with him in the water.

Given his Guitar God status on the local scene at the time I'm guessing I wasn't the only one suffer this adolescent humiliation.

I don't have much more info on him, sorry. He was a grade ahead of me so we didn't hang out or anything. His band at the time played alot of our school dances and I just remember he was talented beyond his years. I have a vague visual memory that he used to mostly play an SG at that time.

He's definately not Francophone but obviously learned to speak French fluently.

After watching some YouTube clips I can verify he still has the same hairstyle.

Telarkaster · March 4th, 2008, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boneyguy

It's funny you should ask because after this thread jogged my memory a bit I actually remember that he sort of stole my girlfriend at the time. I remember skipping school one day with some friends and heading to the beach and there she was frolicking with with him in the water.

Given his Guitar God status on the local scene at the time I'm guessing I wasn't the only one suffer this adolescent humiliation.

Oh crap! I'm sorry I brought it up! He's a terrible guitarist, I take it all back!

sneakyjapan · March 4th, 2008, 09:27 PM

OH, so thats the spelling eh...I am bilingual. I do know caline is a milder form of a religious term, caline is the word I used in front of my parents...the other was the word I used with my French speaking friends outside the house. Saw many good shows at Le Club Montreal...is it still around?...might have a different name now. Montreal is the place to be during the jazz festival...saw an outdoor show there once with 100 thousand of my closest friends.

sneakyjapan · March 4th, 2008, 09:29 PM

...sorry....edited.....

bluetele54 · March 4th, 2008, 09:30 PM

... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Offenbach ...hmmm,I wonder where the band got their name...

Boubou · March 4th, 2008, 09:40 PM

Yup, love Gerry, my Anglo girlfriend hates him. Not much of a Quebecois music fan myself. Actually i like to hear them on the radio but dont have any cd's, maybe i should buy some, Anyone mentionned Marjo?

boneyguy · March 4th, 2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telarkaster

Oh crap! I'm sorry I brought it up! He's a terrible guitarist, I take it all back!

Yeah, thanks alot pal. We'll talk later after I get back from therapy.

the naked guitar player · March 4th, 2008, 10:00 PM

Coincidence, today I got the chance to buy a bunch of old vinyls really cheap. theres 4 or 5 offenbach records in there. cant wait till I listen to them.

March 3rd, 2008, 08:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
Telarkaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal Quebec Canada Posts: 1,801	Any Offenbach fans here? This band had it all: blistering Strat solos & a Hammond B-3, and Gerry Boulet had a killer voice and the best rock hair... Two of my favourites from their farewell show: Ayoye Je Chante Comme Un Coyote I really don't think you need to understand French to get this music...

March 3rd, 2008, 10:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,493 3 Photos	I remember them, they were quite popular at one time in Quebec. UZEB is another great band from then, Michel Pagliaro another, Harmonium among many more. Was " Calling the Do Blues " by them as well? Just saw you`re from Montreal too...allez les canadiens...first place in the division, as it should be. __________________ quasi mojo

March 3rd, 2008, 10:38 PM	#3 (permalink)
boneyguy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: victoria b.c. Age: 50 Posts: 2,958	I went to high school with the guitar player, John McGale, if he's still in the band. Don't know anything about the band though. John was one of those young prodigies. He plays flute as well and back in the 70's he would do a pretty mean cover of Aqualung at the high school dances. __________________ "Shut up n' play yer guitar"

March 4th, 2008, 06:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
bluetele54 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: valley village Age: 55 Posts: 1,504	...not any of the dogs that do...

March 4th, 2008, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,493 3 Photos	this thread got me thinking...I remembered... Nanette Workman, Beau Domage, Plume Latraverse, Robert Charlebois, Claude Dubois, Kashtin, ....oh yeah and whats her face...Celine somethingorother... heeheehee __________________ quasi mojo

March 4th, 2008, 12:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
the naked guitar player TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Quebec Age: 20 Posts: 29	any of you saw the article in "la presse" about the 50 best albums in quebec? Its very interresting If I remmember good, Offenbach got the mention for being the 5th greatest band in quebec history. Thats pretty good Id say. and nobody sings the blues like Gerry. but Im more of a Harmonium fan, sorry :)

March 4th, 2008, 05:07 AM	#5 (permalink)
Unseen Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon Age: 61 Posts: 1,724	Offenbach? Didn't they manufacture motors for Indy 500 cars for many years?

March 4th, 2008, 09:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
boneyguy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: victoria b.c. Age: 50 Posts: 2,958	[quote=Telarkaster;1141880]..... Boneyguy, do you have any other stories about McGale? He's one of my favourite guitarists. I was trying to find footage of them playing in front of a studio audience in the 70s when they had that bald drummer and only one guitarist, and McGale was blazing away. The farewell concert footage from the Forum didn't do him justice I found./QUOTE] It's funny you should ask because after this thread jogged my memory a bit I actually remember that he sort of stole my girlfriend at the time. I remember skipping school one day with some friends and heading to the beach and there she was frolicking with with him in the water. Given his Guitar God status on the local scene at the time I'm guessing I wasn't the only one suffer this adolescent humiliation. I don't have much more info on him, sorry. He was a grade ahead of me so we didn't hang out or anything. His band at the time played alot of our school dances and I just remember he was talented beyond his years. I have a vague visual memory that he used to mostly play an SG at that time. He's definately not Francophone but obviously learned to speak French fluently. After watching some YouTube clips I can verify he still has the same hairstyle. __________________ "Shut up n' play yer guitar"

March 4th, 2008, 09:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,493 3 Photos	OH, so thats the spelling eh...I am bilingual. I do know caline is a milder form of a religious term, caline is the word I used in front of my parents...the other was the word I used with my French speaking friends outside the house. Saw many good shows at Le Club Montreal...is it still around?...might have a different name now. Montreal is the place to be during the jazz festival...saw an outdoor show there once with 100 thousand of my closest friends. __________________ quasi mojo

March 4th, 2008, 09:29 PM	#12 (permalink)
sneakyjapan Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: nippon Posts: 2,493 3 Photos	...sorry....edited..... __________________ quasi mojo

March 4th, 2008, 09:30 PM	#13 (permalink)
bluetele54 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: valley village Age: 55 Posts: 1,504	...Jacques was a " 'o the walk"!!!... ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Offenbach ...hmmm,I wonder where the band got their name...

March 4th, 2008, 09:40 PM	#14 (permalink)
Boubou Tele-Holic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Montreal, Quebec Age: 49 Posts: 682	Yup, love Gerry, my Anglo girlfriend hates him. Not much of a Quebecois music fan myself. Actually i like to hear them on the radio but dont have any cd's, maybe i should buy some, Anyone mentionned Marjo?

March 4th, 2008, 10:00 PM	#16 (permalink)
the naked guitar player TDPRI Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Quebec Age: 20 Posts: 29	Coincidence, today I got the chance to buy a bunch of old vinyls really cheap. theres 4 or 5 offenbach records in there. cant wait till I listen to them.