Sunday 22 November 2009

The Les Intrigantes Collection




Some time in the happening year of 1964, four girls from Quebec came together (Carole, Claire, Ginette and Diane) with the goal to form a band. Adpoting the moniker of Les Intrigantes they practised hard, eventually gainging a contract in Drummonville and eventually Saint-Hyacinthe under the management of one Roger Beaudet to play at youth venues. Next came a chance to record their first record in 1965, the release "Faut Savoir/Sans Toi on the Jeunesse Franco label. Both sides were written by Beaudet. This release was the first and only time the girls were featured playing their instruments on a recording. Sadly despite the quality of the recording it sank without a trace! However come Autumn they were playing at the Hotel Club YeYe. Their next release came the following year, another Beaudet composition, "Mets Chinois" and cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Sound of Silence" (La Seul Du Soleil) - again the record failed to garner much attention, allthough the group did get the chance to film a perfomance of the song for a Tv show. 1967 proved a fruitfull year for live perfomance,
including a tour with groups and artists such as Les Lutins, Les Merseys, Chantal Pary, Karo and Oliver Despax. Come December not one but two singles were released by the group for the masses to enjoy. The first on the A1 label was a cover of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit (La Justice), adapted by member Carole, while the flip was a cover of The Mamas and Papa's "Creeque Alley", translated into French as "Nous Voci" by manager, Beaudet. It similarly tells the tale of the groups unique formation! But however for some reasons unbenownest to moi, the group did not like the finished recording and the record was subsequently withdrawn from circulation. Luckily success did emerge with their other single released that month on the Jupiter label, a fantastic rendition of the Beatle's "Hello Goodbye" along with a similarly brill version of Frankie Valli and the 4 Seasons "C'mon Marianne" (Je N'aimais Pas Marianne). The popularity of the record let to more touring and another release on Jupiter, a cover of Boyce and Heart's "Goodbye Baby" with "Les Enfants De La Plage" (a version of Peggy Lee's "Til There Was You"). The reocord acheived some success too, proving especially popular on some radio stations. Sadly despite having their most successful year to date, the group had disbanded by the end of 1968. However their legacy has not been forgotten, and I can present to you the entire recorded output of these lovely pioneering ladies from the land of Quebec! Also posted below this here text is a video, lovingly made by some I assume is known to the group, featuring live footage and photographic images of the group to their biggest hit, Hello Goodbye.




Right to sum up included in the download are.......!

Faut Savoir / Sans Toi (JF 4044)
Mets Chinois / Le Seuil du Soleil (CN 9013)
La justice / Nous Voici (A1 813)
Hello Goodbye / Je n'aimais pas Marianne (JP 1118)
Les enfants de la plage / Goodbye Baby (JP 1141)