Richard Desjardins

A singer/songwriter in the custom of Jacques Brel and Leonard Cohen, Richard Desjardins spent two-thirds of his profession as an unidentified and ignored musician, initial along with his group Abbittibbi and afterwards as a single musician. In 1990, his second record, Tu M’Aimes-Tu, propelled him towards the forefront of smart France chanson. His activism for Quebec’s self-reliance and in protection of the indegent and abused provided him the aura of the controversial amount. Desjardins was created 1948 in Rouyn-Noranda, a mining city in North-Western Quebec (an area known as Abitibi). The boy of proletarians, he noticed the way the big mining and real wood businesses carelessly exploit the sources of a region, frequently using the agreement from the government authorities. This environmental awareness combined with the complications of the operating class would energy his lyrics and his sociable dedication throughout his profession. Desjardins formed several country-rock/art rock known as Abbittibbi with close friends Claude Vendette (saxophone), Francis Grandmont (bass), and Rémy Perron (acoustic guitar). Through the entire 1970s up to 1982 when it 1st disbanded, the group toured the night clubs of Quebec to small get. They self-released an LP, Boomtown Café, in the past due ’70s, however the big break these were waiting for under no circumstances materialized. The vocalist/pianist discovered his breads and butter in film music as well as co-directed movies with Robert Monderie (Comme des Chiens en Pacage, 1977; Mouche ? Feu, 1983). Even while he held writing tracks and knocking at doorways of record brands. Rough-edged, not really good-looking whatsoever, with a somewhat nasal voice, dedicated lyrics and a colourful vernacular vocabulary, he embodied the precise opposing of what these were searching for. However, he held playing small night clubs to dedicated viewers and self-released his 1st single recording in 1988. The recording sold badly but discovered sympathetic ears in community and university r / c. Filmmaker Pierre Falardeau, another rough-edged Quebec activist, employed him to create the music for his film Le Party (1989). Desjardins acquired a small function and performed using the reunited Abbittibbi for the event. Now presented to a more substantial market, he self-released Tu M’Aimes-Tu the next year. This time around critical acclaim emerged quickly as well as the record yielded two strikes, the title monitor and “Quand J’Aime une Fois J’Aime Pour Toujours,” afterwards included in many artists. Some concerts in Montreal and France set up him as a distinctive entertainer and effective songwriter. He was 42 years of age. In 1994, Desjardins reformed Abbittibbi to record a couple of brand-new music, released as Chaude Était la Nuit. An extended tour implemented and Desjardins/Abbittibbi Live noted the singer’s rock and roll repertoire. He returned to his single profession for the 1998 Increase Boom. For a decade he previously been selecting his best music among a repertoire gathered over 2 decades, but now, needing to write brand-new materials it became apparent the spark had not been as bright. He quickly announced his semi-retirement, but nonetheless performs single concerts occasionally, mainly for public causes.