Offenbach (band)

Canadian blues rock band

Offenbach is a Canadian progressive rock and blues rock band, initially active from 1969 to 1985. Following a successful reunion tour in 1996, the band released a new album in 2005.

Formed in Montreal in the mid 1960s as Les Gants blancs, the band went through a variety of names (including "7e Invention", "Grandpa & Company", "Offenbach Pop Opera" and "Offenbach Soap Opéra") before settling on Offenbach in 1969. The band initially consisted of vocalist and lyricist Pierre Harel, guitarist Johnny Gravel, organist and singer Gerry Boulet, bassist Michel Lamothe (son of country singer Willie Lamothe) and drummer Denis Boulet (Gerry's brother). Offenbach Soap Opera released their debut self titled album, Offenbach Soap Opéra, in 1971. Although the band's material was primarily in French, that album also included two English songs, "No Money No Candy" and "High But Low". Denis Boulet left the band in 1972, and was replaced by Roger (Wezo) Belval. In November of that year, the band performed a "Mass for the Dead" at Saint Joseph's Oratory, which was released on album as Saint Chrone de néant. In 1973, Pierre Harel left the band to pursue a career as a filmmaker and the band toured France. They were based there for the next two years as they toured Europe extensively. Several performances from this era were documented in the concert film Tabarnak, directed by Claude Faraldo. In 1975, the band returned to Montreal. Lamothe and Belval left in 1977 and were replaced by Norman Kerr on bass and Pierre Lavoie on drums; Jean Millaire also joined the band that year as a second guitarist, but left within the year and was replaced briefly by Doug McCaskill, then permanently by John McGale. Kerr and Lavoie departed in 1978, and were replaced by Breen Leboeuf on bass and Robert Harrisson on drums. In 1976, the band recorded its first of two English albums, Never Too Tender, and toured across Canada to promote it. They subsequently released three more French albums, Offenbach, Traversion and "En Fusion", before their second English language album, Rock Bottom, was released in 1980. Traversion won the band its first Félix Award for rock album of the year in 1979. In 1979, Offenbach toured Quebec with the Vic Vogel Big Band. A recording of their concert at the St. Denis Theatre was issued in 1980 as Offenbach en fusion, which won the Félix Award for rock album of the year in 1980. The band also received Félix Awards in 1980 as group of the year and for show of the year, the latter honoring a concert on April 3 in which Offenbach became the first Québécois band ever to headline at the Montreal Forum. In 1982, Harrison left the band and was replaced by Pat Martel. The band released three more albums of new material, as well as the live album À fond d'train (documenting a successful tour with Plume Latraverse), Gerry Boulet recorded his first solo album in 1985 and started planning a solo career. The band performed final shows at the Colisée de Québec and the Montreal Forum that year; the Montreal concert was released on album as Le Dernier show and as a concert film.

The musicians involved in Offenbach each pursued solo projects through the next decade. Boulet released two solo albums before his death in 1990. Leboeuf and McGale released a project together as Buzz Band; Leboeuf subsequently released several albums as a solo artist, after taking part in the successful promotional tournée of Céline Dion's Incognito album (1987–1988). McGale released one solo album, entitled Bridges, as well as collaborations with Dan Bigras, Julie Masse, Isabelle Boulay and Toyo. Harel, Lamothe and Belval formed the new band Corbach to capitalize on the history and popularity of both Offenbach and Corbeau. Gravel formed the band Patriotes, and Martel played with pop singer Carole Ann King. In 1992, the band's back catalogue began to be remastered and rereleased on compact disc, and several of their albums once again hit Quebec's pop charts in the new format.