I never thought of Deja Voodoo as a Québécois band. I tend to associate the adjective with what is commonly referred to as “musique québécoise.” Deja Voodoo, musically and politically, certainly does not fall under that umbrella. So why is Cemetery, the band’s debut LP, listed in Eric Trudel’s 101 Disques Qui Ont Marqué le Québec (101 Records that Changed Quebec)?
A first browse through Trudel’s most recent book left me perplexed. The title, with its obvious reference to Quebec’s celebrated (infamous for others) language law, led me to assume a focus on politically charged francophone music. I was therefore surprised to see Deja Voodoo listed between Corey Hart and The Box. Leonard Cohen, Infonie, Men Without Hats, the Nils, and Voivod also appear in the book. So does Celine Dion as well as Eric Lapointe and Rock Voisine. The fact that the book lacks a proper introduction and statement as to how and why the albums were chosen contributed to my confusion.
In 101 Disques Qui Ont Marqué le Québec, Trudel offers a selection of albums that have, in one way or another, contributed to the development of this province’s diverse music industry. His approach is honest and inclusive despite a lack of focus and coherence. The book's title is catchy and effective. It also suggests that the author is aware of the need to redefine what is meant by "musique québécoise." This is where Trudel really succeeds.
"En cette ère de mondialisation - et donc d'homogénéisation - culturelle, il est fort à propos de rappeler la richesse, la profondeur, et la beauté de notre patrimoine musical aux influences européennes et américaines, de sa pluralité qui est aussi sa singularité," Trudel notes.
101 Disques Qui Ont Marqué le Québec does not have the attributes of a reference book but it will do well as a coffee table book for people with a general interest in music and Quebec culture.
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I started this post with a reference to Deja Voodoo, so here's an introduction to the band’s discography.
Read what Trudel has to say about the band or follow the links provided here for more details about Quebec's kings of sludgeabilly.
**Note that I failed to include live and demo material, singles, as well as the worst of Deja Voodoo. As far as music video material is concerned, none is available online at the moment.
Deja Voodoo still are the coolest fuckers I’ve ever seen—they used to play shows in the fruitpacking plant in my small town bc hometown every 6 months or so. Seeing them at 14 years old made me start backcombing my died black hair for at least 6 months. I wound up finding one of their records in a garage sale in Athens, Greece, 15 years later—Fuck those guys were so cool.
I found my copies on vinyl (and tape) in Montreal (which makes sense) but I never managed to attend a Deja Voodoo performance (which is absurd). missed the last BBQ in the late 80s unfortunately for some obscure reasons. any photos from those days you would like to share Justin?