Genre: pop
Rating: * (1 star)
Title: Le 25ieme Regiment
Company: Lero
Catalog: LS-767
Year: 1969
Country/State: Canada, Quebec
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: Canadian pressing
Available: SOLD
GEMM catalog ID: SOLD
Price: SOLD - $60.00
Cost: $10.00
Call us strange, but for some reason we've become fascinated with 1960s era French Canadian rock bands. Not sure why - perhaps because we have some French heritage in our veins, or maybe it has something to do with the odd notion of groups of wild French-Canadian teenagers hoping to become huge rock stars ... Whatever the philosophical underpinnings, musically many of these outfits are quite impressive. These guys - less so ...
Le 25ieme Regiment (aka The 25th Regiment) is one of the more mysterious outfits we've run into. So far we haven't found much bibliographical information on the quartet, though Karol, Michel, ReJean and Robert (no last names given), were reportedly from Montreal. Originally signed by the small Apex label, starting in 1967 they released a string of three obscure singles:
1967 "Lucie Sous Un Ciel De Diamants" b/w "My Mammy" Apex catalog number 13486
1968 "C'est Le Temps D'aimer" b/w "C'est Bon Signe" Apex catalog 13499
1968 "Chin Chin" b/w "Les Fraises Et Les Framboises" Apex catalog number 13517
Though better known for it's roster of MOR acts such as Denise Brousseau and Pierre Lalonde, 1968 saw the slightly larger Lero label sign the band. Released in 1969, the cleverly-titled "Le 25ieme Regiment" served to compile their earlier singles ("A" and "B" sides), along with four new studio selections. Musically the set's a mixed bag. Musically tracks such as "Un Petit Bonhomme Avec Le Nez Pointu", "Roulez-Roulez" and "Mammy" are probably a little too MOR pop for true rock fans. On the other hand, "Lucie Sons in Ciel de Diamantes" (aka "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds"), finds them turning in one of the odder Beatles covers we've heard. Their "He Jude" cover is a little more mainstream.
"Le 25ieme Regiment" track listing"
(side 1)
1.) Un Petit Bonhomme Avec Le Nez Pointu - 1:43
2.) C'est Bon Signe (Bottle of Wine) (Tom Paxton - Richeley) - 2:10
3.) Roulez-Roulez (Helule - Helule) - 2:33
4.) Lucie Sons in Ciel de Diamantes (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 3:07
5.) C'est Les Temps D'aimer (Zabadak) - 2:46
(side 2)
1.) Mammy - 2:19
2.) Les Fraise Et Les Framboise (Ou ... Les Fraises a Bicyclette) - 2:44
3.) He Jude (John Lennon - Paul McCartney) - 2:48
4.) Respect Achim - 2:00
5.) Chin Chin - 2:16
The band also recorded a second, reportedly more psych-oriented set - 1970's "Ecology". We've never seen, nor heard it.