The Spleen

Francis and Steeve met for the first time in the summer of 1991 when they were respectively 5 and 6 years old. They lived on the same street.

In late 1998, Francis and Steeve discovered that they shared a marked interest for Brit-Pop as well as bands such as Oasis and Radiohead (though Punk-Rock was more popular among their peers). Their common interest in the same genre of music inspired them to seriously make music a career option. Steeve, whose mother was a piano teacher, began taking bass lessons. Francis, whose father was a hobby guitarist and responsible for acquainting him to The Beatles’ music, followed suit choosing the guitar as his instrument. In the early part of the new decade, the two childhood friends gained experience by playing in several cover bands and partaking in music school projects. Unfortunately no audio recordings of those musical endeavors are available today.

In the summer of 2005, Francis and Steeve travelled across Europe. During that trip, the idea of forming a band together germinated, motivating them to create a notebook filled with inspirational themes that would be the DNA of the band they would form. On their return home, the duet immediately recruited Steeve’s younger brother, Pierre-Luc, who had already been playing the drums for six years. Shortly after, the trio recorded its first demo CD.

Julien, the fourth member of the group saw the trio at one of their shows and invited them to perform at his birthday party. His plan was to join them on stage and impress them with his lead guitar playing. He succeeded in doing so and quickly became the lead guitarist of the group, giving it a deeper rock sound to the its intrinsically melodic fiber.

Their mutual friend Viviane, an inspired keyboardist, joined the quartet some weeks later, bringing to the group the final ingredient that the it needed. It is from that mixture of its members’ raw talent, dedication and passion for music, that The Spleen evolved.Spleen is a term popularised in the 19th century by the French poet Charles Baudelaire in his collection of works entitled “The Spleen of Paris.” The spleen represents a melancholic state of mind that has no specific cause, except that melancholy pushes one to compose and create a filter in one’s existence.

During the winter of 2007 the band signs its first record contract with Goego, an independent label from Quebec city. After two solid years of composing and recording, in late 2008 The Spleen finally releases its debut album entitled “No More”. The positive reactions from the media and fans alike provide the band with an immense dose of energy and assurance. Here are some of the comments:

“Intense, one couldn’t say less!” Marie-France Pellerin, 7 Jours

“…the next English hit to come from the capital.” Kathleen Lavoie, Le Soleil

“…it’s got the groove my friends!” Martin Dalair, Énergie 98.9

#1 in the chart TOP 5 Anglo - Musique Plus (video of Get Over You)

#1 in the chart TOP 5 Anglo - Musique Plus (video of All is Done)

TOP 30 in the Canadian English BDS radio chart (Get Over You)

TOP 25 in the Canadian English BDS radio chart (All is Done)

#1 on different radio charts in Quebec (All is Done)

For the next three years after the release of their debut album, The Spleen immersed itself in a tour consisting of more than 80 shows across the provinces of Quebec and Ontario, including performing at the Montreal Bell Center as opening act for Quebec sensation Marie-Mai. In 2011, after their association with Goego had come to an end, the group decided to start writing new songs with the hope to land a new deal with a label that understood their essence and their great potential. Through the efforts of their manager Daniel Bibeau, The Spleen’s new music was presented to Tony Green, an internationally renowned producer. Mr. Green was very impressed with what he heard and signed them to his label, Evolution Records. The Spleen is presently in studio working on their second album scheduled to be released during the first quarter of 2013.