Nudimension
Encyclopedia
Nudimension were a francophone
French Canadian New Wave
/Synthpop
band from Montréal
, Canada
who were active between 1982 and 1989.
Composed of Lead Singer/composer Louie Louie (real name Louis Rondeau), Non musician Marc Fontaine and - (for a period) - vocalist Anne Marie Cyr
. They are most famous for their 1983 single “Amour Programmé
”.
The band achieved moderate success in the French speaking regions of Canada and Europe releasing 5 singles; and achieving regular radio play. The band also appeared on a number of North American TV stations during the early 1980s at the genesis of Synthpop and music video.
Principally recording in their native French language, they achieved crossover success in anglophone Canada and Europe often recording English versions of their original songs.
Although they ceased recording in the early 1990s, an album of greatest hits was released retrospectively in 2009 on the Musi-Video Label.
band The 222s
. In early 1981 the 222s were wound up by the original members. Rondeau states that as a result of that he wanted to “explore new dimensions in music, and (the emerging genre of) Electro would allow him to do that”. He teamed up with the 222s assistant manager Marc Fontaine and on 16 June 1982 formed the studio group Nudimension, taking the band's name from his original music concept.
Fontaine's father was owner of the “Studio Fountain” in Montreal (today known as Lamajeure); therefore access to professional recording equipment was easy for them.
Together as Nudimension, Rondeau and Fontaine released a number of francophone singles and made regular appearances on the late night (and sometimes risqué) Montréal TV show The Musi-Video show
in 1982. It was during recording for the Musi-Video Show that they met TV presenter Anne Marie Cyr.
Cyr would then become their most prominent female vocalist, appearing on a number of their singles, although a regular contributor, she was never a full member of the band. The release of the single “Amour Programmé” became their breakthrough single, being their biggest hit charting in the top 20 in the francophone Canadian charts. and also achieving their first sales in Europe. It enabled them to graduate from the late night Musi-video show to prime time TV. In late 1983 Rondeau and Cyr played the track to open Canada's Quebec based TV Saturday night Donald Lautrec Show. While it was also featured on heavy rotation on French radio stations in Canada. The follow-up single “Obsession” likewise did well, although "Planête Sauvage" (Trans: "Wild Planet") and "Big Boy" failed to equal that success.
A marketing advantage that Nudimension had at the time, was that Fontaine had previously studied film in Los Angeles
and would produce the band's own rudimentary music videos. His role in the band was similar to that of the Human League's
Philip Adrian Wright
being largely visual and not musical. In 1983, in the infancy of music television
, having a music video to accompany a release was unusual for all but the biggest bands with major label funding and helped Nudimension acquire prominence.
Cyr stopped working with the band after 1985, Patrick Bourgeois went on to form Les BBs in Montreal but Rondeau and Fontaine continued to the early 1990s. The start of the end for Nudimension was when their business manager Ben Kaye left to work with (then) emerging French Canadian singer Celine Dion
. Despite the release of the single “I Need Your Loving” (which did not chart) in 1989, Rondeau felt there was a certain breakdown of inspiration, frustration and professional stagnation. Although not a formal split Nudimension did not continue after 1990.
channel to show the bands old music videos. Ironically it was easier to obtain from the various TV stations and publish the music video clips of performances that the band produced in the early 1980s, than to publish recorded music. As at the time the whereabouts of master tapes from the long defunct record labels were not known.
However in 2009 Fontaine tracked them down and produced “The Best of Nudimension
” as a greatest hits album. It was the band’s first album, released 26 years after their first single.
Also in 2009 Fontaine and Rondeau were interviewed on QBR about the band’s history.
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
French Canadian New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
/Synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
band from Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
who were active between 1982 and 1989.
Composed of Lead Singer/composer Louie Louie (real name Louis Rondeau), Non musician Marc Fontaine and - (for a period) - vocalist Anne Marie Cyr
Anne Marie Cyr
Anne Marie Cyr is a French Canadian singer, TV presenter and occasional model; who was active during the early 1980s. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada Cyr came to prominence in her late teens on Montreal cable television assisting and presenting on shows such as The Musi-Video Show...
. They are most famous for their 1983 single “Amour Programmé
Amour Programme
"Amour Programmé" is a song by the French Canadian Synthpop group Nudimension.The single is in the french language and was recorded at Fountain Studios, Montreal, Canada. Released by Illusion Records in May 1983,; It became a breakthrough single for Nudimension and was the first to feature TV...
”.
The band achieved moderate success in the French speaking regions of Canada and Europe releasing 5 singles; and achieving regular radio play. The band also appeared on a number of North American TV stations during the early 1980s at the genesis of Synthpop and music video.
Principally recording in their native French language, they achieved crossover success in anglophone Canada and Europe often recording English versions of their original songs.
Although they ceased recording in the early 1990s, an album of greatest hits was released retrospectively in 2009 on the Musi-Video Label.
History
Louis Rondeau (known by his stage name "Louie Louie") was originally a drummer and vocalist in 1970s PunkPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The 222s
The 222s
The 222s are a Canadian punk band first active from 1977 to 1981. They are most famous for their 1978 single "I Love Suzan". They reformed in 2010.-History:...
. In early 1981 the 222s were wound up by the original members. Rondeau states that as a result of that he wanted to “explore new dimensions in music, and (the emerging genre of) Electro would allow him to do that”. He teamed up with the 222s assistant manager Marc Fontaine and on 16 June 1982 formed the studio group Nudimension, taking the band's name from his original music concept.
Fontaine's father was owner of the “Studio Fountain” in Montreal (today known as Lamajeure); therefore access to professional recording equipment was easy for them.
Together as Nudimension, Rondeau and Fontaine released a number of francophone singles and made regular appearances on the late night (and sometimes risqué) Montréal TV show The Musi-Video show
Musi-Video show
Musi-Video show was a Music television series which ran in Canada between 1980 and 1984 on Community television. It was a very early example of the format that later would be adopted by the creation of MTV and MuchMusic....
in 1982. It was during recording for the Musi-Video Show that they met TV presenter Anne Marie Cyr.
Cyr would then become their most prominent female vocalist, appearing on a number of their singles, although a regular contributor, she was never a full member of the band. The release of the single “Amour Programmé” became their breakthrough single, being their biggest hit charting in the top 20 in the francophone Canadian charts. and also achieving their first sales in Europe. It enabled them to graduate from the late night Musi-video show to prime time TV. In late 1983 Rondeau and Cyr played the track to open Canada's Quebec based TV Saturday night Donald Lautrec Show. While it was also featured on heavy rotation on French radio stations in Canada. The follow-up single “Obsession” likewise did well, although "Planête Sauvage" (Trans: "Wild Planet") and "Big Boy" failed to equal that success.
A marketing advantage that Nudimension had at the time, was that Fontaine had previously studied film in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and would produce the band's own rudimentary music videos. His role in the band was similar to that of the Human League's
The Human League
The Human League are an English electronic New Wave band formed in Sheffield in 1977. They achieved popularity after a key change in line-up in the early 1980s and have continued recording and performing with moderate commercial success throughout the 1980s up to the present day.The only constant...
Philip Adrian Wright
Philip Adrian Wright
Philip Adrian Wright is an English musician, also known as Adrian Wright.Wright had studied film making at Sheffield Art College and was a friend of Philip Oakey. In 1978 he was invited to join the new avant-garde electronic band The Human League which composed of Oakey, Martyn Ware and Ian Craig...
being largely visual and not musical. In 1983, in the infancy of music television
Music television
Music television is a type of television programming which focuses predominantly on playing music videos from bands, usually on dedicated television channels broadcasting on satellite or cable. Music TVs may host their own shows charts, award prizes. Examples are VIVA, Scuzz, MTV, JBTV, MuchMusic,...
, having a music video to accompany a release was unusual for all but the biggest bands with major label funding and helped Nudimension acquire prominence.
Cyr stopped working with the band after 1985, Patrick Bourgeois went on to form Les BBs in Montreal but Rondeau and Fontaine continued to the early 1990s. The start of the end for Nudimension was when their business manager Ben Kaye left to work with (then) emerging French Canadian singer Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
. Despite the release of the single “I Need Your Loving” (which did not chart) in 1989, Rondeau felt there was a certain breakdown of inspiration, frustration and professional stagnation. Although not a formal split Nudimension did not continue after 1990.
Revival
Some 20 years after the band's disbandment, with the synthpop genre receiving a general revival, and emboldened by interest in the band’s back catalogue. Fontaine started an Official YoutubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel to show the bands old music videos. Ironically it was easier to obtain from the various TV stations and publish the music video clips of performances that the band produced in the early 1980s, than to publish recorded music. As at the time the whereabouts of master tapes from the long defunct record labels were not known.
However in 2009 Fontaine tracked them down and produced “The Best of Nudimension
The Best of Nudimension
The Best of Nudimension is a greatest hits album by 1980s French Canadian Synthpop group Nudimension. It includes the majority of their tracks recorded between 1981 - 1989...
” as a greatest hits album. It was the band’s first album, released 26 years after their first single.
Also in 2009 Fontaine and Rondeau were interviewed on QBR about the band’s history.
Personnel
- Louie Louie (Louis Rondeau) – Lead Vocals, Keyboards, Drums
- Marc Fontaine
- Anne Marie CyrAnne Marie CyrAnne Marie Cyr is a French Canadian singer, TV presenter and occasional model; who was active during the early 1980s. Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Canada Cyr came to prominence in her late teens on Montreal cable television assisting and presenting on shows such as The Musi-Video Show...
– Vocals
Additional musicians
- Francois Laberge - Keyboards
- Patrick Bourgeois - Electric Guitar (later of Les B.B.)
- Laurie Ann Gill - Vocals
- Marla – Vocals
Singles
- ”Amour ProgramméAmour Programme"Amour Programmé" is a song by the French Canadian Synthpop group Nudimension.The single is in the french language and was recorded at Fountain Studios, Montreal, Canada. Released by Illusion Records in May 1983,; It became a breakthrough single for Nudimension and was the first to feature TV...
” (1983) (Illusion Records (Canada) - ”ObsessionObsession (Nudimension song)"Obsession" is a song by the French Canadian Synthpop group Nudimension.The single is in the French language and was recorded at Fountain Studios, Montreal, Canada...
” (1983) (Saisons) - ”Big Boy” (1984) (Saisons)
- ”Planête Sauvage” (1986)
External links
- Marc Fontaine’s Official Nudimension documentary
- Nudimension Discography on Discogs
- Audio Interview with Marc Fontaine and Louis Rondeau
- Nudimension Article