Octobre (band)

Octobre was a Québécois progressive rock group active from 1971 to 1982.

Pierre Flynn, Mario Légaré and Jean Dorais met Pierre Hébert in October 1971 and founded the group Octobre. They launched their first album in March 1973. The song "La maudite machine" from this album was highly successful.^[1]: 363

Octobre gave shows at the National Arts Centre, and at the Capitole de Québec with King Crimson. They also had a benefit concert at the Centre Paul-Sauvé for Québec-Presse. After a successful tour, they gave shows in 1974 at the Outremont Theatre and at the Évêché of the Hôtel Nelson. They published two albums in 1974 and 1975.^[1]: 363

In June 1976, Octobre performed in the show OK nous v'là! with Beau Dommage, Contraction, Harmonium, Richard Séguin and Raoul Duguay to an audience of 400 000 at Mont-Royal, for Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day. In 1977, they published the album "L'autoroute des rêves", which is considered the "apotheosis" of Pierre Flynn as a composer and performer. Octobre toured in 1978, and performed at the Théâtre Saint-Denis in March.^[1]: 363

In 1979, Pierre Hébert was replaced by Richard Pelletier and the saxophonist Gérard Leduc joined the group. The group's last album, Clandestin, was published in 1980.^[1]: 363 After the album failed commercially,^[2]: 102 the group ceased most of its activities in 1981. A few shows were given in late 1982.^[1]: 363

There was a reunion show on 7 July 1989 at the Théâtre Saint-Denis for the Montreal International Jazz Festival^[1]: 364 and a reunion benefit show in 2017.^[3]

Octobre songs have a jazzy progressive rock style similar to Chicago and other similar anglophone bands. Their lyrics contain criticisms of social inequalities and of dehumanization in society. These dark themes did not appeal to a broader audience.^[2]: 102