Eternité -

Eternité was a Québécois symphonic/space-rock duo behind the 1978 Polydor album Les chants de l’éternité.

Members: Claude Péloquin (vocals), Michel Le François (guitar, keyboards)

Background

Éternité formed in Quebec in 1977 when poet-vocalist Claude Péloquin teamed with guitarist-keyboardist Michel Le François for a concept album based on texts about mortality and human longevity.

Péloquin was born on August 26, 1942, in Montreal, where he completed classical studies and published his 1963 poetry collection, Jéricho. He established L’Horloge du Nouvel-Âge in 1964 and co-founded the multidisciplinary Zirmate collective with electronic musician Jean Sauvageau and other artists. Péloquin wrote the lyrics to “Lindberg,” a 1968 hit by Robert Charlebois and Louise Forestier. They partnered as Péloquin Sauvageau for the 1972 Polydor album Laissez-nous vous embrasser où vous avez mal, which paired recited poetry with electronic music. Péloquin subsequently joined South American group Kinchamali for Pélo Krispé, taped live at Le Patriote in Montreal and issued on Clic.

Le François played electric guitar in L’Infonie, the avant-garde collective led by composer Walter Boudreau and poet-musician Raôul Duguay. He appeared on the 1972 Kot’ai double album Volume 333 and the 1974 follow-up Volume 3333. In 1976, Le François worked with singer-composer Claude Léveillée on music for a ballet project, taped at Studio La Marguerite with engineer Claude Demers and subsequently issued as Black Sun.

For Éternité, Le François arranged themes to the lyrics of Péloquin, who sang under the name Claude P. Lokin. They recruited Maneige drummer Gilles Schetagne and ex-Guillotine bassist Robert Turmel. Reedist Serge Rhéaume joined the sessions alongside guest singers June Wallack, Billy Ledster, and Estelle Ste-Croix of Ville Émard Blues Band. The musicians worked at the Repentigny studio of pianist Paul Baillargeon, another on-hand sessionist. Péloquin and Le François co-produced the 1977 Polydor album Les chants de l’éternité with engineer Claude Demers.

Discography:

Les chants de l’éternité (1977)

References and notes

L’Île — Claude Péloquin. Establishes his Montreal origins, early poetry, L’Horloge du Nouvel-Âge, Zirmate, and Charlebois connection. (Biography)
Red Bull Music Academy — September 30, 2016. Jean Sauvageau and Péloquin recount the Zirmate performances and their 1972 electronic-music partnership. (Historical feature)
Robert Thérien — Claude Péloquin discography, June 8, 2012. Documents the Sauvageau, Kinchamali, and Éternité albums, including the 1977 Polydor pressing. (Discography)
JazzRockSoul — L’Infonie. Confirms Le François on the 1972 and 1974 Kot’ai albums with Walter Boudreau and Raôul Duguay. (Band history)
Museum of Canadian Music — Black Sun. Confirms the 1976 Léveillée–LeFrançois ballet sessions at Studio La Marguerite with Claude Demers. (Album documentation)
JazzRockSoul — Guillotine and Maneige. Establishes the earlier band affiliations of bassist Robert Turmel and drummer Gilles Schetagne. (Guillotine; Maneige)
QuébecPop — Éternité. Identifies the Péloquin–LeFrançois partnership, Paul Baillargeon studio in Repentigny, and guest singers. (Artist history)
Éternité — Les chants de l’éternité (1977). Original album credits establish the personnel, instrumental assignments, Claude P. Lokin alias, and production team. (Album credits)