Roger Rodier -

Roger Rodier is a Québécois folk-psych singer-songwriter behind the 1972 Columbia album Upon Velveatur.

Background

Roger Rodier was born in Montreal, Quebec. Rodier was 25 in July 1971 and worked in Montreal as a bilingual performer-songwriter. Rodier played bass in an early Mike Jones Group lineup circa 1965 with singer Mike Jones, drummer Earl Kimble, lead guitarist Bob Panetta, and rhythm guitarist Richard Dupuis. The group played the Jail and larger Montreal dance halls, then traveled to New York to record demos in search of a record deal. Around 1967, Rodier and guitarist Germain Gauthier joined Jay Boivin in the short-lived Montreal group Sex.

Rodier later joined At The Age of Three with guitarist Germain Gauthier. The acoustic trio sang in three-part harmony with guitar-based arrangements. Rodier and Gauthier then continued as a duo and played Montreal cafés. They debuted in August 1969 with “L’Herbe” (b/w “Tu Viendras”) on Pax, followed in October by “Have You?” (b/w “Overseer”). During the duo’s brief run, Rodier decided to pursue the Anglo-Canadian market as a solo artist.

Rodier signed with Columbia Records and linked with producer Yves Lapierre for the May 1971 single “The Key” (b/w “Easy Song”). In February 1972, he entered Studios André Perry with Lapierre and engineer Michael Lachance.

Discography:

Upon Velveatur (1972)

Sources and notes

RPM Weekly, July 17, 1971 — “Columbia’s Rodier readying new album.” This is the strongest contemporary source. It gives Rodier as a 25-year-old Montreal performer-songwriter, confirms his bilingual activity, names the Mockers, Mike Jones Group, At The Age of Three, and Rodier-Gauthier, identifies John Curl as manager, and describes the move from Rodier-Gauthier into a solo career for English Canada. It also confirms the Columbia contract, Yves Lapierre production, and plans for the new André Perry 32-track studio. (World Radio History)
Garage Hangover — Mike Jones Group. The history identifies Rodier as bassist in the original lineup with Mike Jones, Bob Panetta, Richard Dupuis, and Earl Kimble. Bob Panetta recalls the Jail, larger Montreal dance halls, and the original lineup trip to New York for demos. The article also draws on Rodier notes prepared for the 2006 Upon Velveatur reissue. (Garage Hangover)
Mondo P.Q. — “Les chants de marijuana.” This Quebec music history places Rodier and Germain Gauthier in the short-lived group Sex around 1967, identifies Jay Boivin among the members, and traces Rodier-Gauthier through Montreal café appearances and the Pax singles. It also provides session information for “L’Herbe.” (MondoPQ)
Laurent Gauthier recollection. Germain Gauthier brother Laurent recalls Rodier in At The Age of Three with Germain and a female vocalist, describing the act as an acoustic three-voice group. His account also mentions Simplicity and the Haunted, but those affiliations are less securely corroborated, so I left them out of the draft. (Montjoies)
RPM Weekly, May 15, 1971. The Canadian release listing confirms Roger Rodier “The Key” on Columbia C4-2970, with “Easy Song” on the reverse, and credits Rodier as writer. (World Radio History)
Museum of Canadian Music — original Upon Velveatur credits. The LP credits place the recording at Studios André Perry in Montreal in February 1972, with Rodier as writer-producer, Yves Lapierre on arrangements, and Michael Lachance as recording engineer. (Museum of Canadian Music)
Pax chronology check. Discographic sources place “Have You?” / “Overseer” in 1968. Sources disagree over “L’Herbe” / “Tu Viendras,” with 1969 and 1970 both reported, so I deliberately omitted years from the two Pax singles in the BK. (FamilleRock.Com)