Jean Leclerc (singer)
Encyclopedia
Jean Leclerc is a Québécois
singer-songwriter
and author from Quebec
, Canada
. He is popularly known as Jean Leloup (which he likes to translate to John the Wolf in English
), a stage name
he kept using until 2006, when he temporarily changed his name to Jean Leclerc, only to resurrect his wolf character in August 2008. He is known for his colourful personality and unique musical style in the francophone
rock
community.
and Algeria
, where he was influenced by traditional Africa
n rhythms. He returned to Quebec
in 1976, and appeared on the music scene in the 1980s, making waves with his provocative lyrics—in his song "1990", he compares the high-tech actions of Desert Storm to his sexual activities with his girlfriend.
His 1990 album L'amour est sans pitié was a hit outside of Quebec, and was released in the rest of Canada, France
, the Netherlands
, Belgium
and Japan
.
He was the recipient of a Félix Award
in 1997, following the success of his 1996 album Le Dôme.
At the end of 2003, Leclerc retired the name Jean Leloup and went on hiatus from his recording career. In August 2005, he announced his temporary return to the music scene with a collaboration with a band called the Porn Flakes. A first single called "Les Corneilles" has been heard on Quebec
's radio stations.
In the months preceding his return, Leclerc wrote the philosophic novel (originally entitled ); it was published October 5, 2005 at the Leméac editions under the pen name Massoud Al-Rachid.
Leclerc released the album Mexico in September 2006, his first under the name Jean Leclerc.
Jean Leclerc returned to the stage on August 29, 2008 for 400th year of Quebec City's founding. He revived the name Jean Leloup for the occasion. The show was held at the Colisée Pepsi
. Although controversial, Jean Leclerc mentioned that the "last hour of the show was the best of his life".
Leclerc released the album Mille Excuses Milady (translated to "a thousand apologies, Milady") on April 28, 2009, under the name Jean Leloup and the first since he publicly declared that he wouldn't produce another album.
As Leloup, Leclerc is currently working on a new album, set to be released in late 2011.
French-speaking Quebecer
French-speaking Quebecers are francophone residents of the Canadian province of Quebec....
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and author from Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, 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...
. He is popularly known as Jean Leloup (which he likes to translate to John the Wolf in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
), a stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
he kept using until 2006, when he temporarily changed his name to Jean Leclerc, only to resurrect his wolf character in August 2008. He is known for his colourful personality and unique musical style in the francophone
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....
rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
community.
Biography
Born in Sainte-Foy, Quebec, Leclerc grew up in TogoTogo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
and Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, where he was influenced by traditional Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n rhythms. He returned to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1976, and appeared on the music scene in the 1980s, making waves with his provocative lyrics—in his song "1990", he compares the high-tech actions of Desert Storm to his sexual activities with his girlfriend.
His 1990 album L'amour est sans pitié was a hit outside of Quebec, and was released in the rest of Canada, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
He was the recipient of a Félix Award
Félix Award
The Félix Award is a music award, given on an annual basis to artists in the Canadian province of Quebec.The first Félix awards were presented on September 23, 1979, by the Association du disque, de l'industrie du spectacle québécois...
in 1997, following the success of his 1996 album Le Dôme.
At the end of 2003, Leclerc retired the name Jean Leloup and went on hiatus from his recording career. In August 2005, he announced his temporary return to the music scene with a collaboration with a band called the Porn Flakes. A first single called "Les Corneilles" has been heard on Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's radio stations.
In the months preceding his return, Leclerc wrote the philosophic novel (originally entitled ); it was published October 5, 2005 at the Leméac editions under the pen name Massoud Al-Rachid.
Leclerc released the album Mexico in September 2006, his first under the name Jean Leclerc.
Jean Leclerc returned to the stage on August 29, 2008 for 400th year of Quebec City's founding. He revived the name Jean Leloup for the occasion. The show was held at the Colisée Pepsi
Colisée Pepsi
Colisée Pepsi , formerly the Colisée de Québec , is a multi-purpose arena in Quebec City, Quebec.It was the home of the WHA and NHL Quebec Nordiques from 1972–1995, and is currently the home of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
. Although controversial, Jean Leclerc mentioned that the "last hour of the show was the best of his life".
Leclerc released the album Mille Excuses Milady (translated to "a thousand apologies, Milady") on April 28, 2009, under the name Jean Leloup and the first since he publicly declared that he wouldn't produce another album.
As Leloup, Leclerc is currently working on a new album, set to be released in late 2011.
Discography
- 1989: Menteur
- 1990: L'amour est sans pitié
- 1996: Le Dôme
- 1998: Les Fourmis
- 2002: La Vallée des Réputations
- 2004: Exit
- 2005: Je joue de la guitare 1985-2003
- 2006: Mexico
- 2009: Mille Excuses Milady
External links
- Jean Leclerc official website