Information/Write-up
Les Monstres were a short-lived but vividly memorable Montréal garage group active from 1965 to 1967, emerging at a moment when Quebec’s yé-yé scene was hungry for spectacle. Formed out of the teen band Les Shadols by singer Marc Hamilton and bassist-producer Normand Bouchard, the group adopted full horror-rock identities inspired by B-movies and novelty records. On stage they appeared as Frankenstein, La Faucheuse, Le Bossu, Le Borgne and Dracula, performing in makeup and cloaks, arriving at shows in a 1947 Packard hearse, and staging coffin-based entrances that made them one of the most theatrical acts of the period.
Behind the disguises were musicians who would later appear throughout Québec pop: Hamilton (vocals), Normand Bouchard (bass), François Carel (organ/guitar), Martin Zizek (guitar), Michel Bourgon (drums) and guitarist-vocalist Réal Brousseau (later known as Sam Lloyd). Early on, different lineups of the group occasionally performed under the same name as Hamilton tested the concept; at times Les Shadols worked weekdays while Les Monstres filled weekend club dates. Brousseau performed as “Le Bossu,” alternating between guitar and English-language repertory, while Hamilton handled most of the French material.
The group released two 45s. Their debut, Le Monstre Mash b/w Le Thème du Cimetière (Blue Jean BJ-2804, 1965), produced by Denis Pantis, offered a francophone adaptation of Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s novelty hit backed with a brooding instrumental built from clanking chains and reverb-drenched guitar. A year later Miracle issued the follow-up Pourquoi Madame b/w Je Veux Une Réponse (MIR-1301, 1966), co-written by Hamilton, Roger Letarte and Brousseau. That single leaned toward melodic garage pop with brass touches and tighter arrangements, showing the band edging past straight novelty.
Les Monstres toured heavily across Quebec, appeared in Montréal teen clubs, and even made two trips to New York—one tied to an unissued pair of recordings Brousseau remembered cutting for producer Tony Roman. Their hearse-driven arrival and costumed stage show routinely drew media curiosity and long lines at venues, but the concept’s lifespan was short. By 1967 public interest in gimmick-costumed bands had waned, and the group dissolved. Several members moved into new projects: Hamilton launched his solo career, Bouchard shifted into production, and Brousseau recorded under the name Plume before becoming Sam Lloyd.
Although their catalogue was small, Les Monstres left behind two highly collectible 45s and a brief but unmistakable place in the evolution of Montréal’s mid-60s garage and novelty rock.
-Robert Williston
Marc Hamilton (Dracula): lead vocals
Réal Brousseau (Le Bossu): guitar, vocals
Normand Bouchard (Frankenstein): bass
François Carel (Fantôme de l’Opéra): organ, guitar
Martin Zizek (Le Borgne): guitar
Michel Bourgon (La Faucheuse): drums
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