“We stay together because we really have fun and we're lifelong friends. We care about each other.” With their eighth album in a nearly 25-year career, the members of Trois Accords prove that friendship can overcome mountains.
In Quebec, few bands manage to last long. Kaïn recently announced their breakup after more than 25 years. In 2023, the death of Carl Tremblay likely marked the end of the Cowboys Fringants after 26 years.
Active since the early 2000s – the band's beginnings date back to 1997 – the musicians of Trois Accords still seem resolute in returning with a record. Always on vacation and who will hit the road again this winter.
Meeting at La Traque studios, where the band are rehearsing for their new show, singer and chief lyricist Simon Proulx attempts to explain his band's longevity, which many believed one-time miracle with a crazy person Hawaiianin 2003.
“I think people have realized what an artistic universe we have. There is a real approach. We are also discovering that we still have something to say. […] We try to make better albums every time, to make things that go further.”
Head full of trips
Going “further,” the Drummondville band literally did just that with this record. To film the video for the title song, Simon and three of his friends (Alexandre Parr, Pierre-Luc Boisvert and Charles Dubreuil) flew to Alberta. “I had the idea of making a kind of documentary about mountaineering,” says Simon.
The theme of travel is present throughout the album. When writing new songs, Simon mentions that he started thinking about mood.”backpack [sac à dos]Travel, Manu Chao!
The singer recalled the state of mind that young Quebecers often experience when they decide to go camping. He himself indicates that he made this journey at about 19 or 20 years old, through Europe, “walking on trains in Andalusia.”
In the past, the four musicians often traveled together. Of course, as part of his numerous tours, on both sides of the ocean, but also sometimes just with friends. “For example, going to London together or going to see The Hives in Chicago,” says Simon. It’s cool to be in a travel context that’s not professional.”
The Three Accords traveled to Alberta to film a video for the song “Toujours les vacances”.
Photo courtesy of Louis-Philippe Hinault.
I miss the dashing cowboys
Les Trois Accords also traveled frequently with Les Cowboys Fringants, for whom they opened several times in Europe. Knowing that Repentigny's group will never return to what they were before, Simon admits that he feels empty.
“We definitely miss it. It’s boring to say that we won’t tour Europe together anymore,” the singer replies. “We had fun meeting each other, making music.” Karl [Tremblay] was also a really cool person.”
In June 2024, during their performance at the Francos de Montréal, Les Trois Accords invited Jean-François Posay, Marie-Annick Lépine and Jérôme Duprat to come and perform. Saskatchewan with them.
“It was a very touching moment,” admits Simon. Of course, as a band, it brings us back to the fact that one day it will end, that it won't last forever. That's the first thing JF said. [Pauzé] told me when he saw me: “Enjoy, you don't know [quand ça peut se terminer].””
Album Always on vacationof the Three Agreements, available. The group will give a presentation on November 12 at Espace St-Denis in Montreal. He will begin touring in January 2026. All dates: lestroisaccords.com.
Three songs explained by Simon Proulx
Magazine asked the singer to comment on three tracks from the new album Trois Accords.
– Always on vacation: “Beatrice [Martin, alias Cœur de pirate] and I sang along [au Gala de] ADISQ in 2010. We really liked each other and she became friends. Since then, we often told each other that we should write a song together, but it never happened. Then Beatrice wrote to me and it materialized. It was a true collaboration, which is rare.”
“The idea of the song is someone blaming someone else for always being on vacation and not being able to do anything. And the one saying, when I'm with you, it's always vacation. It's kind of a negative-positive side that's really inspiring.”
– Boston: “I've been wanting to write a song for a long time where the rhyme was the same all the time. It's been about 12 years since I wrote that song, but it wasn't finished yet. I had a friend who went to MIT. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology] and I often went to see him. That’s when the idea occurred to me that the man was spying on the teacher.”
– Marrakesh: “This song was so complex! There were a lot of ideas where two people are running away; one is wanted by the police and the other is running away from the paparazzi. These two find themselves in a unique moment that will never happen again. I found it magical. In the desert, this is the only place where you can be quiet and incognito. It was a long process because the song could last 12 minutes!”
