Paradox was a Canadian band formed in the 1980s by singer/guitarist
Sylvain Cossette
Sylvain Cossette (born May 8, 1963) is a French-Canadian singer from Grand-Mère, Quebec (located in the Mauricie region). He was a founding member of the Quebec-based English-language band Paradox in 1984 before becoming a French-language solo a ...
. The band's best known lineup featured Sylvain on vocals, Francois Cossette (guitar), Denis Lavigne (drums), and Jean-Francois Houle (bass). The band broke up in 1991.
History
Quebec-born Sylvain Cossette formed the
Anglophone band Paradox with Denis Lavigne and Jean-Francois Houle as a
cover band in
Grand-Mère, Quebec
Grand-Mère (, ) is a settlement and former municipality in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint-Maurice River. As a result of the municipal reorganization in Quebec which took effect at the beginning of 2002, Grand-Mère now forms part of the ...
, in 1984. After establishing a local reputation for their live act, the band received a
FACTOR award in June 1988. This grant allowed them to record a demo which eventually led to a record deal with
MCA Music America. With Sylvain's brother Francois joining the lineup on guitar, the band recorded their self-titled debut album ''Paradox'' at Studio Victor in
Montreal in 1988. Produced by
Pierre 'Baz' Bazinet (who was best known for his work with other Canadian acts including
Luba and
Boulevard), much of the album was co-written with
Sass Jordan whose own star was rising at the time. The band produced a couple of videos that saw regular rotation on
MuchMusic
Much (an abbreviation for its full name MuchMusic) is a Canadian English language specialty channel owned by BCE Inc. through its Bell Media subsidiary that airs programming aimed at teenagers and young adults.
MuchMusic launched on August 31 ...
thanks to the catchy hooks and their video friendly looks. In recognition for their airplay and touring across Canada, they were nominated in 1990 for a
Juno Award
The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall of ...
for "
Most Promising Group of the Year".
A second album ''Obvious Puzzle'' followed in 1991, which didn't capture as much attention as their debut. After a final concert in 1991 at the Spectrum in Montreal, the band broke up and Sylvain continued his career as a French solo artist.
Discography
Albums
* ''Paradox '' – 1989
* ''Obvious Puzzle'' – 1991
Singles
* "Waterline" (1989) #24 CAN
* "Another Day" (1989) #46 CAN
* "Catch Me in the Act" (1990) #54 CAN
* "Kiss Me on the Lips" (1991) #49 CAN
References
* Jackson, Rick. ''Encyclopedia of Canadian rock, pop and folk'' (1994). pg. 223–224. Quarry Press
*
Canadian Singles Charts
{{Authority control
Canadian rock music groups