The Box

The Box

The Box. Montreal pop group. It was formed in 1982 by the singer and songwriter Jean-Marc (Pisapia, b Montreal 13 Nov 1957), who had previously toured as a keyboard player with Men Without Hats, and by Luc Papineau, who would serve as the band's sound technician. Completed by Guy Pisapia (keyboards), Jean-Pierre Brie (bass) and Guy Florent (guitar), it made its first LP, The Box (1983-4, Alert BD-1000), which included 'Walk Away' and 'I'll Always Remember'.

With Claude Thibault replacing Florent, and Philippe Bernard (drums) added, The Box had its first national hit in 1985 with the English-French 'L'Affaire Dumoutier' (from All the Time, All the Time, All the Time..., Alert BD-1003), followed in 1987 by the popular 'Closer Together,' 'Ordinary People' and 'Crying out Loud for Love' (from Closer Together, Alert BD-1005). The Box was assisted by the singers Sylvie Daviau, Sass Jordan and Martine St-Clair on Closer Together, which sold over 100,000 copies and won a Félix Award as Anglophone album of the year in 1987. A fourth album (cassette and CD), The Pleasure and the Pain (1989, Alert Z1-81014), included the hits 'Carry On,' 'Temptation,' and 'Inside My Heart'.

The Box, which established its personality in the rock mainstream with its songs' memorable refrains, social conscience and populist sentiments, and with Jean-Marc's disarming showmanship, also received Félix awards as group of the year in 1985, and as Anglophone group and for video ('Closer Together') of the year in 1987. The Box has made several tours of Canada, both as a headliner in clubs, concert venues (eg, Ontario Place) and at universities, and as an opening act in arenas for Chris de Burgh (1987) and others.