Don’t look for Daniel Boucher’s new album “À grands coups de tounes Vol.” 2, on online listening platforms. Convinced that this distribution model disadvantaged local songs, the singer-songwriter decided to offer it only on his own website for a “subscription” of $5 per month.
Published at 1:23 am. Updated at 11:00 a.m.
“I’m trying out a few offers. It’s in my nature,” says Daniel Boucher, who now lives in Mont-Louis in Gaspésie. We met him on Monday, the day after the ADISQ gala, where he hadn’t been for a long time. “Yes, yes, things are going well,” he said, laughing very, very hard, visibly tired, but above all in a good mood.
Does he miss the surroundings? “The environment as such? Good question. I miss the friends in the community, the loud laughter. It was fun to go along for the ride. »
The singer is one of the 170 signatories to a letter asking ADISQ to better represent artist-entrepreneurs. “Eighty percent of the productions are in-house productions,” he emphasizes, saying that the structure of the association needs to adapt to reality, as does the financing. “SODEC has taken a step, and so has Musicaction. But it is a job that requires responsibility. »
Daniel Boucher has been self-producing since his second album, La patente, in 2004. The same desire to run his own business drives him to try out the concept of subscriptions. He recalls that platforms like Spotify were “created for artists who have access to the planet and can generate hundreds of millions of plays.” For this reason, they do not serve local artists well, both in terms of “insignificant” royalties and in terms of discoverability.
“A small market like ours, even though I don’t like the word market… It’s difficult to see a drop of water. There are many of them, water drops, in the bay of Mont-Louis! »
However, he hasn’t withdrawn from the platforms – “that wouldn’t be a good message” – and apart from this new release, we can still listen to all of his albums since 10,000 Acres.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, THE PRESS
Daniel Boucher
I don’t want to sulk. But if the system had its way, I wouldn’t have brought this into the world. It’s clear.
Daniel Boucher
He doesn’t hide his excitement about this project that he’s still working on and that makes him want to get up in the morning. He’s the one who “heats up,” and he likes it. “Normally you finish your album two months before releasing it. From there I just need the final files and put them on the tablet myself when it’s finished. That’s the exciting thing, you know? »
He dreams of reaching 10,000 subscribers and to make it worthwhile, he will offer on his platform not only everything he has produced since his beginnings, but also exclusive content such as recordings of his shows, live… “I want the people come to us. »
Mileage
Daniel Boucher doesn’t work alone because he lives far away from the big centers. We could imagine him making his album alone with his guitar in his shed, but that’s not the case: many musicians worked on it, from Alex McMahon to Pierre Fortin, and guitarist Jean-Sébastien Chouinard co-directed it.
I don’t live there to be away from people. I feel comfortable in the forest and on the mountain. I do all kinds of patents.
Daniel Boucher
He took up carpentry, which makes him “as happy as music,” and thanks to technology, he created his album exactly as he dreamed.
“I was at home in the mountains, Choui was in the studio in Montreal. We talked on FaceTime. He connected, took possession of my computer, I stood up with my microphone and headset, and he ran the session. Like I was on the other side of the glass. »
With Great Melodies, Vol. 1, which he launched in 2020, collected songs once a month that he had initially released individually. This is not the case with Volume 2, a real album with new songs, some started a long time ago, others still very new.
The thread in all this? ” There are none. That’s why they call it À grand coups de tounes. But I’m starting to recognize themes that keep coming up over the years, like the inner journey, the passage of time, independence… All of it that! But you knead it and bring it out with the added layer of confidence. The mileage.”
At 52, Daniel Boucher is in a “good phase” of his life and feels completely true to himself. “More in the middle,” he said, pointing to his chest. “But it’s a life’s work. »
It starts with everything, starting with the joy of playing with colloquial language or inventing words – reading the album titles is evidence of this, be it Le grand rail de l’astheure or Je peleurerai.
I like it more and more. It’s a game ! No job, you know. We make music, it’s fun. If it’s flat, change the disc!
Daniel Boucher
He also accepts his preference for the “sweet melody,” which he had previously resisted. “A melody like En Roulé vers Percé… I accepted it as soon as it arrived. » And he had a lot of fun working on the guitar lines to create “ten moving canvases.”
“I like the guitar. It bothers me less and less whether I’m up to date or not. What is the sound of time anyway? There is none. We need to stop trying to cling to something external. No, that’s where it happens. » He puts his hand back on his chest. “The final phase is up to you. »
Pop rock
With great melodies, Vol. 2
Daniel Boucher
Blue smoke