DOGS, The Story…

1973
Original line-up :

Dominique Laboubée ( vocals, guitar ),
Paul Peschenaert ( guitar ),
François Camuzeaux ( Zox ) ( bass ),
Michel Gross ( drums ).

The band covers Flamin’Groovies, Kinks and Velvet Underground songs , and begins to write its own compositions.
First gig at the casino of St Valéry en Caux, others in many places around the Normandy coast.

1974
The band plays few gigs around Rouen, playing covers and their own compositions.
After playing at the famous Golf Drouot hall, their energetic reputation was born.
At this gig, they played a mixture of own material and covers ( Gene Vincent, and Pretty Things ).
At this gig, they had their first write-up in the music press ( Rock & Folk ) , the enthusiastic review was by Philippe Manœuvre.
This event also appears in his book ‘’ L’enfant du Rock ‘’ ( 1985 ) .

1975
The band practises in the holidays and plays many gigs around Rouen.
Gig in Paris with Little Bob Story at l’Elysée Montmartre ,and opening for Little Bob Story at Le Havre .

People start to talk about the band, and there are write-ups in the local press .

Larry Martin, a studio guitar player, gets in touch with them in order to produce the band in a harder rock style. Dominique and Michel refuse but financial benefits attract Zox and Paul’s interest. They both leave the band to play with Larry Martin.

1976
Zox and Paul’s departure leaves Dominique and Michel all at sea. They contact Hugues Urvoy de Porzampac, a fellow student and ask him to join the band. Hugues has been playing the bass guitar for a week and he only knows two tunes : Oh Yeah (Shadows of Knight) and Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room (Brownsville Station) but he is very enthusiastic.

They start practising again. Hugues makes great progress.

1977
They meet through the music store «Melodie Massacre» in Rouen, Jean-Yves Garin, a guitar player. Jean-Yves becomes the fourth member.

They play a new repertoire : Stooges, Gene Vincent, Chocolate Watch Band (Don’t Need Your Lovin’ Anymore), they also work on personal compositions and do several gigs.

Opening for Telephone and Bijou.

1978
They record their first single (3 titles : Charlie was a good boy, No Way, Nineteen) in January. It is made in the cellar of a record-dealer from Rouen, Lionel Hermani, and it is distributed by Skydog. 3 500 records are sold within a short time. This first single is regarded as the most sought-after collector of the Dogs.

The title Nineteen is selected to feature in the British compilation Streets released at Beggar’s Banquet.
As a result the British rock magazine «New Musical Express» publishes a few lines about the Dogs.

Jean-Yves Garin leaves the band because he lacks free time.

Release of the second maxi single (5 titles : Teenage Fever, Go where you want to go, Here comes my baby, My life, You’re gonna loose me) in June.
It is recorded in Boulogne in only 48 hours !

Here comes my baby is specially selected to be on Skydog Commando distributed by Skydog with Bijou and Starshooter.
Gigs in Le Havre, Paris and Rouen and opening for Jam.

Contract with Phonogram.

1979
Now there are only three Dogs.

They appear with Bijou, Go Go Pigalle and other bands in the French Rock Mania festival at the Palais des Sports in Paris on June 9th.
A 6 title single is given free, including Gotta tell her, written by Dominique.
An album of the festival is recorded live and made during the night to be on sale the following day.

The band is given a good reception in the summer festivals (Orléans and Orange).

The first album called Different (13 titles) is released during the summer containing 3 covers (Nobody but me, Fortune Teller, I’m real) and Dominique Laboubée’s new compositions.

French tour.

1980
French, Swiss and Belgian tours.

The second album Walking Shadows is recorded in Rennes and released in October (the 10 songs are composed by Dominique Laboubée).
It is very different from the first one, with a more aggressive sound.
Lionel Hermani’s name appears on the sleeve.
First single in French : Trouble fête, Cette ville est un enfer.

1981
Contract with Epic/CBS

The Dogs appear in the Trans’ Musicales in Rennes.

French tour.

Antoine Massy Perrier, a fan since the beginning, joins the band. He is a guitar player who played with the Gloires Locales and the Snipers, and with the Dogs in encores at the time of previous gigs.

They start practising the titles of the next album.

1982
The third album Too much class for the neighbourhood is recorded in London at the Battery Studio and it is produced by Tony Platt (Trust, AC/DC). It is released in June.

Criticism from the papers is unanimous : the album becomes a reference.
It sells well in Belgium, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Israel and South Africa.

Gig with the Fleshtones at the Palace in Paris on April 15th.

Big French, Swiss and Belgian tour during the autumn (35 dates).
British tour (15 dates, opening for Dr Feelgood).

The band takes part in Vincent Lamy’s «Echo des Bananes» on FR3 (French television channel) with several live songs from Too much class for the neighbourhood.

1983
The fourth album Legendary Lovers is recorded in London and produced by Vic Maile (Inmates, Dr Feelgood, Eddie and the Hot Rods). It amazingly covers Gene Vincent’s Bird Doggin’.
The record is released in October and it is as well-received as the previous one by the rock papers ; it is even declared third album of the year by the monthly magazine «Best».

A French tour starts in November.

1984
Big European tour : France, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Germany.

Release of the single Secrets (French version) as well as Mon coeur bat encore / Down at Lulu’s produced by Jeff Eyrich (Plimsouls, Gun Club) with the guest appearance by Calamités.

The Dogs take part in the TV programme «Les Enfants du Rock» in March.

1985
The band follows Marc Zemati’s (manager) advice to record Shout live at the prodigious Rockfield Studio in Wales (Dave Edmunds produced –among others- Stray Cats and Flamin’ Groovies there). Dave Charles (Dave Edmunds’ drummer) plays the invaluable role of sound engineer.
At the start the band had money to record a single ; they make an album (sound mixing included) in only 6 days.

Gigs in France and tour in Europe (Scandinavia, Spain) and in Japan.
The Dogs also play in Berlin with Sean Tyla and Nick Lowe.

1986
Back to London to record the sixth album More, More, More.
The record is produced by Bob Andrews (Graham Parker and the Rumour’s keyboard) and Colin Fairley (Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe’s sound engineer).

The band takes part in Gilles Tandy’s (ex Olivensteins) album La colère monte produced by Dominique.
Gilles Tandy will open some Dogs’ gigs afterwards.

The Dogs appear at the Printemps de Bourges.

1987
Christian Rosset (Tupelo Soul’s bass player) takes over from Hugues who leaves the band.

Gene Clarksville’s arrival (Roadrunners’ keyboard).

Release of the compilation Shakin’with the Dogs.

Gigs in France.

1988
Dominique composes the music of Louise Féron’s first single Tomber sous le charme which is released at Virgin. Over 50000 records are sold.
Jean-Louis Murat will cover Tomber sous le charme in one of his next albums.

The seventh Dogs’album A million ways of killing time is released at New Rose.
It is recorded at the Mix-It Studio in Paris by Charles Hurbier and Eric Debris (ex Metal Urbain) and is produced by Dominique and Jean Labbe.

1989
Release of the promo video Something Magic and the single CD (Mix-It / New Rose) which includes two original numbers (see discography).

New edition of the first two albums Different and Walking Shadows on CD.

Michel Gross (drummer) leaves the band. Bruno Lefaivre takes over him (he played the percussions in the latest album).

Antoine starts Tony Truand & the Million Bolivar Quartet.

1990
Louise Féron’s first album is released at Virgin. The music is made by Dominique, the lyrics by Louise Féron. John Cale (ex Velvet Underground) is the producer.
The Dogs take part in the recording.
Dominique and John Cale make the sound mixing in New York.

The album sells well (20 000 records are sold).

1991
Many gigs in France.

1992
The compilation Tribute to Johnny Thunders contains a Dogs’ title : I wanna be loved.

Making of the eighth album.
Antoine leaves the band at the end of the year to entirely dedicate to Tony Truand.

1993
There are only three Dogs again.

The eighth album Three in a crowd is released at Skydog. It is recorded at the Studio de la Seine in Paris.

Philippe Almosino (guitar player) who gave a hand at the time of the previous album takes part in a few titles.
It is produced by Colin Fairley who worked on More, More, More.

Many gigs in France and abroad.

1994
Release of the single CD The end of the gang / I wanna be loved.

Dominique is the producer of Frank Le Gall’s four titles CD Fermer les yeux.

1995
Dominique takes part in Little Bob’s gig celebrating twenty years in the trade, in La Courneuve and Le Havre.

He also appears in December in a show dedicated to John Lennon in Paris, with the Road Runners, Dominique Sonic,...
He performs three titles with Phil (Wampas) : Run for your life, You’ve got to hide your love away and I’m a loser.

1996
Laurent Ciron (ex Bookmakers’ guitar player), a fan since the beginning joins the band. Now, there are four Dogs.
They practise the repertoire and work on new titles.
First gig with Laurent Ciron in March in Le Mans.
First recording of the songs for the coming album.

1997
The band still works on new songs and records a second series of trials.
Initial contact followed by a meeting with Jean Gamet (Studio de l’Hacienda) who will produce the next record.
Gigs in France.

1998
Recording in Tarare (69) at the Studio de l’Hacienda of the new album which will be released in two volumes.

The first one Four of a kind – vol. 1 (Night and Day) is released in October.

Dominique produces Cesium’s (punk-rock band from Rouen) first record.
He also plays the guitar with Chainsaw and records a 6 titles CD.
Two Dogs’ songs (She’s a wind up and Sugar Shaker) are selected to feature in the record Tribute to Lee Brilleaux – vol. 1 (Outside Records).

1999
Tour all over France (30 dates).

The band appears in the usual gig of the 24 H du Mans.

A different kind – Four of a kind – vol. 2 (Night and Day) is released in October.
The album contains three songs in French and three live songs including the so great Fier de ne rien faire, co-written by Dominique and Eric Tandy (ex Oliveinsteins).

2000
Dominique takes part in March in the TV programme «Top Bab» on Canal Jimmy with Philippe Manoeuvre.
He relates the band’s story and plays Hometown with an acoustic guitar.
«Top Bab» also offers two songs from the Dogs’ gig in Grenoble (June 1999) : I wanna be your dog and Little Doll (the Stooges).

Gigs in France and Belgium.

For the second time the band takes part in the record Tribute to Lee Brilleaux – vol. 2 (Outside Records) with one song, 20 yards behind.

2001
At the beginning of the year, sound mixing in Tarare at the Studio de l’Hacienda, of the next live album made from the gigs recorded between 1997 and 2000.
The songs are mixed by Manu Gares who had already mixed the live song Walking Shadows on the previous album.

The Dogs appear in the TV programme «Rock Press Club» dedicated to David Bowie and compèred by Philippe Manoeuvre (Canal Jimmy). They perform Suffragette City and Hang on to yourself.

The live album Short Fast and Tight (2 CD / 29 songs) is released in August at M10.

Gigs in France.

2002
October 10th, during the US Tour, Dominique dies !