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Trans-X

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Trans-X
OriginMontreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresSynthpop, Hi-NRG
Years active1981–1988, 1995–present
LabelsMatra
Saisons
ZYX
Atlantic Records
MembersPascal Languirand
Corina Lawrence
(since 2008)
Luis Broc
(since 2012)
Ramon Serratos
(since 2014)

Trans-X is a Canadian 1980s synth band formed in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are known for their hit song "Living on Video" which charted worldwide.

History

Trans-X was started by Canadian musician Pascal Languirand, previously known for his albums in the ambient, cosmic and space music genres. The name comes from the 1977 Kraftwerk song "Trans-Europe Express", which Languirand thought “was catchy and reflected well the direction I wanted to take with Trans-X“.[1] In 1982 he recruited Montreal keyboardist and programmer Steve Wyatt as the second half of the Trans-X duo. Together they recorded a demo that got Trans-X a recording contract for a single, "Vivre sur Vidéo".

Steve Wyatt played some synthesizer and did some programming on "Vivre sur Vidéo". He also composed "Digital World" and played all the instruments on the track, which was on the B-side of the single. "Digital World" can also be found on the maxi-single and on the Living on Video debut album. Wyatt left Trans-X sometime in late 1983.

Pascal later recruited Montrealer Laurie Ann Gill. Gill can be seen in early videos where she performed backing vocals for synthpop group Nudimension. When "Living on Video" (the English version of "Vivre sur Vidéo") was released in May 1983, it was an instant hit in Canada and the single later sold two million copies and reached British and European Top ten charts on its 1985 re-release.[2]

Pascal Languirand (2010)

Later in 1983, Trans-X released another song "Message on the Radio" which did not make it into the charts, and Trans-X ended the year with another single, "3D-Dance". "Message on the Radio" was made into a video in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The video was produced by Emil Dittrich from Toronto and Carol Linnane from Boston.

All these songs featured on the band's 1983 debut album, Living on Video, known in Canada as Message on the Radio. Three years later, the band released their second album, which had the same title and artwork as their debut album.[3] Different versions were released in Canada and America and the album also contained three tracks from the 1983 album, although they had been remixed or re-recorded.[4] In 1988, Languirand decided to retire Trans-X after their third album On My Own failed to chart outside of Canada. After the album was released Languirand went silent for a few years and decided to continue his solo career with new age, ambient and space music instead of electronica.

In 1994, Languirand returned as Trans-X, performing live with Nadia Sohaei.[5] In 1998, he released the Greatest Hits album. Later Languirand recorded a remake of his main hit under the title "Living on Video 2003" and released The Drag-Matic Album, produced by Michel Huygen of Neuronium. One more new version of this hit, "Living on Video 2k6" was released on 6 May 2006.[6]

As of 2010, Languirand lived in Mexico and was preparing a new album by Trans-X for release.

In early 2012, Languirand had been seen performing live together with Truc Quynh, better known as "TQ", a relatively well-known Italo-Disco-singer. With TQ, Languirand has been collaborating at least since 2004. However, on the 2010-single "I Want To Be With You Tonight", on the L. O. V. 2011 album from 2011 and on the Hi-NRG album that was released in 2012 in Mexico, Languirand was vocally accompanied by Corina Lawrence, a woman with Argentinian roots. With Lawrence he has been working together since 2008.[7] On the other hand, in 2013, Languirand sang a song together with Truc Quynh, entitled "My Fascination", being recorded on audio and video. The song became part of TQ's later album Out of the shadows which was released in late 2014. Although Languirand was involved in singing that song, it was more an offspin than a pure Trans-X project. Over the years, Languirand more and more became interconnected with other artists, and especially after 1986, not solely working for Trans-X, but also letting space for other projects. Sometimes, therein he lent his voice to others, sometimes he worked for others as a producer, etcetera. To a certain extent, "My Fascination" is an outcome from such kind of collaborations.

In 2012, Luis Broc joined the electronic drummer and in 2014 he joined Ramón Serratos in the SFX, synthesis and as a DJ of the band in the live performances, both of Mexican origin.
During 2016, they made a series of tours in South America, reaffirming the taste for the High Energy genre in diverse audiences – in countries like Chile, Peru and Colombia – in the initiative of the project "Discolocos", a documentary film (of the young filmmaker David Davila) that reflects the world of „the followers“ of the genre since the 1980's. And that remains to date in Mexico in which Trans X is a protagonist alongside a community that represents a haven of faithful followers and a place where the power of music and its generative capacity resides. From the film, "Discolocos" is the original motion soundtrack being created by Pascal Languirand, rooting in classic themes from the 1980s in his tribute to the High Energy and Italo Disco genres, in collaboration with the voices of Willie Chambers, Jessica Williams, Claudja Barry, Tobias Bernstrup, Stephan Groth, Cynthia Manley, Eskil Simonsson, Conrad Kaneshiro, Christina Criscione and J. D. Hall.

Discography

Albums

  • Living On Video (released in Canada as Message on the Radio) (1983)
  • Living On Video (1986)
  • On My Own (1988)
  • Trans-X xcess (1995)
  • 010101 (2001)[8]
  • The Drag-Matic Album (2003)
  • L.O.V. 2011 (2011)
  • Hi-NRG (2012)
  • Anthology (2014)

Singles

Solo albums by Pascal Languirand

  • Minos (1978) (LP only)
  • De Harmonia Universalia (1980) (LP only)
  • Vivre Ici Maintenant (1981) (LP only)
  • Gregorian Waves (1991)
  • Ishtar (1993)
  • Renaissance (2002)
  • LSD (as Cybernium; collaboration with Michel Huygen) (2003)
  • Incanta (2005)

Citations

  1. ^ "Interview with Trans X". www.italo-interviews.com. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  2. ^ Inlay of Gregorian Waves album by Pascal Languirand
  3. ^ "Trans-X - Living On Video". Discogs. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Trans-X - Living On Video". Discogs. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
  5. ^ Nadia Sohaei bio information Archived 25 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ New age-Music, Encyclopedia of Music in Canada
  7. ^ Trans X en Lima. 'El Melómano Escritor' Event Blog , April 2016 (written in spanish). Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  8. ^ "010101 Trans-X Overview". www.allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 12 February 2011. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  9. ^ "Trans-X - Message On The Radio". ultratop.be. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  10. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  11. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Trans-X - Living On Video". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Trans-X - Living On Video". ultratop.be. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  14. ^ Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "Trans-X". Top40.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 April 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Trans-X - Living On Video". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  16. ^ "Trans-X - Living On Video - swisscharts.com". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  17. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  18. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 564. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  19. ^ Billboard (magazine) (2006). "Trans-X>Charts & Awards>Billboard Singles". www.allmusic.com. Allmusic. Retrieved 12 February 2011. {{cite web}}: External link in |work= (help)
  20. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 312. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between mid 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  21. ^ "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". www.irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  22. ^ Library and Archives Canada. "AMICUS No. 9020274". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/lac-bac/search/all. canada.gc.ca/main_e.html. Retrieved 12 February 2011. {{cite web}}: External link in |publisher= and |work= (help)

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