The latest single by J.P. Mortier, Drive Far, propels listeners into a cinematic journey, merging Morricone-esque soundscapes with raw road-trip energy. His long-awaited album *Together*, crafted over three years and six studios, reveals his musical versatility from punk intensity to expansive compositions. After five Canadian tours, Mortier is now accelerating into film and TV, with his music set to feature in the 2025 production *Shaken and Stirred*, signalling an exciting new chapter in his evolving artistic career.
Name:
J.P. Mortier
Genre:
Where all divergent rock genres meet
Founded:
Made in France circa late 60s. No really, first album was released in 2004.
# of Albums:
7 including one double album.
Latest Album:
Together
Latest Single:
Drive Far
Favourite musician growing up:
Favourite musician the public does not know: Stéfane Pelletier
Favourite musician the public knows: David Gilmour
Favourite musician now :
There are so many. He’s no spring chicken but Nick Cave has been putting out some of his best work in recent years including his latest album “Wild God” which just came out a couple of months ago.
Guilty pleasure song:
Rediscovered “New Grass” from Talk Talk’s last album, “Laughing Stock”. I’m a sucker for atmospheric tunes.
Live show ritual:
Saying “Gambatte!” before the show (Japanese word for “let’s go and don’t give up”)
Favourite local musician:
Besides the aforementioned Stéfane Pelletier, my bassist Sylvain Auclair is awesome. He’s got several bands going on: Karcius, Heaven’s Cry and the Anchoret.
EP or LP?
LP because longer is better !!
Early bird or night owl?
Hoot-Hoot said the owl
Road or studio?
Both are very rewarding. You really should do both. The road is harder physically but you meet people and you get to travel. Good for the soul. The studio is where the songs in your head get translated to the physical (or digital) world. You feel proud of what and you have a tangible product. But before the road and the studio, there’s the songwriting stage. You get an idea and the next thing you know, a song exists!! It’s as close to giving birth as I’ll ever get. That really makes my day.
Any shows or albums coming up?
Next Full Band show: April 20 @ La Sotterenea, 4848 St Laurent Blvd, Montreal, Quebec H2T 1R5. Doors open at 6 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m.
Tickets in advance 15$ here / 20$ at the door.
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | Facebook | Website
My TikTok is under construction. Maybe soon. I plan to start a blog/podcast channel thingy where I will talk about all my interests including music but also hockey, history, astronomy, my view on society and whatever I feel like. Don’t know when and where but I would like to do it.
***
Rapid Fire Local Questions:
What is your favourite local restaurant?
My latest find: Thai Sep, 1900 Rue Jean-Talon E, Montréal, QC H2E 1T6
What is your favourite street in your city and why?
St-Joseph which becomes Lakeshore along the riverside in West Island. The St Lawrence swells into Lake St Louis and the street has many parks along the river. Great for walking, cycling or playing your guitar on a bench.
What is your favourite park in your city and why?
I take my guitar and play in parks from March to November weather permitting and practice my songs. I never play the same park twice during the year. Among my favourite parks are Summerlea Park in Lachine and Park de Sève in Ste Thérèse.
What is your favourite music venue in your city?
Sala Rossa and the other Casa del Popolo venues. I’ve played there dozens of times and I’m not sure but I may be the only one who will have played all their venues: the old Casa del Popolo where the restaurant is, the Casa del Popolo next door, Sala Rossa, La Sotterenea, the 2 rooms that have been closed down; Il Motore and La Vitrola and when I play P’tit Ours on February 16, I will have played them all!
What is your favourite music store in your city?
The one that is kindest to my wallet. I’m not faithful to any one store, I like to shop around.
