Video flashback

L'affaire Dumoutier [Say To Me] - The Box [1986]

After a brief stint with fellow Montrealers Men Without Hats, Jean-Marc Pisapia decided to strike out on his own.

Following a short period as Checkpoint Charlie, the band settled on a new moniker - The Box.

Signed to Alert Records via another MWH connection, their self-titled debut - primarily in English - did OK and spawned two singles.

The follow-up record would see some new elements - a real drummer and a backing singer who would go on to bigger things - Sass Jordan.

The middle single for the album ‘All The Time, All The Time, All The Time...’ was a track called ‘L’affaire Dumoutier’, and it is a gem, featuring a video that is one of the best of the era.

Pisapia has recently said that “the video made the song work, not the other way around” - and I’m betting you’ll see that.

I mean, imagine the meeting with the label where you’re pitching this track as a single. It’s half spoken-word, half fantastic chorus. It’s bilingual. Oh, and it’s about murder and mental illness.

Now, watch the clip and tell me that you’re not drawn in. It’s a mini-noir that tells the story of the song brilliantly in four and a half minutes.

Want more of this story? Well that’s good news, because ‘L’affaire Dumoutier’ is part of a trilogy.

'The Story Of Austin: A Trilogy’ was partially completed on the ‘All The Time’ album - with ‘Evil In Me’ following ‘Say To Me’ to close the LP. But completists will want the 12” single or the 2008 remaster in order to add B-side ‘For The First And Very Last’.

Fin.