Zero Music

Zero Music, also styled Zéro Musique, is a Canadian independent record label founded in Montreal in 1993. The company was created by four equal partners: musician Luc De Larochellière, comedic musician François Pérusse, audio producer Marc Pérusse, and manager Pierre Dumont. Its formation followed the departure of De Larochellière and François Pérusse from Les Disques Trafic during a period of financial and corporate instability at that label. Rather than seek another established home, the partners established their own imprint and arranged financing and distribution through MCA Records Canada. The label was legally organized as a subsidiary of Pierre Dumont’s music-publishing company, Del Monte Musique Inc., and developed an operational association with Marc Pérusse’s Studio Le Divan Vert. This structure gave the company access to both publishing and recording resources while allowing it to operate as an independent Quebec-focused label. When MCA Records Canada became Universal Music Canada in 1997, Zero Music entered into a new partnership and continued distributing its releases through Universal. During its first years, Zero Music worked with a mixture of francophone solo artists and bands. François Pérusse and Luc De Larochellière were central early signings, while Annette Campagne and Martine Mai were among the additional francophone artists signed during the label’s expansion. In September 1995, the partners created the Sub-Zero Records imprint to release anglophone music; Likwid was its first identified signing. Projects involving TSPC and Coral Egan were planned, although the referenced accounts indicate that the TSPC album was never completed and Coral Egan’s Marc Pérusse-produced album was never released. The partnership changed substantially at the end of the 1990s. Luc De Larochellière and Marc Pérusse left the partnership in 1999, and the company was restructured in 2000. The label dropped its bands and concentrated almost exclusively on François Pérusse’s recordings from 2000 through 2012. That period shaped the public perception of Zero Music as François Pérusse’s personal label, even though the company had operated with a broader roster during its first seven years. In summer 2012, Zero Music broadened its activities beyond conventional record releases by moving into the management and representation of comedy artists. Its later roster included Alexandre Barrette, Korine Côté, Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques, Les Satiriques, Simon Delisle, François Boulianne, Marie-Lyne Joncas, Joe Guérin, Etienne Dano, and Alexandre Bouchard, with engagement periods varying by artist. This expansion connected the company’s established association with comedic audio and François Pérusse to a wider Quebec comedy-management business. Zero Music is therefore best understood as a Quebec independent imprint whose business has evolved from artist-recording and distribution into a hybrid label and management operation. Its principal cultural market is francophone Quebec, while its Sub-Zero initiative briefly provided an anglophone-facing outlet. Universal Music Canada has remained the label’s stated distribution partner in the available reference material, but no current ownership, executive roster, financial information, or detailed release catalogue is established there.

Zero Music was established in Montreal in 1993 by Luc De Larochellière, François Pérusse, Marc Pérusse, and Pierre Dumont. The founders were equal partners, combining musical performance, comedy, audio production, and artist management experience. The company emerged from the difficulties surrounding Les Disques Trafic, where De Larochellière and François Pérusse had been associated. As Trafic faced financial and corporate problems, the two artists chose to create a new independent label rather than immediately join another company. Trafic later ceased operations in 1993. The new imprint quickly obtained financing and distribution through MCA Records Canada. It was legally placed under Del Monte Musique Inc., Dumont’s music-publishing company, and was linked operationally to Studio Le Divan Vert, associated with Marc Pérusse. This arrangement gave the label a compact infrastructure for recording, publishing, and release administration. Zero Music’s initial identity was rooted in Quebec’s francophone music scene, but it was not limited to a single artist or genre. In September 1995, the partners launched Sub-Zero Records as a related imprint for anglophone bands. Likwid was the first identified act associated with that imprint. Around the same period, Zero Music signed further francophone artists, including Annette Campagne and Martine Mai. Other projects were considered: TSPC was associated with a planned 1998 album that was not completed, while a 1999 Coral Egan project produced by Marc Pérusse did not result in a released album according to the available account. MCA Records Canada was renamed Universal Music Canada in 1997. Zero Music established a new partnership with the renamed company and continued to distribute through Universal. The label’s partnership structure changed again when Luc De Larochellière and Marc Pérusse departed in 1999. A 2000 restructuring followed, after which the company dropped its bands and concentrated exclusively or nearly exclusively on François Pérusse’s music until 2012. This long period of concentration made the label widely perceived as Pérusse’s personal imprint, obscuring its more varied original roster and the short-lived anglophone Sub-Zero initiative. The company expanded its business model in summer 2012. In addition to its record-label activities, it began managing and representing comedy artists. The roster included Alexandre Barrette and Korine Côté, as well as Les Satiriques, Etienne Dano, Simon Delisle, François Boulianne, Marie-Lyne Joncas, Joe Guérin, Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques, and Alexandre Bouchard. The available source lists different engagement periods for these artists, indicating that the roster changed over time rather than representing a permanent ensemble. Zero Music’s history reflects the changing structure of Quebec’s independent music business. It began as a label created by artists and their collaborators in response to instability at an existing company, used a major-label distribution partnership to circulate independent releases, experimented with a separate anglophone imprint, and later narrowed its recording activities before moving into comedy management. The referenced material confirms the company’s Montreal base, its association with Del Monte Musique and Studio Le Divan Vert, and its distribution relationship with Universal Music Canada. It does not establish current ownership, current management, financial results, or a complete contemporary release catalogue.

• 2012

  Comedy-management expansion

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  Zero Music added management and representation of comedy artists to its activities.

• 2000

  Label is restructured

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  The company dropped its bands and focused its release activity on François Pérusse’s music.

• 1999

  Two founding partners depart

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  Luc De Larochellière and Marc Pérusse left the partnership.

• 1997

  Universal Music Canada partnership

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  After MCA Records Canada adopted the Universal Music Canada name, Zero Music signed a new distribution partnership.

• 1995

  Sub-Zero Records is launched

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  The sub-label was created to issue anglophone music, beginning with Likwid.

• 1993

  Company founded in Montreal

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  Luc De Larochellière, François Pérusse, Marc Pérusse, and Pierre Dumont established Zero Music as an independent Canadian label.

• 1993

  MCA distribution and financing relationship begins

  [1]Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org

  The new imprint secured financing and distribution through MCA Records Canada.

A Quebec independent label built around francophone music, comedy recordings, and artist development, later expanded into comedy-artist management.

• Comedy music and recorded audio · 1993

  François Pérusse recordings

  François Pérusse has been associated with Zero Music since the label’s founding. From 2000 through 2012, the company’s release activity was described as being devoted exclusively to or primarily focused on his music. These recordings form the central part of the label’s public identity and explain why it is often viewed as Pérusse’s personal imprint.

• Recorded music · 1993

  Francophone artist releases

  Zero Music’s early main-label roster included Luc De Larochellière, Annette Campagne, and Martine Mai. The company’s francophone catalogue was developed as an independent Quebec-oriented alternative to larger labels, with releases distributed through MCA Records Canada and later Universal Music Canada.

• Anglophone recorded music · 1995

  Sub-Zero Records releases

  Sub-Zero Records was created in 1995 as an affiliated imprint for anglophone bands. Likwid was identified as its first signing. The imprint represents Zero Music’s attempt to maintain a separate outlet for English-language repertoire within its broader Quebec label structure.

• Artist management · 2012

  Comedy-artist management

  Beginning in 2012, Zero Music expanded beyond recording releases into management and representation for comedians and comedy performers. The roster included Alexandre Barrette, Korine Côté, Philippe-Audrey Larrue-St-Jacques, Les Satiriques, Simon Delisle, François Boulianne, Marie-Lyne Joncas, Joe Guérin, Etienne Dano, and Alexandre Bouchard, with artist relationships changing over time.

• 2012

  Expansion into comedy-artist managementStrategy

  Background

  After years of concentrating on François Pérusse’s recordings, the company broadened its commercial activities.

  Action taken

  Zero Music began signing and managing additional comedy artists, including Alexandre Barrette, Korine Côté, and others.

  Aftermath

  The business developed from a conventional record imprint into a hybrid label and comedy-management operation.

  Source

• 2000

  Restructuring around François PérusseStrategy

  Background

  Luc De Larochellière and Marc Pérusse had left the partnership in 1999.

  Action taken

  The restructured company dropped its bands and focused on François Pérusse’s music.

  Aftermath

  Zero Music became widely associated with François Pérusse, despite its broader early history.

  Source

• 1997

  Renewed distribution partnership with Universal Music CanadaStrategy

  Background

  MCA Records Canada changed its corporate name to Universal Music Canada.

  Action taken

  Zero Music signed a new partnership contract and continued distributing releases through Universal Music Canada.

  Aftermath

  The label retained a major distribution channel while remaining an independent imprint in its corporate organization.

  Source

• 1995

  Launch of Sub-Zero RecordsStrategy

  Background

  The company sought a distinct outlet for anglophone bands alongside its francophone-focused main label.

  Action taken

  Zero Music created Sub-Zero Records and began with Likwid as its first identified act.

  Aftermath

  The imprint broadened the label’s intended language and artist scope, although the available material does not document a long-term continuation.

  Source

• 1993

  Founders create an independent imprintStrategy

  Background

  Luc De Larochellière and François Pérusse were leaving Les Disques Trafic during a period of financial and corporate instability at that label.

  Action taken

  The four partners formed Zero Music rather than seek another label, while arranging financing and distribution through MCA Records Canada.

  Aftermath

  The company established an independent operating base in Montreal and gained access to major-label distribution.

  Source

1. 1Zéro musiqueen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Zero Music official websitezeromusic.com