Calibre 12 Band - It Is What It Is (2022)

In the early 1970s, a rock band composed of five young musicians, none of whom were yet 20, toured Touraine under the name AVALANCHE. Their music was primarily influenced by Stone Age, Deep Purple, and Status Quo, the favorite bands at the time of John Molet (guitarist) and Jean-Marie Coron (bassist at the time), the two founders of the band. AVALANCHE was very popular in the Tours region and enjoyed a certain recognition. It must be said that rock bands were few and far between at the time. They even had the opportunity to sign with a subsidiary of Eddy Barclay (the big boss of record companies), but, victims of their naiveté and youthful carelessness, they were rejected... but no matter, they continued to have fun, which had always been the guiding principle and philosophy of the two friends (John and Jean-Marie).

Naturally and legitimately following this period of Rock'n Roll learning, the group Calibre 12 was formed in 1988. The group is composed of a group of friends, John and JM on both guitars are obviously present, but also already Patrice Leblanc (Pat Freeman) on lead Vocals and Jean-Luc Gauthier on "drums". Lulu's bass drum is quickly reinforced by the Whiskey Bass and Laurent Montéro's Ampeg. All are fans of Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Point Blank, Molly Hatchet and other Texans from ZZ Top. Calibre quickly gains a lot of experience, playing around 300 concerts. The band, based in Tours (37), also built a solid reputation in biker circles, notably with appearances at Free Wheels 2001 and the European Custom Show 2003, as well as opening acts for Point Blank, Alvin Lee, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Canned Heat, Calvin Russell, etc.

From 1998 to 2005, Calibre 12 released three albums, which received excellent reviews in specialist press such as Crossroads (now Xroads), Hard Rock Mag, Freeway mag, etc., even crossing borders with articles in our German neighbors such as Home of Rock!, and Gritz mag in the United States.

In 2010, after a short hiatus, the original members of Calibre 12, still passionate about US Big Rock and Southern Rock, relaunched the band with great pleasure. The fourth album, "Whiskey Sans Glace" was released in December 2012. Unfortunately, as with most bands, Calibre 12 is not spared by life's accidents, and in April 2013, John, who did not have time to enjoy the pleasure of playing the songs from the new album for long, bowed out and joined the paradise of Rock'n Roller, much too soon for our taste. With his passing, it is not only our best friend who has left, but also the pure passion and one of the cornerstones of the band who disappear. After reflection, the band has chosen to continue the adventure and keep the music alive. No one replaces anyone in bands, and it is with great pleasure that Calibre welcomes a young guitarist/singer from Tours, Christophe Finck, as well as a successor to the historic Laurent Montéro, tempted by a new musical adventure and replaced by another endearing Touraine native, Etienne Garnault and his Jazz Bass.