[18] This era, referred in Francophone Canada as the "Grande Noirceur", birthed a rebellious counterculture within the province as a deliberately oppositional response to the emphasis that was placed on society's traditionalist norms.

[20][21] The Popeyes were regarded to be the most violent outlaw biker club in Quebec, and had a reputation for engaging in violence - part of the reason why they would eventually be selected by the Hells Angels for recruitment.

[22] As a way of asserting their dominance as one of the most notorious and ambitious criminal organizations in the country, the Popeyes upheld a strict policy towards other local motorcycle clubs that had logos featuring a red-and-white color scheme.

[28] From 1968 up until 1970, a short but violent turf war for control of the drug trade went between the Popeyes and Devil's Disciples MC, another Canadian outlaw biker gang (unrelated to the similarly named U.S.-based club).

As a well-known musical icon in the French-speaking world, he was very popular among the Québécois people – including the Popeye MC, who were big fans of his.

Jacques "Coco" Mercier, the president of the rivaling Devil's Disciples, saw the beloved singer's association with the Popeyes to be disrespectful as they, too, were fans of his.

When the singer later returned to Quebec for another tour the following year, the Devil's Disciples followed through with their threats they had made and shot at him while he was eating at a restaurant in downtown Montreal.

[34] On January 21, 1976, Popeye members Gilbert "Gros Lot" Groleau and Richard "Joker" Bertrand were killed when the home-made bomb they had built detonated unexpectedly as the pair sat in their car across the street from the Voyageur Bus Terminal in downtown Montreal.

The bomb was intended to be set off inside the terminal to bring public attention the cruel treatment of inmates in Quebec prisons along with the foul conditions of these facilities.

[35][36] After stealing a motorcycle from a Popeye Moto Club member, Jean-Marie Viel was shot and killed by Montreal chapter president Yves Trudeau in 1970 as an act of retaliation.

At 22 years old, Trudeau joined the east-end Montreal chapter of the Popeye Moto Club, which started off his criminal career.

Other Popeye members that later became famous Hells Angels include Laurent "L'Anglais" Viau, Normand "Billy" Labelle, Robert "Tiny" Richard, Denis "Le Cure" Kennedy, Jean-Pierre “Matt le Crosseur” Mathieu, Jean-Guy “Brutus” Geoffrion and Michel "Sky" Langlois.