Thursday, July 22, I had the privilege to host Michel Polnareff at the Residence of France in Los Angeles. It was for a special occasion, since the ambassador of France to the United States awarded him the insignia of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur.
The pleasure was all the greater that I met Michael when I arrived in Los Angeles, and I see him regularly, always in private. It is one of the great figures of modern music, admired around the world for over forty years for his legendary melodies and unforgettable songs.
"The child terrible of French music "has radically changed the way the French have seen pop music, with tunes that, while becoming the tubes do not lose the poetry, irony and sense of challenge that only Rimbaud geniuses like John Lennon or Jim Morrison were equal. Likewise, his ability to return to the front of the stage at the worst moments of his life shows a tenacity, courage and loyalty towards his audience that sets it apart, beyond the times , as perhaps only Edith Piaf in his time.
pianist prodigy, he won, 11 years of the prestigious Paris Conservatory. But from the beginning, he says his ability to navigate according to his wishes, against the current conventions. Thus, when the locomotive, he won the support of the "Disco Revue" in 1965, he refused the prize and its first potential contract with Barclays.
Fortunately, he then left to convince his friend Lucien Morisse, director of Europe 1 at the time, to record a song on the label AZ. It will be "The doll that is no, and it will be a hit. For this album, it ria in London, the most famous studios, find the latest technological discoveries of the time. There will record especially with Jimmy Page, who is not even a Yardbird, and certainly much less a Led Zeppelin.
His first tracks with his unique voice, sublime melodies and his unique sound-mixing of English rock and American psychedelic pop - shake France in the sixties. "Love me, love me please", "Under what star was I born? "Bird of Night," "Le Bal des Laz," whose text is written by Pierre Delanoë: The tubes are connected and are known in all of Europe - like in Germany where he won in 1967 " price of foreign singer The most popular ". Even the English press, which likes to repeat "the French do not know how to rock", recognizes the magnitude of his talent.
What happens to him next is unlikely, since it is forbidden to broadcast 22 hours prior to "Love with You" and sentenced in 1972 for indecent assault for having shown his seat on a poster, and then tracked by paparazzi, and criticized by the press for her single life .... Thank you to him! In his way, he has awakened a sleeping France and too modest, and pass it to the air of rock'n'roll.
The greatest, in fact, have immediately recognized his genius, Charles Trenet Jean Louis Barrault, who commissioned him in 1968 the music of his show "Rabelais".
This year also marks his first concert at the Olympia, including "In the empty house," co-written with Jean-Loup Dabadie, (with whom he later wrote "We all go to heaven"). In 1969 he wrote his first film score for "The Indiscreet" François Reichenbach. Thus began a parallel career as a composer for film, who will write, in France, especially for "only happens to others" Nadine Trintignant, the famous "megalomania" or the latest film Coluche, "Revenge of the feathered serpent" by Gérard Oury.
Onstage, we see Johnny Hallyday join the piano, which in turn will join the following year at the Olympia.
Far from resting on his laurels, he continued to travel the world and experimenting with new musical ideas. As he said recently, "I always want to take risks - it's the only thing that interests me. I do not like the professionalism, everything that comes out of it anyway. "
He therefore always in danger, forgetting material concerns and advising his followers: "Money must be forgotten" ... And yet. After being robbed of his fortune by his accountant at the time, in 1973, he was then forced to board the liner "France" to find refuge in the United States, New York and Los Angeles , which became his adopted city. He appreciates the openness of Americans ... and the quality of its musicians. Soon, America opens its arms. After
"Tibilli", his album "USA" sees the title "Jesus for Tonight" back on the Billboard U.S.. In 1976, he produced the soundtrack of the now cult movie "Lipstick" by Lamont Johnson, with Margaux and Mariel Hemingway, whose main theme will be a hit, making him the pioneer of disco.
Banished from France, it is paradoxically the greatest exponent of French rock abroad. Admired by the best musicians in the world, with whom he played (Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck) as the general public, chained triumphal tour, including Japan. Forbidden to stay in his country he did during his four tours in Belgium to move thousands of French fans.
Michel Polnareff is finally for us all French citizens abroad, the composer of this song, which should be renamed the National Anthem of expatriates. "Letter to France", written in 1977, has captured perfectly the feeling of nostalgia and distance we feel sometimes.
Who among us has never sung with you: "Since I am far from you / I am as far from me / Yes I hurt you sometimes / Even if I do not say? Also, "Once upon a time, dear Michel, you and us. Never forget that. "
France, in fact, you never forgot. Evidenced success in 1981 the album "Bubbles", sold over a million copies with its unforgettable "Tam Tam" and "Radio" and "Goodbye Marylou" in 1989 and will follow the phenomenal success since his hotel room at the Royal Monceau, almost incognito, returned to Paris.
California, however, and it also recalls the legendary venue the Roxy will make his return there in 1995. He then retired again, elusive, maintaining a veil of mystery around him to remain free.
time to write his autobiography, co-written with Philippe Manoeuvre in 2004 and he told his French fans a concert. This will take place from 2 to 14 March 2007, sold at Bercy. Then, at the request of President-elect of the Republic, he sang for the National Day, July 14, the Champ de Mars.
As evidenced by the very young audience present on this historic day, there is a considerable source of inspiration for future generations. And, basically, "he is a man, he is a man. What could be more natural after all? ".
The pleasure was all the greater that I met Michael when I arrived in Los Angeles, and I see him regularly, always in private. It is one of the great figures of modern music, admired around the world for over forty years for his legendary melodies and unforgettable songs.
"The child terrible of French music "has radically changed the way the French have seen pop music, with tunes that, while becoming the tubes do not lose the poetry, irony and sense of challenge that only Rimbaud geniuses like John Lennon or Jim Morrison were equal. Likewise, his ability to return to the front of the stage at the worst moments of his life shows a tenacity, courage and loyalty towards his audience that sets it apart, beyond the times , as perhaps only Edith Piaf in his time.
pianist prodigy, he won, 11 years of the prestigious Paris Conservatory. But from the beginning, he says his ability to navigate according to his wishes, against the current conventions. Thus, when the locomotive, he won the support of the "Disco Revue" in 1965, he refused the prize and its first potential contract with Barclays.
Fortunately, he then left to convince his friend Lucien Morisse, director of Europe 1 at the time, to record a song on the label AZ. It will be "The doll that is no, and it will be a hit. For this album, it ria in London, the most famous studios, find the latest technological discoveries of the time. There will record especially with Jimmy Page, who is not even a Yardbird, and certainly much less a Led Zeppelin.
His first tracks with his unique voice, sublime melodies and his unique sound-mixing of English rock and American psychedelic pop - shake France in the sixties. "Love me, love me please", "Under what star was I born? "Bird of Night," "Le Bal des Laz," whose text is written by Pierre Delanoë: The tubes are connected and are known in all of Europe - like in Germany where he won in 1967 " price of foreign singer The most popular ". Even the English press, which likes to repeat "the French do not know how to rock", recognizes the magnitude of his talent.
What happens to him next is unlikely, since it is forbidden to broadcast 22 hours prior to "Love with You" and sentenced in 1972 for indecent assault for having shown his seat on a poster, and then tracked by paparazzi, and criticized by the press for her single life .... Thank you to him! In his way, he has awakened a sleeping France and too modest, and pass it to the air of rock'n'roll.
The greatest, in fact, have immediately recognized his genius, Charles Trenet Jean Louis Barrault, who commissioned him in 1968 the music of his show "Rabelais".
This year also marks his first concert at the Olympia, including "In the empty house," co-written with Jean-Loup Dabadie, (with whom he later wrote "We all go to heaven"). In 1969 he wrote his first film score for "The Indiscreet" François Reichenbach. Thus began a parallel career as a composer for film, who will write, in France, especially for "only happens to others" Nadine Trintignant, the famous "megalomania" or the latest film Coluche, "Revenge of the feathered serpent" by Gérard Oury.
Onstage, we see Johnny Hallyday join the piano, which in turn will join the following year at the Olympia.
Far from resting on his laurels, he continued to travel the world and experimenting with new musical ideas. As he said recently, "I always want to take risks - it's the only thing that interests me. I do not like the professionalism, everything that comes out of it anyway. "
He therefore always in danger, forgetting material concerns and advising his followers: "Money must be forgotten" ... And yet. After being robbed of his fortune by his accountant at the time, in 1973, he was then forced to board the liner "France" to find refuge in the United States, New York and Los Angeles , which became his adopted city. He appreciates the openness of Americans ... and the quality of its musicians. Soon, America opens its arms. After
"Tibilli", his album "USA" sees the title "Jesus for Tonight" back on the Billboard U.S.. In 1976, he produced the soundtrack of the now cult movie "Lipstick" by Lamont Johnson, with Margaux and Mariel Hemingway, whose main theme will be a hit, making him the pioneer of disco.
Banished from France, it is paradoxically the greatest exponent of French rock abroad. Admired by the best musicians in the world, with whom he played (Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck) as the general public, chained triumphal tour, including Japan. Forbidden to stay in his country he did during his four tours in Belgium to move thousands of French fans.
Michel Polnareff is finally for us all French citizens abroad, the composer of this song, which should be renamed the National Anthem of expatriates. "Letter to France", written in 1977, has captured perfectly the feeling of nostalgia and distance we feel sometimes.
Who among us has never sung with you: "Since I am far from you / I am as far from me / Yes I hurt you sometimes / Even if I do not say? Also, "Once upon a time, dear Michel, you and us. Never forget that. "
France, in fact, you never forgot. Evidenced success in 1981 the album "Bubbles", sold over a million copies with its unforgettable "Tam Tam" and "Radio" and "Goodbye Marylou" in 1989 and will follow the phenomenal success since his hotel room at the Royal Monceau, almost incognito, returned to Paris.
California, however, and it also recalls the legendary venue the Roxy will make his return there in 1995. He then retired again, elusive, maintaining a veil of mystery around him to remain free.
time to write his autobiography, co-written with Philippe Manoeuvre in 2004 and he told his French fans a concert. This will take place from 2 to 14 March 2007, sold at Bercy. Then, at the request of President-elect of the Republic, he sang for the National Day, July 14, the Champ de Mars.
As evidenced by the very young audience present on this historic day, there is a considerable source of inspiration for future generations. And, basically, "he is a man, he is a man. What could be more natural after all? ".
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