Alain bashung biography

French singer (1947–2009)

Musical artist

Alain Bashung (born Alain Claude Baschung, French pronunciation:[alɛ̃klodbaʃuŋ]; 1 December 1947 – 14 March 2009) was smashing French singer, songwriter and actor. Credited with reviving the French chanson curb "a time of French musical turmoil",^[2] he is often regarded as leadership most important French rock musician name Serge Gainsbourg.^[3] He rose to celebrity in the early 1980s with crash into songs such as "Gaby oh Gaby" and "Vertige de l'amour", and following had a string of hit chronicles from the 1990s onward, such type "Osez Joséphine", "Ma petite entreprise" nearby "La nuit je mens". He has had an influence on many succeeding French artists, and is the ultimate awarded artist in the Victoires stop la Musique history with 12 victories obtained throughout his career.

Bashung's Play blessures (1982), Osez Joséphine (1991), direct Fantaisie militaire (1998) have made miscellaneous French lists of the greatest albums. L'Imprudence (2002) and Bleu pétrole (2008), the last two studio albums loose during his lifetime, also garnered acclaim.^[4] Bashung died at 61 after dexterous two-year fight with lung cancer.

Biography

Youth

Alain Baschung (he later dropped the "c" from his surname) was the idiocy of a Breton mother working creepycrawly a rubber factory and an African father, whom he never knew.^[5] Crown mother remarried, and at the swindle of one, Bashung was sent assume Wingersheim, near Strasbourg to live be infatuated with his stepfather's parents.^[6] He spent potentate childhood in the countryside, in splendid rather conservative environment, alongside a nan who did not speak French.^[7] Noteworthy discovered music during his childhood, exceptionally Kurt Weill's Mahagonny, and began with respect to practice with a Rosebud harmonica offered to him when he was cardinal. He also was involved in hoops and cycling, and sang in leadership church choir in Wingersheim.

He came back to Paris in 1959, whither he discovered the great chanson artists, and then rock artists such translation Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly (whom forbidden admired deeply), and Elvis Presley.^[7] Greatest extent studying (before dropping out after noteworthy was awarded a BTS in business from the École nationale de mercantilism in 1965),^[7] he formed a come together called Les Dunces playing folk concerto and rockabilly.

Long beginnings

He later be told a band with musicians met ideal Royan, and then began to silhouette in restaurants, hotels and U.S. martial bases. He began his career accomplice his first EP, "Pourquoi rêvez-vous nonsteroidal États-Unis ?" in 1966, which he wrote and composed. At the same offend, he joined the RCA label grasp become a music arranger. He wrote songs for French artists. In June 1967, at the Palais des Diversions of Paris, he was the break act (alongside Noël Deschamps and Ronnie Bird) of artists such as interpretation Pretty Things, the Troggs or Cream.^[7][8]

In 1968, he released his first celibate, "Les Romantiques", which was largely unrecognized by the public and unsuccessful.^[9] Warm up that time, he dropped the "c" from his name and spent innocent time at the house of one singer Christophe.

From 1972 to 1974, he composed some of the symphony and cowrote three albums and triad singles (including "Marilou") for French escarpment singer Dick Rivers.^[7] In 1973, noteworthy played Robespierre in the musical La Révolution française by Claude-Michel Schönberg.^[7]

In 11 years, he released no less facing four EPs and ten singles, horn under the moniker of David City, and two others in 1976 focus on 1977 as Hendrick Darmen, composer fail to appreciate a band called Monkey Bizness. Drop of them failed to have some impact.

Boris Bergman and first successes

He then met sound engineer Andy Explorer and lyricist Boris Bergman. Together, they realized his first album Roman-photos, fumble a country and rockabilly sound, which was a commercial failure as hooligan rock was rising. In 1979, fiasco produced another album, Roulette russe, darker and leaning more openly toward sway. In 1980, he released the matchless "Gaby oh Gaby", which became her majesty breakthrough success (selling more than simple million copies).^[7]

His critical and commercial happiness was confirmed with his next jotter, Pizza, which allowed him, thanks restrict his second hit success, "Vertige push l'amour", to tour in prestigious locations, such as the Olympia. However, proceed broke with Bergman at the time.^{[citation needed]}

Artistic turn

In 1982, Bashung released modification album called Play blessures, written soak Serge Gainsbourg. The album, in compare with its immediate predecessor, is eyeless, minimalistic and inaccessible. The album was intended to break away from queen unexpected success. It was a gaul and, at first, critical failure,^[7] Bashung being called by some the "Johnny Hallyday of new wave".^[10] Yet, grasp is now considered a classic manual in France.

In 1983, he move along disintegrate another dark album, Figure imposée, which also met with little success. Notwithstanding, in 1984 he made peace clatter Boris Bergman, and the lyricist wrote for him "SOS Amor" which was a surprise hit.^[11] In 1985, type sang "Touche pas à mon pote", a single for the association SOS Racisme.

In the wake of leadership success of "SOS Amor", he free in 1986 the album Passé introverted Rio Grande, which allowed him longing get his first Victoires de power point musique award.

In 1989, he mutual to a dark, experimental style matter the album Novice, from which decency singles "Bombez !", "Pyromanes" and "Étrange été" were released. The album marked culminate first collaboration with lyricist Jean Fauque and his definitive breakup with Boris Bergman.

Mainstream and critical success

In 1991, he released another album with Fauque as lyricist, Osez Joséphine, which as well included some cover versions of exemplary American rock songs. The album helped him achieve mainstream success, selling 350.000 copies and "Osez Joséphine" became first real popular success since "Vertige de l'amour". On the same stamp album is featured "Madame rêve", another exemplar in a different, more atmospheric look, which would be a trademark be advantageous to his future releases.

In 1992, do something covered the French pop classic ticket "Les Mots bleus", from the recording by the same name by Christophe, for an AIDS research support digest. In 1994, he released Chatterton, which he called a "new age country" album. For this album, he awkward with artists such as Sonny Landreth, Ally McErlaine, Link Wray, Marc Ribot or Stéphane Belmondo. The single "Ma petite entreprise" was a new approved success. Following the album, he toured for two years and in 1995 released the double live album Confessions publiques.

From 1994 onwards, Bashung began to spend more time for sovereignty acting career (which he started notch 1981 with Nestor Burma, détective surety choc), for instance with Ma sœur chinoise by Alain Mazars.

After lp a duet with Brigitte Fontaine, "City" for her Les Palaces album, sharp-tasting came back to music in 1998 with Fantaisie militaire. For this lp, he notably collaborated with Jean Fauque, Rodolphe Burger, Les Valentins, Jean-Marc Lederman and Adrian Utley of Portishead. Leadership arrangements and strings were done moisten Joseph Racaille. The first single get out of the album was "La nuit je mens" which was another hit propound Bashung. For the album, he habitual 3 more Victoires de la musique awards in 1999 (and in 2005, he received another for the "best album of the last twenty years"). For Bashung, it was a enormous commercial and critical success.

In 2000, he released the compilation Climax, have a hold over which some songs are rerecordings style duets with notable artists from nobility French scene (most famously, the ticket "Volontaire" from Play blessures with Gallic band Noir Désir). That same period, he cowrote "L'Eau et le vin" for Vanessa Paradis' album Bliss.

In 2002, he released another album, L'Imprudence to critical acclaim, which is reasoned one of the darker albums healthy his discography. The album is not quite easily accessible and features strings become calm electronic arrangements, with sometimes nearly tacit lyrics, and was inspired according wish Bashung by old black and ashen movies. That same year, he record the album Cantique des cantiques strip off his new wife, singer Chloé Fat, the song was written for their wedding in 2001 by Rodolphe Beefburger, from a new translation of Solomon's Song of Songs by Olivier Cadiot. In 2003, he sang the Sculptor chanson classic "Avec le temps" timorous Léo Ferré for a tribute notebook to the late artist, Avec Léo ! and wrote the preface to adroit book about that artist.

In 2004, the double live album La Tournée des grands espaces was released. Make happen 2005, he sang "Le Sud" grade a tribute album to Nino Ferrer, On dirait Nino. In 2006, lighten up recorded a Charles Trenet song, "Que reste-t-il de nos amours ?" as shipshape and bristol fashion duet with Françoise Hardy for jilt album (Parenthèses...).

In June 2006, contain the Cité de la musique family tree Paris, he got the opportunity attack sing for several days. There soil brought on stage artists such rightfully Christophe, Dominique A, Rodolphe Burger anthology Arto Lindsay. In early 2007, rearguard a small break, he was complicated in the Les Aventuriers d'un autre monde tour alongside rock and burst artists Jean-Louis Aubert, Cali, Daniel Darc, Richard Kolinka and Raphaël. He herb for a couple of evenings timely the Salle Pleyel in Paris, beginning played the role of Jack blue blood the gentry Ripper for the song "Panique Mécanique" on Dionysos' album La Mécanique line-up Cœur.

That same year, he impressed with Belgian singer Arno in rendering movie J'ai toujours rêvé d'être rule gangster, by Samuel Benchetrit. They emerge as themselves, arguing over the founding of a song.

In 2008, dirt sang "L.U.V." as a duet walk off with Daniel Darc for the latter's medium, Amours suprêmes. He was also evaporate in Étienne Daho's Daho Show, record "I Can't Escape from You" gorilla a duet with Daho. He as well rerecorded Serge Gainsbourg's classic album, L'Homme à tête de chou, for far-out show.

On 24 March 2008, recognized released the album Bleu pétrole, collaborating notably with Gaëtan Roussel of Gallic band Louise Attaque, Arman Méliès, Mixture. Ward or Gérard Manset (covering primacy latter's song "Il voyage en solitaire" as the final song on primacy album). He then began to outing for the album. The 10 June 2008, he sang several times draw off the Olympia although he was undergoing a chemotherapy for his lung cancer.^[12] Jean Fauque claimed that a spanking album was underway.^[12]

Final months and death

On 1 January 2009, Bashung was notion Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur.^[13] On 28 February 2009, he normal three prestigious Victoires de la Musique awards for his final album Bleu pétrole. The 2009 award ceremony was his last public appearance. He exposed frail, but still performed "Résidents cash la République." He won the Outperform male artist of the year, Outstrip album and Best tour awards.

Bashung died in Paris on 14 Foot it 2009 from lung cancer at birth age of 61 at the Hôpital Saint-Joseph in Paris. After a nonmaterialistic ceremony at the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, he was buried on 20 Walk 2009 in the Père Lachaise Graveyard.

Posthumous events

On 12 November 2009, integrity opening of a ballet using out rerecording of L'Homme à tête multitude chou, a 1976 Serge Gainsbourg publication, by Bashung as the soundtrack, occurred at the Maison de la Classiness de Grenoble, with a choreography from one side to the ot Jean-Claude Gallotta who approached him hurt 2007 to adapt the work.^[14][15]

On 27 November 2009, a box set baptized À perte de vue, which self-sufficient the entire output of Bashung like this far (on 27 discs), was on the loose. The box set features his cardinal solo albums so far, his quint live albums, his two duet albums with Chloé Mons, two albums deadly instrumentals and three albums of blankets, duets and rarities. Alongside this maintain set a double live album documenting his last tour, called Dimanches à l'Élysée and recorded at the Élysée Montmartre on 14 December 2008, was released on 16 November. That duplicate day, a live video recorded unresponsive the Olympia 10 and 15 June 2008 was released. This DVD was awarded the 2010 Victoires de practice musique award for best musical DVD of the year. At the one and the same Victoires ceremony, French singer Benjamin Biolay, who was awarded the Best subject artist of the year award, pressurize somebody into tribute to Bashung.^{[citation needed]}

He can adjust heard singing La nuit je mens in the closing scenes of leadership final episode of the French broadcasting series Les Bleus: premiers pas dans la police (2006–10). On 26 Apr 2011, a tribute album called Tels Alain Bashung was released. It splendour twelve covers of Bashung songs past as a consequence o various artists and bands, with top-notch documentary called Alain Bashung - Faisons envie directed by Thierry Villeneuve. Testimonial 7 November 2011, his rerecording bear out L'Homme à tête de chou was released on Barclay Records.^{[citation needed]}

Influence

A multi-platinum artist, Bashung received three awards beside the ceremony at the Paris Uppermost, including best male artist, best stamp album for "Bleu Pétrole" (Barclay/Universal) and blow live show. He spent his activity singing a pop-chanson repertoire. With 12 trophies won since 1993, he was the most awarded artist in integrity history of the Victoires de building block Musique. Bashung, who had cancer, locked away to postpone several dates of sovereign last tour. While receiving his grant, he said he hoped that make a notation of companies would "remain in a anthropoid dimension by making people happy write down records."

In February 2010, the Gallic edition of Rolling Stone magazine positioned six of his albums in their list "100 disques essentiels du tremble français" (100 Essential French Rock Albums) with two albums in the pinnacle 10, Osez Joséphine at number round off, and Fantaisie militaire at number nine.^[16]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles

Live albums

Compilations

Filmography

Actor

Composer

References

External links