Scott Walker RIP

Scott Walker was unique.

There will be much discussion about his later work, it's difficult and experimental nature, but his work in the 60s was in its own way pioneering. Magnificent baroque pop with the Walker Brothers that still sounds breathtaking to this day. But his solo work set out on a different direction, on a path few others could have travelled.

He was one of the first anglophone artists to recognise the work of Jacques Bre, and while David Bowie is credited with popularising his work, it was Scott who was first. Bowie's versions of My Death and Amsterdam are powerful works, and he deserves the critical acclaim, but Scott's versions led the way.



If my house was on fire and I was able to only save one album, Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel would probably be the one I went for. I picked up a copy out of curiosity, at the time I was more familiar with Bowie's versions of the songs, and my mind was opened up completely.

Other artists followed Scott in recording their versions of Brel somgs, from Alex Harvey's astonishing version of Next to Marc Almond's Jackie. Scott led the way.



The chanson of Brel was well matched to Scott's artistic vision. His early solo albums continue to showcasee him as a singer, and the pop star that he very much was, but with an intellectual and cultural edge that few others could match. The Brel covers seemed to give him permission to go on to write his own songs, themselves every bit as poetic and crafted.

His early solo albums are gems that have lost none of their sparkle.



Of course there would be compromises to come, mis-steps and an eventual stepping away from the spotlight. Later years saw a unique body of work develop that set a high water mark for contemporary music.  From The Electrician with late-period Walker Brothers to Soused with Sunn O))) his work was as rewarding as it was challenging, a unique voice combined with a unique vision.

He will be missed.

Dick Dale - The French Connection

Sad to hear of the death of Dick Dale the other day. He was one of the original guitar legends, a player whose work established the guitar as the go-to instrument for rock 'n' roll and anticipated decades of guitar heros efrom then on.

Dale might be remembered as the King of Surf Guitar, but his unique style anticpiated both punk rock and the guitar heroes of the decades that followed.

For a guy present at the birth of rock 'n' roll, he deserved the critical acclaim bestowed on him later in his career. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to see one of the original pioneers live, with a tour of the UK following his Calling up Spirits album.  And it wasn't just a nostalgia act he put on, but a show with all the vigour and edge you could hope for.

Few musicians could be listed as influences on both Frank Zappa and the Cramps. Generations of garage bands have cut their teeth on Dale's tunes, in France as much as elsewhere. His guitar stylings still ringing out in contemporary French bands like La Femme.

   

Dale's Misirlou is maybe best known for its place in the soundtrack for Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, but it also played a significant part in the film Taxi.

The opening scene of the movie takes a cover version of Dale's signature track and uses it to soundtrack a pizza delivery scooter in Marseilles. It's like an absurd action movie chase sequence, with all the cinematic panache of a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster but with a very French comedic flavour. Like Claude Lelouch's C'était un rendez-vous remade under the influence of a Dominos pizza.


Taxi, released in 1998, came after Tarantino exposed Dale's version of the tune to an international audience. Pretty much everone seeing Taxi would be familiar with it, its presence working as a knowing nod to cutting edge American cinema (with a retro-hip soundtrack) but with the visuals placing it in a very everyday French context, albeit one that is filmed with all the conventions and technical know-how of a glossy production.

Taxi was a massive film in France and internationally, inspiring a long-running franchise and an American remake. But the opening scene established the film to its audience and Dick Dale's music helped make much of this impact.

Editorial: March 2019

OK, admit it, you'd given us up for dead. One solitary post so far this year doesn't look like we've been up to much. Far from it of course, I've been posting up a storm on the French Music Podcast UK Facebook page these last few months, just been giving the longer form blogs an extended break.

But we're back and fully equipped to continue our mission to bring the best in French music to the Anglophone audience. To be honest, I've missed the opportunity to write pieces about some interesting acts rather than just posting video links. Reviews, French music news and the opportunity to listen to some great tunes is what this blog is all about and it's time to get under way.

March 16 does have some added significance round these parts, of course, as it marks the anniversary of when the blog began, back in 2010 with a short piece about the death of Jean Ferat.

A lot of things have changed since then, I've written more obituaries for sure, but the enthusiasm for French music remains undeminished. This year's already seen some strong releases so far, and more to come.

Yes, we've been around for a while, and we'll be around for a while yet. So it's as good a day as any to get the ball rolling again.

Meanwhile, on the French Music Podcast UK Facebook page you'll find French music videos on your timeline several times a day Mon-Fri. Give it a like.

I can be contacted as ever on johnDOTkilbrideAThotmailDOTcom, so promoters, media representatives and labels are always welcome to contact me with recommendations and suggestions about what I should be listening to and putting on a platform here.

I'll do what I can to cover it!

 merci et à bientôt

 jk