Michel Polnareff - "Michel Poinareff" Vinyl, LP, Album, Reissue, 2008/1966 (Universal)

The Lou Christie of French rock is Michel Poinareff.  Well, mostly due to his vocal style, which can go as high as the stars, if he chooses that route.  Ponareff's first album is classic French pop.  Still, I suspect that he wanted to go beyond his country's borders.  Side one I presume was recorded in England, due that he worked with lyricist Keith Reid, who either at the same time or a tad later, became the words-man for Procol Harum.  He also used Charles Blackwell as an arranger, who worked with Burt Bacharach on the soundtrack "What's New Pussycat" as well as working with my favorite eccentric producer Joe Meek.  So, with those two, our M. Poinareff was in excellent hands. 

This is a very strong debut of a songwriting talent, who is still with us, and for me, a mysterious figure.   In fact, I suspect he's a mystery to a lot of people.  Like the tide in an ocean, he comes and goes as he pleases.  Still, from 1966 to the end of the 1970s, he was an iconic presence in France.  Visually stunning, but with an incredible knack for writing memorable melodies.   There's not a bad cut on this album, and I would recommend it as an introduction into the world of Poinareff.  The garage rock sound of "La Poupée Qui Fait Non," "Time Will Tell"  (lyrics by Reid) and his fifties orientated (and could be a Morrissey favorite) "Love Me, Please Love Me" are essential cuts. 

Serge Gainsbourg - "Du Jazz Dans Le Ravin" CD, Compilation, Remastered, 1996 (Mercury)

In the year 1996, Philips/Mercury organized a series of releases focusing on a specific time and music style of Serge Gainsbourg.   For me, it was my first real introduction to Gainsbourg's music and his world.   So, for the last 21 years, I have been obsessing about this man's music, which led me to publish a full biography of Serge as well as releasing a fictional work by him as well, with my press TamTam Books.   

"du jazz dans le ravin" is a collection of Gainsbourg's early recordings, that are mostly jazz-based, but still in a pop song format.  Lyrically, he was on the button of greatness.  Like most English speaking people I sort of knew Gainsbourg through his recordings with Brigitte Bardot and of course, Jane Birkin.  Beyond that, I knew very little till I bought this CD compilation.   Compared to his pop and Latin-based pop music, I love his jazz period.  At this time, he was singing in a croon, that conveyed wickedness and someone who can give great advice.   The music is very seductive,  but not always in the physical, sexual sense.  He was a writer that could convey a world and make it into a "Gainsbourgian" landscape, and us listeners are just passing through the neighborhood.  

His partner-in-crime was the great arranger/songwriter/jazz player Alain Goraguer.  Gainsbourg throughout his career depended on these sort of musical characters, and Goraguer was the jazz guy for him.   It's either Goraguer's jazz arrangements or the great recordings with electric guitarist Elek Bacsik and double bass player Michel Gaudry.  A Minimal arrangement with Gainsbourg's voice floating over these two instruments.  Yet, the songs are incredible. "Chez Les Yé-Yé" and others are Serge's most excellent commentary on the Paris world at that time (the late 1950s/early 1960s).  

Often I'm overwhelmed when someone asks me what's the entrance to Serge Gainsbourg's music.  For me, I'm one of those who gets one,  I must have everything.   To properly understand his work, you have to dive in with head and body - and head first!

Various - "Les Zazous: 1940 - 1945" 2 x vinyl, LP, Compilation, 1977 (Pathé Marconi)

Truly a dangerous underground movement of swing kids during the French Occupation from 1940 to 1944.  The Vichy Administration didn't look upon these French kids with a great deal of love. Musically it's all swing jazz, but the nerve behind their swing dancing and partying in the horrible world of the Occupation is one of wonder and the beauty of youth itself. 

Les Zazous were hardcore dance and fashion lunatics who pretty much ignored the Occupation like it didn't exist, but of course, it did dangerously.  When Jews were forced to wear the Yellow Star, so did Les Zazous, but they did it voluntarily, and within the yellow star it said "Swing."  The men dressed in long draped jackets, zootsuit pants, but the cuff rolled up, and hair was worn very long but combed back in Rockabilly (before that) style. Often they dine at Vegetarian restaurants.  Also, they like to carry around umbrellas that are rolled up and never been used.   They were fond of carrying newspapers or books in the English language.  Not to read but as a fashion statement.   This you can imagine was an easy target for the Vichy cops as well as the Fascist thugs.   Often when caught they were either killed or forced to get a haircut, which must have been horrible for a dandy like-minded Zazous. 

They would have secret record parties where they danced to American (banned of course) and French jazz music.  These are club kids with an edge.  "Les Zazous" is an album of music made at the time of the occupation, and what I presume was favored by the Les Zazous.   The famous names for Americans are Charles Trenet and Django Reinhardt.  The rest are known in  France, such as Michel Legrand's dad Raymond, who had a famous orchestra at the time, Gus Viseur (gypsy accordionist), Jacques Pills (ain't that a punk rock name), and others.   Some of the songs do have the word "zazous"  The word more likely came from American genius musician Cab Calloway, from his song "Zah Zuh Zah."

This double album came out in 1977, and to this day, there are not a lot of photographs of Les Zazous.  The images that are in the record are all drawings from that period.   A snapshot of a time that was horrible, yet the music is upbeat, happy, and looking forward to better days.  The spirit of music cannot be crushed that easily.