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'''Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan''', known as '''Renaud''', born in [[Paris]] on 11 May 1952, is a popular [[French people|French]] [[singer]], [[songwriter]] and [[actor]]. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in France, including the sea tale "Dès que le vent soufflera", the irreverent "[[Laisse béton]]", the ballad "''[[Morgane de toi]]''" and the nostalgic "''[[Mistral gagnant]]''". However, with the possible exception of a [[franglais]] recording of ''It is not because you are'', his work is almost unknown outside the French-speaking world. |
'''Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan''', known as '''Renaud''', born in [[Paris]] on 11 May 1952, is a popular [[French people|French]] [[singer]], [[songwriter]] and [[actor]]. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in France, including the sea tale "Dès que le vent soufflera", the irreverent "[[Laisse béton]]", the ballad "''[[Morgane de toi]]''" and the nostalgic "''[[Mistral gagnant]]''". However, with the possible exception of a [[franglais]] recording of ''It is not because you are'', his work is almost unknown outside the French-speaking world. |
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Revision as of 04:52, 10 September 2010
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Renaud |
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Renaud Pierre Manuel Séchan, known as Renaud, born in Paris on 11 May 1952, is a popular French singer, songwriter and actor. His characteristically 'broken' voice makes for a very distinctive vocal style. Several of his songs are popular classics in France, including the sea tale "Dès que le vent soufflera", the irreverent "Laisse béton", the ballad "Morgane de toi" and the nostalgic "Mistral gagnant". However, with the possible exception of a franglais recording of It is not because you are, his work is almost unknown outside the French-speaking world.
Early Work
His early work is characterized by a volatile temperament, innovative use of French, and edgy, dark, left-wing social and political themes.[citation needed] Raised in an educated milieu, the son of an intellectual, Renaud adopted the looks and attitude of working-class youth in the 1970s, and reflected this in his lyrics. A recurrent theme is his disgust for the average French people with petit-bourgeois preoccupations and right-wing leanings (see beauf). His music focuses on the disparity between classes, the abuse of political power, overbearing authority and disgust for the military, with rare glimpses of tenderness for his fellow humans, the planet earth, and art. His song Miss Maggie praised the kindness of women with the markedly ironic exception of Margaret Thatcher.
Middle Period
In the later 1980s and 1990s Renaud's work was distinguished by "softer" subjects such as his wife (later ex-wife) Dominique, his daughter Lolita and his friends, as well as the late comedian and singer Coluche for whom he wrote the tribute "Putain de camion" ("Bloody Lorry") after Coluche's death in a road accident. He has also ventured into regional music and language, such as the language of Marseille in La Belle de Mai, the north with Renaud cante el' nord and even Corsican polyphonics in "Lolito lolita".[citation needed]
Resurgence
After an unproductive period marked by alcohol addiction, he made a very significant comeback with his 2002 album Boucan d'enfer. That album's iconic hit was "Manhattan-Kaboul", a powerful duo with Axelle Red which tackled current issues by drawing a parallel between a victim of the 9-11 attacks in New York and an Afghan girl, both victims of a war they don't understand.
In 2009 Renaud released Molly Malone his long awaited album of classic Irish balads. Produced by ex-Boomtown Rats bassist Pete Briquette, the album was commercially successful (certified double-platinum in just over a month)[1] but the singer's feeble, often out-of-tune vocals caused some negative reviews[2].
Personal Life
Renaud's father comes from a Protestant southern-french family (from the Cévennes), and his mother is the daughter of a coalminer from the poor Nord-Pas-de-Calais region. Renaud dedicated part of his work to his familial roots, singing traditional songs in the regional picard language and acting in Germinal, a film based on the famous Emile Zola novel.
In 2006 Renaud married Romane Serda, the mother of his son Malone. In 2007 he announced to the press his intention to move his family to London citing a love for British society and expressing disillusionment at the current state of France. In 2009 Renaud's daughter, writer Lolita Séchan, married French accoustic singer-songwriter Renan Luce[3].
Discography
Studio albums
- 1975: Amoureux de Paname (Polydor)
- 1977: Laisse béton (Polydor)
- 1979: Ma gonzesse (Polydor)
- 1980: Marche à l'ombre (Polydor)
- 1981: Le Retour de Gérard Lambert (Polydor)
- 1983: Morgane de toi (Polydor), sold over 1,500,000 copies
- 1985: Mistral gagnant (Virgin), selling over 2,000,000 copies it was Renaud's most successful album until 2002's Boucan d'enfer.
- 1988: Putain de camion (Virgin)
- 1991: Marchand de cailloux (Virgin)
- 1992: Renaud cante el' nord (Virgin) – traditional folk songs from the north of France
- 1994: À la Belle de Mai (Virgin)
- 1995: Les Introuvables - a collection of Renaud rarities
- 1996: Renaud chante Brassens (Virgin) – interpretation of songs by Georges Brassens
- 2002: Boucan d'enfer (Virgin), selling over 2,200,000 copies the most successful Renaud album to date.
- 2006: Rouge sang (EMI)
- 2009: Molly Malone (EMI) – traditional Irish songs adapted into French, produced by Pete Briquette formerly of The Boomtown Rats
Live albums
- 1980: Bobino (Polydor)
- 1981: Le p'tit bal du samedi soir et autres chansons réalistes (Polydor)
- 1982: Un Olympia pour moi tout seul (Polydor)
- 1989: Visage pâle rencontrer public (Virgin)
- 1996: Paris-Province (Virgin)
- 2003: Tournée d'enfer (Virgin)
- 2007: Tournée Rouge sang (Ceci-Celà)
Films
- Germinal (1993) as Étienne Lantier
- Crime Spree (2003) as Zéro
Awards
- 1993: Traditional music album of the year award for "Renaud cante el' nord"
- 2001: Lifetime achievement award
- 2003: Three awards given for: Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Song of the Year (for Manhattan-Kaboul with Axelle Red)