Pierre Bachelet

Pierre Bachelet
Birth name	Pierrer Bachelet
Also known as	Andrew Bacson
Born	25 May 1944 Paris, France
Died	15 February 2005 Suresnes, France
Occupation(s)	Singer, Songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Website	http://www.pierrebachelet.fr/

Pierre Bachelet (25 May 1944 – 15 February 2005) was a French singer-songwriter with a gentle romantic voice.

Bachelet died of lung cancer in 2005.

Career

Bachelet spent part of his childhood in Calais and developed a lifelong appreciation of the North of France, which inspired his hit song "Les corons" (1982).

In the 1970s he had some international success under the name The Peppers with the synthesizer song "The Pepperbox", and under the name Resonance, with the hit "O.K. Chicago".

His other hit songs include "Elle est d'ailleurs" (1980), "Écris-moi" (1982), "Marionnettiste" (1985), "En l'an 2001" (1985) and "Vingt ans" (1987). He also composed music for movies, for example Emmanuelle (1974), Les Bronzés font du ski (1979) and the British-made Sex with the Stars (1980). Robert Fripp won an out-of-court settlement over the use of music in Emmanuelle based on King Crimson's "Larks' Tongues in Aspic". His songs from the film Emmanuelle called "Emmanuelle In The Mirror" and "Theme From Emmanuelle" have been sampled in the Lily Allen single "Littlest Things", released in December 2006.

He would return to score further Emmanuelle films, such as Emmanuelle V and Emmanuelle 7. He also did the score for Story of O, another huge success for him and the French film Un crime au paradis.

His signature tune, "Les corons", released in 1982, is notably used as the supporters' anthem for the Lens football club.

Bachelet bore a physical and voice resemblance to Jacques Brel, and had a similar onstage demeanor. Bachelet held Brel's work in high respect, and his last release while alive was a cover of Brel songs.

In 2000, Bachelet was nominated for a Cesar Award for his musical score in The Children of the Marshland.

Awards

Cesar Award

Year	Recipient/Nominated work	Award	Result	Ref.
2000	"The Children of the Marshland"	Best Music	Nominated

In popular culture

In 2015, a tribute album was released posthumously with various artists performing songs from Pierre Bachelet. The 13-track album was released on Smart label under the title Hommage à Pierre Bachelet: Nous l'avons tant aimé and includes interpretations by artists Quentin Bachelet, Marie Espinosa, Didier Barbelivien, Dave, Gérard Lenorman, Patrick Sébastien, Amaury Vassili, Gilbert Montagné, Philippe Lavil, Enrico Macias and Chico & the Gypsies. The album also contains two performances from Bachelet: "Les Corons" with Chorale des Mineurs Polonais de Douai and a remasterised version of "Flo" with Florence Arthaud. The album charted in France, Belgium and Switzerland.

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

• 1975: L'Atlantique
• 1980: Elle est d'ailleurs
• 1982: Les Corons
• 1983: Découvrir l'Amérique
• 1985: Marionnettiste
• 1985: En l'an 2001
• 1987: Vingt ans
• 1989: Quelque part... c'est toujours ailleurs
• 1992: Les Lolas
• 1995: La ville ainsi soit-il
• 1998: Un homme simple
• 2001: Une autre lumière
• 2003: Tu ne nous quittes pas (Bachelet chante Brel)
• 2008: Essaye (posthumously)

Live albums

• 1983: Un soir... Une scène
• 1986: Olympia 86
• 1988: Tu es là au rendez-vous
• 1991: La Scène
• 2005: 30 ans

Compilation albums

• 2015: 10 ans de Bachelet pour toujours (posthumously)

Singles

• 1975: "L'Alantique (toi, moi et la musique)"
• 1980: "Elle est d'ailleurs"
• 1982: "Les Corons"
• 1982: "Écris-moi"
• 1982: "Souvenez-vous"
• 1983: "Quitte-moi"
• 1983: "Embrasse-la"
• 1983: "Mais l'aventure"
• 1985: "Marionnettiste"
• 1985: "En l'an 2001"
• 1985; "Elle ne sait faire que ah!"
• 1985: "Quand l'enfant viendra"
• 1987: "Vingt ans"
• 1987: "Partis avant d'avoir tout dit"
• 1987: "C'est pour elle"
• 1989: "L'Homme en blanc"
• 1989: "Pleure pas Boulou"
• 1989: "Flo"
• 1989: "Yé yé les tambours"
• 1989: "Le déversoir"
• 1992: "Les Lolas"
• 1992: "Elle est ma guerre, elle est ma femme"
• 1992: "Laissez chanter le français"
• 1995: "La ville ainsi soit-il"
• 1995: "Reconnais que tu pars"
• 1998: "Le voilier noir"
• 1998: "Un homme simple"
• 2001: "Une autre lumière"
• 2001: "Pour un monde bleu"
• 2001: "Sans toi"

Bibliography

Books about Pierre Bachelet

• Pierre Bachelet, En ce temps-là j'avais vingt ans..., Michel Lafon Éditions, 1989.
• Fanfan Bachelet ; in collaboration with Évelyne Adam ; Preface by Jean-Pierre Foucault, Pierre… mon amour, Pierre Robin Éditions, 2006.
• Jean-Pierre Lang, Quatorze ans de chanson pour Pierre Bachelet, Édition Hors commerce, 2008.
• Françoise Bachelet, Un p'tit bout de chemin avec Pierre Bachelet, Sony Music, 2015.

See also

• A Crime in Paradise (2001)

External links

• Official Site (in French)
• Pierre Bachelet at the Internet Movie Database
• Biography at Radio France Internationale (in English)