On Ecoute…Alain Bashung

Who is the coolest French singer of all time? Some might say Gainsbourg, others may choose Françoise Hardy, Alain Souchon or Edith Piaf. Almost none would choose Johnny Hallyday. In our top five there is definitely a spot for Alain Bashung, born Alain Claude Baschung (he dropped the ‘c’ in his surname to make it more English) in Paris in 1947 to a Breton mother who worked in a rubber factory and an Algerian father, whom he never knew. He spent his early childhood with his grandparents in the Alsace countryside but upon returning to the capital his love of American blues and rock saw him eschew studying.

With friends, he formed The Dunces, who released a single in 1966 but failed to ignite. Bashung plugged away, working as an arranger for other artists before a 1980 collaboration with lyricist Boris Bergman saw Gaby Oh Gaby become a breakthrough hit. After three decades of success and critical acclaim, he died aged just 61 in 2009. His music has been labelled ‘rock intello’ (intellectual rock) and for an initial dip into his oeuvre, seek out 1991’s Osez, Joséphine from the LP of the same name, which French Rolling Stone named the greatest ever French rock album.

From France Today Magazine

Read more articles in the On Écoute series:

Yael Naïm
Alain Souchon
Charles Aznavour
French Kiwi Juice
Erik Satie
L’Indécis
Justice
Stuck in the Sound
Oliva Ruiz
Indochine