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Baudelaire, Ferré & Murat
Murat’s new album Charles et Léo
Paris
10/10/2007 -
Jean-Louis Murat: Yes, it was at school, I think, reading the Lagarde & Michard (school edition) like everyone did back in those days. I remember I even liked his name, Charles Baudelaire. His name in itself always seemed very poetic to me. I have to say, though, I think that was a really bad approach to Baudelaire. Like a lot of other classics, you practically have to be an adult to read him.
And what about Léo Ferré? When did you first discover him?
I remember the first Ferré concert I went to. But what I principally remember were the anarchists who were protesting saying it was outrageous Ferré should have a chauffeur. As someone who’s never liked far-left cretins, particularly anarchists, I thought that was just completely ridiculous. Especially someone like Ferré having to explain why he needed a mate to run him round in his car! But those ultra-left cretins thought this proved Ferré wasn’t a hardcore anarchist. I remember they completely disrupted the concert. It was the height of stupidity! Especially when you think that they’re all probably in the police force now!
And when did you really discover Ferré’s work?
You know, there wasn’t much around in the early ‘70s apart from Ferré and Manset. I’ve always sung Ferré songs right from the start of my career. I can’t say he was a role model or a father figure for me. But his music was always in my ears!
How did you get involved in the Ferré/Baudelaire project?
It was actually Ferré’s family who contacted me. They gave me a cassette of piano and vocals that Ferré had recorded at home… They kept on badgering me about the project over the next three or four years. They really believed I was the man for the job, which was obviously very flattering but I really didn’t think I was up to it. I wasn’t at all sure I’d make a good job of it and I guess somewhere down the line I thought they’d end up getting someone else. Then this year, 2007, marks the 150th anniversary of Baudelaire’s birth so I ended up having to do the album pretty quickly, in the spring.
Did you have to work under any particular constraints?
I was absolutely scrupulous in respecting what Ferré had done. That’s the only way something like this can be done, with complete and utter respect for the language and the music. Having said that, however, once there was the melody, the lyrics and the basic piano-vocals foundation, I did whatever I wanted over the top. I really had a ball!… Ferré’s children told me they think what I’ve done is fantastic. I don’t really know what that means, but I know they’re happy!
The Ferré/Baudelaire project involved you teaming up with an old friend, the pianist Denis Clavaizolle …
Yes, Denis happened to be available - and he also happens to be my neighbour! Denis and I are very close friends and we had a lot of fun working together like this. It was an occasion you could only dream about really. We soon discovered all our old reflexes again, as if we’d only seen each other yesterday!
There’s a lot of talk about the rock scene in Clermont-Ferrand really exploding right now. Do you feel that’s something you helped father in some way?
You need a birth certificate for that! Actually, everyone I know playing music in Clermont could be my kids really. After all, I do know their parents! (Laughs.) In a way, it’s difficult not to feel some sort of paternal relationship. But, like they say, no-one is a prophet in his own country. I do think Denis and I did our bit to liven up the music scene in Clermont, though.
It was actually pretty tough! There was no room for mistakes. We recorded it all in the afternoon – fourteen songs, sung three times each! I wanted to do it in a small club and to begin with I hadn’t even wanted to use a microphone. I sang without amps, without a sound system or anything… The DVD, which I still haven’t seen, is deliberately rough and ready. It wasn’t touched up afterwards in any way. You know, singers like me from the ‘80s and ‘90s, are always considered to be a bit rubbish. But let me tell you, you can put me up on stage in a cabaret without speakers, sound system, or anything, and I can still put on a decent piano and vocals show. That’s why I made the DVD the way I did!
Is there any kind of tour planned with the Ferré/Baudelaire project?
No, I don’t think we’ll be doing anything. I would have really liked to do a series of concerts in small clubs or something in schools. But the minute you say the word "poetry" to a tour organiser, he speeds off in his Mercedes without a backward glance! Things were already bad enough with the public service. We were meant to be doing a series of TV shows with various channels. But everyone cried off. They were scared stiff! And that was after I’d tried to do something people wouldn’t find daunting. This album is meant to be accessible to everyone. These are songs even children can sing!
You’re under contract to the record company V2 which has just been bought out by Universal. Where does that leave you?
Don’t bother about me! What I’m concerned about are the team of 17 who are all going to get fired. They’re all friends of mine. We worked really well together. And the worst thing is the company’s actually making a profit but it still got bought out! That means people who made that company profitable thanks to their hard work are getting fired! All I can say is, there’s another bunch of highly competent people who’re going to end up on the dole. There’s something not quite right there!
Ludovic Basque
Translation : Julie Street
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