The Kills @ Bataclan Paris Oct 28th 2008

We just arrived at the Bataclan for the encore, as usual it's hot as hell and people are smoking
We saw a good 15 min of it and the only thing that came to my mind afetr a couple of minutes is FUCK !!!
I Should have come here instead.

Live: the Kills are killing the Killers.

There are only two and they rock much more than the 4 guys ( + their 2 sessionmen ) of the Killers.
Anyway the night ended on a very good note as there was an aftershow party at the bar so we met both of 'em , these guys are just great and nice to anyone there.

I love The Kills !
NB : Jamie "Hotel" Hince told me that they were doing two TV shows tomorrow including one for Arte so i guess that they're doing " One shot not" , that's very nice as i've already planned to go there. Santogold ' Franz Ferdinand & Alena Diane are also on the bill.

The killers @ Nouveau casino Paris Oct 28th 2008

Difficult choice tonight : the Kills and the Killers are both playing in Paris on the same night.
We chose the Killers simply because we saw The Kills twice already this year.

The Killers are in Paris for a private gig at the Nouveau Casino to promote their new cd " day & age" . They did french tv show Taratata yesterday .
I've heard some funny review of their new cd , hope it's better than their second album that was very disappointing to me.

The best way to judge a band is on stage and the Killers are doing fine. Brandon is funny with one of his band always in the air, the bass player still doesn't smile at all...
They've played 5 new songs that seem to be quite good ( except for one with a disco beat ),
for a little bit more than an hour ( 15 songs ) and did a good show.
The audience was quiet , the nouveau casino was far from being full as there were lots of space including down the front.
Enjoyable evening but nothing to wake the dead and as we were out by 9:45 we rush to the nearby Bataclan to see the end of The Kills.

Sorry NO picture for this event as Patrice didn't really bother taking any, we recorded a couple of videos but the sound is so bad ( we were in front of the bass player so there's too much bass on it ) that we honestly can't upload anything.

Kaiser Chiefs @ " L' Album de la Semaine " Paris Oct 27th 2008

After playing a couple of songs on Taratata on saturday and sightseeing at the Trocadero on sunday.
Kaiser Chiefs are starting this week by a gig in front of 120 people at " L' Album de la semaine " for Canal+.
As usual for this show bands are playing some songs from their new cd plus a couple of hits .
KC are always stunning on stage in front of a wild audience , when they're playing radio or tv shows it's different Ricky has to concentrate more on his vocals and is not fooling around as much as on a real stage.
Anyway this is a special treat as we are hearing the new songs for the first time live and they seem to be as good as the old ones , with some easy to remember melodies and sing-along choruses.
They did the first song twice as Ricky messed up the lyrics ( he wrote them on the setlist to get'em right , see below ) and they added " I predict a riot " at the end.
Very nice set.
Afterwards they went to Taratata to see The Killers ( they're playing a showcase tomorrow at the Nouveau Casino.

Led Zeppelin... without Robert Plant ( 2 )

A couple of weeks rumours that ZEP was ready to go on tour without Plant AND with unknown american singer Myles Kennedy was all over the news . I mentionned it :
http://rockerparis.blogspot.com/2008/10/led-zeppelin-to-tour-without-robert.html

A friend from England sent me this :
"Rumours that Led Zeppelin are threatning to go on tour without Robert Plant are increasing with Roberts refusal to get involved.Rehearsals with various singers in Putney now appear to include Aerosmiths Steven Tyler.Hard to believe that one but todays Sunday Mail say he spent a week in London with the band and struggled a bit. "

And here too :
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/tyler%20takes%20over%20from%20plant_1084706

Just hope all this, is a fuckin' JOKE .

Jean- Claude Vannier @ Cité de la Musique Paris Oct 26th 2008

Jean-Claude Vannier ( left )

Jean-Claude Vannier is the composer and the arranger behind masterpiece " Melody Nelson" for which Serge Gainsbourg wrote the story and the lyrics .

As part of a Serge Gainsbourg week-end the Cité de la Musique is playing movies and documentaries and is inviting Jean -Claude Vannier for a conference.
A journalist is asking him a few things about his work as a composer and arranger for different french artists and for soundtracks.

He's introduced as an introvert but he's funny and chatty, it's a very good way to know him better and his work but " Melody Nelson" is not really mention here ( it's only two months of his life and he worked with Serge for only a couple of years ) .

We met him afterwards even though a bitch from the Cité de la musique tried to kick us out.
The guy is really nice and the funny thing is that he watched my video feat. Brian Molko on YouTube from the concert.
The show took a long time to prepare and a LOT of money but no one made any cash on it and the artists did it for free.
The weirdest thing he told me was that Big Jim Sullivan who played hundreds of sessions in the 60's ( he was as well known as Jimmy Page on the circuit ) and who's playing on " Melody Nelson" played soli for the Rolling Stones ( it's highly possible as they've always used sessionmen on their records throughout their career ) and THE BEATLES at the beginning .
Big Jim Sullivan playing guitars on Beatles records without anyone noticing it for 40 years, I just CAN'T BELIEVE IT !!!
So Jean-Claude if you're reading this , tell me where you get that from ?

Contact : irockinparis@yahoo.fr

Kaiser Chiefs , Franz Ferdinand , Keziah Jones... @ TARATATA Oct 25th 2008

French tv show TARATATA @ Plaine St Denis just outside Paris with many good bands tonight :
1st recording : Keziah Jones, Franz Ferdinand , Katerine , Sporto Kantes , Miliana
2nd recording : Kaiser Chiefs , Amadou & Mariam , Grace , Alister .

Katerine + Franz ferdinand ( left ) Setlist but not in the right order.

Taratata is a french Jools Holland, there is only one set , a band is playing a song or two and while technicians are changing the set up there are interviews.
First on is Keziah Jones playing his new single and then he's playing a couple of minutes of a few songs on his own ( see setlist above ).
I talk to the bass player and he told me that they were going on tour straight after this tv show, the bus is park outside. Hugghhh !!!
Then Franz Ferdinand with " Hulysees", Katerine is doing a duet with them on Blondie's "Call me", Katerine's english is crap but he's a funny bloke so that's ok; The interview with them is also very funny.
French band Sporto kantes are playing their hit song then we have unsigned band Miliana.

There is a 5 min break and they are recording the second show.
Went backstage to meet my friends , Franz Ferdinand & Kaiser Chiefs dressing rooms are next to each other. We don't see FF but the guys from KC are fooling around and playing football, these guys are really nice and you can see that they are really enjoying themselves, and they FUCKING ROCK .

Saw the second recording with the technicians and a few VIPs , big mistake , we are far from the stage with cameras in front of us and the sound is low and shitty. the best seats are with the audience in the stalls.
Kaiser Chiefs are really good with their single but the second song , a cover of MGMT is crap. Grace is a gorgeous woman but her music is really average nevertheless she did a good version of Stevie Wonder's " I wish " with Amadou & Mariam. There is also a stunning black girl doing backing vocals with her.
Last artist to perform is french singer Alister with his latest single ( a good pop rock song ) he then plays a very good cover of " A whiter shade of Pale" on piano with a clarinet (? ) player.

Back to the backstage area for a drink ( or two ) it's past midnight and it's time to go home.
Once again , very nice evening.

More TV shows ( and proper gigs )are coming this week :
Oct 26th Bashung @ Elysée Montmartre .
Oct 27th Kaiser Chiefs @ Album de la semaine
Oct 27th The Killers , Vampire Weekend + others @ Taratata
Oct 28th The Kills @ Bataclan , the Killers @ Nouveau Casino ( Private show ), Beck , Katie Melua + others @ One shot not tv show; The Virgins, Snow Patrol , James Morrison + others @ Taratata .
Oct 29th : Franz Ferdinand , Santogold , Alena Diane + others @ One Shot Not ; Razorlight , James Hunter + others @ Taratata.
Busy week see ya there ...

" les indépendants montent le son " Free concert Palais Royal Paris Oct 24th 2008

To celebrate the end of "les Arènes européennes de l’indépendance" ( i won't translate i don't know what it is ), the French Ministry for Culture ( Ministère de la Culture ) is organizing a free concert in the gardens of Palais Royal in the heart of Paris.
Tickets were to be collected this morning. there's around 1000 people here.
Each band is playing 3 or 4 songs.

The Courtyard with the "Big Balls" statue ( left ) French band Grégoire ( right )

Grégoire did a very decent job opening the free gigs at 7:30pm on the second stage in the gardens - Jardin du Palais Royal-.

Bloc Party

Bloc Party :1st band on the main stage in the main courtyard - Cour d' Honneur- , they look a bit tired , too much promo for their new cd ? they were ok

Keziah Jones

Very good set ( 4 songs ) then they rush to play Star Academy ( french Pop Idol ) tomorrow they are recording french tv show Taratata

Amadou & mariam ( left ) Time tables ( right )

I didn't really saw them as i was hanging backstage with a couple of friends, just the last song , people like them over here , they are from Bamako.

Time tables for make-up ( left )
The office of the Minister for the Culture Christine Albanel all set up for a performance

Christophe praying the Lord( left )
Wristbands :Red = all access . Black = cocktail upstairs. Yellow =aftershow party upstairs
I HAD THEM ALL !!!

Christophe did a decent set but refused to play his big hits and stick to the new songs, everything was recorded for a tv show to be broadcast next month on France 2
We missed Vincent delerm as we were having a few drinks upstairs in the main lounge, but i don't give a shit of him at all.

Travis

Travis ended the concert ( only 3 songs ) with a couple of new songs .
Then the audience is asked to leave the gardens and we made our way upstairs for the AfterShow in the office of the Minister for the culture and the lounge next door.

Camille performing IN the office of the Minister for the Culture

French singer Camille performed a couple of songs, we were a bit late so we could not get in ( sold -out : 15 people in there ) but we saw her as they left the doors open.

AYO performing in a lounge nextdoor - salon Jérome-

Tv Crew set up the cameras then Ayo rehearsed a bit so we were asked to go on the balcony ( it's getting chilly now ) for 15 min then called back to take a seat ( for only 20 people )and she did ONE song ( WHAT THE FUCK ??? ) All this shit for just one song !!!

Then we went into the office of the Minister for an interview with 2 french shitty writer who are telling us that they are independant because they have signed to a small publisher, so they only have to deal with a couple of people, even tough this publisher is owned by a company as big as Universal and they enjoy the huge distribution and publicity because it's a huge company, but they are still "Indie"
I' ve never heard some much crap is such a short time . These people are in the twilight zone.

Napoléon ( left ) and Julius Caesar ( ? ) were among us tonight !!!
Correction : In fact it's not Napoleon but his little brother Jérome Bonaparte and
the lounge is called - Salon Jérome-

FANTASTIC NIGHT !!! Bands were playing one after another so we didn't wait at all ( well almost ) Nice cocktail upstairs but i missed most of it as i was rocking with the crowd.
Nice aftershow "gigs" upstairs , in a hour we just had 3 songs but you're not invited every week In the office of the Minister for the Culture. So we won't ask for our money back .

"Melody Nelson" by Serge Gainsbourg @ Cité de la Musique Paris Oct 23rd 2008

UPDATED OCT 25th WITH 2 NEW PICTURES with BRIAN MOLKO

UPDATED OCT 24th with new video featuring Daniel Darc !!!

Jean Claude Vannier conducting the whole orchestra

Special Night @ La Cité de la Musique as we're gonna hear , at last , Melody Nelson by Serge Gainsbourg live in its entirety for the second time.

First time was at the Barbican Center in London on Oct 21st 2006.
In 1971 when the album was released it had no success at all .
This album is credited only to Serge Gainsbourg but it is as much the album of Jean Claude Vannier as he wrote all the music and did the arrangements. Some music were written even before Serge put a pen to paper.

The concert was divided in 3 parts :
1st : 9 songs are played with JC on piano and vocals or instrumentals with JC conducting the orchestra ( see setlist for details ). Instrumentals were top .

2nd : JC is playing his unreleased and now cult album " L' enfant assassin des mouches" for which Serge Gainsbourg wrote a few lines. Some parts were very good others average.

3rd : we had " Melody Nelson".

The whole cast

See complete setlist for details :
French actor Mathieu Amalric didn't sing as he had the spoken parts , his voice matched perfectly the original version same with Martine Topley Bird ( who's playing Melody ).

Brian Molko did the vocals for " Ballade de Melody ..." he sung it his own way ( with his high duck voice ) but did a very decent job on it ( see video )with a punchy version.
French singer Brigitte Fontaine was out of it for " Valse de Melody", sometimes out of key. a let down .

Daniel Darc was Perfect on " Ah Melody" , the best performance of the night for what is probably my favorite song on this album.
French singer Alain Chamfort, considering his voice, did well on " l' Hotel particulier".
Seaming To "sung" like Yoko Ono on "en melody" but the original version has screams and gasps like Yoko Ono would do so it was perfect.
French actress Clothilde Hesme probably had the longest part to " sing" and did well too on " Cargo Culte".
In fact the whole cast did very good apart from brigitte fontaine , they all stick to the original version excluding Brian Molko who sung his song in a different key ( much more higher ).
It's funny to see that 2 years ago he had short hair and was starting getting bald on the top and now he has thick long black hair !

Seaming To , Alain Chamfort, Daniel Darc ,Martina Topley Bird, Brian Molko

Mathieu Amalric, Brigitte fontaine & Clotilde Hesme

UPDATED WITH NEW VIDEO :
" Ah Melody" with Daniel Darc :
http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=d31eM7pPxS4
Updated Oct 25 th with 2 new pictures below:

Herbie Flowers backstage : Bass on Melody Nelson & countless other records ( left )
Complete Setlist + program signed by Brian Molko , Melody Nelson cd signed by Herbie flowers & JC Vannier (right )

"Ballade de Melody Nelson" featuring Brian Molko" :

Jacques Higelin @ Studio SFR Paris Oct 22nd 2008

Private showcase @ Studio SFR in Paris to promote a new book on french singer Jacques Higelin by photographer Laurence Leblanc , words by Clémentine Dérouville.

Jacques Higelin with Laurence Leblanc ( left ) and
Clémentine Déroudille ( right )

First there is an interview, well... hard to say it is an interview as Jacques is fooling around all the time, the girls could hardly say a word. Clémentine is laughing but Laurence is clearly pissed off by the situation .
Note: Clémentine is the grand-daughter of famous french photographer Robert Doisneau.
Then, there is the concert : Jacques is still in high spirit and is still fooling around a lot.
He's playing a few songs in between reading his texts including a very long, and unreleased , one ( 15 min ).
First time i was seeing him and he was fun.
It's not really my cup of tea when he's reading texts but when he's playing on guitar or on piano , he's very talented musically ( and lyrically ) .
Good evening but lousy cocktail after.

"Chinese Democracy" tracklisting revealed ... GUNS 'N ROSES

GUNS ' N FUCKIN' ROSES IS BACK

The album will be out on Nov 24th.

"Chinese Democracy" tracklisting revealed :

'Chinese Democracy'
'Scraped'
'Shackler's Revenge'
'Street Of Dreams'
'If The World'
'Better'
'This I Love'
'There Was A Time'
'Riad N' The Bedovins'
'Sorry'
'I.R.S.'
'Catcher'
'Madagascar'
'Prostitute'

Lou Reed @ Virgin Megastore Champs Elysées paris Oct 21st 2008

Lou Reed has just released a book and he's here at the Virgin Megastore tonight to sign it , and only the book ... so they say !

A book of his lyrics has already been released a few years ago, how to make something new with something old. The french publisher needs some extra bucks.
This new book is crap , they did some effects on the text , like the one i was doing 20 years ago on my Amstrad computer , COMPLETE RUBBISH .
Lou is very late but is nice and takes time to speak to everyone, you could get your cd or vinyl sign too.

Tomorrow night Private party and concert for the launch of a new Jacques Higelin book at the Studio SFR near Madeleine in Paris.

Gainsbourg Exhibition @ Cité de la Musique & Lou Reed reading @ 104 Paris Oct 20th 2008

First we went to the Varnishing-day of the Gainsbourg Exhibition @ Cité de la Musique.
Lots of hangers-on as always, awfully crowdy it was hard to see anything,
We spotted Jane Birkin & daughter Charlotte surrounded by so many cameras and security that it was ridiculous, Poor girls they were so scared by all this mess that they made a quick exit by a side door.

Jane ( left ) Self-portrait ( right )

Lots of hand-written lyrics and memorabilia, so that's very cool unfortunately this exhibition is a little bit of a mess, with screens everywhere playing TV shows , movies and images with no explanations at all, the sound of these tv-sets is also coming from everywhere so after half an hour you have a headache.
Lots of very small pictures on the walls so you need a magnifying glass to see them.
When they did this were they on fucking drugs or what ?
Maybe the conditions were not at their best for this exhibition. I'll give it a second chance and maybe some of us were a bit angry after dealing with this vermine PR.
Can't believe the attitude of this bitches.
Nevertheless we had a nice time at the aftershow cocktail but we made a quick exit to the new hype place in Paris : Ze 104 ( a french modern " Factory" )

Sculpture of " L' Homme à la tète de chou" ( left )

Alternate picture for the cover of Melody Nelson ( right )

Lou Reed 's reading at the 104.
It started very late ( 9:20 instead of 8:30 PM ) so we didn't miss that much , glad we didn't see the whole thing as hearing someone reading texts even if it's Lou reed's , it's a bit boring.
The 400 capacity hall was sold-out and listened religiously.
Thanx he answered a few questions .

We went backstage to meet him , French superstar designer Philip Stark was there , french singer Christophe too. we all stayed there for 30 min , had a chat , he signed a few things too. Then everybody went to the aftershow cocktail , a 100 people were already there drinking Champagne. Lou Reed talk to a few, signed a couple of programs and left .

First time I was going to an event there, it's beautiful and huge.

Lou Reed backstage with French singer Christophe

That's it for tonight,many things to come next week including many TV Shows ( with Kaiser Chiefs , the Killers , Franz Ferdinand , Beck , Santogold... ) Private gig ( Jacques Higelin ) and so on ... So stay Tuned