Rickenbacker

Youth

It began as of its more young age the training of the Piano, which will become its instrument of predilection. It rather quickly founds its first group with a friend with him, they will be called the “Dreamer' S”. They will end up being found to three and will play mainly a repertory jazz: Art Blakey, Jazz Messengers, Erroll Garner, John Coltrane, Art Tatum…

Beginnings

Alain Govic ends up leaving the group to join “Murator' S”, definitely, always of the groups in S! This group is related more to the repertory of the Beatles. The group ends up separating and Alain joined a new group, Mods, and becomes leader about it. And for the first time, it is put at the song. They record a E.P. whose principal song is entitled “I want to leave” made up by Alain. They leave then a second 45T which was not really success. The chance arrives at Mods in the person of Jacques Dutronc which proposes to them to accompany them on its song “And me, and me, and me” for some emissions of TV of the moment. Dutronc ends up taking again its musicians but proposes in Alain to remain like with another member of the “Mods” (Alarcen). It thus recorded several titles with Dutronc, in others: “us are hidden all, one says nothing to us”, “the Girl of the Father Christmas”, “the Playboys”, “the Cacti”…

Alain will end up leaving Dutronc to record some titles only under his true name: Alain Govic, while signing with Rivers. On its return of a stay in London, it at the time records new a 45T with Etienne Roda-Gil lyric writer of Julien Clerc.

The first successes

After discoverbeing discovered by Dutronc, it is with the turn of Claude François to propose to him to work with him, it will be the period Flèche . It is besides Claude François who will find the pseudo one of Alain Govic, now his name of scene will be Chamfort. After having spent a few years to be worked with him, Alain again decides to continue his career only, the relationship with Claude François having become rather difficult.

The revival

Then it will be the meeting of Serge Gainsbourg which will see leading of marvellous albums and the first tube of Alain Chamfort: “Manureva”. This song remains most famous to date of Chamfort (often the only one which its name evokes). At the origin having to be called " California" , Chamfort was not convinced by the first version written by Gainsbourg. It is at the time of a dinner that the latter heard of the missing navigator Alain Colas and of its boat " Manureva ". The subject directly inspired the words of the song to him which, in addition to becoming a considerable success, proves to be a piece of disco music melancholic person revealing an inventive work of production. Then much from success will follow: “Lou Baby”, “Bamboo”, “Palais Royal”, “ivory Hunter”, “Giant”, “the fever in blood”, “traces of you”, “Mouse since it is serious”,…

Alain Chamfort also composes for the cinema; he works in particular with Jean-Pierre Mocky (" Died the Referee " 1984), or even with Arnaud Sélignac (" Eye off the Wolf" 1995) which had requested it as actor in his telefilm " A Woman For Moi" in 1993. One finds it in short-measuring " Men/Toys/Girl" , in 2001. In 2004, he becomes member of the board of directors of SACEM.

Alain Chamfort has four children: Clementine, born on May 11th, 1977, Gary and Lucas, born on November 3rd, 1980 and Tess, born on September 24th, 1997.

“Alain Chamfort… from one wave to another…” nonofficial Internet site created on October 4th, 2004 with the agreement of Alain Chamfort:

In 2007, it is made Chevalier of the Legion of Honor.

Discography with accompanying notes

Thanks to Claude François, Alain Chamfort is his first successes thanks to the titles In the brooks and Signs of life, sign of love in 1972. Catalogued at the time of " singers with minettes" , he will be successes with songs with the texts speaking about feelings and loves. He leaves the world Claude François after a tube, the time which runs (1975), adaptation of the song " Could It Be Magic" of Barry Manilow, also taken again by Summer Gave.

Wishing to demolish itself of its label " singer with minettes" , it records an album different from what it produced, Mariage with the test (1976). It is Serge Gainsbourg which will save the career of the young singer. A first album Rock' N Pink with titles Baby Lou and Toy with breakage , then comes the album Poses (1979) with enormous success the year 1979: Manuréva (of the name of the boat of Alain Colas, disappeared at sea in 1978). The 45 turns will be sold to a million specimens. Some titles whose Giant and Palais Royal (not signed by Gainsbourg) are a success. Then their last production comes together: Love year zero , the tubes of this opus are Malaise in Malaysia , Bambou and Paradis (signed E. Hagen Dierks, alias Jacques Duval) Since 1983, Alain Chamfort works with Duval. The tubes have been numerous for this period of success, comes to rajouer to this list from other tubes: Go , Traces of you , the Fever in blood , Clara wants the moon … In 2003, after some commercial failures, the revoilà on the front of the scene with the Pleasure whose the Great return appears. In spite of a successful song, the album did not have discounted success. Transfered its recording company, it makes a clip the Beautiful Eyes of Laure , reward with the Victories of the Music, gives it in saddle. Then it takes again with Mylène Jampanoi a title of Serge Gainsbourg: the décadanse . The career of Chamfort knew tops and bottoms and songs having marked the French song.

Discography

the MODS

I want to leave/It is well thus (1966)
In the world/Do Lord/Free Jerk/Mods topic (1966)

ALAIN the GOVIC

It is only one dream/the harmonica/the week/On star where I live (1968)
I like the life/In the gardens of Babylon (1968)
Locmariquer/Favelas (1969)
the way of the castle/You sleep under the rain (1969)
Ein Pink so wundershön wie of/Liebe auf den ersten Blick (1969)

" ALAIN CHAMFORT - " PERIOD ARROW "

In the brooks/the train of Moscow (1972)
Signs of life, sign of love/I call you Mélancolie (1972)
a child without history/I am bored of you/When this girl looks at me (1973)

the love in France/unknown Address, return towards the sender (1973)
I think of it, it thinks of me/My lesson damour (1973)
the love is not a song/the love in parking (1974)
Compilation of the 45T (1973)
Adieu my baby singer/Harmonie on the city (1974)
Madonna Madonna/a corner of life (1975)
the music of Saturday/It is always perhaps (1975)
the time which short/the young boxer (1975)

ALAIN CHAMFORT

What remains, it is the air. Integral 1966/2007

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