Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Holy Address!


Yes, this is graffiti, but it's not just any graffiti… I took this photo at 5bis rue de Verneuil in the 7th arrondissement which happens to be the former home of Serge Gainsbourg, a very famous French singer who died in March 1991. His fans contributed all of this graffiti (see this stunning video to watch the evolution over the past 5 years). Serge Gainsbourg was very talented, but he was also an alcoholic and alcohol, sometimes, made him say stupid things to say the least… A movie about his life is released today which is why he is in the news a lot.

43 comments:

  1. I have been waiting for this and so has Phx! The first time I stumbled on this place I was shocked to say the least. Kinda like it now.

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  2. This graffiti is as colorful as was his personality. Look forward to the film.

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  3. Wow, it changed a lot compared to when I took some photos some months ago (see link here)...

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  4. You can also check this (BBC article) in English if you don't know him...

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  5. The movie looks very good. I love biopics. Can't say the same about Gainesbourg's music.

    The Whitney Houston thing is hilarious. I bet she had a fit afterwards, but probably laughs at it now.

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  6. He was really big in France huh!

    I remember the Birkin bag and Charlotte Gainsbourg everytime I hear his name.

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  7. I hope they release the film here. Good thing I was looking at the trailer in an empty office. lol. I was introduced to Gainsbourg's music in the late 70s by a Frenchman. Still have the album. His daughter Charlotte is a good actress and looks like the quintessential French woman - at least in my 1960s fantasies.

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  8. The graffiti is OK. I have seen way better.

    Merci for the links.

    Yeah, I remember when Serge Gainsbourg said that stuff to Whitney. He wouldn't keep his hands off of her. I think she wasn't even 21 years old yet. He was definitely creepy.

    "...and alcohol, sometimes, made him say stupid things...." Well, I don't think alcohol "made" him say anything. That is like saying "guns make you kill". I am one of those people who believe that "people kill" and they sometimes use guns to do it. I only liked Serge Gainsbourg when he was young -- see his old music clips on YouTube. He digressed with age. I think he turned into what they call "a dirty old man". And it was reflected in his songs and music. A complete turn off for me. Some of his songs when they come on the radio, I turn down the volume until it's over. They are really depressing. I don't think he respected women at all.

    So now we all know that Lois thinks Serge Gainsbourg was sick. Yes, I really couldn't stand him, Yuck. And Whitney was way too sweet to him. As soon as he touched her with his grubby hands, I think she should have walked.

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  9. @Coltrane_lives, "Look forward to the film." Speaking of films, I was watching the French film classic "Elevator to the Gallows" (1957) I have seen this film twice. It has a modern feel, and the Miles Davis score is clean, clear and very-very hip. A well crafted film noire of 1950's Paris. I thought of you when I was watching it since you are so into jazz. Actually, the music is so great, anyone I think would like it.

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  10. I abhor graffiti but for Serge, maybe it's fitting. His home is a trip! I love the posters of him around Paris now. I'll post one soon.
    V

    PS I miss Paris, Eric. :(

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  11. The graffiti certainly isn't my taste, but I like the idea behind it and the fact that the family has embraced it and that the city of Paris allows it.

    Vanity Fair has an interesting article here: http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/11/gainsbourg200711

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  12. that really was an incredible video!
    & how cool that someone thought to make a video of the graffiti over time.
    Neat angle on this shot Eric!

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  13. That graffiti video is certainly very cool and the intent behind all the graffiti is sweet even if it does look a little over the top. I wonder if Gainsbourg would have liked it? Probably.

    I had no idea that Gainsbourg would show up THAT drunk on stage! Michel Drucker almost forgot to introduce Eddie Mitchell at the end, that was so funny!! Great, great clip, I love it.

    Did this clip actually air live?!!

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  14. This looks like an interesting movie, which I will definitely see. I wonder how much of his life is actually revealed since Charlotte Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin are alive and probably don't want the whole world to know their private lives?

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  15. So I just looked at the wikipedia briefly and it looked like he descended in the abyss in the 80's. That makes sense to me, then. I remember him pre-80's for his body of work in the 60's/70's as a kind of a colorful, excentric, non-conformist sort of artistic genius.

    Remember, when you look at his work, you gotta put it in context. Back then, in France at least (although I think in the US, too) it was all about the sexual revolution, etc. Now it's a little different, and especially here in the US.

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  16. Soixante-neuf, anné érotique ...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa8UvK7Z_AM


    :)

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  17. You are right, Cali!I love the pix AND the video link. The wall certainly looks different from my pictures taken 2 years ago.
    Occasionally, I will see the stencil someone made of Jane and Serge, on various walls around Paris. I'm sure they will be busy with more, now that the movie is out.

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  18. Lois...I agree that Miles' score for "Elevator to the Gallows" is fantastic. As a matter of fact, though I enjoyed the film, I enjoyed Miles' soundtrack even more. Merci~ Coltrane.

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  19. Knew what this was right away, Eric! Still spent a long time enjoying (or cringing at, in the case of the Whitney Houston video) your links. I agree with Lois—he kind of detiorated and became un vieux sale. We ran in the same circles in the '60s and were neighbors. At the time, I loved him but hated her (Jane, that is). Looking back, I was probably just envious of her. Foolish me!

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  20. BTW, I never ever saw him without a cigarette!

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  21. @alexa. I don't think anyone did. Probably smoked in the shower, too. ;)

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  22. So what does this do to the property value, I wonder? In this case, it probably raises it. I take it the family still lives there, so it probably doesn't matter. Just musing.

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  23. I'd have been shocked if I didn't know the back story. I like your tipsy angle, Eric ~ very fitting. ;)

    Tomate, LOL!

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  24. I think Gainsbourg was much more than just a singer! He was a great composer and poet! And even if he turned "different" in the last years (Gainsbourg turned to Gainsbarre), his art remains ;-)
    However, as far as I know, this last part of his life is not shown in the movie.

    @Petrea: I don't think anybody lives in this house. It is still owned by the family. They had a project to make it a museum, but apparently, it's not that easy...

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  25. Yes Lois - Gainsbourg was a fantastic poet and singer who definitely turned into a dirty old man - except he also was a dirty young man.

    As a woman I've always felt there was something extremely unpleasant about him, even though I'd never seen the Whitney Houston incident before. Too much alcohol and drug abuse, yuk.

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  26. The movie trailer actually looks really good....tooo bad it'll take 10 months to find it here in the local second run indy movie theater! I couldn't get the grafitti movie to work though....

    The Whitney clip though was hilarious...in a non PC way of course!


    Sean

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  27. @Nathalie... You made me laugh just now "except he also was a dirty young man." I'm still laughing. Touché

    @Thib... "this last part of his life is not shown in the movie."
    There is a lot of material to put into a film just focusing on Gainsbourg's early years.

    @Coltrane... You already saw the film -- I thought so. The music is awesome!

    @Alexa... "he kind of deteriorated and became un vieux sale." When I was writing my comment I thought of you. I said to myself, Alexa is going to agree with me. You and I "ran in the same circles". It's like I've always known you.

    @Monica... "He was really big in France huh!" You are so cute -- what a baby! You make me laugh. Now I really feel old.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET ERIC. :) Having fun I hope.

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  28. I read somewhere once that as a boy Gainsbourg had to wear one of those little Jewish stars on his clothes. And that he had a tough childhood. I was listening to a stand-up comedian last week, and the comedian was Jewish. The comedian said "Jews and Blacks have a lot in common. The Blacks like to sing the blues and the Jews like to whine." I thought that was funny, and so true.

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  29. Amazing graffiti! Happy Birthday Eric!

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  30. Superb video, super well found, I concur too!!!
    In the Gainsbourg family, my favorite is his daughter Charlotte and ... I must admit, her husband Yvan Attal! Something clever and strong. I like their couple. Charlotte has changed a lot from her beginnings and I think she owes many things to him and to her love for him. Kind of a mentor and lover.

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  31. Funny how the comments are really passionate, one way or the other.

    Gainsbourg to me is like the Arc de Triomphe. He's a huge icon, or monument in French culture, like him or not.

    Tomate Farcie

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  32. @Lois - You and I were watching Elevator to the Gallows at the same time!! I never heard of it before this weekend. It was, like, crazy, man! Lots of chic Parisians. Lots of nice twists. Lots of groovy music. What's not to love?!

    I loved the grafitti video! How did they do that? Did they have to photoshop alot of the lower levels that were covered?

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  33. Eric il est minuit quatre à la montre de mon ordi et ta photo pour le grand jour n'est pas encore parue ? Mais que fait le birthday boy ???

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  34. I echo some of the comments above. To certain longtemps admirers of France and French film, Gainsbourg pere is just a footnote to Charlotte Gainsbourg, one of a few so so beautifully French actresses.

    Sigh.

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  37. Very dynamic and bold work! Great job!

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