French Rock Poet Alain Bashung dies at the age of 61

[faithfull]

Alain Bashung, one of the most important rock singers of France's musical scene, died Saturday afternoon of the effects of cancer, his studio, Garance Productions, announced. He was 61.

A songwriter and actor as well, Bashung appeared in over a dozen films. He provided the voice of the diabolical Maltazard in the French version of the American-French animated movie Arthur And The Invisibles (2006). The role was voiced by David Bowie in the English version.

Bashung died at Saint-Joseph Hospital in Paris. He had been suffering from lung cancer since the fall of 2007 and had been undergoing chemotherapy.

Described last year as the "last of the giants" by arts weekly Les Inrockuptibles, Bashung made his last public appearance February 28 at the annual "Victoires De La Musique" awards ceremony, where he won three trophies -- Best Album for 2008's Bleu Pétrole, Best Tour and Best Male Artist -- adding to the eight he had obtained earlier.

His disease forced him to cancel several concerts in recent weeks.

Born Alain Baschung in Paris on December 1, 1947, he was the son of a Brittany-born mother and a Kabyle father from Algeria whom he never knew.

Abandoned by his father, he was sent (at age one) to Wingersheim, near Strasbourg, to stay with his grandparents. He spent his childhood in the country in a conservative environment. When he was five years old, he discovered music -- particularly Kurt Weill -- and learned harmonica. He was also a choirboy in the church at Wingersheim and played basketball. He was regarded at school as a serious child.

In 1959, at 12, he returned to Paris and discovered rock, imitating American singers and founding his first band. He discovered the great names of French "chansons," as well as American rockers Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. While studying to become an accountant, he started a short-lived band with friends, "Les Dunces," whose style swung between folk and rockabilly. He soon dropped his studies.

Bashung started Royan, a band playing in restaurants, hotels and especially American military bases. His career started slowly: at 19, he released his first single, "Pourquoi rêvez-vous des États-Unis?", in 1966.

He released a dozen singles using three synonyms, including a record as "David Bergen." Although he wrote a number of songs for such stars of the time as Noël Deschamps, success didn't come.

In 1973, he played Robespierre in the musical La Révolution française, written by Claude-Michel Schönberg. He also met Dick Rivers, the singer of "Chats Sauvages," for whom he composed and produced music.

In 1979, he released the album Roulette Russe, which had his first charted hit, "Gaby Oh Gaby."

Two years later, the follow-up album Pizza included his second hit, "Vertige De L'Amour," which was a favorite of his fans.

Several other albums followed, from Play Blessures (1982) to Fantaisie Militaire (1998).

Alain Bashung is survived by actress Chloe Mons, his wife since 2001. He recorded "Cantique Des Cantiques" with her that same year.