The last Macumba in France closes, Jean-Pierre Mader marks “an era which is coming to an end” on BFMTV

PEOPLE – The closure of the last Macumba in France did not escape Jean-Pierre Mader. The 1980s star to whom we owe the hit Macumbawas the guest of BFMTV this Thursday January 23; on the air he was moved by the disappearance of the famous nightclub.

« It’s a bit of an era that’s coming to an end. It’s synonymous with the passing 1980s. The Macumbas were big clubs that were pretty influential in determining what was going to happen on the radio. There were resident DJs. They were also places where you could get into easily, unlike the big clubs in Paris. », remembers the artist.

Founded in the 1960s, the Macumba nightclub chain, which had 23 establishments on the outskirts of French cities at its best, recently announced the closure of its last nightclub. Located in Englos, near Lille, it must definitely say goodbye to its regulars at the end of February.

A place where Jean-Pierre Mader says he celebrated ten years ago for the club’s anniversary: ​​“ It was great. It was an agreement with all the former bosses. It felt like we were in a Scorsese film. »

“Macumba”, gold record in the 80s

If originally the term “macumba” designates the place where black slaves celebrated their rites, the Toulouse singer says he wrote his song of the same name in reference to ” in a place », « a club name » where to place « this kind of migrant a little before her time » who dances every night. Jean-Pierre Mader had gone to Mocambo or Caesars Palace. But it was ultimately the Macumba, proposed by its composer Richard Steff, which was chosen.

Her story is that of a young foreign woman who, arriving illegally by boat, finds herself forced into dancing and prostitution. Certified gold, Macumba's 45 rpm sold more than 600,000 copies in France and became a popular culture hit.

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