The author, performer, actor and writer Marc Lavoine, is the exceptional guest of Le Monde d’Élodie Suigo from December 30, 2024 to January 3, 2025. Five days to look back on highlights of his career between music and cinema, since 40 years.
In 1985, he became known with She has gun eyesa hit found in his anniversary album Revolver, composed of 18 of his hits (plus four previously unreleased tracks) with the Bulgarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. He will also be on stage from April 24 until June 14, for an electro symphonic tour throughout France.
franceinfo: This anniversary album was unanimously praised, whether by the profession or the public, did it touch you?
Marc Lavoine : Yes, I’m not someone who looks for compliments, but when someone likes you, it’s better! It’s not at all a criticism, but music victories, the Césars or the Molières, are certainly nice to have, but I don’t like them. I don’t like having something that says: “I am the best actor or the best singer“, it’s completely ridiculous. Compliments, yes, but not to show off in front of my gold records or to look at myself in the mirror and take me for a singer, an actor or a writer.
You were born in Longjumeau in Essonne, with a father who was a communist CGT activist and a mother who dreamed of being a dancer. Were they very important in your construction as a man, in your values?
My father was hardly present even though he was there, but let’s say it was a certain upbringing. The world, the demonstrations, the celebration of Humanity, “Come on, let’s go, we’re going to change the world“, and all that. It was very good. My mother was more modest and her echo is more and more present. Obviously, I have my father, that’s for sure, but I’m really like my mother.
“It’s my mother who gave me life and who is saving it for me today, she is truly present.”
Marc Lavoineat franceinfo
She is the love of my life and thanks to her, thanks to the memories she left me, to the keys she left in my pocket, I still open doors and I still manage to move around. I’m not sure if I only had my father’s keys I would be able to get around.
Your first job was an usher at the Olympia. Was that the first step, the link between what you wanted to do and music?
The Olympia was my HQ. I worked there, I earned money there. I learned every evening, with different artists on stage and the Coquatrix family: Jean-Michel, Boris, Paulette and Patricia to whom I owe everything. She asked Monique Salmon, press officer, to find me a door. She sent me to Editions du Rideau Rouge to see Patrick Juvet’s producer, Florence Aboulker. I auditioned in front of her. She didn’t listen to my songs, but she picked up her phone and said: “I have a guy in front of me. He’s not bad, he looks a bit stupid, but you should get him“. And Fabrice Aboulker received me. I arrived at Barclay editions where there was Véronique Sanson, Alain Chamfort, Michel Bergé, France Gall, Daniel Balavoine. I was really shaken and he signed me. And then, I joined Universal, where there was Léo Ferré, Serge Gainsbourg, etc. So, there, I was lucky.
Avant She has gun eyesthere was I don’t even know what I look like anymorethat’s really the starting point, in 1983.
And here, I am honestly lucky enough to have been listened to and heard by Monique Le Marcis. She’s the one who decided to take this record and put it on the air and continue with it For a beguine with you. When She has gun eyes came along (in 1985), they played it so much that it kind of influenced everyone and it became a hit. Without even making television, it was already gone. We were already at 300,000 or 400,000 copies sold. That’s where it really took shape.
“At the beginning, ‘Les Yeux revolver’ was a song that hurt me.”
Marc Lavoineat franceinfo
People made fun of me a bit because I wasn’t a singer for men to begin with. Besides, the first show I did at La Cigale was for gays and girls. Others called me “faggot”. Maybe also, that I had a physique that inspired that and then, I liked playing with these margins. It’s true that I was a little pushed aside by the guys. The boys arrived with the film The hearts of men. There, they started laughing, saying to each other: “He’s nice, we like his character“, who was not an obvious character. In fact, I played the role of my father. I played my father and there, it stuck. The guys said to me: “You were very good in the film, etc.“What they didn’t tell me before, when it was more:”Who is this guy? We prefer something“. It doesn’t matter, there are more girls anyway.
