Eddy Mitchell: “My America is not Trump’s!” »

Hello Mr. Eddy, how are you?

Gently. I'm coming out of pneumonia which forced me to postpone the release of my new album, “Amigos”, by three weeks. I am much better today.

A new album, the 40th in the studio, and a new autobiographical book: you don't stop. Still want to work, to move?

Well yes, I work but I don't call it work because I take it slowly and I still love what I do. Singing is my job and you don't give it up overnight.

We read in the argument of your book “Autobiography”: “For the first time, Eddy Mitchell opens up”, like, he says it all. Haven’t you already said everything in the previous one, “The Dictionary of My Life”?

It's not me who wrote the ad (laughs) but the publisher must

sell my book. It's his job. It's true that I say things that I hadn't written before about cinema, Music and everything else.

I only want to work with people I love and who are like family: the Souchon father and son, Alain Chamfort, Sanseverino, William Sheller, Pascal Obispo.

Your fortieth studio album, “Amigos”, lives up to its title. It is designed as a reunion of family and long-time friends. Does it reassure you, inspire you to be with them?

Yes. I only want to work with people I love and who are like family: the Souchon father and son, Alain Chamfort, Sanseverino, William Sheller, Pascal Obispo. Alain Artaud, in production, helped me a lot to bring together those who have been with me for a long time.

Is it easy to work with your “friends” and so much ego?

Everything went really well, as they say, because we have confidence, without rivalry or vanity. With Alain Souchon and his son Pierre, we refined the opening title, “En convertible Pontiac”, a sort of road movie on the great roads of Nevada. I included a heist and a nod to Bonnie & Clyde. I love this kind of atmosphere. We then worked on “Boogie Bougon” which suits me very well in the self-portrait style. I changed the chorus and a few phrases, including a nod to Droopy.

There is also William Sheller in “Adventure is Never Far Away”. A first…

I've been thinking about it for a long time. We shared the stage but this is the first time that we have worked on the music of a song, to which I gave a country tone that suits me well. It refers to everything that made me dream when I was a kid, the Nautilus, Captain Nemo, Moby Dick, the pirate Long John Silver.

Precisely, this album recorded in Brussels and which features American musicians who came specially from the United States, has a very country color. Do you still dream of this postcard America?

Yes, because it's an idealized America, that of my childhood, movies, wide open spaces, canyons, cars, westerns with cowboys and Indians. It’s certain that my America is not Trump’s!

In “Amigos”, there are also a few covers like this 1970s hit sung by Mélanie, “They changed my song”. Why did you choose this one in particular?

I discovered it in the version orchestrated by Quincy Jones for Ray Charles. She's great. I cover it with beautiful arrangements and choirs, imagining the story of an artist who has his song stolen in a bar.

Singing is part of my life. Always. I still believe that this album is not the last – at least, I hope! I stopped performing but I always said that I would continue to sing, to write songs.

Did you know the recently deceased conductor, composer and arranger Quincy Jones before he became world famous with Michael Jackson's “Thriller”?

I met him by chance, when I was starting out. I remember him showing me the way to the rehearsal studio at the first Black Socks audition at Barclay's. Later, Quincy indirectly helped me with the design of my album “Big Band” (2015). He also signed, without his name appearing, the arrangements of the first version of “Cemetery of the Elephants” which was not selected.

What does this 40th album mean, which has nothing to do with it? A way to play overtime?

Well yes, singing is part of my life. Always. I still believe that this album is not the last – at least, I hope! I stopped performing but I always said that I would continue to sing, to write songs.

What is particularly annoying you today?

Politicians. Even if the left which embodied the youth and the working class no longer exists, I am still someone on the left. I have always been one by my origins.

What are you most proud of?

Of my three children and also of my grandson, who makes me laugh.

Johnny, do you often think of him, of these happy shared moments?

Yes, but these are rather unfortunate thoughts. I want to say to him: “Why did you act so stupid? “. Luckily, good things come back but there are always regrets. I tell myself that if he hadn't burned his life away, he would still be here with me.