He is the man in the shadow, responsible that everything will be OK, that nothing fails. In the recording studio, as technician, or in tour, taking care that a half hundred of analog synthesizers will run perfectly. JEAN MICHEL JARRE finds in PATRICK PELAMOURGUES the professional and the confidence person able to confront that task with success.
Since 1978, the year in which PATRICK worked in the preparation and equipment of Croissy as a studio recording, he has become in a pound of the JARRE Team. But there is more life outer JARRE’s surroundings, and PATRICK shows it to FAIRLIGHT JARRE.
I am absolutely sure that lot of people had ask themselves it each time that they read in JEAN MICHE JARRE’s records “PATRICK PELAMOURGUES: Technical assistant”. What is your work exactly?
My work ¿ Ok, i have to take care of all the material : technic, instruments, software, hardwares (update, …) checking everything from the led that must be changed or removed, untill the cables. I also check and test all the material in ordre to be sure that everything is working fine. I save all the work (sound, pattern, preset…) as often as i can . i don’t wanna loose something.
Your first meeting with JARRE was in 1978 for the construction of the famous Croissy Studio. How did he find you? What do you remember of that first encounter :
A very good friend of mine was working there he knew JMJ was looking for somebody, so my friend introduce me to JMJ. That first encounter was very important and impressive : I’m a musician keen on keyboards … I was in absolute accordance with my universe ! I couldn’t imagine that 30 years later I still work with him. At that time, JMJ was perceived as a visionary “Alien”, and today he still remains !
Tell us about that JARRE’s first professional Studio. How it was?
That first JMJ’s pro studio … A very large space, with the mixing desk in the middle and all around all his synths ! Amazing , really rudimentary in term of technology …
As long as I know your work at Croissy wasn’t absolutely related to technical and musical issues. You got the opportunity to show your great knowledge about cars and its care. Tell us about that facet of your life and specially about that episode..
That’s right ! I also put my fingers in the motors … it’s one of my passion ! I was very lucky because JMJ was completely confident in my ability to repair those old American cars and their motors ! (Cadillac, Buick, Thunderbird, Studbacker …) That passion we share with JMJ and a very good friend of him Christophe, the very well known French singer. I do love mechanic & the sports related to cars (especially F1 race), I feel really pleased to repair and care those beautiful cars.
Now that Croissy has disappeared as recording studio, which are your special memories of that place
I have lots of pretty good memories of that place. I never feel like being constrained to go to work, you know ! A magnific place, JMJ’s dogs in the garden (BTW one of his dogs the oldest one beat me (poor dear she didn’t recognize me) at my bottom, I keep the tooth mark until today !) Anyway a wonderful place, where I often met the whole family … JMJ’s mom used to say about me : I was like a can of pees “you always must have one at home !”
When you started to work with JEAN MICHEL you were a very experienced tecnician that worked in several French clubs like the Club Med. You created your own company for recording studios’ maintenance (Musique Connexion). Tell us about that enterprise and early works.
Hahaaa ¡ The Club Med ¡ i was young, trying everything for fun … enjoying sun, sea and girls ¡ They didn’t pay alot, but i had lots of fun time ¡ I was musician creating and directing Musical comedies … I used to play the piano : very useful to pick up girls ;oDD ¡
Musique connexion ( my Cie) was created later on (10 years after my first meet with JMJ). Meanwhile, i ‘ve been working in music stores, in Karting (race car always …) and other recording ‘s studios like LA FRETTE STUDIO (Fairglight importer).
Finally you opened your own studio recording, with your long time friends FRANCIS RIMBERT and CHRISTOPHE GIRAUDON: FPC Studio.
Oops no ! my name is part of the trade mark FPC (Which means in fact : Francis, Patrick, Christophe) but it is only because we were looking for a nice and cool “name”. Then I helped in creation and set up of the material. However I still repair if needed. But I’m not working in that place (not enough time !)
You’ve work in FRANCIS RIMBERT records and his concerts too (we can see you working hard in “Lyon 2007” DVD). How is working too close with a so vital person as RIMBERT?
Before being a work relationship, Francis was a very good friend. We used to work together since a long time. It’s very easy to work with him because Francis exactly knows what he wants, it’s very simple & efficient. Moreover he always brings some candies (sweet chocolat teddies of which I’m completely fond of …)
Friends, special people… I know there is someone who shares with you not just your profession since the beginning, but something more: MARIE LAURIE. We know she is a great professional and a better person. Tell us about her.
Haaaaa ! She’s an extremely talkative person, pretty funny, with a good temper ! Spontaneous & unpredicted, she uses to adventure into hazardous or exciting activities giving the priority to the feeling before the reason ! …. Anyway, I won’t “give” her to anyone, I’m gonna keep her until the end even old I wouldn’t change her for 2 “newest” (Though … should be discussed hahahaaaaa !)
In 1988, with “Revolutions” , you work again with JEAN MICHEL JARRE. That album marks the beginning of a constant collaboration. How was this new professional encounter?
Since 10 years we were working together, it was just evident, the continuity of a pretty well anchored collaboration, based on confidence and friendship.
In that year you were involved in the recording of “Live” álbum, as testimony of the London concerts. Both concerts had a special guest: The rain. How much difficult is working with that element in an outdoor event for a sound technician?
The greatest difficulty due to this rainy or wet weather, lies in the fact that it takes lots of time, you know ! And during concerts what is missing : … The time ! We have to protect the keyboards, to dry them with care, every day with the hair drier and cross our fingers so that there is no short circuit. On the other hand we’ve got some spectacular pix ! (A drop of rain on a cymbal…!)
In “Chronologie” you confronted a very interesting task: Rebuild the Digisequencer that 16 years before MICHEL GEISS designed exclusively for JEAN MICHEL JARRE. I must suppose that it was a great adventure to modify the most important instrument for that album that also was used in Europe In Concert Tour.
It was absolutely not a “rebuilding” rather a new creation on the same basis but with a complet & different philosophy , lots of new components were added much more efficient. It was a total creation : all schems have been concieved by JC DUBOIS, manufactured and designed by MUSIQUE CONNEXION ML & myself (ML did almost all the weldings … !)
You’re right, we used the Digisequencer on stage during Europe In Concert Tour. Before each track I heated and dried it just in case, because of ambient moisture in order to eliminate the risk that the “touch-control” did not work.
Could I think that “Oxygene 7-13” was the most complicated JARRE’s album for you? Working with lot of analog synthesizers that were used in it, I must think that you get more responsibilities in the recording process. Indeed you appear in the credits of “Oxygene 7-13” as person in charge of recording with JARRE. How your work changes from, for example, “Revolutions” to “Oxygene 7-13”?
No I don’t think so. Even if it is complex du to the work it self (it’s a job, but I don’t think it’s the hardest in the world …!) I was recording the audio into multitrack and midi (MPC 60 AKAI) at the same time. My work evolved in the way that now I have much more responsibilities, of technical implications. JMJ entrusts more parts to me to be carried out.
Please, be absolutely honest: As sound engineer did you have part of responsibility in JARRE’s decision of creating 5.1 music for “Aero” album
If “Oxygene 7-13” had much sound complexity because of analog synthesizers use, “Téo & Téa” is its antagonistic, more digital and with reduced variety of instruments. The recording of this album agrees with the inauguration of the new studio of JARRE in Paris. Tell us about this album and the new studio.
Musically speaking I don’t have frankly work on this album, it was Dutch chosen by JMJ.
It is a splendid studio which I entirely carried out, very roomy, musicians like to be for rehearsals. Acoustic’s excellent and is voted by plebiscite by all the sound engineers who came there (whose Alain Courrieux, David Perreau …)
As an experimented sound technician how do you value the newest version of “Oxygene” released in 2007 as a new master recording?
I think that this new version is really pretty good, and that the technological challenge was to remake exactly the same thing that in ‘76. Beautiful prowess!
I suppose that for any technician installing in the same stage the greatest jewels of the analog synthesizers must be a fabulous dream… or a terrific nightmare?. But that’s what you are doing in the last 4 years. How did you confronted the challenge of working with the beauty and the instability of those “old ladies”?
In fact, I do this job since a long time … over 25 years !!!! All the concerts since ’88 ! It’s really my pleasure to set them up, to take care of them, to repair or adjust them, each time before the show, and more than this to show to everyone there’s something else that virtual instruments which don’t have the sound, which don’t sound at all !!! No, it is not a nightmare to work in those conditions ! it’s simply fabulous … It’s a dream, or almost.
In the last JARRE’s tours your work doesn’t finishes when the curtain falls. In fact is a continuous work, setting the instruments in a city and a few hours ago assembling the synths in a scene of a different country. In fact you’re the first one that appears in the stage, but the last who left it. How is the day-by-day of PATRICK PELAMOURGUES in tour?
Most of the time, it always begins like that : Wake up around 9h, then breakfast, Set up, lunch, tuning, rehearsals, sound check, line check, tuning again, diner, tuning once again, show, breaking down, loading of the trucks, shower, bus & sleeping ! Note that the catering (our personal restaurant) is just hummmm fantastic ! If I’m fortunate to have some free time, I try to have a walk in the city, acting just like a tourist … ! but it’s not often …
JEAN MICHEL JARRE has announced that he is working in his next album, in which you collaborate. I don’t wish to put you in the commitment of revealing details of that album, but as you may know the JARRE community is really excited about this new music. So what can you tell us about this new release?
Right now, … NOTHING ! excepted some new “old” synths, that’s all !
In May a new tour will starts. I suppose you will be in the road again with the JARRE Team.
Yeap that’s right !
In the “2010” tour some digital synthesizers were added. Which new instruments will be on stage for this new tour?
Same as before, no big changes …. Excepted 1 or 2 surprises !
There are 4 years since you are touring around Europe with JARRE. I think is a good moment to analyze this great (and long in time) adventure. Please, answer briefly to this test:
- The Concert: Which is your favorite and why?: LA DEFENSE (even if its not in the tour you’re speaking about) : IMPOSING
- The Anecdote: The most special you remember: Breakdown of bus in Tchec Republic! All gathered in the same bus, a bit strange in the morning, but anyway ok ;oD !
- The Scare: Possibly a few in a so long tour: The Out of order situation (Note : Patrick is never ever distressed, if it does not work, don’t worry let’s change it by another thing! And in any event Patrick being a good technician, it works all the time hahaha)
- The Person: There must be a special partner who helps you in the tours: ALAIN CORRIEUX (Sound Ing.)
- The Synthesizer: Your favorite one on stage: I got 2 ARP 2600 & RMI
- The Music: The part of the tracklist that enjoys you much more: MAGNETIC FIELDS 1
- The Record: The CD (or vinyl if it works) you have hear a lot in this tours: ANNIE LENNOX & Herbie HANDCOCK (with the singer Pink of the track “Imagine”)
- The Travel: The city or the country you enjoyed more: LISBONNE
Finally, in addition to the new tour and JARRE’s record, in which future projects are you involved?
I never ever have enough time with JMJ !!! But I have nevertheless in project the acoustic system of 2 cinemas for some clients (Home cinema). We just end the very first compilation with Dominique Perrier : SPACE ART, REVISED, and that’s enough for now ! ( PS if you buy me 150 cds of the newest compil , I’ll tell you which are the newest synths on stage for the new JMJ’s tour !!! hahahaaaaa ;oDDDD)
Ce fut un plaisir, à bientôt
My pleasure, See you soon
PP.
Thank you very much, PATRICK, for your time given to us not just for this interview, but everytime we had meet along the last tours. It has been a great satisfaction to transfer you all these questions. Good luck in your next projects.