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Daniel Lavoie at the l'Olympia in '87

By Didier Reboul-Scotty
1987

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Daniel Lavoie, who scored with “Ils s’aiment”, is appearing in Paris with his album “Vue sur la mer”. He spoke with us about his show at the Olympia.

Journalist (DRS): When then can we expect you to be at the Olympia?
Daniel Lavoie (DL): From the 15^th – 21^st September (1987).

DRS: How long have you been working on it?
DL: Since last December, “I wrote the songs whilst thinking about the show. We’ve been preparing it for three or four months, after it went well when we gave five concerts in Québec.

DRS: This show, is it solely music?
DL: No, not just music. Much scenery has now arrived from Canada and I tried to give each song it’s special structure. Together, they create a show that makes you laugh, have good fun or, perhaps cry.

DRS: How many musicians are there?
DL: Six, of which there are two pianos and a saxophone. There will be a first section which is provided by Marie Philippe who is a good musician.

DRS: Would you like to play with a symphony orchestra?
DL: No, the set-up is too ponderous, I prefer bands comprising six or eight musicians who want to make so much noise, more than a philharmonic orchestra would make.

DRS: Have you sung at the Olympia previously?
DL: Yes, for the Beatles 25^th birthday. There was Gold, Canada, Francis Cabrel … It’s this that made me want to appear here in this concert hall. Everything is very tactile. What’s more, it’s a fantastic place.

DRS: Are you in favour of the idea of enormous concerts of the type at La Corneuve?
DL: For me it’s the music which is the big news, obviously if anyone suggested that I make such a concert I would accept just for the hell of it. But, I prefer the little halls where there is a strong interaction with the public. Otherwise, I would have to come back to all the little halls where I started out.

DRS: Does solitude scare you?
DL: Not at all. I sometimes seek it out, but I’m not particularly paranoid about it.

DRS: Have you favourite subjects for your compositions?
DL: Always social issues, many songs about love, as well as the love of life, of course.

DRS: Do you consider yourself a campaigner for the good song?
DL: I always compose very personal music, finely worked, but from that to consider myself as a campaigner … let’s not exaggerate. I always step back from the big musical trends, all the several potent obsessions. One can really notice it in the show, one can feel the influences, sometimes classical, sometimes rock, even if the structural basis remains the same. I’m very open to all the new sounds.