Hello everyone,
Dominique Perrier passed away today. I had hoped to see him again this week. Dominique had become a friend, especially since I worked with him on his albums. His confidence in me touched me, as did his comments on my mixes and masterings just recently. I have to admit that I was proud to work with someone who meant a lot to me, ever since Space Art, which he founded (with Roger Rizzitelli), and his Onyx hit. And as recently as June, he was telling me that the next album was ready.
Dominique was a simple, gentle person. He hid his talent behind his simplicity. He liked to be called Mino or Domino, not even Dominique. Never in a bad mood, always positive and smiling, debonair. However, one of the hardest times of his life was the death of his partner Janet Woollacott in 2011.
His comments on his collaborations with Jean-Michel Jarre, whom he had met in 1973 at Studios Ferber, where he spent nights working with Christophe on 'Les Paradis Perdus', in the company of Francis Dreyfus, were full of kindness. This collaboration with Jean-Michel continued later, from "Les Chants Magnétiques" onwards, on stage until the Moscow concert in 1997 and in the studio for "Oxygène Live in a living room". He looked back on all those years of working together with a certain detachment, but he clearly had very fond memories of this huge part of his life.
In fact, on my last visit to his bedside, when the nurse brought his treatment to his room, I had all your printed testimonials with me. I explained to him that Dominique was a musician known to many people, either personally or through his music, who had sent me these testimonials of support.
I also remember his sense of humour. A few weeks ago, I made him laugh by reminding him that he had given the name 'pizzeria' to the deliberately kitsch décor of the concert stage in China
We'll remember his talent as a soloist when he performed his memorable choruses on his Moog Liberation. They were part of the career of Jean-Michel Jarre, who gave him the role of soloist. But this was only part of his musical talent, which led him to work as an arranger and studio keyboardist with, among others, Michel Fugain, Alain Bashung, Il était une fois, F. R. David, the Gipsy Kings, Louis Chedid and Gilbert Bécaud. One of his favourite instruments was the ARP Odyssey. But above all he loved the piano.
And Dominique had also co-founded the Celtic-minded group Stone Age.
My thoughts also go out to those close to him, especially those who had been looking after him every day for some time (thank you Marine!).
With the departure of our Mino, who became a legend over the years, a part of our electronic music history has disappeared. And for me, it's my friend who's leaving me far too soon.
I miss him already. I'm sure many others do too.
Very sad news
