Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum

[Chris96]

Hi!

I wrote an entire post a week ago, but my computer had a problem and the post was erased.

I am a big fan of JMJ, in fact he's the one who influenced me to make my own music.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I was thinking that his activity can be divided into 3 periods.

First, there is the 1948-1976 one. That's when he learnt a lot about music, joined a punk/rock band and learnt how to use synthesizers. Also, that's when he released his first album, a movie soundtrack and some music experiments (La Cage, Erosmachine). His first electronic concert, the AOR took place in the '70s too.

Then, there is his most famous era. The 1976-1997 one. That's when Oxygene, Equinoxe and his other awesome albums were released. His best concerts took place in this period, too.

But the last one is the one that is the most interesting for me. The one from 1997 to present day.

Since 1997, Michel Geiss was no longer a collaborator and JMJ was no longer involved with Charlotte Rampling.

That's when his music changed. First, there were those Oxygene 7-13 dance remixes. Then, he collaborated with Tetsuya Komuro and with Apollo 440. He also played concerts as a DJ, playing dance music. And that rap things. Ugh. Awful.

Then, in 2000 there was Metamorphoses which, for me, is some kind of an early Electronica. He collaborated with some people and, again made dance music.
Also, in 12 Dreams of the sun, he played dance stuff and remixes of his own music.

Speaking about concerts, from 2000 to 2013 he played some great concerts. Poland, Water for life, Monaco, the Oygene and Indoors tour. Great stuff. And, from 2007 to 2013, he played his own music, which wasn't remixed. LIVE! Which was awesome.

In 2007 he released Teo&Tea. I know how you feel about that.

And now, we have Electronica. 1 and 2. A collection of songs which are supposed to showcase 40 years of electronic music. But they are, in fact, a collection of dance songs and collaborators which had nothing to do with electronic music. Peaches, Lang Lang, Edward Snowden, Primal Scream, etc. What about Kraftwerk, Mike Oldfield, Vangelis? They are the true musicians who shaped electronic music. Not Peaches. A return to rap music.

About the Sonar concert, playback and DJ-ing again. And the dance songs are back. Also, his classic songs were remixed, they were made heavier, especially Oxygene 8. It has a really agressive bassline IMO. Equinoxe 4 was remixed with that Glory theme. Weird.

So, to sum up. His music changed, he started to collaborate with weird people, the concerts changed.

The question is : What do you think changed after 1997? Is it the absence of Michel Geiss and Charlotte Rampling?

I know some of you may not agree with me.

[rinogurr]

Is it the absence of Michel Geiss and Charlotte Rampling?

And also Francis Dreyfus...

I agree with you!

[Finaero]

What about Kraftwerk, Mike Oldfield, Vangelis?

Vangelis hates JMJ and has refused collaboration attempts in the past, Mike Oldfield doesn't think highly of him (even if he briefly thought of making JMJ like concerts way back in 1992) and Kraftwerk has refused collaboration requests in the past.

The framing for Electronica Project is a bit weird with the "le DNA of musique electronique" statements and stuff, but I think it's great that JMJ succeeded in collaborating with the people he wanted to collab with. In fact, while I don't care much for Exit and What You Want, I think it's great that he's playing them in the Electronica Tour because that's what he wants to do. All the power to him.

Of course, I wish that power was "re-releasing all raw material of the Paris La Defense" concert. Alas...

[Dr_Jones]

About the dance remixes: sadly, they were there since 1993's Chronologie and even earlier as 1991's awful Mosaic remixes.

This is a sign of the times, the 90s offered a lot of these ego-remixes for a lot of artists; I haven't bought all Pet Shop Boys singles myself because some of them contained only stacks of these bad remixes.

Anyway: his carreer after Chronologie is quite interesting. He did a lot of stuff which is not released, for example:

- Vizitors (which had a lot of great things)
- Soundtrack for a movie (Qui Veut Devenir Une Star)
- Experimantal 2001 (never released album, which would have been the last album for Dreyfus)

And he also released some totally experimental things like
- Sessions 2000
- Interior Music
- Bourges

and of course the 2007 Oxygene re-release, which gave us one of my favorite concerts ever (Marigny 2007) and the track Variations 3 which is awesome.

But all in all, it all lacked a focus or a direction, but on the other hand, it resulted in some nice things. I really like the Bourges tracks myself.

[plate of chips]

Vangelis hates JMJ and has refused collaboration attempts in the past, Mike Oldfield doesn't think highly of him (even if he briefly thought of making JMJ like concerts way back in 1992) and Kraftwerk has refused collaboration requests in the past.
.

Hate is an awful word you are putting in the mouth of Vangelis.
Vangelis is humane a mystic these days Vangelis has compassion love beauty.

(You should be ashamed of yourself Finaero. Hate is inside you. Poison for you).

Mike Oldfield said on Facebook he was not asked regarding Electronica implying Mike would have collaborated.
Mike has had lots of issues thus let's cut Mike some slack with his past views.

Orginal Kraftwerk members fallen out with each other. There is NO current Kraftwerk
(just one original member putting on shows in Kraftwerk's name).

You really should stop your present day illinformed nonsense Finaero digging up decades ago past.
Let it go. Move on.

[Christophe]

Vangelis hates JMJ and has refused collaboration attempts in the past, Mike Oldfield doesn't think highly of him (even if he briefly thought of making JMJ like concerts way back in 1992) and Kraftwerk has refused collaboration requests in the past.
.

Hate is an awful word you are putting in the mouth of Vangelis.
Vangelis is humane a mystic these days Vangelis has compassion love beauty.

(You should be ashamed of yourself Finaero. Hate is inside you. Poison for you).

Yes, hate is an awful word that was said by Vangelis when they ask in the past about Jarre's music. May be Vangelis change now, I don't know? But you don't need to defend him! Everybody is human and can say aweful things.

Greetings,


Christophe

[The Sound-Oven]

I dont think Michel Geiss leaving or not being part of the albums after 1997 or no Charlottle had any influence on Jmj. He has composed hasncomposedhis own music and where Rampling is concerned he said they are close. So in a sense im not sure what point you are making. After Oxy 7-13 said he knew he "had" to do something different.
He is exploring different musical styles. So so what if Oxy 8 has a dancier stage remix bassline? That show Sonar is more catered for a electronic (dance) festival. That seems to be the theme with the music from Electronica...no bad thing. Oxygene 2 was a very "classic" mix (same as 2009-11 i think - again no bad thing).
Something new and fresh is good.
After all in the 2010 tour some fans complained it was all the same music. So now we have something very different .and much needed too if you ask me!

Im sure JMJ will be back to his "more classic" style more in the future...but i am living in the Here and Now and enjoying this moment as it happens

[Finaero]

And he also released some totally experimental things like
- Bourges

I still think that "Paris Bourges" (as its name was in the 2006 iTunes version) is his second best this century. Variation 3 would be at #1, and #3 would probably be Stardust. Might have to think more about this later.

[JiggyAlienEyes]

Something new and fresh is good.
After all in the 2010 tour some fans complained it was all the same music. So now we have something very different .and much needed too if you ask me!

Im sure JMJ will be back to his "more classic" style more in the future...but i am living in the Here and Now and enjoying this moment as it happens

I agree completely. We all will always love the classic period. For most of us it's what shaped our love for the man and his music, but watching as styles develop and evolve is good. I personally don't have anything against JMJ "after 1997". Some of the music wasn't my cup of tea, some of it was, but in the end I'm still following him.

Maybe it's just my opinion, but people are so quick to judge and dismiss everything now days. I get it - we get hurt or form strong opinions because our love is so strong. We don't want to feel betrayed by someone or something we hold so highly. In the end we just have to recognize that we're all human, and should follow or do what excites us creatively, artistically, or otherwise.

[Jarreshair]

Maybe since 1997, just like a lot of artists that have been around for decades, JMJ creatively just ran out of steam? He has also had a lot of personal issues and family deaths.
For me his output from the last 19 years has been mixed to say the least, although I do think the Electronica project was a success (V1 more than V2).

[shadow]

He can still make really great and 'classic' style music that he's done for years on end. That was proven on The Time Machine with Close Your Eyes. Yes part of it is clearly influenced by Air, but it's clearly very early Jarre-ish also and it's a great track. His '00 music was mostly just him doing whatever he wanted to do and give the man a break with how ridiculous much he'd done a certain type of music.

His career has simply shifted from commercial music to a different more personal style. You may disagree, but his project do prove that. Geometry of Love, Qui Veut Devenir Une Star, Bourges and we know there's much more unreleased music also. These project simply weren't done to create a new album, but to create a new project. Which don't forget, don't have to have to be one and the same.

Yes I do think that the lack of Geiss and the other people do matter in the fact that he changed, but I do feel that the change was his choice and his alone. And I respect that. I do wish for a good ol' classic album. But if he wants to do a pop album full of naked skinny bitches I say do your thing and make it as good as you can. Because in the end, it's still his career and he can approach it any way that he wants.

[Pat Gleeson]

Vangelis is - at best - totally ambivalent towards JMJ's music. There was an article originally published around the time 'Oxygene' was a hit where Vangelis described JMJ's music as "simplistic". I cannot for the life of me find that article online, but when seen by the fanbase a few years back it caused real annoyance if not outright anger.

AFAIK Michel Geiss' day to day involvement with JMJ ended after the release of the 'Hong Kong' CD set and single remix of Chronologie 8. JMJ has recently been noticeably prickly when asked about their past collaborations, omitting Michel Geiss' name when talking about the Matrisequencer. When one interviewer zeroed in on Michel Geiss, JMJ's answer included the phrase that he was "more of a technician" which is scant acknowledgement of his musical prowess and huge influence on JMJ's more celebrated output. Michel Geiss has retained a fondness for JMJ in his many FB posts, whilst retaining the right to point out JMJ omitting his contributions and questioning tracks like 'What You Want'
Today JMJ speaks most fondly of Dominique Perrier.

[Chris96]

I agree with you all. I know he's an artist and he can do whatever he wants, I was just trying to analyze everything that could have changed his view, his style. That's because I compared things like Equinoxe 2 or Chronologie 1 with his more recent music and I was confused, really.

The same thing kind of happened to David Gilmour, who changed his style after Roger Waters left Pink Floyd (after Final Cut). He even released the Rattle That Lock album last year, the title song being a bit more upbeat than his older music.

The thing is, I really like some of the songs on both E1 and 2. For example, The time machine, A question of blood, Close your eyes, Immortals and Heart of noise 1 and 2. Listening to them right now.

[Pat Gleeson]

The key word for me here is "momentum". It's difficult to maintain an upward career trajectory after a breakthrough as big as Oxygéne, but JMJ kept pace with a string of superb albums. After '97 his releases slowed to a trickle and whilst the fanbase generally enjoyed the concerts and occasional diversions, JMJ's public profile at large suffered ...