Maxime Le Forestier, whose real name is Bruno Le Forestier, is a French singer-songwriter who began his artistic career around the age of 15 by performing in a café in the Paris suburbs called “Chez Louisette”.
Then he teamed up for a time with his sister Catherine and together formed the duo Cat and Maxime, a duo that performed in cabarets on the Left Bank, covering songs from the American group Peter, Paul and Mary. An adventure that comes to an end when Catherine leaves to play backing vocals for Georges Moustaki with whom the duo befriended some time before.
At the end of the 1960s, the young Maxime was called up for the service, a complicated and above all eventful period for him as he played unruly parachutists during the day while composing songs at night. During this period, he even managed to record two of his compositions for the Disques Festival label, “Cœur de pierre, face de lune” and “Concerto sans frontières”. Two titles that will unfortunately go completely under the radar.
The military page being closed, he and his sister Catherine are part of the cast of the musical “Oh ! America" at the start of the 1970s. A short break followed by a departure for the United States, always with her sister. Which takes her to live for a while in a community in San Francisco.
On his return to France, he recorded “Mon frère" for the Polydor label, a title which came out during 1971 but which went almost unnoticed (it will be released the following year thanks to the release of the artist's first album and will experience a very different fate).
Then a few months later, he recorded "San Francisco" which was released in 1972 and which, for his part, will not go unnoticed. The 45 Tours is a huge success, and propels the young singer overnight on the front of the stage. Sudden notoriety which allowed him to open for Georges Brassens in Bobino the same year.
A reputation which reached a new level in 1975 when the title "Saltimbanque" was released. But his side a little too committed, especially in his texts, scares the radios and TV channels that boycott him.
A committed side which is beginning to somewhat marginalize him with the general public, a public which is the only one to support him for the moment but which is gradually starting to turn away from the artist. The singer therefore realizes that a radical change must take place and somewhat softens the tenor of his lyrics.
The end of the decade will prove to be somewhat complicated to manage, with an audience cut in two : on the one hand the post-sixty-eighters who regret his change of course and on the other hand the average French who does not necessarily find its account either. A slight disaffection which did not prevent him from increasing the number of tours and recitals.
The beginning of the 1980s also saw him increase his concerts. But on the record side, the inspiration is not necessarily there and the singer does not manage to situate himself in relation to the new trends that are emerging.
It will take 2/3 of the decade for him to finally take stock of the changes and adapt to them. A successful adaptation which finally materializes with the enormous single "Né quelque part" which was released in 1987. The title is a real success and remains to this day one of his most emblematic titles.
The younger generation is amazed to discover that this artist is truly talented and that he is not just a relic of the past. Especially since he did it again with another huge track "Ambalaba" a year later in 1988. Two tracks in quick succession that allowed the artist to come back to the fore in a sensational way.
A return of dazzling success but which was to be short-lived. The transition to the 1990s saw him plunge back into the depths of the rankings and he found himself once again overtaken by the new musical trends which followed one another at an impressive speed at the beginning of the decade.
He will have to wait 5 years before regaining the favor of the public thanks to the title "Passer ma route" which came out in 1995. A major success which unfortunately did not allow the artist to relaunch himself in the long term ...
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Mon frère 1971
San Francisco 1972
Dialogue 1973
Saltimbanque 1975
La chanson du jongleur 1976
En Amérique sur Seine 1977
Je veux quitter ce monde heureux 1978
Histoire de faussaires 1979
Le silence 1980
Grand match de blues a Mineville 1981
Les jours meilleurs 1983
Né quelque part 1987
Ambalaba 1988
Signes 1991
Sagesse du fou 1992
Passer ma route 1995
Chienne d’idée 1995
Raymonde 1996
Entre la Rue Idiot et la Rue de Vanves 1996
La maitresse d'école 1997
Clips :
1971 ... just a single title, THIS title, was enough to launch the career of this young singer in a sensational way, who in a few years would become one of the major singers of the French music scene. HU-GE !
1972 ... but that's without counting on this enormous title which will forever remain one of its flagship titles. A very simple title, in the form of a ballad, but with formidable efficiency. A title that will literally explode his notoriety and launch the singer's career for good. MAS-TER-FUL !
1973 ... a most minimalist interpretation balanced by tailor-made melodies that hit the mark every time. Formidable !
1975 ... a recognizable style that allows him to stand out from the crowd. Be careful not to abuse it too much ...
1976 ... he continues on his way without worrying about the hit parade and the new trends that are emerging. A bias displayed and above all claimed !
1977 ... while the world gradually falls into Disco madness, he remains braced in a minimalist style that he masters to perfection but which will inevitably end up isolating him at one point or another ...
1978 ... for the moment, concerning him, nothing changes, everything is stable. He does not see the point in changing as long as his level of success is maintained at the level he considers to be right ...
1983 ... the end of the 1970s, like the beginning of the 1980s, will prove to be a little more complicated to manage than expected. Difficulty in renewing himself, a turn of the 80s more or less missed in terms of apprehension of new trends, in short, a particularly difficult phase for the artist. But we feel that with this title something is happening ...
1987 ... but he will have to wait 4 more years to make a comeback that we will qualify as miraculous. It is the year 1987 and THIS title which allow him to return in a shattering way on the front of the scene. A totally improbable but perfectly successful return with a sumptuous title that will undoubtedly remain as one of the most striking titles of the decade. MAS-TER-FUL !
1988 ... the end of the 1980s which saw him fight on equal terms with youngsters who were 20 years younger than him. He signs here a new major title of his discography which makes him one of the phenomena of the moment, more than 15 years after his debut !
1992 ... what is clear is that he does not live with the changes of the decade. Once again the proof with this transition to the 90s which will not happen under ideal conditions ...
1995 ... another shattering comeback in the mid-1990s. Here he signs a new title of great beauty, all in finesse and roundness, which shows that when he wants, he can. MA-GIC !
1995 ... a BIG year 1995 which saw him find a level of Premium inspiration. And when the inspiration goes, everything goes as they say !
1996 ... unfortunately, the upturn was short-lived. Even if this title is a real success, the artist will once again gradually disappear from the radar. A career which will have known very highs, but also very lows. But nothing is ever finished as they say ...
1997 ... the artist returns to his voice-guitar fundamentals, a crazy bet in this decade of the 90s when everything spins at the speed of light. An artist who has never done like everyone else. A stance that will have been as much its strength as its weakness ...
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