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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 12, 2018 22:55:38 GMT
Last week an iconic French rock star died -- Jacques Higelin, age 77. He was sort of the anti Johnny Hallyday, who died last year at age 74, although I am certain that quite a few people liked both of them. As people get old, they often like just about anything that reminds them of their youth. Anyway, Jacques Higelin was a sort of alternative singer, more like David Bowie than Paul McCartney -- he changed look and style over the years but never followed the latest fashion -- it was more as though he created it. I doubt that anybody has ever heard of him outside of French speaking countries; it was the sort of music that cannot be exported.
Anyway, although I was personally not a big fan, even though there were certain songs of his that I liked -- hell, I didn't even hate everything that Johnny Hallyday did -- when it was announced that his funeral at Père Lachaise cemetery would be open to the public, I figured that it was worth checking out. It would most certainly not be an ordinary event.
My thought was that they would use the big chapel at the colombarium, but I was wrong. It was occupied by some other dead person.
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People were directed downhill, so I only had to follow them.
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We were not alone.
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It is always a good time to notice little details.
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The crowd was interesting. As always, the main part of the fans were people from the same generation.
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But there were plenty of young people, too, because so many grew up listening to their parents' records and appreciating them.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 12, 2018 23:00:35 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Apr 12, 2018 23:03:50 GMT
There are quite a few younger people though, as you say. His son Arthur H is quite well known here in Québec. I'm certain several people I know were there, but I don't see any of them.
Those Père-Lachaise cobblestones are very slippery.
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 12, 2018 23:06:50 GMT
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 12, 2018 23:18:36 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 13, 2018 3:00:21 GMT
It turns out that Paris is one of the only cities in France without a WW1 memorial Good grief! Did you know that? If it had come up as a quiz question, Paris would have been the last city I would have guessed. Always lovely to see pictures of Père Lachaise, and what a way to see it. I'd say every generation & all the in-between generations of adults are represented in that crowd. Great crowd shots, incidentally, as well as some excellent individual captures. Did you surprise yourself with the decision to go to this funeral? |
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Post by kerouac2 on Apr 13, 2018 5:33:58 GMT
If it had come up in a quiz or even more precisely "where is the World War I monument in Paris?" that is what would have tipped me off that it is a trick question. As you know, Paris doesn't really go for "small" for monuments comemmorating major events, so just thinking about it makes you realise that there isn't one.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 13, 2018 9:23:40 GMT
One thing that stands out is the number of boomerish women who have stopped colouring their hair. Twenty years ago almost all would have hidden the greys.
I want that rainbow umbrella - the bright colours interspersed with black stripes really stand out on a grey day!
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 13, 2018 15:07:45 GMT
Finally seeing the video, which is absolutely wonderful.
I couldn't help but think that for a family having a regular burial that day, the giant crowd turning out for a star's death would be disconcerting and unwelcome.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2018 16:46:30 GMT
I always love seeing your pics of Pere Lachaise and it is on my top five places to visit should I make it to Paris be it this June or another time.
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