On 15 December 2006, Johan Ral interviewed the legendary Sixties icon
and 'grande dame' of French pop music, Françoise Hardy in Paris.
http://www.belgian-beatles-society.com/about-us/item/65-the-francoise-hardy-interview
01. The Beatles - 00:15 "Actually,
I began my career before The Beatles, so they didn't influence me at
the start. But I like their songs, because they are timeless."
02. Mick Jagger - 01:47 "The
last time the Stones were in Paris, we were invited backstage by Mick
Jagger. I went with my friend (the photographer) Jean-Marie Périer. Mick
came by, as a falling star, to say a few words to his guests, before
the concert. And when he was gone, Jean-Marie said: 'He is still so
beautiful...' I have a very strong memory of London in the Sixties. I
was walking down one of those small streets where you could find boots.
And suddenly, there stood Mick Jagger right in front of me. I was
totally flabbergasted, I have rarely met anyone with such charisma, such
beauty. He gave me an enchanting smile, which left me petrified,
speechless."
03. Bob Dylan - 01:29 "I liked
Dylan's work very much in '65-'66. I went to see him perform at the
Olympia in Paris, in 1966. I was very disappointed. Dylan was in really
bad shape, he performed badly and the audience reacted negatively.
During the intermission, he refused to come back for the second part of
the show. Somebody asked me to go and see him, because he would only
come back on stage if I came to greet him. Which I did. He looked awful,
clearly under the influence of hard drugs, I think. To me, he looked as
if he was going to die soon; that really hurt me. And indeed, not very
much later, he had this really serious accident."
04. Paul McCartney - 00:44 On
the live version of Picasso's Last Words (on Wings Over America*),
McCartney name checks Françoise Hardy. She was not at all aware of this,
and acts happily surprised when Johan tells her.
"That's a great
surprise,because McCartney is such a living legend, a 'monstre sacré'.
Furthermore, McCartney is a favourite singer of my husband's – and he
hasn't got many."
*She will later make a note of the album's title...