In an exclusive interview with The newspaperÉric Lapointe talked about his creative process and the stories behind the tracks on his new album. I go through my life.
Transition to middle age, children becoming teenagers, global pandemic and conflicts with the law; “Je marche dans ma vie,” released on September 8 and currently at number two on the Canadian iTunes charts, has allowed Éric Lapointe to reflect and take stock of his life and career.
I go through my life
The Quebec rock star’s 16th work begins with a four and a half minute monologue, dressed in a subtle melody; a title strangely reminiscent of “Out in November” by Colocs.
For Je marche dans ma vie it was the first time that a first draft of the lyrics by Éric Lapointe could be found completely and unchanged on the album.
“I left one of my friends’ bar in the early hours of the morning in the middle of February, it was cold, it was wet and I had to walk for about forty minutes to get home,” says Lapointe. “I started writing while walking, I sent my text to Judith [Bérard] gradual; a chance because otherwise I would have forgotten it,” he continues.
After Judith, Lapointe’s partner at the time, recognized the potential of the text, she had it recited and recorded by her friend Benoît Rousseau, who, among other things, did the Quebec dubbing of Nicolas Cage and Dwayne Johnson, in order to then introduce the text. Model as a gift to the singer.
“When I recorded the text, I was inspired by the way Benedict had originally recited it; I think it was really fun,” says Lapointe happily.
Beast to feed
Without a doubt the title that moves the most among the twelve titles proposed for the project. Although he admits that it is easy to draw the conclusion from this track that he is still battling his alcoholism, Lapointe maintains that this song has a much broader meaning.
“I’m over the top; This is my beast that I have to feed,” mentions the singer. “It could be alcohol, women, luxury, drugs […]even when I’m driving or boxing,” he continues, specifying that music and shows allow him to “feed this beast.”
“Like many artists, I have an instinctive need to be loved; Maybe because I don’t like it myself, but it’s a beast that I have to feed too.”
ebb
For this piece, the Promised Land interpreter took the liberty of drawing on the repertoire of his friend Jean-Pierre Ferland. On 1966’s “At Low Tide,” Ferland originally spoke to his dog, who remained loyal to him through ups and downs.
When Ti-Cuir was bathing in nostalgia earlier this year after Jean-Pierre Ferland’s hospitalization, he rediscovered this classic and decided to reinterpret it in his own way.
“If everything goes well, you are the highlight of the evening; the champagne, the women, everyone is after you, the phone doesn’t ring,” muses Éric Lapointe, thinking back on the many successes of his career.
“Thereafter [quand ça va mal] The world is fleeing from you like the plague, it looked like I was radioactive,” he remembers. He reflected on the setbacks of the last few years and expressed his understanding of the situation: “I understand that very well, everyone also has to protect their achievements.”
Lapointe is happy to say that the last years of his life helped him distinguish between his acquaintances and his true friends.
You will destroy me
“If we say that classical and rock can be combined well, then it is so,” remarked Éric Lapointe enthusiastically when talking about the revival of the Notre-Dame de Paris opera in 1995. “It was the song that struck me the most when I first heard the opera.”
The Montrealer says he and his longtime partner Stéphane Dufour immediately came up with a Metallica-style tune to cover the classic.
“The lyrics are incredible, I enjoyed it [la chanson]and Stéphane was exactly on the same wavelength,” explains the singer-songwriter.
Last whiskey
It was an ordinary evening that inspired Lapointe to write the happy ending to La Bartendresse almost 20 years later. While walking on the Grande Allée, the rock star was attracted by the voice of a singer.
“It was a sad scene; “The guy was singing to empty chairs and two customers were staring at the bar wall,” he remembers.
Lapointe therefore decided to go on stage to perform with the artist Guillaume Cyr.
“Half an hour later the bar was full and we played until closing time,” he says. “At closing time, Guillaume played me one of his pieces that got stuck in my head, so I came back to our house, worked on it and told Guillaume that I was going to steal it from him,” he jokes, making sure that Guillaume Cyr has the copyright on this song.
“After I finished it, I said to myself: This is the sequel to Bartendresse.”
Cyr was also in attendance at the album launch show at Capitole on September 9th, and Lapointe made sure to throw him flowers before performing Dernier Whiskey.