Speaking of pop-art mastery, here's a guy who mastered it like no other, straddling the worlds of beatnik jazz, psychedelia, disco, funk, orchestral schmaltz, light pop, avant-rock and even dub reggae like no one else. And, yes, come to think of it, even Scott Walker didn't dabble in all those genres. Serge Gainsbourg is a guy I don't believe I've even mentioned in this blog before, a surprising omission considering he has, for nigh on a decade now, remained one of my favourite performers and singers. No time to start like now. This song, "Sea, Sex and Sun", from the late '70s (and to be honest, I'm not sure which album it's originally from as it's never turned up on any albums from the period I've bought), is one of his best, and certainly has the funniest accompanying video he ever made (and he made a lot of them!). Whilst my fave Serge is 1976's L'Homme a Tete De Chou (The Man With The Cabbage Head), a strange mixture of ersatz funk, near Beefheartish boogie rock and proggy song suites, this Moroder-style piece of schlock is nothing to sneeze at. Or laugh at. Though one glimpse of what appears to be a brutally hungover Serge mumbling out mimed lines between two high-panted cavorting ladies may bring a smile to your face.
Speaking of pop-art mastery, here's a guy who mastered it like no other, straddling the worlds of beatnik jazz, psychedelia, disco, funk, orchestral schmaltz, light pop, avant-rock and even dub reggae like no one else. And, yes, come to think of it, even Scott Walker didn't dabble in all those genres. Serge Gainsbourg is a guy I don't believe I've even mentioned in this blog before, a surprising omission considering he has, for nigh on a decade now, remained one of my favourite performers and singers. No time to start like now. This song, "Sea, Sex and Sun", from the late '70s (and to be honest, I'm not sure which album it's originally from as it's never turned up on any albums from the period I've bought), is one of his best, and certainly has the funniest accompanying video he ever made (and he made a lot of them!). Whilst my fave Serge is 1976's L'Homme a Tete De Chou (The Man With The Cabbage Head), a strange mixture of ersatz funk, near Beefheartish boogie rock and proggy song suites, this Moroder-style piece of schlock is nothing to sneeze at. Or laugh at. Though one glimpse of what appears to be a brutally hungover Serge mumbling out mimed lines between two high-panted cavorting ladies may bring a smile to your face.
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