On April 21, Blankass will release a new album. The group from Issoudun thus signs its 7th album, and takes the opportunity to offer its fans a free concert at the Auditorium of Bourges.
If possible happy it is the name of this opus, but also that of one of the 11 songs which says: “I would like to be old, and, if possible, still in love and still happy”, which is right in the midst of the retirement controversy, but they didn’t imagine that when they wrote it.
In rehearsal for a month at the Music Box in Issoudun, before their next concert in Mont-de-Marsan, the group is fine-tuning its arrangements.
Taking advantage of a break between two pieces, Guillaume Ledoux recounts how much they enjoyed themselves by opening up to other worlds, thanks to artistic connections: “These are encounters; with Stephan Eicher, we’ve known each other for a long time; with Vianney, it’s more recent. We were playing in a huge festival, we were watching it with Johan and, at one point, he stops and announces to his public that he is very happy to play with the Blankass because, when he was a kid, with his brother, they covered our songs with their group. Then, behind the scenes, we sympathized, then we stayed in contact and , there you go, it’s on the album…”
The Ledoux brothers also invited Gauvain Sers on the album, recorded in Paris and Berry, then mixed in London
Johan Ledoux explains that Blankass is above all a family story: “Guillaume writes texts and I compose, I advance in the studio on an idea, then we meet for a moment of listening and reflection.”
There has always been a beautiful chemistry between them since I am dead at the time of Zéro de Conduite, during the 80s, passing through The color of wheatin 1996. Recently, Victor, Johan’s son, has added a new touch.
“He composes a lot for urban music”explains the musician. “Several times, with Guillaume, we offered him to do a song together. In ‘C’est quoi ton nom’, the album before, ‘Skin’ was already co-composed with him. is for ‘I know you know’, and I’m proud of it!” Blankass keeps the same energy on stage: two guitars, bass, drums, keyboard, and sometimes Guillaume’s accordion.
With more than 40 years of memories, the Ledoux brothers, cradled in rock’n’roll as kids, have many anecdotes to tell. They hope to release a biography one day.
“All these people who have played with us, or whom we have met, U2, the Clash, Gainsbourg… We want to share these experiences with our audience, but, for the moment, it’s the tour and the ‘scrapbook’, says William. With, as a bonus, a free concert in Bourges on April 21. The elders of “Zéro de Conduite” seem much wiser today, but it seems that age suits them perfectly.