A Reflection - Marc Collin (Nouvelle Vague) [EN]

Marc Collin is a French musician, film composer and co-founder of the Nouvelle Vague band in which they cover new wave hymns in a bossa nova key. His solo project 'Strange As Angels' is a tribute album to The Cure sung by Chrystabell (model, actress, songwriter and collaborator of David Lynch among others).

 

 

 

 

MARC COLLIN - A REFLECTION

I still remember the first time I heard The Cure, it was probably in 1982, I was in my living room, listening to a cool radio station, and they played ‘A Forest’. I was amazed, the basseline, the drums, guitars and voice of course. What is this I thought? Fortunately the dj said after the song, it was The Cure ‘A Forest’.

So I immediately called a friend who gave me a cassette with ‘Three Imaginary Boys’. I really liked it but I didn't find this special sound and song that the radio has played. I did some research (remember that internet didn't exist) and I went to New Rose, a great record shop in Paris, and bought what I found: the special edition of ‘Hanging Garden’ / ‘100 Years’ with a ¡’A Forest' but a live version! I still have it.

Finally I bought 'Seventeen seconds' and I became a huge fan of the band.

My favorite albums are ‘Faith’, 'Seventeen Seconds’, ‘Japanese Whispers’, ‘Pornography’  and the ‘The Top’. My favorite songs are 'A forest’, ‘100 years’, ‘Funeral Party’, ‘Drowning Man’, ‘The Figurehead’, ‘Cold’, ‘Lament’, ‘Just one Kiss', ‘The Top’ and ‘Bird Mad Girl’.
 

Regarding my project, 'Strange As Angels' is a collection of The Cure songs reinvented and sung in chronological order by Chrystabell. It is the first work that I dedicate completely to a band and a vocalist.

Chrystabell is known for her collaborations with David Lynch and so I imagined her alone on stage, singing these songs and adding a cinematic depth to her performance.

Like Lynch, who refuses to explain the mysteries of her work, Chrystabell's voice evokes a sense of surreal ambiguity, both organic and otherworldly, all at the same time.

Technically, Chrystabell opted first to learn all the nuances of Robert Smith. The result is a pure devotion to the melody, which subtly morphs into something as part of it. As a backdrop, I envisioned the arrangements as a bridge between the worlds of Lynch and The Cure, my '80s heroes. The orchestral sound evokes 1930s movie soundtracks, fusing strings, percussion, and the first electronic instrument, the Therminovox. All this translates into a beautiful gothic noir style (like the works of Bernhard Hermann or Edgar Varèse).

 

Cover ‘Lullaby’ from project Strange As Angels -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1PBbVyfhKs.
https://www.facebook.com/StrangeasAngels2021
https://www.facebook.com/nouvellevagueofficial

 

Read more interviews-> https://www.distortiongirl.com/a-reflection/

Interview publication, May 04, 2022

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Published on  May 4th, 2022