Antoine

Pierre Antoine Muraccioli (; born 4 June 1944), known professionally as Antoine, is a French pop singer, and also a sailor, adventurer, writer, photographer, and filmmaker.

As a musician, he was part of a new wave of mid-to-late 1960s French singer-songwriters, comparable in some ways to Bob Dylan or Donovan, but also evidencing some of the harder-edged garage rock style similar to the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and Them, As a child he lived in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Marseille, and French Cameroons, returning to Metropolitan France for good in 1958. He graduated from the Lycée Champollion in Grenoble, excelling in advanced mathematics. against the advice of his producer Christian Fechner and Vogue management. The record, with protest songs and exhibiting a garage band style in sharp contrast to the yé-yé style then in vogue, resounded with the less carefree and more militant spirit growing among French youth (this was two years before the May 1968 events in France). Along with figures such as Jacques Dutronc and Michel Polnareff (and to some degree Ronnie Bird and Herbert Leonard), Antoine thus led a new wave in French music.

Antoine's first full LP album was Antoine Meets the Problems , made with the existing band les Problèmes (who soon renamed themselves les Charlots and went on to long-term success, particularly in film). Some of the songs on the album were of Antoine and les Problèmes playing together, but many were by Antoine alone or les Problèmes alone, One song on the album which became particularly associated with Antoine was "I'll Say What I Think and I'll Live How I Want" a pioneer and icon of French rock and roll, but outdated in Antoine's eyes): "Things should keep on changing / The world would be much more fun / We'd see airplanes in the subway corridors / And Johnny Hallyday in a Circus Medrano zoo cage". Hallyday responded with an answer song "Long Hair and Short Ideas" ("If words were sufficient to make things so / Then he, with his long hair, and sitting on his hands / Would indeed have me locked in a cage...") and the two commenced a back-and-forth rivalry which redounded to the publicity benefit of both (Hallyday's song was a hit and helped revivify his career) and which continued in various songs and other forms into the 21st century (for instance, with each appearing in TV advertising for competing optician chains in the 2000s).

Sailor In 1969 Antoine discovered sailing by chance, after renting a house on the French Riviera which included a dinghy. In October 1974, Antoine embarked on the life of a sailor and adventurer. He set out on the 14-meter steel schooner Om, sailing 17,000 miles solo and calling on Atlantic ports such as Nouadhibou, Rio de Janeiro, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, and Cayenne until 1980.

From 1981 to 1989, Antoine sailed in the Atlantic and Pacific in the 10-meter aluminum sloop Voyage, and since 1989 he has sailed in the 12.5-meter catamaran Banana Split.

Antoine published the first book of his adventures, Globedrifter in 1977; several more have followed, including his book on distance navigation Setting Sail Antoine has made films of his voyages, and has appeared on radio and television describing his adventures, as well published various books. He continues to write new songs (such as "Hands Off The Sea" ) and give occasional concerts. He has lectured at conferences sponsored by World Knowledge , the large French conference organization. When not at sea or traveling he lives with his long-term companion Francette in Paris or at a farm in Auvergne he bought with his early pop-star royalties.

Works

Discography

Singles "Les Elucubrations D'Antoine" (1966, France), Disques Vogue – V 4225) "Un éléphant me regarde" (1966, France), Disques Vogue – V.45-1363) "La tramontana"/"Voglio andare in guerra" (1968, Italy) Fonit Cetra "Taxi" (1970, France), Disques Vogue – V. 45-1701) "Bonne Chance" (1971, France), Disques Vogue – 45. V.4013) "'Scusez-Moi M'sieur Antoine" (with Danièle Gilbert)(1971, France), Disques Vogue – 45 V 4004) "Ra-Ta-Ta" (1990, France), Disques Vogue

EPs Les Elucubrations D'Antoine (1966 (France), Disques Vogue – EPL 8417)

Albums Antoine Rencontre Les Problèmes (as Antoine Et Les Problèmes) (1966 (France), Disques Vogue – LVLXS 82-30) Madame Laure Messenger, Claude, Jeremie, Et L'Existence De Dieu (1966 (France), Disques Vogue – CLD 712 ) Antoine (1966 (France), Disques Vogue) Antoine (1967 (France?) RTE Records)1967 Je Reprends La Route Demain(1967 (France), Disques Vogue – CLD 707 30) À L'Olympia [live album] (1968 (France), Disques Vogue – CLVLX 363) Antoine (1968 (France), Disques Vogue – CLD 725) Dites-Moi Ma Mère (1969 (France), Disques Vogue – SLVLX 395) Album Pour Les Grands Et Jeux Pour Tout Petits... (1969 (France), Disques Vogue – ANT. 1) Ra-Ta-Ta (1970 (France), Disques Vogue – SLD 778) Larraldia (1971 (France), Disques Vogue – SLD. 808) Nocciolino (1978, Italy), Fonit Cetra. He also covered popcorn by Gershon Kingsley and gave it French lyrics, German lyrics, Spanish lyrics, and Italian lyrics.