Renaud Sechan is an institution in
France. Since the mid-1970s he has produced a huge canon of irreverant and witty songs, many with a
left-wing tone.
The chanteur was born on 11th May 1952 in Paris 14th District. Renaud was bored at school, and left at the age of 16 to pursue his musical career. He had a series of odd jobs, and spent the rest of his time writing music and lyrics. With a friend who could play the accordeon, he began performing on the streets of his beloved Paris, singing both French standards and his own compositions.
Renaud recorded his first album, Amoureux de Paname in 1975, and it was successful, but it was with 1977's Laisse Beton that he really became a household name. A string of albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s brought Renaud further success.
It could be argued that 1984 was Renaud's year. His seventh album, Morgane de toi, sold over 1.5 million copies. He also played his first concert at the Zenith in Paris, to an audience of 75,000. He had come a long way since the busking days of the early 1970s.
Today, Renaud recieves less media coverage than when his career began, but his music is still revered by millions in France. He has remained true to his roots, still singing about socialism, the life of the working class, and the occasional love interest. His most popular songs remain those fron his early days, such as Laisse Beton, Ma Gonzesse, Dans mon HLM and Société tu m'auras pas.
A comparison could be made between Renaud and Billy Bragg. The two singers take the same subject matter, but the biggest difference is that Renaud is somewhat more tuneful.