Plastic Bertrand

Active on the Belgian scene since the late 1970s, Plastic Bertrand is the stage name of singer and musician Roger Jouret, born in Brussels in 1954, associated with a blend of punk, new wave and francophone pop. Initially trained as a drummer in several rock groups, he came to attention in 1977 with the single 'Ça plane pour moi', recorded with producer Lou Deprijck and placed within the punk aesthetic for its brisk tempo, simple guitars and offbeat lyrics, although the precise attribution of the vocals later became the subject of disputes. Shortly after came the album 'An 1' (1977), which established Plastic Bertrand in an energetic, concise and deliberately light pop register, between rock riffs, instantly memorable choruses and absurd humour. In the early 1980s he moved toward a more pop-rock and synth-driven vein, toured extensively and appeared regularly in francophone audiovisual media, building a strongly marked stage persona. In 1987 he represented Luxembourg at the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Amour Amour', extending his visibility beyond Belgium. After a quieter period, Plastic Bertrand returned intermittently with new recordings, notably 'Suite diagonale' (1994) and 'Ultra terrestre' (2010), and continued to alternate concerts, studio projects and television appearances while remaining associated with a playful, deliberately simple approach to pop songcraft.