Patrick Coutin

Born in Sfax, Tunisia in 1952, Patrick Coutin established himself in the French rock scene with a direct writing style that sits between rock, pop rock and an energetic chanson. After studying philosophy and visual arts, he worked as a music journalist, notably for Rock & Folk, before launching his career as a singer in the early 1980s. His name is especially associated with the song J’aime regarder les filles, released in 1981 alongside the album Coutin the same year. He followed with Un étranger dans la ville in 1982 and L’heure bleue in 1983, continuing a register where rock mixes with more pop-oriented melodies and a frequently urban outlook. Over the years Coutin has kept recording — notably Industrial blues in 2001 and Bleu in 2010 — while developing other image- and production-related activities. He has directed music videos, exhibited his visual work and collaborated as a producer with several French artists, including Dick Rivers, Michel Delpech and Les Wampas.