Patrick Juvet

Patrick Juvet (born 21 August 1950, in Montreux, Switzerland) is a former model turned singer-songwriter, who had a string of hit records in France. While his early career was focused on making Pop records, he found international success as a Disco music performer in the latter half of the 1970s. This is his story.

In Saint-Tropez he met French music producer Eddie Barclay, who allowed him to record his first single in 1971. It was called Romantiques Pas Morts (The Romantics Are Not Dead).

His next hit was a really big one. La Musica (Music) in 1972, was the first one of his songs that I had ever heard.

During that same year, French superstar Claude François made a big hit of one of Juvet's songs called Le Lundi Au Soleil (Monday In The Sun).

Also in 1972, he had a hit with Au Même Endroit À La Même Heure (Same Place, Same Time):

His first hit for 1973 was Sonia:

Also in 1973, he took part in the Eurovision Song Contest representing his country of birth, Switzerland, with the song Je Vais Me Marier, Marie (I'm Getting Married, Marie). Unfortunately he placed 12 out of 17 entrants.

Another hit in 1973: Toujours Du Cinéma (Always The Movies).

In 1974 he released Rappelle-toi Minette (Remember, Young Girl):

In 1975 he had a hit with Magique, which was the French version of the Pilot hit Magic.

In 1976 he co-wrote Faut Pas Rêver (You Shouldn't Dream) with Jean-Michel Jarre.

In 1977, he co-wrote Où Sont Les Femmes? (Where Are The Women?), again with Jean-Michel Jarre.

The aforementioned Où Sont Les Femmes? was re-recorded in English under the title, Where Is My Woman?, and was featured on Juvet's English-language debut on Casablanca Records in the US. Victor Willis, original lead singer of Village People, was the lyricist for the project.

Another collaboration with Jean-Michel Jarre was Megalomania, also in 1977.

In 1978 Juvet moved to Los Angeles to work with producers Henri Belolo and Jacques Morali. Got A Feeling was one of the hits:

His biggest hit ever was the follow-up, I Love America (1978). It has a Bee Gees vibe. It peaked at #5 on the Disco chart in the US and made the Top 10 in several other countries.

His big hit for 1979 was Lady Night:

His soundtrack score to David Hamilton's art house film Laura (1979), featured disco musicians Marc Chantereau and Slim Pezin of Voyage and Space session bassist Jannick Top. Although the music from Laura was never released on compact disc and was never released in the United States, it nonetheless sold 650,000 copies. Parts of the music were written and produced by the New Zealander Brian Southcombe (now deceased) who was once married to Charlotte Rampling. From that soundtrack, here's Tristesse de Laura (The Sadness Of Laura):

His last English language album came in 1980 and was called Still Alive. Here's the single Sounds Like Rock-N-Roll:

Rêves Immoraux (Immoral Dreams) was his return to French language songs. It was a hit in 1982, but a considerably smaller hit than his previous ones.

A time of financial and personal decline followed, with Juvet suffering periods of depression and alcoholism and relocating from mainland Europe to London, then to Los Angeles and finally, in the latter half of the 1980s, back to Switzerland. In his own words:

"Y’a une période où on paie les excès. Non seulement il y avait le fait que je n’étais plus en forme. Donc il fallait se retaper. Donc il faut prendre des médicaments. Les médecins m’ont dit que j’en avais pour trois-quatre ans. Ça a duré cinq ans. J’ai pleuré beaucoup"

(There comes a time when one has to pay for their past excessive indulgence [in sensual and substance-related pleasures]. Not only that, I was also out of form. I had to mend myself. I had to take medication. The doctors said it would last for 3-4 years. It went on for 5 years. During that period I cried a lot.)

On his return to his parents' house, he said: "A 36 ans, je suis retourné chez ma maman, pour moi. Je me disais, après ce qui m’est arrivé, après ce que j’ai vécu, j’ai vécu mon rêve d’enfant. Et je me retrouve chez mes parents à 36 ans. Y’a un truc qui va pas. Je pensais que ma carrière était finie."

(At 36, I returned home to mother, to heal myself. I told myself, after everything that I have been through, after living my childhood dream, I found myself at my parents' house at 36. There's something wrong with that. I thought that my career was over.)

In 1987 he had a moderate hit with L'Amour Avec Les Yeux (Making Love With Our Eyes):

Juvet returned to Paris in 1991 and to his roots as a singer-songwriter with the album, Solitudes. The disc featured more personal, emotional songs with Juvet being accompanied by French language performers, Françoise Hardy, Luc Plamondon, and Marc Lavoine. Here's the title track and lead single:

In 1992 he released what was probably his gayest single. It was called Cruising Bar.

In 1993 Juvet gave Techno music a chance with Deep Dark Night:

In 2000 he released this tribute to Paris, Ça c'est Paris (This Is Paris):

Finally, as recently as 2010, he released Don't Be Afraid:

Patrick Juvet talks freely of his bisexuality, and has done so since the height of his success. He has recently said, on AIDS:

"J’avais vraiment peur du SIDA. J’ai perdu beaucoup d’amis mais j’ai eu la chance de ne pas aimer certaines pratiques sexuelles…"

(I was really afraid of AIDS. I lost many friends to it. I was lucky because I happenned not to love certain sexual practices.)

... On his sexuality:

"Je suis bisexuel. J’aime les deux. Ça peut paraître bizarre. C’est vrai qu’il y a un moment où je trouvais que le corps d’un homme c’est magnifique. Mais par contre, l’histoire de cœur, d’amour, avec les mecs ça ne marche pas. Mais la complicité, je ne l’ai qu’avec les femmes."

(I am bisexual. I love both sexes. This may appear strange. It is true that there comes a moment when I see a man's body and find it magnificent. On the other hand, in affairs of the heart, I can't seem to make it work with men. I have a bigger emotional affinity with women.)

Writing about Patrick Juvet was like reliving the 70s and 80s. He was certainly an artist of his time. Listening to many of his songs is a pleasant exercice and watching this beautiful man (in his youth) is an added bonus. A little trip down Memory Lane...