Ferre Grignard

Ferre Grignard
Birth name Fernand Grignard
Born (1939-03-13)13 March 1939
Antwerp
Origin 'The Muze', Antwerp
Died 8 August 1982(1982-08-08) (aged 43)
Antwerp
Genres Blues, skiffle, folk
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, painter
Instruments Guitar
Years active 1958–1980
Labels Fontana, Philips, Barclay, Major Minor, Disques Motors

Ferre Grignard (13 March 1939 – 8 August 1982) was a Belgian skiffle-singer from Antwerp who surprised the world in 1965 with his international hits "Ring Ring, I've Got To Sing" and "My Crucified Jesus".

Biography

Ferre Grignard renounced his middle-class origins and at the end of the 1950s he went to the Antwerp art academy. He was unsuccessful as a painter, but he could play the guitar and sing the blues and his performances in "De Muze", a famous Antwerp jazz café, made him well known in the Antwerp artists' world.

The young generation accepted him as the first Belgian protest singer, because of his hippie-like appearance and the content of his songs. In 1965 he performed at the first "Jazz-festival" at Bilzen. He was discovered by Hans Kusters (the same man who owned the record company HKM that is now producing the music of the Belgian band Clouseau). His "Ring Ring, I've Got To Sing" and "My Crucified Jesus" conquered the world with their mixture of skiffle, folk music and blues. At the height of his career he even performed at the Paris Olympia. The Belgian artist George Smits was a member of Ferre Grignard's band around that time.

After the ensuing international success, things started to go wrong. He went to live in a mansion, where he made music, painted and partied with the 20 friends who lived with him. He also refused to fill in his tax-forms, so after a while all royalties went directly to taxes. He neglected his career and was soon forgotten by his fans. A comeback in the seventies failed.

He died in Antwerp of throat cancer in 1982. At that time he was living in an attic without heating, surrounded by empty bottles. Ferre Grignard lies buried at the Schoonselhof cemetery, among many of Antwerp's most important citizens.

Discography

Albums

Year Title Label Cat. No.
1966 Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing Fontana 858 088 FPY
1968 Ferre Grignard Philips 12837
1969 Captain Disaster Barclay 920 117
1972 Fērrē Grignard Disques Motors MT 44011
1978 I warned you! Philips 6320 042

EPs

Year Tracks Label Cat. No
1968 Yellow You, Yellow Me / Close Your Noses … If

La, Si, Do / Old Joe Clarck

 Barclay 71 199

Compilations

Year Title Label Cat. No
1991 The Best of Ferre Grignard Philips 845 5442
1997 Het beste van Ferre Grignard Polygram 536 0332
2002 Lost Tracks Nijgh & Van Ditmar 21311
2014 Integraal Universal 4702435

Singles

Year A-side B-side Label Cat. No.
1965 Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing Maureen De Muze S 50116
1966 Hash Bamboo Shuffle 1702 Drunken Sailor Philips 319 880
1966 My Crucified Jesus She's Gone Philips 319 875
1966 Ring, Ring, I've Got To Sing We Want War Philips 319870 bf
1966 Drunken Sailor Hash Bamboo Shuffle 1702 Philips 319 880
1967 A Worried Man Maureen Philips 319 892
1968 Captain Disaster Tell Me Now Barclay 60 956
1968 La, Si, Do Yellow You, Yellow Me Barclay 60 847
1969 Close Your Noses … If Old Joe Clarck Barclay 60 868
1969 Yama, Yama, Hey I Won't Have A Dance Barclay 61 044
1971 Railroad Bill Maybe Tomorrow Disques Motors 6013 909
1972 Lazy John She's Back Disques Motors 4022
1973 Knockin' Me Down When I'm Down Ssm 001
1978 I Warned You All Right Philips 6021 095

External links

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