Nous vous livrons ci-dessous la news-letter émanant du site officiel de Julian Lennon. Julian remembers the making of Valotte « 20 years in the business, one way or another. Well I never! » (Julian Lennon, September 2004) It?s the 20th anniversary this October of the release of Julian?s debut album, ?Valotte?. In 1983 after sending an anonymous tape to Charisma Records Julian was immediately signed to the prestigious UK label. This was quickly followed by a deal with Atlantic Records in the US. Now Julian had a record deal ? all he had to do was get down to writing it. He wanted somewhere with no distractions and he found that with Le Chateau Manoir de Valotte, a remote chateau in the middle of the French countryside. In the autumn of 1983 with his two friends and collaborators, Justin Clayton and Carlton Morales, Julian hunkered down for a three month stay. « I remember Le Manoir was beautiful and in the middle of nowhere. We set up a little 8 track in a freezing cold barn, not knowing where it would lead. We got down to writing a load of songs, songs that would finally become my first album. Princess Mimi was the owner ? she was slightly eccentric but beautiful with it! She seemed very in tune with her surroundings
Mealtimes were interesting ? though it was mostly traditional French country fare it was served up by a crazy alcoholic chef! On one famous occasion his hired hand, Bernard, showcased his culinary skills by boiling a couple of eggs for a record company dinner for 10, which led to Mimi giving him a kick up the rear and out of the building! The band and I rallied round and whipped up a quick pasta dish for the cold and hungry souls. Ah, the memories! »
By the beginning of 1984 Julian had enough material to show a potential producer.
Phil Ramone was Julian?s first choice and Ramone agreed to produce the album. In tribute to the beautiful French chateau, the album took the title ?Valotte?.
During the next 7 months ? February to August 1984 – the album was recorded in Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, Alabama and various studios in New York City before being mixed at The Hit Factory on the same console used by John Lennon to record ?Double Fantasy?, something which, Julian remarked, felt good.
?Valotte? was released in the UK on 15 October 1984 and in the US on 19 October. Nine out of the ten tracks were written by Julian and his musicianship is evident on all the tracks ? he plays bass, keyboards, drums and percussion and sings! The album was very well received. Sir Paul McCartney commented « He shows a musicality I didn?t know he had. »
The single Valotte was a Top 10 hit in the US peaking at number 9 in the Billboard Top 40. It later spent 5 weeks in the Billboard Adult Contemporary US charts with two weeks at number 1. The second single off the album, Too Late For Goodbyes, reached number 1 in the US and charted at number 6 in the UK. And the third single to be released, Say You?re Wrong, peaked at number 21 in the US Billboard Top 40. Worldwide sales of Valotte reached 1.5 million and with that Julian?s debut album went platinum. Recognition of Julian?s talent culminated with him receiving a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
20 years later Julian looks back on those times with enormous affection, « Valotte was a beautiful memory for me. »
