Dick Annegarn
Dick Annegarn (born in The Hague, 6 May 1952) is a Dutch rock singer-songwriter who sings mostly in French, although on occasion Dutch and English. He spent his youth in Brussels, and after having learned to play guitar he went to Paris, where he recorded his first album in 1973, which was very successful. But the album nearly never happened, as his money had run out and he was ready to return home before finding a producer for his songs at the last moment. This is the subject of his best known song, "Bruxelles".
He quit the music business in 1978 at the height of his fame citing its corrupt nature and then worked on social projects[citation needed] in Paris before slowly returning to music, working often with avant garde and occidental musicians, before releasing a string of albums in the late nineties up to 'Plouc' (2005), where he played with musicians from the south of France, accompanying his unique voice and guitar with often sparse and unusual arrangements played on brass instruments.
He is one of the most well-respected current day troubadours of the chanson, plus a charismatic and irreverent performer. He does not like the musical trade and prefers an underground lifestyle.
Because he is not French but a Dutchman educated in Brussels and Paris, he has a unique French singing voice, very guttural and well articulated. His lyrics are sublime "poetry of the earth"[citation needed] and he has a playful yet caustic sense of humour with emotive, stark and imaginative arrangements like Townes Van Zandt or John Martyn. His "outsider" status as a gay man was also the subject of his 'Un' Ombre' album.
Contents
Discography
Albums
- Sacré Géranium (1974)
- Dick Annegarn (1974)
- Je te vois (1974)
- Mireille (1975)
- Anticyclone (1976)
- De ce spectacle ici sur terre (live, 1978)
- Ferraillages (1980)
- Citoyen (1981)
- 140 BXL (live, 1984)
- Frère ? (1986)
- Ullegarra (1990)
- Chansons fleuves (1990)
- InéDick (1992)
- Approche-toi (1997)
- Adieu Verdure (1999)
- Au Cirque d'Hiver (live, 2000)
- Un' ombre (2002)
- Plouc (2005)
- Soleil du soir (2008)
- Folk Talk (2011)
- Vélo va (2014)
Singles
- Va (1975)
- Lille CD promo (1998)
- Voleur de chevaux CD promo (1999)
Compilations
- Bruxelles (3 first albums + part of the 4th one+ the songs Va and Les Gueux) (1996)
- Les Années nocturnes (Frères ?, Ullegara and Chansons fleuves) (2007)
Contributions
- Egmont and the FF Boom, featuring Daniel Schell (1978 ?)
- Route Manset (1996)
- Aux suivants, Hommage à Jacques Brel (2003)
- Plutôt tôt Plutôt tard (2005, tôt ou tard)
Tribute album
- Le Grand Dîner or Tribute à Dick Annegarn (2006, tôt ou tard), on which he himself contributes
