There is an intimate injury that Renaud had not discussed frankly the complicated relationship with his father, Olivier Séchan, an austere Protestant who dreamed of becoming a great writer. In his autobiography, As a child lost , the artist returns to this long misunderstanding that fueled some of his discomfort.
From his father died in 2006, Renaud retains the image of a man both discreet and impressive. He always sees typing his novels on his old Underwood machine or from teaching German as copyright are not enough to feed six. First crack at 12 when he learns that his big sister Christine is from a previous marriage: Olivier Séchan lost his first wife and their son Nicolas in a bombing in 1944 and their daughter was raised by his new wife, Solange Mériaux, the singer’s mother. “Why do we have he never talked about marriage and children who are born? Asks Renaud. Even today, I am unable to appreciate the consequences of all these revelations about our children’s lives, that we enter this time in adolescence. “
” A poor student, promised a failed life “
Therefore, their relations will be complicated. Upon entering college, Renaud becomes dissipated and rebellious, the notes fall sharply. He began writing some poems, mother raves, the father closes. “My bad school reports seem to conceal everything. I’m probably nothing to him a bad student, promised a failed life. “They still share the same passion for Brassens and son can sometimes hit the legendary typewriter father …
The break occurred in May 1968. The teenager is proclaimed anarchist. He wears long hair, which is now for him to eat only in the kitchen, on the paternal decision. At 16, he joined the demonstrations file of the Latin Quarter and returns one day singing his first hit, “Die, bitch! “To his parents:” I come home tired, exhausted / My father told me: Hi son, as qu’ça going? / J’lui answer: Shut up, asshole, it’s not t’regarde! / And I told ui: die, bitch! “Fear of the father breaks down. “It is despicable, he roared. A song of little punk! You make me shameful. “Later, when he announced that he decided to drop his studies to work, his father collapsed. Regularly, the criticism raining down, “good for nothing”, “catastrophic future.” One evening Renaud explodes: “You’re really that stupid! “” How dare you insult us, little shit! “Launches Olivier Séchan takes the guitar and his son shattered.
Renaud discovered at that time that his father, in order to survive during the Occupation, worked for Radio Paris, Radio German propaganda, translation of news – will be cleared at the Liberation. The shame is added to misunderstanding. “Son of collabo! “Says her one day a cousin, an insult which will also be addressed when he will be famous. “This accusation haunts me as if I had myself answer, writes today the singer in his autobiography. It weighs on my soul all its horror and weight with me for years, both as a monstrous injustice and a dark threat. “
” The success of my son kills me “
The most painful memory is probably the discovery, one day, a terrible sentence in the diary of his father. “I can not stand, the success of my son kills me. “The singer then understood that his father will never publish and even write that great novel he has always dreamed of, the work of his life. “I cut his wings, I took all the light to myself, I condemned to be silent, to stay in the shadows,” Renaud analysis, plagued by an “abysmal guilt.” He continued: “My success, all that money had something indecent about it. And I would add even insulting. “How can he understand that his son, who did not even have the BEPC, has made such a journey?
One day, Renaud asked him to buy her a house in the Cevennes, for his retirement. The father refused under the pretext of not wanting to leave Paris. “I have probably not been able to offer him just confused, I missed the son, to dare and stand before the father to him alms of a house, who has never been able to offer, however modest, in spite of all an honest work life. “Olivier Séchan died in July 2006, a week before the birth of Malone, the son Renaud had with Romane Serda.
* As a child lost , Renaud Séchan, XO editions.
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