The Analog Club presents Rockabilly 82, by Gil Rigoulet until December 3, 2023 as part of “The Analog Days” event. The exhibition is accompanied by this text:
“Two packs of “Kro” placed on the trunk of the blue Chamborg with a white roof, Saturday afternoon, at the end of a dead end, in the Saint-Michel district. 50s houses surround us, we have to change the rear light of the car, the bananas are perfect, we discuss the rust spots, the “Ranch” where the whole group will meet this evening. A girl in a head scarf from another era sits near us, two Aronde arrive, the afternoon slips by, Crazy Cavan & The Rhythm rockers on the Chambord cassette player electrify the air. The packs are empty, no more “Kro”, the V 8 of the Simca Versailles purrs like an American, we pile into the cars and we are all going to scamper… My Nikon F prints the Tri X… These photos are out for the first time times from my binders 8 years ago, after more than thirty years of silence.
At the time, I lived in Evreux. I had been collaborating with the weekly La Dépêche since 1975 and I began to sell my photos to Libé and to Parisian magazines. I followed friends who had started rock bands, and since the 70s, I regularly went to London for festivals like Reading or to clubs, such as the Marquee, where the Who, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Pink played. Floyd, Joe Cocker, the Sex Pistols, The Police, Guns N’ Roses, The Cure…
It was in the cool of winter 1982, near the lake overlooking Evreux Cathedral that I first came across a skewer of bananas in the style of Lucien, the rocker by the designer Margerin. Without restraint, I approach the group as Teddy and offer to photograph them. I proposed the subject to the editor-in-chief of La Dépêche, Jean Louis, who was up for it.
For four months, I followed Marco, Raynald, Michel, Eric, Boumé, Lionel, Titi, Denis, Alan, Jimmy, Laurent, Bouboule and the others, in their room, with their parents, at the Tuffier hair salon, at King Bee the record store, on the market where they found their clothes, on their nocturnal trips and even at work, where the owner of a timeless cloth laundromat welcomed me.
These rockabs formed a band where friends are more important than a girl, they were linked to the “Revival” of the teddy boy movement in England which began in the years 72-75. I wanted to know where they came from, to detail everything about their lives according to the principles of in-depth reporting. They lived in the suburban district of Saint-Michel, the large groups of buildings in the Madeleine district. Most were workers, many still lived with their parents.
They frequented other rockabs, from Rouen, and met at the Liberty Bar (which dates from the American presence on the Evreux air base) and then went to dance at the Ranch Jularedo in a village in the depths of the countryside. They spent their time listening to music, vinyls imported from the USA, Gene Vincent, Elvis Presley, Crazy Cavan and the Rhythm Rockers, tinkering with old Simca Chambords, Versailles or Aronde as beautiful Americans in the parking lot of Saint -Michael…
They dreamed of leaving for the USA and the world revealed by this Rockabilly, the cars, the southern clubs, the pin-ups with stiletto heels and twirling dresses. The rest of the week was work hours and coffee at the end of the day in their landmark Liberty bar. » Gil Rigoulet
http://gilrigoulet.com/rockabilly
The Analog Club is a community, store and traveling gallery whose goal is to spread the philosophy of film photography and bring together photographers who practice it. The Analog Days is their new initiative, the event was designed as an immersion in film photography. With Gil’s exhibition, introductions to film photography, workshops to learn how to use a camera, an old-fashioned portrait studio, portfolio readings and a fanzine launch event will be offered. You will also be able to discover a selection of upcycled devices, prints, and a selection of zines and books.
Gil Rigoulet : Rockabilly 82
until December 3, 2023
The Analog Gallery – 81 rue St Maur Paris 75011
Monday to Wednesday: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Thursday to Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
Meeting with Gil Rigoulet on Sunday November 26 at 4 p.m.
https://www.instagram.com/the.analog.club/
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