lundi 30 juin 2008

Attack, Decay, Sustain


I feel priviledged to have so many interesting people following my work, having attended to so many concerts all around the world for a long time. Thanks to all of you.

I recently spent some time with some of them, notably Mark G (the first founder of the U.K. Fan club, before Duncan Walls took the reins ) and the people from magneticfields.dk to discuss about revamping my website: Jacob Gunness, Claus Lundholm, dear Signe Zacchi and Ras Bolding, Henrik Gilvad and everybody. Thomas Alsina and the Aero team, Fiona Commins and Louis Hallonet were there as well. I really enjoyed the discussion. Through the years, we have established a good link far beyond the usual "Artist / Fans" one..

Actually, these days, I consider the core of fans much more as part of a club of people sharing the same values, tastes..etc and it is along this mindset that I would like to develop the web site in the future. We exchanged a lot of ideas to improve it, starting from the fact that I have never been really satisfied by my websites so far, being often designed by record companies mainly based on direct marketing around the current album, as is the case for a lot of artists. I really want to change that..
We are thinking about many things, i'll let you know..



This week, I also met M. Matsura, Director General of UNESCO and Vice Director Marcio Barbosa to discuss the Concert in Canary islands in 2009, the International Year of Astronomy. The project should happen under the banner of UNESCO and involve a lot of different sectors, quite exciting....

M. Matsura suggested that I should be "Special" UNESCO Ambassador for the International Year of Astronomy.. I contacted Garik Israelian and Brian May to let them know about all this. Both of them were very happy about the news,

(Brian is currently very busy with the Mandela Concert in London with Queen. He actually should be on stage at the moment...)

This concert related to Space and the stars is a great and unique project for me and obviously I'll keep you posted.

I do think it is time to re-evaluate our link with space.

Like I was saying on stage during the last tour, our vision of the future has changed. In the the 60's, everybody had a rather innocent view of it, full of hopes and dreams. 2001 was ahead of us, the Arthur C. Clarke's novel and the Stanley Kubrick's movie managed to create a rather epic vision of the future and influenced an entire generation, and for the first and the last time so far, a man walked on the Moon...

Today, 2001 is behind us, it is as if Sci-Fi and our vision of the future was behind us. We have much narrower and somber feelings about the next century. Our vision and hopes have shrunk: Are we going to survive on our polluted planet?...etc.

It is probably time to consider our planet in a different context, it is probably time to listen to Astronomers and Astrophysicists, to tell our children how great it can be to get a better understanding of Earth exploring, watching and listening at the Universe.

It is the reason why the International year of Astronomy is important and the reason why this concert is exciting.

I then met Mark Richmond, in charge of the "Sustainable Development Decade" at UNESCO. He asked me how I could help promoting his program. I told him that in my humble opinion, the main difficulty is to make people understand what it means and the first step should be to find a simple and clear definition for it. I mentioned this exercise we had at the University: trying to resume a book or an idea in one page, one paragraph, one sentence, one word. What could it be for "sustainable development?

I also gave the exemple of this great speech this young girl did at United Nations ( see my 24-06-08 blog post). Chidlren have a natural respect and an instinctive strong link with Nature, but it seems to decrease, if not disappear, as soon as we become adults.

First of all, instead of complaining, giving lessons and feeling guilty, we should send a clear message with simple words and remedies. Mostly everybody today is keen on doing something, but when we're told that we have to "save the planet", it is suddenly a bit too big for an individual's shoulders, and daunting. We need a bunch of simple acts which anybody could do easily every day, every week...

I also suggested to launch on You Tube a big video competition. I could create, for instance a 2-minute piece of music on which anyone could express one positive idea about the environment, in any way, film, photos, animation...

Mark Richmond said he is going to work with his team on few bullet points in order to clarify the term "sustainable development" and was very positive about the You tube idea, saying that it could be linked with the World Conference they hold in Bonn next year.

14 commentaires:

Turid Elisabeth a dit…

Heya Jarre!:)

"I also suggested to launch on You Tube a big video competition. I could create, for instance a 2-minute piece of music on which anyone could express one positive idea about the environment, in any way, film, photos, animation... "

So cute of you!;)

This is really something many gifted people will like!

Hugs and kisses!:))

Halcyone a dit…

Dear Jean Michel,
thanks again for sharing your feelings with us. I feel happy you speak of us, and that's true that fans are like a community. When we have a opportunity to exchange (Marigny was the last time for me, as I worked during the european tour), we often understand ourselves very well.

Anyway I personnaly feel I am more indebted to you than the contrary (I should work a lot for that but who knows ;)
If I can help you...!

I feel you more "bien dans vos baskets" (le petit dico Français/Anglais a ses limites !) than in the past. More accessible. And always fascinate by your life, your fate.
Maybe it's the return to oxygen, or your life with Anne, or your awareness of what you have done (but stop talking to the past please !)... or a little of everything that make you more "human", more "analogic" !


Thanks for giving us news about the Canaries concert... I would/will (?) be amazing!
And as I know you I'm sure the project will come with a new album, or some new tracks... about space. "Rendez-vous" was already about space, but as you said, our vison has changed. In the past, someone walked on the moon. Today, we have even doubt that it has really been done (you surely heard about the Stanley Kubrick help's theory !!).
Space is further than in the 60s today!

Anyway, I'm ready to participate to your project of video competition, not to win of course, but to have a chance to express myself about what is humanity... just some animals/monkeys that have too much colonised their natural environment.

Thanks and see you to your next article ;)

Loïc / Halcyone

Paes a dit…

Jean Michel, you are so great. Thanks for keeping us update almost day to day. You really show us that you love your fans and i think this is quite important for us.

I'm agree with you that the web pages dedicated to you are a bit incomplete. I'm glad that you realize that problem and that you are concern about that. Let's hope that you and your staff to be able to find a solution.

I'm very happy that you are working hard in the Canary Islands project. That project would be very special to me because, i'm physics, i like very much astronomy and Queen is my 2nd favorite after you.

Thank you JM.
Never change!!

Unknown a dit…

Wow, my heart is literally pounding in my chest. A Jean Michel Jarre concert on the Canary Islands for the International Year of Astronomy?

I'm an astronomy student, and I've done some observations myself on La Palma in the Canary Islands with a 3 meter telescope. I feel strongly about the beauty of the universe and the need for preservation of our vulnerable planet.

I must say it would be so many dreams come true to experience such a concert in a theme that I feel so strongly about and in such a beautiful environment. When I listen to your music, I feel like I'm floating around in space, looking at all those wonders around us.

I cannot think of a better musician than yourself to be providing the soundtrack for the International Year of Astronomy.

For those who are interested in the International Year of Astronomy, here you can find a really beautiful trailer: http://www.astronomy2009.org/

Signe a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
Alvaro a dit…

Hi Jean Michel!

Yes, redesigning your site would be really nice, since i don't like flash-driven sites, especially when they are pf musicians. A very beautiful site is http://bjork.com , obviously Björk's official website. It has a very wide variety of content, keeping a simple and beautiful design. That's a very good example of a good official website of a musician.

Alvaro a dit…
Ce commentaire a été supprimé par l'auteur.
Hossinfeffa a dit…

I agree with everything you said. Most sites are marketed to advertise for what is currently available. A site designed by the artist himself would be much much better. Your ideas, your feelings, your expression, everything. The more I learn about you, the more you show me just how visionary you are. I really respect and look up to you for more than your music, your overall personality is very refreshing in this day and age. A pioneer not only in music, but life. I admit, the graphics on your site are nice, but they lack you. Oxygene was one point in your life, you have so much more to show and give.

You're very right about the vision of the future changing. I personally always liked the 60s-80s "future" the best. It made you think a lot more and use your imagination. But most of the time now, it's more scientific and precise. Instead of going to other galaxies in massive space ships, we're imagining going to Venus or planets very close to us in tiny craft. It is more realistic, but everything doesn't have to be realistic. We need to use our thoughts more and imagination again.

Now, our Earth itself is tiny compared to our galaxy. It cannot just be used up without consequence. It's rather interesting to note, but you seem to have the same vision as Will Wright, the creator behind the upcoming PC game "Spore." He designed that game so that after people play it, they look at our planet, our life, our galaxy differently. You should look into it sometime.. it's really inspiring.

I'm 19 years old, and I am holding on to my imagination strong. I use it as much as I did when I was a child.. I also would love helping the planet. I try to whenever I can. Every little bit helps make a difference. We all can make a difference. You, me, your fans, the world. Everyone can.. they just need to start now.

Rick

Anonyme a dit…

Love the idea of a new website.

You should check out the site of my friend DAVID LYNCH @ http://www.davidlynch.com/

There is a free part of the website and a members only site where David creates things for the on-line experience and fans can subscribe.

-moviemaker
HollywoodLAND, CA

littlesister a dit…

As always, it is very interesting to hear what you think and feel about subjects Jean Michel ...

At the end of the day, we are just a tiny ( if very destructive )part of the bio-system on this planet .... the planet can and will survive without us, but we cannot survive without the planet ...

People should think about these simple facts.... by destroying the planet, the Human Race is basically committing mass suicide.By protecting and saving our planet, by respecting other creatures, the plant life, by not taking more from the earth than what we need to survive ... by sharing the resources we have... we are saving ourselves.

Ras Bolding a dit…

We actually talked about the David Lynch-site at the meeting. ;)

Anonyme a dit…

Salut Jean Michel Jarre!

I really agree with you about to see the theme space again.
One music of you, Ouverture part 2 from Vizitors Concert has never been published into an album and I think it has a deep relation with space. I really like this song!!

Almicantarada a dit…

Hello
I`m Fernando from Montevideo, Uruguay.
When Jean Michel visit South America?? We are very hungred for your live music!!!
For the Astronomy World Year this is a great opportunity!!!
Many Regards
Fernando

TiestoEOL a dit…

Salut Jean Michel Je m'appel Jérôme j'ai 18 ans et sur Youtube j'ai trouvé un remix Trance de Souvenir de Chine c'est trop beau. http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=cKzwWWhZCBI&feature=related

Merci, j'éspère te voir dans un concert en France j'éspère un géant pour que je puisse au moins voir un concert géant en France ça serait cool.

Allez à plus t'es trop fort. (Marigny le 21 décembre trop beau en plus après le petit bain de foule. A part Tiesto je ne connais pas beaucoup d'artiste aussi proche du public que toi). Je rêve de voir un concert géant en France.