Louis Philippe: Biography

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Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music, Adult Alternative

Decades Active:

1980's|1990's|2000's

French-born bilingual songwriter/romantic pop balladeer Louis Philippe (born Philippe Auclair on a farm in Normandy) began his music career after abandoning life as a fully trained philosophy teacher (Ecole normale Superieure) and heading off to Brussels with guitar and demo tape firmly in hand. There, recording as the Border Boys, he delivered an EP. Later, as the Arcadians, an LP entitled Mad Mad World was made. In the 1980s, Cherry Red's AR Svengali took notice, and Louis Philippe began creating his beautifully sweet pop songs for Mike Always and his innovative El Records offshoot. Three albums (Appointment With Venus, Ivory Tower, and Yuri Gagarin), a handful of singles, and writer/arranger/producer credits on many other artists on the label, including Anthony Adverse and her highly touted Red Shoes album, followed.

Upon El's demise, Philippe recorded a couple of records for Humbug, as well as releasing some early archived recordings titled Let's Pretend. In the '90s, Philippe released six albums on Cornelius' Trattoria Records label (Japan), including a couple of experimental albums (Rainfall and Jean Renoir) and three masterful pop collections (Delta Kiss, Sunshine, and Jackie Girl). Some of these records have been released in the U.K. by Cherry Red, but the only official American release is a collection of songs from the Trattoria releases (including a few exclusive selections) entitled A Kiss in the Funhouse (Le Grand Magistery). A Kiss in the Funhouse does include the best of those recordings, but for the album-oriented fan (averse to hits collections), both Sunshine and Delta Kiss (re-released together on one CD from Cherry Red Records) represent Philippe at his romantic best. He even managed minor chart success in his native country with L 'Hiver Te Va Bien," a Top 30 hit in France (1994).

Philippe has worked with a number of prominent artists, including the High Llamas, XTC, Pizzicato 5, Cinnamon, April March, and Bertrand Burgalat, just to name a few. He also lent his producing and arranging skills to Songs for the Jet Set, Vol. 2. As the godfather of jazzy romantic bilingual heartfelt dramatic pop music, Louis Philippe's music (and his production skills) are very in-demand, and as long as the world needs sweet, achingly beautiful pop sounds, Mr. Philippe will continue to be very in-demand indeed.

- Terrance Miles, All Music Guide