He has the look Jean-Quentin !

Nostra Dam
Oct 17, 2020
3 min read

Updated: Dec 29, 2021

Laroche Valmont, whose real name is Jean-Quentin Gérard, is a French singer whose stage name is actually inspired by the name of the family estate, near Bourg-en-Bresse, where the young Jean-Quentin spent his holidays.

At the end of the 60s, he tried to become a singer for the first time, but ended up as a magazine editor. On the other hand, unlike him, some of this knowledge will break through in the early 1980s. In particular Jean-Patrick Capdevieille, Téléphone and others Hubert-Felix Thiéfaine. Which made him want to try the experience again.

Strongly inspired by groups such as Kid Creole and The Coconuts, he finally manages to record a first single "L’amur… tujurs l´Amur!" in 1983. A first title which will unfortunately go almost unnoticed.

Then came the year 1984, the year that would forever change the artist’s fate. Despite the failure of his first single, he persevered and allowed himself to contact the Gibson Brothers, ex stars of the Disco years, to assist him on his new single. At the same time, he asks a Marco Attali/Richard Sanderson duo to compose the music. The same Richard Sanderson who signed a few years before the enormous "Reality", extract from the soundtrack of the film La Boum.

Such a team can only produce a title that matches their talent, which is going to be the case with "T'as le look, Coco". Despite a title cut out for Dance, the record companies are still turning a deaf ear and only a producer with a hollow nose allows Laroche Valmont to release the single. Single pressed only at 1000 copies at the beginning. It is therefore the discotheques which, this time, are targeted and the result will exceed all the hopes of the singer.

The track was a hit and became one of the hit songs of the year, competing directly with another single called "Femme libérée" by Cookie Dingler. Another acquaintance of Laroche Valmont, the two artists having already met many years before at the Lycée Mont Roland in Dole ! The title in the end will sell more than 500,000 copies and explode the notoriety of the artist overnight.

Unfortunately, the artist will be unable to capitalize on the incredible success he encountered then and his new single "Tonsign atoi sekoi" which was released a year later in 1985 did not meet the success of its predecessor. Just like the singles that will be released later.

But those unforgettable words (!) will be remembered for a long time to come : "You have the look Coco, Coco you have the look, No doubt Coco, you have the look that sticks to your skin ..."!

To discover or rediscover.

Discography (among others ...) :

L’amur…tujurs l’amur 1983
T’as le look coco 1984
Tonsign atoi sekoi 1985
Alors…heureuse ? 1985
Faut pas decoder 1986
Petite fille de branchés moyens 1987

Clips :

1983 ... the very beginnings. For the moment, Jean-Quentin has not yet started his transfer. Something that should not be long ...

1984 ... then comes THIS title. A title that brings Jean-Quentin One Shot into the musical legend of the 80s on the French side. A title with extreme simplicity but formidably effective. And so revealing of this carefree and light era. HU-GE !

1985 ... as is often the case in these cases, the rest is more complicated to manage than expected. Difficult to bounce back after having experienced a success of this magnitude when we did not really expect it. Everything is done in a hurry afterwards and it is not necessarily good ...

1985 ... he even dares to Ultimate Slow. But there, we no longer come close to caricature, we are right in it. At one point, too much is too much ...

1986 ... things don't really get better when it comes to caricature. Admittedly, there is rhythm and a melody which holds more or less the road but unfortunately, that will not be enough to save the soldier Jean-Quentin ...