A year of Serge?

Sometime next year, perhaps at the French Film Festival in March or April, the Serge Gainsbourg biopic will be all over the cinema. So expect an upsurge in interest in the great songwriter, singer and arranger.

In English speaking countries Serge Gainsbourg's name tends be mentioned just before a smirk. All that saucy French nonsense, it's not real music, is it? Oh, it is most certainly is. For me, he's easily in the company of the Brian Wilsons and John Lennons of this (or the other) world. I think of him as akin to Joe Strummer for intensity and charisma.

Nicknamed 'Cabbage head', he still persuaded Brigit Bardot and Jane Birkin to share his breakfast coffee.

So I await the film version of his strange, troubled and dramatic life with much interest. With a little luck it may even encourage a wider appreciation of his music.