Jean-Pierre Savelli multiplies musical projects

Goldorak has passed its half-century of legend... And yet, one gets the impression that the giant robot has never left French culture. How do you explain this almost emotional loyalty from the public?

Jean-Pierre SAVELLI. Because Goldorak is a shared memory. When the series arrived in France in 1978 on the TV show Récré A2, it changed everything: the music, the aesthetics, the rhythm. It was the first time we heard theme songs that were so melodic, so dramatic. And I was lucky enough to be one of the voices of that era.

Even today, at manga conventions, I see parents coming with their children. It has become transgenerational. I do about forty dates a year. That's where I meet the fans, where I hear their stories. It is precious.

“Remixing Goldorak is revisiting a myth without betraying it” You are indeed returning with several remixes of Goldorak songs. Is this risky territory, no? JPS.

Yes, but exciting. Fans often tell me: “We want the original versions!” I understand.

But as an artist, I need to create. So with my arranger DJ, we imagined an oriental Goldorak, a Celtic Goldorak, totally new arrangements. We don't touch the melody, but we change the sound universe.

It's a real work of composition, not just a simple facelift.

So you own this reinterpretation of the originals? JPS. Completely. If I start telling myself “it won't please people,” I won't do anything anymore. And Goldorak has always been a mix of cultures. Why shouldn't the music follow suit?

Meeting Go Nagai: “He thanked me for my French versions” You recently met Go Nagai, the creator of Goldorak. Tell us about it. JPS. An incredible moment. We met at the Grand Rex in Paris and he thanked me for the French covers of the theme songs. It touched me deeply.

He created a myth. I just put my voice on it. Going back to the source, fifty years later, is very powerful. Besides, I am heading to Japon at the end of February to meet him and his team. It should be a magical moment.

A busy musical agenda: singles, funk, symphonic, and tours. Goldorak occupies a major place, but your musical news goes far beyond. Can you tell us more?

JPS. Yes, I have a lot of things coming up. First, singles starting in March.

Then, a funk track I wrote in the 80s, “J'aime quand tu danses”. We completely rearranged it, with several voices, a duet... It will be released in April on all streaming platforms.

And then there is the Michel Legrand project: about fifteen tracks, a real work of interpretation with musicians, strings, brass. We will perform a major concert at the Palais Neptune on May 17.

Are you also very present on stage? JPS. Yes, we are going on tour in the Nord de la France in April, with a musical show that we had already presented in La Valette. And of course, the manga convention tour that I already mentioned.

“Goldorak is a part of me, but I continue to write what comes next” We feel that you refuse to be locked into nostalgia? JPS. Exactly.

Goldorak is part of my life, just like “besoin de rien, envie de toi” created in 1985, which I still enjoy performing on stage, but I do not want to be frozen in an era. I want to continue to create, to surprise, to offer. The remixes, the singles, the Legrand project, the concerts...

All of this is my way of saying: “Yes, I have a past, but I also have a present and a future.”

Interview conducted by Pierre BEGLIOMINI (text and photo).