Belgian Roger Jouret, aka Plastic Bertrand, had been singer and drummer with also-rans Hubble Bubble before a fortuitous meeting with producer and songwriter Lou Deprijck. The resultant Ça Plane Pour Moi single hit No 8 on the UK charts in May 1978, though its follow-up, a cover of The Small Faces’ Sha-La-La- La-Lee, stalled at No 39.
Much legal wrangling over whether the early material was actually sung by Deprijck or Bertrand has ensued, but the latter has continued to carve out a career on the back of it. 1978 also saw the release of Bertrand’s surprisingly strong debut album, AN 1. The staccato new wave workout Le Petit Tortillard opens the show, followed by the faux-angst of Bambino and the pleasantly lightweight reggae of Naif-Song. Elsewhere, there’s the harder-edged Pognon Pognon, with its X-Ray Spex-style saxophone, that urgent, snare-driven Small Faces cover and, of course, Ça Plane. Whatever the punk police say, it’s impossible to hear the latter without a dopey grin spreading across your face.
