1984: Isabelle and I get married
1999: We take over La Fabrique together
2014: 30 years of marriage and 15 years devoted to the magic mill
«My life is so inseparable from my wife’s that I can hardly talk about myself as a single individual. There have been several high points in our life together: the births of our two children and of several life projects centred on the world of music. It was together that we started our recording studio Gimmick, near Paris. Some of the big names in Jazz and French chanson used to record there – vinyls and CDs. Fifteen years went by and then Pierre Bergé chose us to take care of the Panigel collection and La Fabrique, the mill that houses it, in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. It’s the work of a lifetime, or rather several lifetimes! As guardians of the temple we look after some 200,000 items including discs, films and books. Seventy tons in all! Protecting them is not always easy, it takes patience and commitment, but it’s always a source of immense pleasure.
From music library to recording studio
The Fabrique is now a force to be reckoned with in music circles. It hosts artistes in residence, who live every instant of their music with us. They compose, write, rehearse and record here. Our studio is technically and acoustically at the cutting edge and the place itself, a 19th-century mill, seems to inspire the residents: they say themselves that the records they make here are among their best! Well-known artistes from all over the world bring musical wealth and diversity. It all makes for magical encounters! Fifteen years more, and thousands of discs to make and listen to. La Fabrique sails on through ups and downs. Among other things this year, we are launching the Cercle des Amateurs de Disques, with musical readings, a radio, concerts and more, all in line with Panigel’s legacy. Let the music play!
By Valérie Rouger
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