“The year after Johnny’s death, in 2018, I did 187 dates. As far as near Nîmes, in the south of France. I played some weeks every day. And sometimes up to two or three gigs a day. It’s exhausting.”
A half-retirement
This semi-retirement, Alexandre (his real first name) is obliged to take it.“I’m stopping my solo concerts, so as not to have too many concerts. I had 3 malaises on stage, I don’t want to stay in the 4th.”
His solo career, he started 18 years ago. And since then, this fan and look-alike of Johnny has given almost 2000 concerts all over Wallonia but also in France. Mainly alone on stage, with recorded tapes on which he sings. But also in groups. A full band for a real Johnny Hallyday cover.
At the same time, he came up with another concept“The Old Scoundrels”, where the group replays almost identically the concert of Johnny’s Vieilles canailles with Eddy Mitchell and Jacques Dutronc. This project, he will continue it.“That makes us about fifteen dates a year, that, I can always assume.”
Secretly, he also keeps the hope of reforming a complete cover band.“But for that, we’ll see…”
Head full of memories
In the meantime, Johnny Cadillac willingly plunges back into his memories. A concert in front of 8,200 people in the parking lot of the Standard de Liège stadium. Another at the Zénith de Rouen where a room full to bursting, standing, chanting“Johnny-Johnny”… These are moments he won’t soon forget.“I will miss it for sure. But I have to think about my health.”
A Johnny look-alike retires, but there are many more left.“Yes, Johnny look-alikes, we have counted 600 of them in France and Belgium. But hey, some have the voice but not the face, and others have the face but not the voice”. Always so cash…
In a few weeks, Johnny Cadillac will give his last solo concert, in Burgundy on October 22. Before partially retiring for a well-deserved retirement. And to reappear, bit by bit, because he has music in him.
Johnny Cadillac will be in concert this Saturday August 20 at the Floreffe football ground.
