Laurent Pardo
Encyclopedia
Laurent Pardo is a French bass guitarist, violoncellist, and background singer. He is best known for playing in the rock band of US-singer Elliott Murphy
.
' classic punk anthem Anarchy In The UK. Apart from these activities, Pardo frequently tries out different creative paths. While his tentative excursions into singing lead with the Normandy All Stars (when performing without Murphy) were not enduring, the well-read Pardo has made himself a name in Normandy's literary circles by participating in readings and enriching the presented texts with an empathetic and very personal self-taught way of playing the cello.
Laurent Pardo embodies the "humble bassist" par excellence, never pushing to the front but providing a strong foundation for virtuoso Durand's extravaganzas as well as adding subtlety and variety to Murphy's straight melody lines. His stage persona is shaped after the classic "solid rock" character as developed by Bill Wyman
of The Rolling Stones
or John Entwistle
of The Who
. With the guitarists constantly moving and changing position, Pardo stands motionless most of the time, his stoic face only now and then giving away a reluctant smile. His visual style and his reputation of being the ladies' man in the band have led to numerous popular nicknames, like "Le Gentleman", "Hot Lips Pardo", "Grand Chef Sitting Red Bull", or simply "The Leader". The latter arose from what must be regarded a strange curiosity within Pardo's career, the so-called "Pardo the leader" myth which started to spread in 2007. Based either on miscommunication or on a prank, it insinuated that Pardo was in fact the composer and arranger of all of the band's recent output, serving as the musical ghostwriter for an artistically declined Elliott Murphy. Though hardly anyone believed the story for more than a short time, it is still a frequent topic among fans, like the "Paul is dead
" urban legend among Beatles
followers.
Elliott Murphy
Elliott James Murphy is an American rock singer-songwriter, novelist, producer and journalist living in Paris.-Biography:Elliott James Murphy, Jr. was born in Rockville Centre, New York to a show business family...
.
Career
Pardo emerged on the French rock music scene in 1977 with Bruno Lefaivre's highschool band Tush. After learning the trade and refining his technique with regional favorites like The Jury, Lokito Skabo, or Fata Morgana, as well as with the nationwide acclaimed acts Mister Moonlight, Gul de Boa, and, most notably, Kid Pharaon, he finally assumed international status by joining the Paris-based US-American singer-songwriter Elliott Murphy in late 2005. As the bass player of Murphy's backing group The Normandy All Stars (the other two members being guitar wizard Olivier Durand and Alan Fatras on drums) he has toured large parts of Europe and, in 2009 and 2010, the east coast of the United States. He is featured on three of Murphy's studio albums and can be heard and seen on the CD/DVD-set Alive In Paris. Occasionally, Pardo reunites with former Mister Moonlight members and affiliates for concerts and recordings, like the highly original 2010 country rendition of the Sex PistolsSex Pistols
The Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
' classic punk anthem Anarchy In The UK. Apart from these activities, Pardo frequently tries out different creative paths. While his tentative excursions into singing lead with the Normandy All Stars (when performing without Murphy) were not enduring, the well-read Pardo has made himself a name in Normandy's literary circles by participating in readings and enriching the presented texts with an empathetic and very personal self-taught way of playing the cello.
Laurent Pardo embodies the "humble bassist" par excellence, never pushing to the front but providing a strong foundation for virtuoso Durand's extravaganzas as well as adding subtlety and variety to Murphy's straight melody lines. His stage persona is shaped after the classic "solid rock" character as developed by Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
or John Entwistle
John Entwistle
John Alec Entwistle was an English bass guitarist, songwriter, singer, horn player, and film and record producer who was best known as the bass player for the rock band The Who. His aggressive lead sound influenced many rock bass players...
of The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
. With the guitarists constantly moving and changing position, Pardo stands motionless most of the time, his stoic face only now and then giving away a reluctant smile. His visual style and his reputation of being the ladies' man in the band have led to numerous popular nicknames, like "Le Gentleman", "Hot Lips Pardo", "Grand Chef Sitting Red Bull", or simply "The Leader". The latter arose from what must be regarded a strange curiosity within Pardo's career, the so-called "Pardo the leader" myth which started to spread in 2007. Based either on miscommunication or on a prank, it insinuated that Pardo was in fact the composer and arranger of all of the band's recent output, serving as the musical ghostwriter for an artistically declined Elliott Murphy. Though hardly anyone believed the story for more than a short time, it is still a frequent topic among fans, like the "Paul is dead
Paul Is Dead
"Paul is dead" is an urban legend suggesting that Paul McCartney of the English rock band The Beatles died in 1966 and was secretly replaced by a look-alike....
" urban legend among Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
followers.
LP- and CD-Discography
(incomplete)- 1988 Precious Time with Mister Moonlight
- 1988 Hands (2LP) with Kid Pharaon
- 1988 Circles On Me (EP/MCD) with Kid Pharaon
- 1989 Lullaby with Mister Moonlight
- 1991 Deep Sleep with Kid Pharaon Merry Go Round
- 1994 Live June 16 with Mister Moonlight
- 1999 Prenez place dans mon bain with Gul de Boa
- 2003 Un petit monde with Fata Morgana
- 2004 The Crossing with The Jury
- 2007 Coming Home Again with Elliott Murphy
- 2008 Notes From The Underground with Elliott Murphy
- 2009 Alive In Paris (CD/DVD-set) with Elliott Murphy
- 2010 High Lonesomes with Johan Asherton
- 2010 God save the Sex Pistols (compilation) with Mister Moonlight
- 2010 Elliott Murphy with Elliott Murphy
- 2011 Just For One Day - KinkFM 2 Meter Sessie (7 track mini album) with Elliott Murphy