DDY Working With Eric LaPointe

[styxfanNH]

This was on Styxland

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Here is a translation of another article that was published this morning in the Journal de Montréal. They give a song title.

Enjoy! Sorry for the lame translation LOL

Kim
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Like children in a candy store… but perfectionists
By: Pascale Lévesque
Journal de Montréal

If the love story between Quebec and the music of Dennis DeYoung is lasting since years and years, it is becoming even more so since 2 days with our own rock star Eric Lapointe.

“The only place where he gets recognize when walking on the streets is in Montreal, and I think that is why Dennis DeYoung chose a Montreal artist to record a duet with him”, says Eric Lapointe who’s been working in the ex-leader of Styx’s studio in Chicago.

The story began, as we told in yesterday’s edition, when the record label DEP sent copies of albums of their artists to the star.

“I liked Eric for his voice. Especially on his live album “N’importe quoi” and the single “Marie Stone”, says Mr. DeYoung.

The first meeting took place last Tuesday. “When I got my first guitar at age 9, there were two songs that everybody wanted to play and those were “Stairway To Heaven” and “Suite Madame Blue”, explains Lapointe.

Always in his life

While he was never a groupie, Lapointe made it clear from the beginning. “The first thing I told him was that as far as I can remember, he was always a part of my life. That being said, we could move on and speak equal to equal, like two artists” says the artist who admits to never have thought that he would have to translate one of Dennis DeYoung’s text, let alone help him with his pronunciation in French… moreover, never did he thing he would give his opinion on the other songs on the album due out next Spring.

Simple, nice and respectful, the international star made everything is his power to make sure Eric felt at ease. He opened the doors of his domain in the Chicago suborns with two magnificent grand pianos, one to the left, one to the right.

“It’s on this one that I wrote “Suite Madame Blue”… and on the other, I wrote “Babe”, he told Eric.

Before starting to work, the two men exchanged on their careers and their methods of work. Just like that time when Eric opened for Styx at Parc des Iles in Montreal in 1996.

Perfect harmony

But, Dennis and Eric have a very different lifestyle: the first doesn’t drink or smoke, that says a lot. Despite their differences, they still are able to get along like two kids in a candy store, and they are both perfectionists.

"One Hundred Years From Tomorrow", is the song that DeYoung thought would fit best for a duet with Eric. “It puts the vocal harmonies up front and that is how we decided to sing it”, says DeYoung.

During the last month spent in Turks and Caïkos, Eric stayed in touch with Dennis. The two singers-songwriters exchanged English version (for M. DeYoung) and French version for Eric.

And then…

In Chicago, after having discussed their career paths, the two musicians sat together at the piano in order to get to know each other better, on a technical point as much as on a personal level.

The work in studio gave many versions of “One Hundred Years From Now”, including one in which Dennis sings the lyrics in French and Eric sings the ones in English. It is this version that will be released in Canada as the first single of the album.

Eric Lapointe comes back to the country today, but the work on the single “One Hundred Years From Now” is not over. The two artists will put their final touches in their respective studios.

[Jodes]

That is Eric Lapointe's first single from his new CD, not Dennis's..

[Ash]

I've heard the first half of this song (in demo form) and it's fucking awesome. I hope it's on Dennis record tho... because he had a very encouraging version of it going.