Richard Gotainer

Talented French singer/songwriter Richard Gotainer is renowned for his lively stage performances, his sharp sense of humour and his witty, ironic lyrics. From the very beginning of his career, critics have considered Gotainer as something of a 'class clown', but in fact the philosophy behind his songs is often far more serious than it appears. Half-serious, half-ambiguous and always extremely funny, Richard Gotainer is certainly a true original in the music world! Richard Gotainer was born in Paris (in the city's 12th arrondissement) on 30 March 1948. His parents, Frédérique and Georges, made a living selling furniture - indeed, the couple's business proved so successful that they were soon able to buy their own furniture shop. Richard was a happy child with a particular liking for practical jokes. Needless to say, he soon proved to be a popular pupil at the local school, where his cheerfulness and sharp sense of humour won him the class award for "good-naturedness". Richard was also an extremely creative young boy, experimenting with several artistic hobbies such as photography (for which he showed a particular talent). Richard also developed a great interest in sound and, for his 13th birthday, his parents gave him a tape recorder, which he would trail around with him wherever he went, recording various ambiences and street sounds. In his teenage years Richard began writing sketches with his close friend Jacky (who would also launch a showbiz career in later life, going on to become a well-known French press attaché and TV presenter). The pair would spend their entire summer holidays working on their gags and sketches, which, in general, made few people fall about laughing - other than themselves that is! Richard and Jacky did manage to get a few bookings on the Paris cabaret scene, although their adolescent double act failed to impress many audiences. This early stage experience was not completely wasted, however. Richard, whose lively wit and charisma made him a natural stage performer, decided that from this point on he would devote himself to launching a career in showbiz.