FEATURES - JEAN MICHEL JARRE: CNES MAG INTERVIEW (2009)
JEAN MICHEL JARRE: CNES MAG INTERVIEW - ISSUE #41 (APRIL 2009)
Interview by Brigitte Thomas (CNES)
Kindly licensed to JARRE UK by Luc Moliner (CNES).
JEAN-MICHEL JARRE
Astronomy’s Ambassador
Jean-Michel Jarre’s hypnotic electroacoustic music awakens visions and creates worlds of sci-fi inspired sound. His mega-concerts have made him the voice of planet-wide causes. Passionate about space, he was MC for the official launch of the International Year of Astronomy, at UNESCO’s request. With an asteroid named after him (4422 Jarre), he could hardly refuse. In this capacity, he is planning a concert in the Canary Islands for the inauguration of the GTC telescope on La Palma.
How has space inspired you musically?
Without space, there’s no music. It’s the only mode of expression that depends on space. Sound travels from instrument to ear. The vibrations produced by a musician are determined by the quality of that space. For me, they’re totally linked. My music is often perceived as an interpretation of outer space, whereas I’d situate it between sky and earth, in a sort of ‘vital space’. Electronic music carries with it a whole mythology inspired by sci-fi and astonomy, which I love. What’s more, my musical career has longstanding associations with space.
Where does that influence come from?
From my grandfather, who was a scientist, inventor and amateur astronomer. He showed me telescopes as a child and explained how astronomy is like archaeology, since you’re seeing what no longer exists. By observing the stars, you’re actually peering back through time. Astronomy conveys some paradoxical notions, like future-oriented space exploration and the heavens as old as time. It’s an irony of fate…today, more than ever, we need to step back and get some perspective on what we’ve become.
And how has space influenced your career?
I did a concert in Houston to mark 25 years of NASA. It was the first time they’d been involved in a cultural event. The CD and laserdisc were the big thing at the time. One idea was to project a laser beam to the Moon and use the distance between Earth and its natural satellite to create a musical channel…ultimately unachievable. NASA astronaut Ronald McNair was a saxophonist. So another idea was a live performance of the sax part of Rendez-Vous VI from orbit. Prior to the concert, however, Ronald and his fellow crew members were tragically killed in the Challenger space shuttle disaster. I also played in Moscow to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the city. Live from the Mir space station, a cosmonaut danced to Equinoxe…for an audience of three million people.
What led you to accept the role as Goodwill Ambassador for IYA09?
Conviction. In the last 40 years, our vision for the future has become considerably narrower and more shortsighted. After the first lunar landing, we had epic ideas about exploring the cosmos. 2001 was before us, anything was possible. But with 2001 now behind us, our vision for the future has been reduced to ecology. Our future has been confined to our planet, as if we’re simply the next generation of dinosaurs destined to perish. We seem to forget that our planet only exists in relation to the system that surrounds it. That’s why astronomy is so important…it helps us understand Earth in the context of the Universe. Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy is more vital than ever, particularly with the younger generations. Methane from cow emissions isn’t going to change Earth’s destiny. It’s arrogant to believe that we alone can decide the future of our planet.
What message are you promoting under the UNESCO banner?
I’ve been a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for 15 years. UNESCO is the only UN agency involved in education, science and culture. In this capacity, I use my work to promote certain messages in the public realm. For example, the 12 Dreams of the Sun show in Egypt to celebrate the new millennium was organized after the terrorist attacks in Luxor, when the country needed to restore its image to the world and its own people. Similarly, I was in Morocco two years ago to underline the vital importance of potable water. For IYA, I’m planning a concert in the Canaries this summer for the inauguration of the GTC telescope on La Palma, in association with Queen guitarist Brian May. The stage design will be based on drawings by children from each continent, illustrating their vision of the cosmos.
JARRE UK Would Like To Thank Luc Moliner (CNES) For This Information.
