August 2 will mark one of the saddest anniversaries in French music. Thirty years earlier, the whole country learned of the brutal death of Michel Berger, swept away by a devastating heart attack at only 44 years old. On the occasion of this event date, Yves Bigot, journalist and author of the biography of Michel Berger, offers a new expanded edition of his story published by Editions du Seuil. This Thursday, April 28, he was on the set of C to you to talk about it with Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine and the columnists.
By welcoming his guest, the 51-year-old host spoke of the tragic disappearance of Michel Berger and the wave of sadness that ensued. What few people knew at that time was that the artist was actually “with heart disease” which he never took the time to take care of. According to Yves Bigot, the character “press” and Michel Berger’s workaholic cost him his health: “He always had 3 or 4 projects at the same time + 2 or 3 more in advance. The idea of wasting time getting treatment or even possibly being arrested did not fit into his plans at all. Especially at this time. he was at a turning point in his life and career.”
Projects have always punctuated the life of Michel Berger, a little too much according to the words of the author of his biography and close to the singer. At the time, “there was this duet album with France Gall and a tour planned for them at the start of the school year. There was the presentation in London of the English version of Starmania, it was his dream to present it on Broadway and in the West End in London“.
In addition to the professional aspect, Michel Berger’s daily life was also jostled by private concerns: “There was another parallel love story [avec Béatrice Grimm, ndlr] which complicates things. And what also complicated things a lot was the disease [mucoviscidose, ndlr] of Pauline, the daughter of Michel and France whom he knew would soon die.” According to Yves Bigot, all of these worries could only hasten his death: “He really was under absolutely incredible pressure when he disappeared.“His body won’t have taken it.