Gilles Bertin (25 March 1961 – 7 November 2019) was a French bassist and singer, and a member of the punk band Camera Silens from 1981 to 1986. Gilles Bertin took part in a bank robbery in Toulouse on 27 April 1988, where nearly 12 million francs were stolen. Gilles Bertin went on the run for 28 years before handing himself in to police.
Camera Silens was a French punk rock/Oi! (with also some reggae and rhythm & blues influences) from Bordeaux formed in 1981, stopped in 1988.
Line up:
1981-1982 : Gilles Bertin (bass, vocals) – Benoît Destriau (guitar) – Philippe Schneiberger (drums)
1983 : Benoît Destriau (guitar, vocals) – Eric Ferrer (bass) – Nicolas Mouriesse (drums)
1984-1985 : Benoît Destriau (guitar) – Gilles Bertin (vocals) – Eric Ferrer (bass) – Bruno Cornet (drums)
1986-1988 : Benoît Destriau (guitar, vocals) – Eric Ferrer (bass) – Bruno Cornet (drums) – François Borne (saxophone)
Born in Paris on 25 March 1961, Gilles Bertin moved to Bordeaux with his parents as a teenager. In Bordeaux, he founded the punk band Camera Silens as a bassist and a singer. The band enjoyed significant success in the French punk rock scene. After he became a drug addict and tested seropositive, he fell into delinquency.
On 27 April 1988, Bertin participated in a robbery on the Toulouse department of Brink's along with a dozen other robbers, after two years of preparation. The group stole 11,571,316 francs, despite never firing a shot. To this day, most of the loot has never been found. After police launched "Operation Sangria", all participants of the robbery were arrested within two years, except for Bertin. He fled to Spain, and then later, Portugal while running a record shop dedicated to alternative rock. In 1995, Bertin fell ill with AIDS, but survived thanks to tritherapy. In 2000, he returned to Barcelona and worked in a bar owned by his family while living under several identities.
On 26 November 2016, Bertin returned to France to face justice. His trial began on 6 June 2018, and he faced 20 years imprisonment. However, Bertin was only sentenced to five years with suspension, after the prosecution cited "good conduct."
In February 2019, Bertin published an autiobiography, titled Trente ans de cavale, ma vie de punk with the publisher Éditions Robert Laffont.
On 7 November 2019, Gilles Bertin succumbed to AIDS after spending several weeks in a coma. He was 58.
Sans sursis
Camera Silens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Commencent une autre vie
Cette histoire c'est la vôtre
Et c'est pas une plaidoirie
C'est à croire qu'il vaut mieux oublier
Que de l'autre côté c'est ça la liberté
Enfermés sans sursis
Encore fallait-il jouer
S'en foutent, c'est pas leur vie
Mais c'est chacun son tour
Bientôt il sera l'heure
Même que ça vaudra le détour
De s'en aller voir ailleurs.
The verses of Sans sursis by Camera Silens seem to be discussing the concept of moving on from one phase of life to the next. They suggest that everyone eventually "begins another life" and that each person's individual story is worth acknowledging. However, the lyrics simultaneously convey a sense of disillusionment with society and its injustices. It seems that the singer believes that it's sometimes easier to forget about these injustices and move on, even though doing so limits true freedom.
The lyrics also mention being trapped without parole, which could be interpreted as a reference to incarceration or some other form of confinement. The idea of being trapped continue with the line "Encore fallait‐il jouer" ("Still had to play"), which implies a sense of manipulation or coercion that further restricts one's autonomy. Despite all of these challenges, the chorus suggests that each person will eventually have their turn to move on in life, and that doing so will be worth the effort.
Overall, Sans sursis seems to be a commentary on the complexities of life and society. It acknowledges the difficulties that people face but ultimately suggests that moving on and starting anew is something to be respected and embraced.
Line by Line Meaning
Les uns après les autres
One after the other
Commencent une autre vie
Begins a new life
Cette histoire c'est la vôtre
This story is yours
Et c'est pas une plaidoirie
And it's not a plea
C'est à croire qu'il vaut mieux oublier
It's better to forget
Que de l'autre côté c'est ça la liberté
Than on the other side, that's freedom
La donne était truquée
The game was rigged
Enfermés sans sursis
Locked up without reprieve
Encore fallait-il jouer
But you still had to play
S'en foutent, c'est pas leur vie
They don't care, it's not their life
Mais c'est chacun son tour
But it's everyone's turn
Bientôt il sera l'heure
Soon it will be time
Même que ça vaudra le détour
Even that will be worth the detour
De s'en aller voir ailleurs
To go see somewhere else
Contributed by Jayden A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Olivier Therondel
Voici le texte de SANS SURSIS avec Gilles BERTIN au chant
Les uns après les autres
Commencent une autre vie
Cette histoire c'est la vôtre
Et c'est pas une plaidoirie
C'est à croire qu'il vaut mieux oublier
Que de l'autre côté c'est ça la liberté
La donne était truquée
Enfermés sans sursis
Encore fallait-il jouer
S'en foutent, c'est pas leur vie
Mais c'est chacun son tour
Bientôt il sera l'heure
Même que ça vaudra le détour
De s'en aller voir ailleurs.
Phil Roz
Le montage photo est à féliciter . Bravo pour son auteur et merci pour l'hommage rendu à Caméra Silens ,on n'oublie pas !!!
jacinta.la_viuda
Rest in Punk & Power, <3 Gilles BERTIN
fran girl
Bonne époque merci du partage.
Valeria González
Me entristece que esté en francés porque no la puedo cantar:'(
Milouin25
Ma jeunesse!!
Fabien Gérard
On ne peut pas oublier Gilles, ni caméra silens!!
cazenave patrick
gilles toujours sans sursis...mais pour 5 ans..oi. siouxie
silver sons
Salut je suis le créateur de la page Facebook de camera silens et ami d'un menbre du groupe je recherche des photos pour ma page souhaiterai tu m'en envoyé eft je suis permis de mettre ta vidéo sur ma page elle est très bien faite merci de ta réponse à bientôt
silver sons
Camera silens est sur Facebook