Long-time collaborators include trumpeter Mark Isham; guitarist Lone Kent; cellist and singer Caroline Lavelle; trumpeter Christian Lechevretel, who has appeared on all of Zazou's albums after Sahara Blue; clarinetist and flutist Renaud Pion, who has appeared on all of Zazou's albums since Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses; drummer Bill Rieflin; and Japanese recording artist Ryuichi Sakamoto.
His discography demonstrates his affinity for cross-cultural collaborations, and incorporating modern techniques and sounds in re-recordings of traditional material. He was influenced by Peter Gabriel's album Passion in his fusion of musical polarities (traditional and modern, electronic and acoustic) on his own album Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses.
Zazou regards his work during the 1980s as his time of apprenticeship in the studio. On his 1986 album, Reivax au Bongo, he experimented with fusing classical vocals with an electronic backdrop. On his 1989 album, Géologies, he combined electronic music with a string quartet.
The albums that he has released under his own name from the 1990s onwards are usually concept albums that draw from literary or folk sources and revolve around a specific theme. The collection of songs on each album assemble contributions from a diverse and global range of pop, folk, world music, avant-garde, and classical recording acts.
Zazou's 1992 offering, Sahara Blue, was based on an idea by Jacques Pasquier. Pasquier suggested Zazou commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of author Arthur Rimbaud by setting music to Rimbaud's poetry. Contributions included spoken word from Gérard Depardieu, and music by Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerard of Dead Can Dance, Tim Simenon, and David Sylvian. He even adapted a traditional Ethiopian song.
In 1994, he released the album Chansons des mers froides (called "Songs from the Cold Seas" for the anglophone market). The album was based on ocean-themed traditional folk songs from northern countries, such as Canada, Finland, Iceland, and Japan. It featured vocals by pop and rock artists such as Björk, Suzanne Vega, John Cale, Värttina, Jane Siberry, and Siouxsie Sioux in addition to recordings of shamanic incantations and lullabies from Ainu, Nanai, Inuit, and Yakut singers. Musicians included Mark Isham, Brendan Perry, and the Balanescu Quartet. A cameraman accompanied Zazou on the project and they shot and recorded in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Japan, Scandinavia, and Siberia. The single "The Long Voyage" was the only song to be an original composition from Zazou. He wrote it in gratitude to his record company Sony who gave him complete artistic liberty.
His 1998 album, Lights in the Dark, showcased ancient Celtic music sung by Irish singers.
Zazou's collaborative 2000 album 12 (Las Vegas is Cursed) with Sandy Dillon was regarded as a financial and critical failure. In the book "Sonora Portraits 2", which accompanies the CD Strong Currents, Zazou says that 12 (Las Vegas is Cursed) was his most elaborate album. He describes it as a work of black humour and regards his instrumental composition "Sombre" on the album as one of his best songs ever.
Strong Currents was released in 2003 and featured an all-female vocal cast which included Laurie Anderson, Melanie Gabriel, Lori Carson, Lisa Germano, Irene Grandi, Jane Birkin, and Caroline Lavelle. Musicians included Ryuichi Sakamoto and Archaea Strings. The album took six years to complete.
In 2004 Zazou released a companion CD of sorts, L'absence, which included instrumentals, many of the same female vocalists that were featured on Strong Currents, and one male vocalist, French singer Edo.
Zazou has recently been a member of the musical collective named Slow Music. The line-up also included Robert Fripp and Peter Buck on guitars, Fred Chalenor on bass, Matt Chamberlain on drums, and Bill Rieflin on keyboards and percussion. He contributed electronics to the group's music, and much of his recent work, including a soundtrack for Carl Théodor Dreyer's silent film La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc and the multimedia collaboration released as a CD in 2006, Quadri+Chromies, has focused on electronic sounds produced on computers.
A number of recent projects are documented on the Music Operator interactive multimedia web site (www.musicoperator.com), which graphically documents his recent collaborations while in the background his recent music plays. In january 2008 Hector Zazou released his newest album, Corps électriques, featuring "one of the original riot grrrls" KatieJane Garside, Bill Rieflin, Lone Kent and fusion jazz trumpeter Nils Petter Molvær.
Hector Zazou died on the 8th of September 2008 at the age of 60 in a hospital in Paris after serious illness.
Victim Of Stars
Hector Zazou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lights tiny arrows pierce the moon
I turned the tallow in the hand of sleep
A victim of stars for want of a room
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound
Hungry heart in a house of bread
Stoned in anger at the garden fence
Hung from elms and shot with lead
A victim of stars without defense
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound
In Hector Zazou's song Victim of Stars, the lyrics tell the story of someone who feels lost, wandering through life without a clear direction or purpose. The first verse paints a picture of confusion, where words are "blinded" and the singer feels like they are being bombarded by a barrage of arrows from the world around them. They are desperately searching for a safe place to rest, but are unable to find it, becoming a "victim of stars" - a metaphor for someone who is caught in the vastness of the universe without any guidance.
The second verse continues this theme of confusion and frustration, as the singer describes feeling like a "hungry heart in a house of bread." They are surrounded by abundance, but unable to make sense of it or find satisfaction. They are also weighed down by anger and regret, feeling like they have been "shot with lead" - a metaphor for feeling trapped or defeated. Despite these challenges, however, the singer still finds a glimmer of hope in the beauty of music, which lifts them up and brings them a sense of wonder and amazement.
Overall, Victim of Stars is a powerful statement about the human condition, and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that can be overwhelming and confusing. Through its haunting lyrics and ethereal melody, it speaks to the universal human experience of searching for meaning and connection in a vast and sometimes bewildering universe.
Line by Line Meaning
Words are blinded and the bows released
Despite the expressive power of words, they can sometimes fail us. We can be left defenceless and overwhelmed when those words no longer communicate the intended message.
Lights tiny arrows pierce the moon
Sometimes it feels like we are a small target in a vast universe, constantly being bombarded with challenges that we must overcome.
I turned the tallow in the hand of sleep
Exhausted and overburdened, we may try to find solace and rest in the small pleasures of life, even as our worries and responsibilities continue to haunt us.
A victim of stars for want of a room
Feeling displaced and disconnected from the world around us, we may find ourselves struggling to find a place to belong amidst the vast expanse of the cosmos.
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Despite feeling lost and alone, music can be a powerful tool to help us navigate the turbulent waters of life.
Astonished
The sheer wonder and amazement that comes with discovering something new or seeing something in a different light.
Absolutely spellbound
Being completely captivated by something, unable to look away or think of anything else.
Hungry heart in a house of bread
Despite being surrounded by abundance and opportunity, we may still find ourselves longing for more than what we have. Our hunger is not always for physical sustenance, but for emotional and spiritual nourishment as well.
Stoned in anger at the garden fence
Frustration and anger can build up within us until we feel like we are trapped and unable to break free. We may find ourselves lashing out at those around us, even when they are not deserving of our wrath.
Hung from elms and shot with lead
Feeling victimized by the world around us, we may feel like we are being punished for things that are beyond our control. We may feel like we are being persecuted for simply being who we are.
A victim of stars without defense
Feeling helpless and at the mercy of forces beyond our control, we can sometimes feel like we are adrift in a vast and uncaring universe, unable to fend for ourselves.
Contributed by Landon K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
sleepless4truth
Words are blinded and the bows released
lights tiny arrows pierce the moon
I turned the tallow in the hand of sleep
A victim of stars for want of a room
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound
A hungry heart in the house of bread
stoned in anger at the garden fence
Hung from elms and shot with lead
A victim of stars without defence
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound.
Popiastral
I’m still in love with this version
how could i to do to make it better ?
Nikolas Telson
amazing!!! the sax sound is tripping...
sleepless4truth
Words are blinded and the bows released
lights tiny arrows pierce the moon
I turned the tallow in the hand of sleep
A victim of stars for want of a room
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound
A hungry heart in the house of bread
stoned in anger at the garden fence
Hung from elms and shot with lead
A victim of stars without defence
I raised the boat in a sea of sound
Astonished
Absolutely spellbound.
Paul Williams
Brilliant, well done. The video is perfect for the song.
Hans Orff
This is magnificent.
rahngrial
excelente video,me encanta todo el Sahara Blue pero esta cancion es mi favotita y como no...David Sylvian
Isac120in
Absolutamente bello
newcagliostro
very beautiful song, i've never heard before/
nightporter2005
Wonderful!
goldenpollen
a gem. from 2:45 on it starts blowing away my mind. thanx a lot, ghostsonatasong,j