On the occasion of the ROCKIN’1000 event, during which 1000 amateur musicians will play at the Stade de France, Philippe Manoeuvre, sponsor of the concert, details how the return of the gathering will take place, and takes the opportunity to take stock of this kind that never dies.
How did you join the ROCKIN’1000 adventure?
I had heard of the great success of the event in Italy, of these musicians who had challenged the Foo Fighters to come and play in their room. The group had said “bravo, it’s great”, because they are in total rupture with the image of rock of the 1960s-70s, they like the initiatives of the fans. When I was offered to present this concert at the Stade de France I was a little worried all the same, my first reaction was to say “I’m not Jean-Louis Aubert”, I didn’t understand how many people they wanted put in the room. The organizers of the Stade de France were aiming for 30,000 people for the premiere, I signed up and the big surprise was that 50,000 people came on June 29, 2019.
What memories do you have of this first edition?
There was a small miracle that happened. The show was absolutely perfect, the musicians had rehearsed so much that the Italians were amazed. So we wanted to start again right away, but there was the Covid which blocked us for two years in a row. It was both difficult even if it was understandable, it didn’t depend on us. All artists from all countries were biding their time, whether it was Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga or ROCKIN’1000.
A small miracle happened during the first edition, the show was perfect.
We could have done a second edition but only with 5000 spectators, so bringing together 1000 musicians for 5000 spectators was not even worth it… The Covid cut our wings but this year we are going to be the first big show at the Stadium of France. After that, it’s going to be a parade with the Red Hot Chilli Pepper, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga… The concert halls have finally found the live, and it’s a bit of the show industry’s truth serum. We will have many guests!
There will be M!
Yes, who is going to do guitar solos, he’s a great great great French rock guitarist. There will also be Richard Kolinka from Telephone and Insus, who will play the drums on “Another world”. He will be alone with his drums on the central stage and he will set the tempo for 216 drummers. There will be a lot of French rock this year.
The musicians came from all over France, how did the selection go?
We had 4000 applications for this edition. They send us demo tapes where they play the song they want with their instrument. Sometimes you get bass players who have five-string basses and play an amazing Alicia Keys song. Me at the beginning I said to myself “wow it’s incredible we’ll take all the guys like that”, but the Italians said to me “no, rock is not a virtuoso’s music, it’s also a music from guys who can play four chords, we don’t need super-sublime people”. If we had 1000 perfect people it wouldn’t be a rock band.
It’s quite rare to highlight amateur musicians!
Yes I even think that it is a bit of a unique case. Amateur musicians sometimes have the opportunity to get the first part of a prestigious group, when the group accepts. But it doesn’t often happen that way. There we have a human adventure. All these musicians have radically different professions, there are carers, doctors, postmen, SNCF drivers… We have people from all social backgrounds, that’s what’s beautiful.
This music will live as long as people play it.
It’s almost cosmic! And they will be able to play all the rock classics: Telephone, Rolling Stone, Ed Zeppelin, Springsteen, Bowie, Queen… Everyone understands the message well: this music will live as long as people play it.
What is “being rock” today?
It’s playing this music, loving it, listening to it, practicing it. Rock just needs little soldiers fighting for it. There was an incredible moment during the first concert: we played “Seven nation army” by the White Stripes, and when the song stopped the stadium began to sing the chorus and then sing it at the top of our lungs. And the musicians, without anyone asking them, started playing again, as if it were one and the same group. Rock gives rise to exchange, communication. It simply gives strength!
What does the Stade de France represent for you? Do you have any special memories?
I saw the Rolling Stones there a number of times, Johnny Halliday, Metallica and AC/CD… It’s a place I like to go, where I saw spectacular performances, very rare moments . As Mike Jagger said the first time he took the stage: “Welcome to the stadium of world champions.”
Today, who are the best rock ambassadors?
Classic rock we still have our champions: Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan… At the youth level we have Måneskin, more Italians (laughs). And then you also have to see the incredible vitality of the metal. There we are going to play songs from Rage Against the Machine, AC/DC… I went to see Ghost at Bercy a week ago, people are ecstatic, we see new superstars arriving. Rock is reinventing itself.
You are often nicknamed Mr. rock, do you like it or are you tired of it?
Oh no no problem, me as long as there’s rock (laughs)! Workmen who were cleaning up the building even called me simply “the rock”! I heard “we should go ask the rock”, I wondered what they were talking about, then suddenly they knock on my tiles. So since then I try to hold myself well (laughs).
Are you optimistic for the future, for this summer?
Sure ! The pandemic, I think it is behind us. An American clairvoyant had predicted that a pandemic was going to fall on us and suddenly disappear, that’s kind of what is happening. I had created controversy on the set of C à Vous, when I said that the Americans did not see how the shows would return before 2022, at the time we thought it was crazy but ultimately it is a bit what is come !
Are there any concerts that you are particularly looking forward to?
I’m gonna go to Hellfest and see the Rolling Stones. They are back this summer for two concerts in France! I can’t wait to see them again, and this time I’m taking my kids for the first time, my 10 year old son and my 5 year old daughter. The last time my boy was too small and my daughter was not born but that’s it, it’s the age of rock! Even though my son prefers the Beatles, but nobody’s perfect (laughs), I’m going to try to change that.
ROCKIN1000, May 14, 2022 at 9 p.m. Spectator prices: from €29. Tickets available on the Stadefrance.com website and the usual networks