Jane & Serge. A Family Album from Amazon: "The highly public love affair of French singer-songwriter Serge Gainsbourg and British actress Jane Birkin captured the hearts and imaginations of a generation. The moment Jane and Serge met on a movie set in 1968, sparks flew. They would spend the next 12 years together, a passionate union that produced the controversial duet "Je t’aime... moi non plus" (whose explicit lyrics and orgasmic moans caused so much fuss that the Vatican declared it offensive) and, in 1971, the legendary album Melody Nelson as well as a daughter, Charlotte, who has become a successful actress in her own right. From the earliest days of Jane and Serge's romance until their split in 1980, Jane’s brother Andrew Birkin was a frequent presence in their lives; an avid photographer, he snapped thousands of candid family photos during those years. Birkin’s pictures—very few of which have ever been published—offer a rare view of daily life for the couple, bringing us back to a place and time we have long idolized. Though more than 30 years have passed since the two parted ways, and over two decades since Serge parted from this world, the passion for Jane and Serge has endured. This treasure trove is sure to fan the flames of its undying embers."
Transport yourself back in time with Serge and Jane at the Eiffel Tower as they film their pop hit, Je T'Aime... Moi Non Plus. Gainsbourg recorded the song in 1967 with Brigitte Bardot, but it wasn't released until the 1980s. The 1969 version below captured the heat of his relationship with Birkin.
More from Amazon about the new book: "Designed by M/M (Paris), the photo album comes in a clear plastic cover with the following goodies tucked inside: Text booklet featuring an introduction by Jane Birkin and Andrew Birkin’s memoir of Jane and Serge, illustrated by Birkin family childhood photos, Softcover contact sheet booklet, Fold-out poster, 5 photo prints, Sticker sheet, Embroidered patch." Taschen page here.
In related news, Bikin's only daughter with James Bond composer John Barry sadly passed away yesterday in Paris. Bikin was married to Barry from 1965-1968 before becoming Gainsbourg's partner from 1968-1980.
The spirit of Jane and Serge has been channeled in recent years by Sean Lennon and his partner Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The Pop couple has recorded Serge covers, performed at the Gainsbourg tribute concert in Hollywood in 2011, and even appeared in an erotic S&M photographic spread based on Jane and Serge- a new level of Bondage for Spy Vibe! Below: vintage fashion (with kinky boots).
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Recent Spy Vibe posts: The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, Pete Seeger nominated for Grammy, Kraftwerk returns to US, Beatles BBC on Fresh Air, Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman, The Prisoner and Captain Scarlet, HMV returns to Oxford st w Beatles promo, Diego Fortunato and Verner Panton, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute.