Living in Paris as a young kid, I was into Francoise Hardy and Johnny Hallyday before I’d even heard of The Beatles. Along with Sylvie Vartan and Serge Gainsbourg, these were my rock and roll heroes. And for those of you who think the French can’t rock, check out these videos of an intense Hallyday performing “Je N’ai Pas Voulu Croire’  live in 1969 and covering Hendrix’s version of “Hey Joe” in 2006. Hendrix actually opened for Hallyday in Paris in 1966.

The older Hallyday gets the cooler he gets. He looks absolutely dangerous in the 2006 performance which is probably one of the reasons, along with his fine acting skills, he’s been getting cast as gangsters in recent films.

In a fist fight between Nick Cave and Hallyday, my money’s on Johnny.

Happy Bastille Day and don’t fuck with Johnny Hallyday!
 

 
Hallyday and Hendrix in 1966.