I went to London to buy him a jacket with zippers pierced with safety pins in Malcolm McLaren’s shop, the manager of the Sex Pistols. When I returned from vacation, three weeks after the album’s release, he was number one everywhere. Lou De Prijcke

The Belgian Roger Jouret (mother was Ukrainian) was first drummer in Hubble Bubble before being asked by producer Lou De Prijcke to front a band doing a song he had written in the studio influenced by the current punk scene. Elton Motello's version of it 'Jet Boy Jet Girl & Pogo Pogo' had much more riskier lyrics so it now had changed French lyrics by producer Lacomblez and under the name Plastic Bertrand. Plastic also released another single 'Sha La La La Lee' again with Elton Motello's music and went on to do four albums.

By purist rules, its not allowed to even mention Plastic Bertrand. Yet this record was probably a lot better than a lot of so called punk records.  Joe Strummer Mojo October 2001

However it is alleged that Plastic did a Milli Vanilli in that though Jouret fronted the act the actual singing on Plastic Bertrand records from 1976-1980 was done by his producer Lou De Prijcke. Controversial stuff eh? In 2006 a court case determined that De Prijcke was not the singer but only because he didn't prove it and that Plastic was because his name was on the contract as singer.

Interestingly Yves Kengen bassist with Bastard from around that time says...

This is not true. It has all been done by producer Lou Deprijck, also singer in Two Man Sound, with studio musicians. The voice on the record is Lou’s. Then he took Roger off Hubble Bubble’s drumming seat because he had a  “great image” and put him on the record sleeve with a fake safety pin on his cheek. When the song became a hit, “Plastic” made all the promos without receiving the royalties owed to the singer, which fell directly into Lou’s deep pocket. That’s the reason why of the trial.

I was a massive hit all over Europe reaching #8 in our charts. And even a number 6 in the USA.  Email May 2007

However in 2010 the truth finally came out to Belgian newspaper Le Soir.

I don’t mind saying it was not my voice. I’m the victim. I wanted to sing, but he would not let me access the studio. He asked me to keep my mouth shut in exchange for 0.5 percent of the rights, and promised he would make a new version with my voice, which of course he never did.

Producer Lou De Prijck was finally confirmed as the singer as he explained but gave recognition to Plastic that without his charisma fronting it it would never have been the success it was.

Plastic Bertrand was hired to promote the song on television, bringing his energy and looks. Plastic had enormous qualities. He danced remarkably. He spoke perfect for television. He had an incredible charisma. He was the perfect carrier for the song. Overall, we sold eight million singles but how many would be sold without his participation?

So whether he sang it or not 'Ca Plane Pour Moi' is faberoonie and Plastic will always be associated with the song that's just a mad rush of punk joy with lunatic lyrics.

What of Plastic? - failed Eurovision entrant, professional scrabble player, art gallery owner - he's certainly had a varied life.

Well there's the lyrics...to be honest it made more sense to me in French!!

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Updated September 2022