Interview with André Coutu!

[CSCfan]

Hey all!

 

A little while ago, the Dutch Céline Dion Fanclub (CDIP) has done an exclusive interview with Céline's guitarist, André Coutu. It has never been posted in English before, so exclusively for CelineDionForum, we're posting the interview right here (pls don't publish it elsewhere). As a reminder, together with Darren, we did an interview with Yves too earlier this year.

 

Enjoy!!

 

http://www.celinedion.nl/celine/images/specials/andre.jpg

 

CDIP: Hi André! Thanks for doing this interview with us.... Could you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

 

André: Hi! Well... Pretty simple life and childhood I would say. Just plain regular. In a cold but nice little town north of Quebec, Canada. I was the only child of my family which is kind of boring but okay at the same time! I always liked music so at a pretty young age, my parents offered me piano lessons. But in my heart, my true love was for the guitar. So I switch instrument after a few years asking for it! At first, I learned classical guitar, which I think was great for me to learn, then, I discovered electric guitar, I loved that sound so much! My father bought me one for my birthday and I was literally sleeping with it!!

 

CDIP: You grew up in Chicoutimi, do you go back there often?

 

André: Yes at least once or twice a year! My parents still live up there. Always good to be back home!

 

CDIP: Did you always wanted to be a musician and what was your first professional job as a musician?

 

André: As far as I can remember, I always had a fascination for music, but around 16 years old, I really wanted to do that for a living so I went school and studied music. My Mom told me that if I was going to do it, better do it right! Right? Very strange fact, one of my first professional job was replacing for my guitar teacher at the time on a Celine Dion show in Quebec City, that must have been in 1987! She was 19. What a young talented lady she was! We played all of the "Incognito" record songs. I had to play the show no rehearsals, that was a thrill for me and I was very excited! We met briefly after, Celine and René, they were very nice to me and it's a few years after in 1991 that I joined the band for good under Claude "Mego" Lemay's direction.

 

CDIP: Who would you say was or is your idol (musical or otherwise) growing up. And what was it about them, that made you look up to them so much?

 

André: A lot of great people influenced me! There are so many great musicians and artists. Young, I listen to a lot of artists and bands from Quebec. My guitar teachers were a great deal of influence also. Among them, Jean Marie Benoit who was a famous studio guitar player in Montreal and helped me a lot in understanding things that were a mystery for a young kid like me! Later, I listen to more of American music. Toto was one of my favorite band, with Steve Lukather on guitar. I really liked the work of David Foster too! I was always a huge fan of the band U2, these guys just always stayed together and are just so inspired and inspiring!

 

CDIP: We all know you as Céline's guitar player since the early 90's. How did you become a member of the band, and what’s it like working with Céline?

 

André: Mego had heard about me. I was playing on TV shows here in Montreal at the time. They needed a guitar player to fill in for the summer. After the soundcheck, Celine came to me and said: "You're in"!! That was in 1991.

 

CDIP: What’s your favorite guitar riff/solo from a Celine Dion song? And what’s your favorite Céline song (to play)?

 

André: I like "Because You Loved Me" great song and arrangement, "My Heart Will Go On" also. I always liked to play the song "Think Twice" since the guitar kind of play an important role between Celine's vocal lines! Last Celine's album had a lot of nice guitar riffs and sounds in it!

 

CDIP: How do you combine your professional life with your personal life. (How is it to combine touring with family life for instance?)

 

André: That's a good question! Being on the road is kind of hard when you have a family. You miss them so much. But at the same time, it's part of our job. I'm lucky to have a wonderful wife that understands and supports me so well. I try to be as close as possible from home! Last year was pretty intense but this year, I got to spend a lot of time with my family!

 

CDIP: How big is your influence in composing the guitar parts of Celine’s songs for a live performance (from the studio recording)?

 

André: We get a pretty good freedom of interpretation. But it has to sound like a part people heard on the record. Very good parts that I try to play bringing a little bit of my soul in it.

 

CDIP: What did you enjoy more? The “A New Day…” shows or the concerts for the “Taking Chances” Tour?

 

André: Two very different projects. "A New Day" being an in house show, almost at home so to speak, with dancers and everything so slick. "Taking Chances" was much more like big world tour with huge arenas and big audiences, very intense and a lot of traveling. We saw so many nice countries. But like I said earlier, it's kind of hard on the families for that reason. I was very lucky to be part of those two massive events!

 

CDIP: And what are your most special memories from the Taking Chances tour? What was it like, for example, to have Celine Dion on her knees in front of you every night during certain songs (like ‘Show Must Go On’), singing to you only?

 

André: Ahahah! Yes, that was pretty awesome! And what's funny is that nothing is that planned out with Celine, she just feels her moves, I don't think nobody told her to come at me like that, she just thought of that herself. She's a pro on stage, she's just so natural! I always felt very lucky to have those little special moments with her.

 

CDIP: What are the most memorable technical problems that you encountered during your shows with Céline and how were they solved?

 

André: We had a big stage problem in L.A. on our last tour. One of the machine that moves a part of the stage didn't work anymore during the show. Big distraction that made the show difficult for everybody. But we managed to do it anyway. We've got a great crew of dedicated technicians that can trouble shoot anything but sometimes, things just happen! Thank god, everything went good besides that.

 

CDIP: Céline is returning to Las Vegas next year and you will of course join her. Was it an easy decision to go back to Vegas once again?

 

André: Oh yes, pretty easy decision. I meain, as long as Celine is happy with me playing guitar, I'll be there!

 

CDIP: The new show will feature a big orchestra. Is it daunting performing with an orchestra? How different is performing with an orchestra comparing to playing with just the band?

 

André: I think it will be great. For us it shouldn't be that much different, certainly very inspiring to play in such a big group. But our role will probably be pretty much the same in the sense of playing our parts, Bass, drums, keyboards and guitar, in my case, but with a greater support with that big orchestra.

 

CDIP: You have been to Holland several times now.. What do you think of our country and of the Dutch fans?

 

André: You've got a wonderful country. I wish I will have the chance to visit Holland again! Dutch people were always so warm to us!

 

CDIP: How does your future (after the new Vegas show) look like? What do you still want to do/accomplish?

 

André: One thing I'd like to accomplish is to write more music. I always liked to compose music but that music is all sleeping at home so that's something I'd like to work on one day! I like lounge music, R&B music, atmospheric and movie music, and I wish to have a place where I could express myself with that medium eventually...

 

CDIP: André, thank you so very much for taking the time to answer these questions. A big hello from your fans from Holland we hope to see you again soon!

 

André: Thanks to you, Hello to everyone in Holland!

[Timster]

Thank you!!

 

Andre is my favourite band member!

[Alex_Incognito]

What a fantastic interview! André's been with Céline for so long, it's hard to imagine them not being on the same stage together. Her musicians really do have a fantastic connection with her.

 

Thanks again. I love these.

[Brody-Celine]

Yaaaaaaaaaay Thank You

[ghazal]

Thank you!!

 

Andre is my favourite band member!

Me Tooooo!!!! he is sooo funny!!

[Shamrock_1982]

What an amazing interview, thank you for sharing and congratulations!

Hes a really nice and talented guy and a favourite of mine to...

 

Thanks for putting my question to him also, I really appreciate it!

[CelineDionFan710]

So awesome i love it. So great that celine picked him.

[Sofie]

Awesome, thank you so much! It's great!

[Claudette]

What a great interview. Thanks for posting!

[pollsy]

great interview! thanks so much!!

[Shaun]

A great read. Thanks very much.

[I Love You]

Thank you so much for the interview. Edited November 12, 2010 at 08:10 PM by I Love You

[Nmj]

thanks

[CELINO]

Thanks for sharing!!

[J-Man]

Thanks for sharing that with us. Andre is such a big part of Celine's live career, it's always nice to hear from members of the band. Great coup from our Dutch friends.

[SuperLove4Celine]

So, André wants to write/compose more and Céline is just beginning to show everybody that she can write songs. Is anybody else thinking what I'm thinking...?

 

Thanks for the interview!

[ashleylovesceline]

Yay! I was hoping you would translate this for us! Thanks!

 

I André, such a genuinely nice guy - not to mention the best guitarist ever!

[adrien83]

Thank you so very much !

[Bellamy]

Great interview. Thanks. I always like Andre.

[angelil78]

Thank you for the interview

[Celinenvegas]

Very nice interview..OK Mego is next!!

[davidjag79]

Thanks great interview

[Koolan]

Fantastic interview, I enjoyed it. Andre is very likable.

[mirage]

So, André wants to write/compose more and Céline is just beginning to show everybody that she can write songs. Is anybody else thinking what I'm thinking...?

 

Thanks for the interview!

 

 

I never got it why they don't work all together for some songs. They all are very talented.

[luciusbright]

Thank you for sharing.

The band members are like big CELINE DION family!

[I Surrender]

nice interview. thanks for translating guys!

[Yakir]

Wow that was amazing interview, I had great time to read it;

Andrea is so talented and amaizng musician as of course Celine friend.

I happy you added about the new show in Las Vegas.. (more info for us).

Thank you for sharing, It was wonderful

[NancyxxM]

Wow thanks for that, its so nice to read an interview with someone who works with celine, he is a very lucky man

[Sofie]

Wow thanks for that, its so nice to read an interview with someone who works with celine, he is a very lucky man

 

Agreed, it's awsome. All interviews with people who are so close to her and can really give you an idea of how it is to know her.

[CSCfan]

Thanks all! We have some more coming.....

 

Very nice interview..OK Mego is next!!

 

LOL! You should buy a lottery ticket....Mego is indeed next! Stay tuned!