disparition de William Renaud, ancien directeur du club légendaire Le Chat Bleu
The death occurred this Tuesday, January 24 in the morning, in circumstances on which his family does not want to dwell. “William had been sick since 2016, explains only his ex-wife, Colette Elbaz. He locked himself in his illness. »
But for many, this disappearance is more or less directly linked to the closure of Le Chat Bleu in 1995. “A six-month closure that cost him everything: his business, his family and his friends, analyzes Cristof Salzac, resident DJ. Le Chat Bleu was his whole life. He had put his whole soul into it. »
Located at what is now the headquarters of CDiscount, this club has indeed combined a concert activity with an impressive list of guests – Iggy Pop, Rita Mitsouko, Cheb Khaled, Front 242, Indochine… –, evenings co-organized by UGC – “Alain Chabat and Gérard Darmon danced the Carioca there”, recalls Cristof Salzac –, and it was the first big club with a 100% house and techno program in France.
“Although he came from rock, William had understood before the Parisian clubs that something was changing. There were already specialized clubs in France, but they were small, whereas there we had a gauge of 2,000 people. Between the French stars (Jérôme Pacman…), international stars of the time (Adamski…) and those who were emerging (Jack de Marseille…), the club acquired a notoriety that went far beyond the limits of Bordeaux. “Parisians were coming down and partying rather than staying in the capital. »