Plastic Bertrand is a Belgian singer best remembered for 1978 British and European hit single 'Ça Plane Pour Moi', a catchy bubblegum song released at the height of the punk rock era. The title refers to a French phrase meaning 'everything's going well for me'. The three-chord song was notable for its nonsense French lyrics and Beach Boys-esque chorus. Memorably, he performed the song on the UK's 'Top of the Pops' while bouncing on a trampoline.
In a 2010 court case it was claimed that Bertrand did not sing on the recorded version, and the vocals came from the composer/producer Lou Deprijck. Many artists, including Kim Wilde and Metallica, have covered 'Ca Plane Pour Moi'.
Bertrand is the son of a French father and Ukrainian mother. After gaining a degree in music theory he started out as a drummer with punk trip Hubble Bubble.
Following the success of 'Ca Plane Pour Moi' Bertrand tried many new wave styles, and had another minor hit with a cover of the Small Faces' 'Sha-La-La-La Lee'. His early new wave albums included 'An 1' (1978) and 'J'te Fais Un Plan' (1979).
In 1997 MTV declared that Bertrand was the 'most wanted comeback artist' and he enjoyed an unlikely return to the spotlight. He released several greatest hits packages, including 2004's 'King of the Divan'. Bertrand has continued to release new material and has also worked as a TV personality and producer.
In the summer of 2019 a false rumour of Bertrand's death spread on the Internet - he was in fact very much alive.
