Jean-Patrick Capdevielle, is a French singer-songwriter who begins his professional career, not as a singer, but as a journalist for SuperHebdo magazine, then Salut les Copains, then Mademoiselle Age Tendre and finally Actuel.
It was from the 1970s, when he moved to Ibiza, that he would compose his first songs. But it wasn't until the end of the decade that things started to pick up in earnest when the track "Solitude" was released, one of his first compositions. Title to be produced by a production company owned by William Sheller. First title and already, first success. We are then in 1978.
The consecration came already a year later when the album "Les enfants des ténèbres et les anges de la rue" was released. Album which will notably produce the title "Tout au bout de la ville". But this is not the title that will explode the notoriety of the artist, it is the B side entitled "Quand t'es dans le désert". The title is a hit in France and will become one of the biggest hits of the end of the decade. The album will ultimately sell over 450,000 copies !
The album "2" which was released later in 1980 was to meet almost the same success. Notably thanks to the titles "C'est dur d'être un héros" but also, and above all, with "Oh, Chiquitta" which will sell even better than "Quand t'es dans le désert. The singer is then at the top of the success.
The release of the album "Le long de la jetée" in 1981 was to be much less well received by critics, ushering in an era of cooling of relations between the singer and the trade press.
He puts a layer of it against the critics with the album "L'ennemi public" which came out in 1982. Only the title "Qu'est-ce qui va rester (Quand le rock'n'rolla ura cessé d'exister)" will do well.
The sequel will turn out to be much darker with a succession of albums that baffles early fans. Whether it's "Mauvaises fréquentations" in 1984, "Planet X" in 1985 and "Noiuvel âge" in 1987. Public reception is more than mixed and sales are in no way comparable to previous years.
A slow decline that the artist could never halt again despite the release of other titles later.
He would experience some later successes not for himself, but for other artists, notably with the opera album "Carmine Meo" which he produced in 1997 for singer Emma Shapplin. An album that will sell 2 million copies !
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
70s Decade :
Solitude 1978
Des gens ordinaires 1978
Quand t’es dans le désert 1979
Salomé 1979
Tout au bout de la ville 1979
80s Decade :
C’est dur d’être un héros 1980
Oh Chiquita 1980
Les sables mouvants 1980
Señorita 1981
En d'ssous du pont 1981
Personne t'arrêtera 1981
L’homme de paille 1982
Qu'est-ce qui va rester (Quand le rock'N'roll aura cessé d'exister) 1982
Quand j'arriv'rai chez toi 1982
Halloween 1983
Sous trop d'étoiles 1983
Tourne tourne 1983
Caricature 1984
40 à l’ombre 1985
Le limbo 1985
D'où viennent les danseuses 1986
Celle qui t’aimait 1988
Les heures noires 1988
Double aller simple pour Pékin 1988
Le fantôme de l'Opéra 1988
90s Decade :
Vue sur cour 1990
Note Dame des Motels 1990
Black Bone 1992
L'enfant de la lune 1992
Politiquement correct 1995
Guérissez nous de nous 1995
2000s Decade :
La diosa freda 2001
Altri che 'L sol 2001
U sono or le ricchezze ? 2001
Miss Démocratie 2007
Oncle Sam 2007
Homo Sapiens 2007
Tracks :
1978 ... from the first title, the Capdevielle style is already in place. All that remains is to find the title that will make all the difference ...
1979 ... and THE title, here it is. What will surely remain as one of the Face B among the most famous in the musical history of the 80s on the French side. The artist has just signed his 'Mona Lisa', quite simply. MAS-TER-FUL !
1979 ... a style typical of the end of the decade on the French side but it is its level of inspiration that makes all the difference compared to the competition !
1980 ... the artist has become in a few years one of the biggest phenomena of the moment. Despite - or thanks to - these false bad boy tunes, he continues hit after hit. Impressive !
1980 ... a dynamic which does not weaken and which allows him to remain in the leading pack. Talent, of course, helps and he has plenty to spare !
1981 ... after 3 totally euphoric years, the singer begins to mark time. And the specialized press now has him in their sights, which does not help ...
1982 ... the songs are still inspired but that is not enough to make the difference with the competition increasingly supplied and more and more aggressive...
1983 ... at the time of synths and drum machines galore, the singer is necessarily out of step despite songs that continue to hold up...
1984 ... the sound evolution is obvious, the singer tries to adapt to his time but it is already too late. Impossible now to go up the slope ...
1985 ... and yet, he will have tried everything and not much would have been enough for the mayonnaise to resume. Because talent, he still has some to spare ! Frankly shame !
1988 ... one last title - once again of high quality - to end the adventure in style. Anyway, a great adventure for one of the most talented artists of this decade 70/80...
Wiki :
Official Website :
http://jpcapdevielle.com/ Greatest Hits :
Discography :