Toulouse guitarist Jean-Michel Navarre was crazy about American music.
He died on January 23, 2021, a few decades after having experienced a fleeting success, in France, with Millionaire Weekend.
Co-founded with Nicolas Gorodetzky and Alain Thomas in 1977, the group finds its inspiration in Californian (Beach Boys, Eagles or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young ...) or British (Beatles, Bee Gees ...) formations.
From
The Cinema Show
by Genesis, their name referred to "
a special moment, a particular moment
".
In France, Warner places a lot of hope in their commercial potential, under the leadership of artistic director Jean Mareska - also manager of the Tai Phong group of Jean-Jacques Goldman.
Jean-Michel Navarre co-signs most of WEM's tracks with Alain Thomas, including
Wherever you go
.
Extracted from their first album, released in May 1978, the track opens the doors of radio and television to them.
Alain Chamfort engages them in the first part of his tour to the four corners of France.
They will play at the Palace of Paris in front of Serge Gainsbourg.
Jean-Michel Navarre also began a solo career in the early 1980s. His latest album,
Where are the angels?
released in 2016. On this occasion, Nicolas Gorodetzky recalled that he had made him “
discover Joni Mitchell
” and that he had also been “
deeply influenced by English folk and groups of the 70s (Fairport Convention, Stackridge ) ”.
According to his sidekick, "the
acoustic guitar, the melodies and the harmonies"
were "
the basis of [Jean-Michel Navarre's] writing
".
The guitarist loved Californian music so much that he started Season, a cover band of hits from CSN & Y, America, Eagles or the Beach Boys.