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We had hoped to bring them both together in December for a joint interview: star Eddy Mitchell, man in the shadows Pierre Papadiamandis.
But the news was already not good for the singer's favorite composer, whose death we learned on Tuesday March 22 at the age of 85, in a Paris hospital.
Without Pierre, no Eddy, without the notes of Papadiamandis, no songs by Mitchell.
Together they have signed nearly 200 and dozens of classics: "Water mint color", "The Last Session", "The Elephant Cemetery", "M'man".
Impossible to name them all since… 1964.
Their meeting dates back to the debut of Eddy Mitchell as a soloist, who had just left the Black Socks and was looking for a pianist for his orchestra.
“It was my sax that introduced me to Pierre, the singer told us a few months ago.
At the time, rock and him, that made two.
Pierre Papadiamandis confirmed: “I studied classical and jazz, which were my favorite music.
But, of all the rockers, Eddy was my favorite singer even before I met him,” added the musician of Greek origin, born in Paris and raised in Nogent-sur-Marne (Val-de-Marne), who had started the piano at the age of 5.
"Pierre, it's my brother"
Eddy Mitchell then remembered "his absolutely sordid dog".
“A dachshund eating my shirts.
His name was Titus.
And also that "Pierre was so discreet that it took two years" before offering him a melody.
“It was
I forgot to forget
, which was our first success in 1966 and remains my favorite.
“There were plenty of others until the final compositions of Eddy Mitchell’s latest album, “Country rock”, released at the end of 2021, which notably contained a tribute to his friend Johnny Hallyday “A little bit of love ".
"Pierre's ability to renew himself all the time still amazes me," admitted Eddy.
The song about Johnny, for example, has a beautiful, simple and touching melody.
It took me two years to find the text.
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Their common recipe?
The music first of all.
“I create them first and do the texts for him, summed up Papadiamandis.
We continue to work the same way today.
"Because I need a carrot to write," Mitchell added.
I never have texts in advance.
Pierre's very cinematographic music brings me images, emotions.
I still work on tape, the old way.
The sound isn't great, but you can move the soundtrack forward or backward.
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A work of craftsmen who had therefore not changed over time like their friendship, intact.
“Pierre is my brother, summed up Eddy.
His wife, Anouk, is godmother to my eldest daughter, Maryline.
We always helped each other in difficult times, like my divorce.
We never had a fight.
“Pierre made some infidelities to Eddy to go to work for Michel Delpech (on “Que Marianne was pretty”), Dick Rivers, Françoise Hardy, Céline Dion, Grace Jones or Ray Charles but quickly found his forever friend.
“I never considered an album without him, concluded Mitchell during our last interview.
We always want and need to work.
It boosts us, we do not see the time passing.
Without Pierre, I would never have made this career.
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