Fred Chapellier: “I’ve been writing new songs in french for months”

Just days before Festi Rock Tassin, Fred Chapellier took some time out between rehearsals to talk to Blues Actu. At 60, the French guitarist looks back on his career with a clear perspective, including the more difficult periods he has experienced. Human relationships have become more important than ever in his approach to music. Speaking openly, he also shares some unexpected news: he has been writing new songs in French for several months and hopes to record them live in a studio, with the entire session filmed.

He knows what it means to play in front of thousands of people, but he is just as comfortable in small clubs, only a few feet away from the audience. Having accompanied Jacques Dutronc and toured with Les Vieilles Canailles alongside Johnny Hallyday and Eddy Mitchell, Fred Chapellier has spent more than thirty years building a career around his own music. We met him at the Atrium in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, during rehearsals for Festi Rock. As the conversation unfolds, he reflects on what matters most to him today and reveals a musical project he had never discussed publicly before.

Cover photo: Thierry Wakx

🎤 Fred Chapellier in conversation with Cédric Vernet

Fred, we’ve known each other for quite a few years now. We’ve met on many occasions and followed your different musical adventures. This time, we’re meeting ahead of Festi Rock Tassin, an evening bringing several guitarists together. How did you get involved in this project?

You know, it’s simple. The guitar world is actually quite small. We all know each other, we’re all friends. I’m friends with Nono, and Savarez is also involved in the project. Then Jean-Louis Nietto, whom I knew a little but not particularly well, was kind enough to give me a call.

Jean-Louis is the organiser of the event, the conductor of the whole thing, you could say, and he’s doing a fantastic job. He invited me to take part in the evening. I immediately said yes because I really liked the idea: mixing my music with Nono’s and playing a few standards together. It all happened very naturally.

You’ll be sharing the stage with Norbert “Nono” Krief. You have at least one thing in common: you both played with Johnny Hallyday, although your musical backgrounds are quite different. How did you first meet, and how has your friendship developed over the years?

I first met Nono about thirty years ago. He came to see me play in a club in Reims, and that’s where we got to know each other. Since then, we’ve regularly crossed paths at festivals or shared the same stage. I’ve invited him as a guest at several concerts because he’s someone I’ve always appreciated, both as a person and as a musician.

He’s made a huge contribution to music in France, he really has. And whenever we’re on stage together, there’s never any hassle. It’s simple, it’s rock’n’roll, it’s blues and rock. I love that spontaneity with Nono.

“No oversized egos. Simplicity and sharing.”

Over the past few years, you’ve been involved in more and more collaborative projects, meeting and playing with other guitarists. Sometimes it feels as though friendship matters just as much as music in your choices. Has that become essential to you, perhaps as you’ve got older?

Essential isn’t even a strong enough word! If that human connection isn’t there, I’m no longer interested in contacting someone just to do business with them, especially if I don’t know them. As you said, I’m over 60 now. At this point, I really want to surround myself with people I know I’ll get along with, people who make things easy. No oversized egos. Simplicity and sharing.

I could do other projects, but I’ve done that in the past and things haven’t always been easy. Now, when I play with people, I know they’ll be cool, everything will go smoothly and there won’t be any stress. That’s important. It’s essential.

In 2024, I brought the three guitarists of Guitar Night Project together for an interview. At the time, you spoke about the personal and musical chemistry between Patrick Rondat, Pat O’May and yourself. Since then, you’ve played many concerts together and released the album Live Access this year. What has this experience brought you, both musically and personally?

A lot of things. It’s absolute proof that this is a project built entirely around friendship. No stress, just great moments together as people. That’s almost the most important part.

And on top of that, we have so much fun playing this music and mixing our three different repertoires and musical worlds.

They love the blues, and I also love much heavier rock, the kind of music they play. I really enjoy playing it too. So there’s genuine chemistry between the three of us, both personally and musically.

We all have a great time. When they start playing a little blues, which isn’t really what they’re used to doing, they love it. And when I play something heavier than what I normally do, I love it too. Because I have that dual musical background.

You’ll also be taking part in a masterclass at Tassin. You taught yourself to play guitar and worked incredibly hard. Today, when you meet young guitarists, what do you most want to pass on to them?

There are quite a few young guitarists who are absolutely impressive. Really impressive! They learn ten times faster than we did back then. And many of them work incredibly hard.

The advice I’d give them is that, at some point, they need to get out of their bedrooms, stop watching videos on the Internet and go out and play live. Even in a small bar. I did that for a long time.

At some point, you have to get on stage and play in front of an audience, even if there are only twenty-five people. It doesn’t matter. Music is meant to be shared with people, not played alone in your bedroom.

I’d also tell them to play with other musicians. That’s essential. Playing with machines is fine. Playing along to backing tracks is fine. But you need to play with other musicians.

And preferably, you should go out and play your own music. Covers are fine too, of course, but play them live. Even in front of a small audience. Once again, it’s about sharing. That human connection is important.

“Music is meant to be shared with people, not played alone in your bedroom.”

Do you also talk to them about the realities of this profession? Because making a living as a guitarist in 2026 isn’t easy…

No, it’s become really difficult. I was lucky enough to start out at a time when it was still possible. There were so many clubs and bars. When I started, thirty-five years ago, perhaps a little more, you could play everywhere, all the time.

Unfortunately, young musicians don’t have that opportunity anymore. For all the reasons we know about today, noise restrictions and many other things. And I think some of that spirit has disappeared from those small places, the bars and clubs.

Back then, there was live music everywhere, all the time. I was fortunate to experience that.

There also used to be a lot of media outlets covering music. There are fewer and fewer now. Fortunately, Blues Actu is still here, among others!

There’s also our friend Marc Loison, who’s doing great work. Thankfully, there are still a few people keeping things going and helping spread the word.

That’s incredibly important for us because musicians who play blues don’t get much coverage in the mainstream media. So outlets like yours are really important.

Fred, without dwelling too much on the fact that you turned 60 this year, you’ve experienced some extraordinary moments in your career. You’ve played with some incredible artists. Looking back today, how do you feel about your journey?

Well, I’d say that, overall, I’m pretty satisfied. First of all, I wanted to make music my profession, and I managed to do that. That’s already something.

And for me, the ultimate goal is to make a living from your own music. That’s what I do.

On top of that, I’ve had some pretty big cherries on the cake, so to speak, with the tours alongside Jacques Dutronc, Les Vieilles Canailles, Johnny Hallyday and Eddy Mitchell.

All of that was really beneficial. Those projects also gave me greater exposure to the general public. A lot of people came to see Dutronc or Les Vieilles Canailles and discovered me along the way. That helped me too.

And then there are all the collaborations I’ve done with American and British musicians.

When I look back at everything I’ve done, I know that the biggest part of my career is behind me. Because, as you said, I’m 60 now. But that doesn’t bother me at all. Quite the opposite! It’s a privilege to reach that age.

Not everyone gets the chance to make it that far, as Philippe Katerine once said. And it’s true.

I’ve had my career, although it’s not over because I still have things to say and plenty of things I want to do.

I wouldn’t say I’m proud. I don’t like saying that about myself. But when I look in the rear-view mirror, I’m pretty satisfied.

“For me, the ultimate goal is to make a living from your own music. That’s what I do.”

I dug out an old interview we did together ten years ago. Back then, you told me that your ultimate goal was to be recognised for your own music. Since then, you’ve been involved in many projects. Do you feel you’ve achieved that recognition today?

Yes, and I think that’s been the case for quite a while now. People have been coming to see me specifically to hear my songs or my instrumentals, because they also like that side of what I do. So yes, I’m satisfied with that.

A few days ago, you brought back a song by a French artist called Alain Poillot, better known as Poill’s. Like you, he was from Chalon-sur-Saône, and when he passed away, you described him as a role model. The song is called En avant les médocs. Does it resonate with your own personal experience?

Yes, it absolutely resonates with my own story, because sometimes in life, you stumble, you fall.

I’ve been in a psychiatric hospital myself. That song already resonated with my personal experience when he wrote it. A few years later, I found myself in that situation.

He’s someone I still admire enormously. We got along very well, and in my opinion, he never received the recognition he deserved. What a talent he had!

For me, he was every bit as talented as Bill Deraime or Benoît Blue Boy.

I’ve always loved the lyrics of that song. And after my own experience, which included spending several weeks in isolation, I can say that the song has taken on its full meaning.

“This is a scoop. I haven’t told anyone about it yet.”

Are you also thinking about recording another album of songs in French?

Yes. I’ve actually been composing and writing songs in French for several months now.

I don’t know yet whether it’ll become a full album in French. I’m not sure, but it’s genuinely what I want to do.

The problem is that albums sell so little these days, and making one costs so much money. So, for the moment, I’m leaning towards recording these French songs live in a studio and filming the entire session, so there’s a visual element too.

Because I think that in 2026, having video content is almost more important than having a CD to sell.

Of course, I think you still need both. People like to leave a concert with an album in their hands.

But what I’d really like is a beautiful, intimate live studio recording, with songs in French. That’s what I want to do.

And this is a scoop. I haven’t told anyone about it yet.

Let’s finish with the concert on November 14 in Tassin-la-Demi-Lune, alongside Nono Krief, Jean-Louis Nietto and several guests. You’ve been rehearsing today. Can you tell us how the evening will unfold and how things are sounding after this rehearsal? Perhaps a few surprises, without giving everything away… What can the audience expect from Festi Rock Tassin?

It’s quite simple. Jean-Louis and his band asked Nono and me to choose eight songs each from our own repertoires.

That’s exactly what we did. Nono chose eight of his songs, and I chose eight of mine.

The band worked incredibly hard. Really hard!

I’m coming out of this rehearsal absolutely delighted because they know the songs inside out. It’s really a pleasure, and I want to say that.

Well done to Jean-Louis and the whole team. It’s fantastic!

So there’ll be a selection of Nono’s repertoire, a selection of mine, and then, of course, a section where we’ll all come together to play a few standards.

I won’t tell you which ones, but they’re some of the great classics of rock and blues.

It’ll be a chance to discover Nono’s musical world, mine, and then hear the two come together.

I don’t like calling it a jam session, because it’s rehearsed. Even that part has been carefully prepared.

So we’ll all come together to play some great songs that everybody loves, and share that moment.