A product of the May '68 generation, Castelhemis started recording late and has remained on the bangs of French chanson. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine under the name Philippe Laboudigue, he lived in a post-May 68 community and worked on medieval shows. Apart from two 45-tours released by the duo Castel & Vendôme with his friend Bernard Vendôme in 1969, he didn't record his first album Armes Inégales until 1978, for the independent label Cezanne. His folk-, rock-, funk- and Brazilian-influenced songs were set to quirky lyrics on the albums Mots Croisés (1979), N'Importe Quelle Sorte d'Amour (1982), Coucou (1984) and Imagine Un P'tit Bar (1986). Castelhemis performed at the Olympia and Printemps de Bourges during his most prolific decade, but had to interrupt his career due to a heart attack. In 1988, he released his last album, Castelhemis 88, before retiring from the stage. The author, composer, guitarist and performer then turned to the restaurant business in Brittany, until his death in Clichy on April 8, 2013, at the age of 64. The compilation 78-88 : Il Nous Emmenait..., released in 2002, retraces his musical career.
