Eddy Mitchell (center) and the other members of the group Les Chaussettes Noires, in the 1960s. - DALMAS / SIPA

Gilbert Bastelica, former drummer of the Chaussettes Noires, died at the age of 76 in a road accident Monday, near Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

The musician, who was traveling by car, "was hit hard in a descent by a car arriving opposite", in the town of Meillon, said Mayor Patrick Buron.

The musician lived not far from the accident site, in Nay, where he had put down his suitcases about thirty years ago.

Gilbert Bastelica had joined Eddy Mitchell's group by succeeding, in 1961, another drummer, Jean-Pierre Chichportich.

He ended up devoting himself to singing

The group Les Chaussettes Noires, known in particular for its hit Daniela, disappeared in 1964, two years after the start of the solo career of the French rock legend that the drummer had continued to accompany until 1971.

" It was great. But this lifestyle was not for me, ”said the drummer in the daily newspaper Sud-Ouest in 2010 during a concert by Eddy Mitchell in Pau during his farewell tour to the stage.

Thoughts for the family of Gilbert Bastelica, a golden guy, former drummer of black socks, and my teacher of percussion in the 80s pic.twitter.com/QYYUc8geGX

- JPChristopherMALITTE (@JPcMALITTE) May 19, 2020

Very active in his heart region, Béarn, president of SOS Amitiés de Pau, Gilbert Bastelica "had turned the page of his artist life to focus on a cappella singing", underlines Philippe Rousseau, president of the ensemble vocal Atout choir in Mirepeix. He added: “He had gone to the university benches in Pau to undergo training as choirmaster and he had directed up to five choirs in the region, including those of Gan. "

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