Manu Chao

Jose-Handbook Thomas Arthur Chao known as Manu Chao , born the June 21st 1961 with Paris, is a singer and musician French, become a major figure of the French Rock, with its group Mano Negra, and of the Latin Musique which has achieved for several years an international career with success in solo or accompanied by the group Radio Bemba, and collaborates with many other artists.

Youth and the musical adventure in group

Manu Chao is born the June 21st 1961 with Paris, of a mother Spanish Basque and of a Galician father , Ramón Chao, writer. It has a Frère, Antoine Chao. Fleeing the Dictatorship of Free, the Chao family emigrates with Paris. Shortly after the Birth of Manu, the family moves in the Parisian Banlieue (Boulogne-Billancourt then Sevres).

Strongly influenced by the scene Punk British (The Clash, etc), but also by Chuck Berry, Bob Marley or Camarón of Isla, Manu Chao forms a anglo-Hispanic group of Rockabilly, Hot Pants, in the years 1980, which leaves a demonstration container “Mala Vida” and other titles in 1984, as well as the album " Loco Mosquito" at the Label all gold nothing in 1986 (D. Pasquier).

In 1986, Manu, his/her brother Antoine, and some of his friends (whose François Hadji-Lazaro, leader of the Butcher's assistants and Pigalle), and Alain of the Wampas) forms then Los Carayos, group of alternative Rock. It takes a time the Pseudonyme of Oscar Tramor, title of one of its songs (inspired by Busca Otro Amor of Irma Serrano) telling the history of a Toréador Alcoolique and unlucky person, on the album Persistent and sign of Carayos.

It also takes part, in a more or less important way, in other groups such Cylinder head gasket (1 album of recoveries Superboum Rock-and-roll in 1982), Casse-pieds, Kingsnakes (in fact, Hot Pants, accompanied by the Guitariste Suisse Daniel Jeanrenaud, with the Printemps of Bourges 1986).

In 1987, the Brother S Chao and they Cousin, Santiago Casariego, form the Mano Negra. The group leaves a new version “Mala Vida”, which becomes a tube in France, followed by a first album, “Patchanka”, at Virgin. Mano Negra became one of the major French groups and started to play in America-of-south with the Aventure of the troop of Artiste S of street Royal of Luxury.

Since the separation of the group in 1994, Manu Chao undertook a career solo, with in particular rounds in South America. He sings in French, Galician Spanish, , Arabic, Portuguese, English and in wolof.

The career solo of Manu Chao

Before Clandestino

After the separation of the Mano Negra in 1994 at the time of dangerous and testing crossed from Colombia in the train, Manu Chao continuous to travel through South America and a little Africa, in particular with the Senegal.

Not seeing more the members of the Mano Negra, the singer is surrounded quickly of new friends through the cities and the countries which it crosses, recording gradually of new sounds, mixing new styles.

At the time where he lived with Rio de Janeiro, Manu Chao, had turned to what he calls itself of the “Techno hardcore”, at this time, he decides to record Clandestino, a disc Techno, even if his/her friends and his family say to him whereas this music techno is not always very suitable. Manu Chao heading, until a data-processing bug removes all the rates/rhythms technos disc. Manu, itself does not return from there, not stripped and less charged, the music of Clandestino appears much more fascinating and sincere. It is after many final improvements, with the assistance of Renaud Letang (Sound engineer who already worked with Alain Souchon) that Manu Chao will leave this acoustic disc. Themselves, considered this disc then as a musical UFO which would run out surely only with: 20000 or: 50000 specimens.

What imports, Manu Chao states to be given pleasure, it left what it wanted. However, there will remain careful until the end, still declaring a few days before the exit of the disc, in April 1998, that “Clandestino is right a model”, considering it very personal and intimist.

But with its great surprise, the disc is a success and the notoriety of Manu Chao in the musical world takes a new turn with the exit of what is its first album solo. Clandestino becomes one of the major references of the Latin Musique of the end of the year 1990.

The Clandestino shock - April 1998

With this disc, and in spite of the fact that the French public was already accustomed to the very métissé rock'n'roll already of Manu Chao via the Mano Negra, the public was surprised to discover the singer in a register plus intimist, plus melancholic person and Latin-American, a turn already taken with the Mano Negra on their last album: Casa Babylon which announced, makes some very clearly, Clandestino .

True Log book, the album Clandestino mixture in turn, Reggae, Rock'n'roll, Latin Music traditional, Rumba S, rates/rhythms Brazil iens, the whole intersected with small radiophonic texts of which an extract of the speech of the Under-commander Marcos.

The album will be a strong success in France, in Spain, in Italy and South America. The most famous titles are “I do not love you more”, “Bongo Bong”, “Clandestino”, “Desaparecido”,…

The Latin-American implication taken by Manu Chao through this disc is such as many Spanish-Americans still do not know that Manu Chao is French.

Run out with more than 3 million specimens, the disc is a success, in spite of the refusal initial of NRJ, RTL2 and Europe 2 to program Clandestino , finding that “the songs did not return in their format”. Manu Chao is from now on a recognized international artist. He lives then with Barcelona and repeats much with his group Radio Bemba.

Próxima Estación: Esperanza

The continuation of this Clandestino leaves in June 2001, under the title of “Próxima Estación: Esperanza” taking again the musical receipt of Clandestino. Manu Chao leaves an album which he does not hesitate to describe itself as little sister of Clandestino.

However the disc is merrier, less bitter and melancholic person that the precedent, decorated coppers and trombones of the Sicilian Roy Paci. The disc gives an impression of festival, again mixing the Reggae, the Latin Musique, the Rock and even here a little Jazz.

A title comes out truly from this disc, it is Denia , an Algerian song made up and written by Manu where one finds celebrates it singer kabyle Idir and where the two men sing the pain of this country “ This life is haunted lies, Pauvre Algeria, My heart palpitates of your manholes, Pauvre Algeria ”.

Certain fans are disappointed of an album which resembles Clandestino too much, reproaching in addition that certain songs pass “too much” to the radio (“Me gustas you”). Manu Chao declares that it is card-indexed some, it includes/understands what one reproaches him but just wanted to him to give pleasure.

Radio operator Bemba Sound System and Babylonia in guagua (dvd)

After these two albums, Manu Chao continues to occur on scene with its group, Radio Bemba, throughout the world.

Radio Bemba was the name given by the cuban revolutionists to the system of the “Word of mount” (or “bush telegraph”, or, “radio operator wash-hand basin”).

The music of the group breaks completely with the acoustic spirit of the two albums and Radio Bemba approaches more Mano Negra than of Manu Chao: the rates/rhythms are fast and effective, the strong voices, the sound are powerful and the agreements songs are different. Moreover the music of Manu Chao is sublimated by the presence of the young singer rastafari Bidji, alias Lyricson (primarily present in 2001-2002).

Success is such as Manu Chao leaves in September 2002 a disc live , Radio Bemba Sound System , recorded in Paris (Large market of the Villette) in September 2001. There still, it is a surprise and a real success for this album live of an undeniable musical quality, a reference in the French music scene, Manu Chao confirms the reputation which he trails since the Eighties, he is made for the scene.

The songs melancholic persons of “Clandestino” and “Próxima Estación: Esperanza” are entirely revisited with the sauce Punk, rock'n'roll, reggae, Salsa, the result is clashing.

Will follow then in December 2002 a DVD Babylonia in Guagua in which one finds a live (which is the video version of the Live disc, with some changes), documentary on the round 2001, three other personal small films on Manu Chao whose one which reports its presence with Genoa in Italy (2001), and where one notes the environment of the Manifestation S at the time of the G8.

Siberia was to me contéee (autumn 2004)

Manu Chao returns in autumn 2004, with deliver-Cd only published in bookstore and kiosk, distributed to only 150.000 specimens, quickly exhausted.

Deliver-CD is called Siberia was to me contéee . At the origin, manu was not to leave that the book which corresponds to a collection of Poésie S in French, equipped by the drawings with Wozniak, draftsman Polish. Then, Manu Chao states to be quickly made catch up with by the desire for putting its texts in songs, the result: a book of 132 pages of drawings and poetry, accompanied by Cd of 23 songs.

It is the first time that Manu Chao leaves a French disc completely: the music and the songs are darker, evoking the relation of Manu Chao with what even its " called to him; Sibérie" : Paris. It also speaks there its major and painful love for the women whom it met throughout her life, of without shelters, the disappearance of his friend Helno (the singer of the Green Négresses), but also of the hope, of its dreams…

Years 2004-2005, between Paris and Bamako

Almost at the same time as leaves this Cd-delivers, leaves as an album as Manu Chao produced and realizes, it is the album: Sunday in Bamako of Tinder and Mariam. Qualifying itself like a fan of Tinder and Mariam, Manu Chao is really happy friendship which it has with this couple, allowing him to turn with them to the Mali and especially to be reproduced on this disc, future success of the summer 2005. Manu Chao accompanies them on scene, during some dates, singing successes of the album and a song into Brazilian for his/her son who lives with the Brésil.

Manu Chao does not hesitate besides to go to see Amadou and Mariam with the Mali, in particular to see one of their son who launches out in the song. The son of Tinder and Mariam is even at the origin of the piece " Politic Amagni" that one finds on Sunday in Bamako.

In Mali, Manu Chao meets also Tiken Jah Fakoly, with which it gives a concert to Brazil, in the suburbs of Sao Paulo at the time of the Fête of the music in June 2005.

2006

Continuing the rounds through the South America, Manu Chao occurs in turn Brésil with the Mexico, while passing by Cuba and the Colombia. During the summer 2006, the singer and his group Radio Bemba cross Europe and the United States, while passing by the very famous festival Rock Werchter to Belgium or by San Diego or Los Angeles. In the USA, the singer largely criticized the immigration policy of the United States and paid homage to the clandestine emigrants, and that in front of a largely Spanish-speaking public.

In addition, Manu signed the original soundtrack of the film Princesas of Fernando León de Aranoa. The film was a broad success in Spain, and gained three Goya 2006 of which that of the best song with “Me llaman fixes” of Manu Chao.

Lastly, Manu Chao composed the original soundtrack of next film of Emir Kusturica, which in the form of a documentary-report, will treat life of the ex-player of football, Diego Maradona.

World tour and new disc, Radiolina (September 2007)

Radiolina

September 3rd, 2007, Manu Chao left its new disc, named Radiolina , in Europe and on September 4th, 2007 in America. This new Opus was marketed under the independent label Because Music.

Several evenings of listening of the album were organized in the American big cities like the Orleans News, Chicago, Los Angeles or New York just like in certain French big cities.

This new disc is composed of step less twenty-and-a songs, one finds Manu Chao in a more electric musical style, with the play of guitar of Madjid Fahem, the battery and the guitar of David (Burgundian), the powerful voice of Gambeat, the trompète of the sicilian Roy Paci. The latter make, where formed part at one time of the group of Manu Chao, Radio Bemba, largely influencing, the new disc towards a more scenic optics, forsaking a little obsolete style of Clandestino .

The disc was mixed by Mario Caldato (Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson) and Andrew Scheps (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mars Volta) and includes/understands songs in French, Spanish, Italian, English and Portuñol. One finds there Mala Fama already heard in concerts given to the radios Oui FM, France Inter and RTL2 which is already an anthem in Barcelona since taken again by local artists, Mama Cuchara , written one day of rain with Quito (capital of Ecuador), Calle , the song made up for film Spanish Princesas and dedicated to the Prostituée S of the " Fix LED desengaño" of Madrid, Tombola , the original soundtrack recorded for next film of Emir Kusturica, Maradona and El Hoyo , a Dub Reggae ignited already played in concert. Tristeza , a song which denounces the policy of the United States, under the words of Beatnik of Colifata (radio animated by patients of a Psychiatric hospital of Buenos Aires).

Other titles surprise of advantage like 13 Dias , a song which mixes the style Country of J.J. Fix and influence Latin and rock'n'roll of Manu Chao, Bleedin Clown (the history of the clown which bleeds), a very sharp title and very highly-strung person, with a music very right exit of the Eighties and time of the Mano Negra, precisely going back to 20 years ago and which thus takes again the energy of the old group. In addition, one finds in this disc of the ballades such as Otro Mundo , Mundo Revés or finally Amalucada Vida , a Reggae Latino in Portuñol.

Manu Chao and its new vision of the industry of the disc

The first individual one, Rainin in Paradize was available on line on the official site of Manu Chao during several months. And, in addition to being able to listen to Rainin' in paradize , the file was downloadable Gratuit ement under the format MP3, in a sound quality equivalent to the titles which one buys on line on Internet.

The singer in addition, declared in the leading article of the magazine International Courrier , left the last week July 2007, “ There are strong chances so that Radiolina is my last CD. I will not stop the music, but, considering the technological change, perhaps that, thereafter, as soon as I have a new song, I will put it on line. I will use my Internet site like a radio station ”. By showing a new opening for an artist as known, Manu Chao would be thus ready, after the exit of Radiolina , to make from now on free music, diffused on Internet, a true revolution in the universe of the music, while showing a certain realism, “ As people pirate the “large ones” like me, that does not obstruct me. But that they make the effort buy the music of small the labels" (…) " The solution? I do not have it. I however bet on some ethical of the public ”.

Lastly, its Internet site, www.manuchao.net was renovated for the occasion with new clips and a radio, Radiolina , which proposes more than one hundred titles of artists with which Manu Chao collaborated (Amparanoia, Fermin Muguruza, Akli-D, Tonino Carotone, Carlos Mona Jimenez…) and other group or singer who correspond to the tastes of the singer (J.J. Fix, Kofi Olomide, Bob Marley, Che Sudaka, Zeituna, Tito Puente, Ray Charles, Chico Cesar, Adriano Celentano, Elvis Presley…). Moreover, each one can propose its pieces with this radio. One discovers there all the diversity of the musical quality of the singer.

The artist also proposes an address Myspace, more reserved for his anglophone public, http://www.myspace.com/manuchao.

Scenes

During the summer 2007, Manu Chao gave a series in concerts in Latin America, with the the United States and the Canada of which the famous Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (California) in front of more than 70.000 people, who to 95% discovered the singer and his group for the first time.

Manu Chao and Radio Bemba concluded the festival Tempo Latino on July 30th, 2007, in the arenas of Vic-Fezensac (French department of the Gers, in South-west); the 7000 places all were sold in a few days. Manu Chao and Radio Bemba were also on August 6th with the Festival Esperanzah! in Belgium and with the Sziget Festival with Budapest on August 8th.

In addition, Manu Chao as announced as it would leave another disc in Portuñol and still later a disc of Rumba which it recorded in the bars of Barcelona and which it called: “Lo peor of the rumba volumen 1”, namely in worst French “of the rumba volume 1”.

In August 2007, one should also find the original soundtrack whom it recorded for next film of Emir Kusturica, Maradona .

Lastly, from July 19th to September 15th, will begin with the media library from Perpignan, the first road show, born from the fusion from imaginary of Manu Chao and from the draftsman Wozniak through tables reporting the voyage of an imaginary character, ManWoz, which will flee its native Ukraine to seek all " these lives perdues". The exposure, very coloured, breaks up into three broad topics, a first, which treat Africa, and two others, less important, which presents Colifata (it is the name of a Psychiatric hospital of Buenos Aires where the two artists tried to collect imaginary patients who reside there) and the Latin America.

Controversies and political commitment

Although it does not belong to any Political party, Manu Chao is an artist clearly engaged with left, of tendency Altermondialiste and saying " citizen of the world ".

He likes the local action, which corresponds to an idea according to which, each one can act directly on the level of at home, on his scale, in his district and which this experiment multiplied in each district makes it possible to see the results directly. The sum of these actions in each district would already make it possible to advance in a better manner towards the future. This work, Manu Chao has carried out it with his/her friends in his district, the “Barri Gòtic” (Barrio Gótico in Castillan) with Barcelona, where it posed a foot with ground, for eight years.

It supports the Zapatist movement in addition (E.Z.L.N) and recorded in two of its pieces ( Luna Y ground and Por el suello on the album Clandestino ) the words of the Under-commander Marcos, which it met at the time of an event organized in the Chiapas, in the south of the Mexico.

He played at the time of gatherings Altermondialistes like the against-top of the G8 of Genoa in July 2001, Annemasse in June 2003 or the gathering of the Larzac in August 2003.

However, he affirms in the newspaper, the International Mail , “ One stuck to me this label of carry-flag of the movement altermondialist because I went to express in Genoa and that the “alter” like my songs. The press needed to find a head of poster and it fell on me, but I am neither a symbol nor a spokesperson. I am musician. ”

He will thus regret a long time the confusion maintained between this reality which he notes in his voyages in South America and Africa and which carries it to often denouncing difficult situations and the thorough mediatization which would do of it one of the leaders of a movement of which it forever desired being the representative.

Its contract with the major Virgin expired in 2003, and Manu decided to work with the production companies and of edition Radio Bemba and Thousand Spangles. For the exit of its album Radiolina in September 2007, Manu Chao signed with the independent label Because Music where he says to have a total freedom.

Discography

See also Cylinder head gasket, Hot Pants, Los Carayos and Mano Negra.

Others:

  • Allons children of Ovalie (title evoking the Marseillaise , to download in mp3), interpreted in the emission Là-bas if I am there on France Inter at the time of the world cup of Rugby (2007).

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