Manu Chao Singer Date of Birth: 21.06.1961 Country: France

Manu Chao: The Life and Music of a World Wanderer

Manu Chao, the singer, is a troubadour of the less fortunate, from the sewers of Paris to the cocaine plantations in Colombia. He is a comrade to every partisan, a neighbor to every outcast, and a drinking buddy to every alcoholic: he exists in each and every one of us. The story of his band began in the mid-1980s. Manuel Chao (Manu Chao), born in Paris, is the son of Ramon Chao, a Spanish writer who had written several books and worked for the influential newspaper "Le Monde". Manuel, along with Santiago Casariego, who also hailed from Spain, and his cousin Antonio Chao (also known as Tonyo del Borneo), formed the group "Le Hots Pants" (The Hot Pants). It is worth mentioning that prior to this, Manu had already made a name for himself in the Paris subway with his talent. "Le Hots Pants" was known for its infectious Rockabilly rhythms and received positive reviews, particularly for its indigenous spirit. However, due to the musical differences among the band members, "Le Hots Pants" disbanded.

Manu Chao, Santiago Casariego, and Antonio Chao then decided to create a project that aimed to reflect all the cultural influences and styles that surrounded them in their music: Spanish, as they were all originally from there, French, as they were living there, and the influence of North Africa, as their area had many immigrants from Algeria, Senegal, and Morocco. This is how the project "Mano Negra" (Black Hand) was born. "Mano Negra" was the name of an extremist organization that originated in developing countries but became known for its terrorist acts in Andalusia, Spain. The music group "Mano Negra" was founded in 1986. Manu and the others began recruiting members for the band in Paris. The group's first hit was the song "Mala Vida" (Bad Life), recorded under makeshift conditions. The song received significant airplay, helping the band sign a contract with the international company Virgin. This move generated serious dissatisfaction among alternative musicians, but the band took this step because they believed that their indigenous style (called Patchanka) would gain greater recognition beyond their country, thus choosing a transnational company. However, the band did not compromise and remained fully independent from the record company. The contract led to their first album, "Patchanka," recorded in 1988, which included great songs such as "Mala Vida" (in the flamenco style), "Darling Darling," "Lonesome Bop," a cover of "Rock Island Line," and the lively "Indios de Barcelona." This album was well-received by the public, although it later became clear that the band's lack of experience prevented them from fully capturing their energy in the recording. With this album, they performed at various European festivals and toured Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Denmark, as well as South American countries like Peru and Ecuador. At the time, they were characterized as an international ethno-punk group. In 1989, "Mano Negra" released what critics and sales statistics consider their best album to date, "Putas Fever" (Syphilis). The album featured songs such as "King Kong Five," "Pas assez de toi," "Sidi H'Bibi" (a national Arabic song), "Rock n' Roll band," "Soledad," and "The rebel spell." This album defied categorization, incorporating various rhythms from hip-hop to Texmex (Patchuko Hop) and from rock to clearly recognizable ska influences. "Mano Negra" became recognized as the first alternative band in France and gained popularity throughout Europe. They embarked on a world tour, performing in Japan, Europe, and making their first trips to Mexico and the United States. During this time, they released a compilation album called "Amerika Perdida," which included tracks from their previous two albums, in an attempt to break into the Anglo-Saxon market—a challenging task for an independent band. Manu said, "In the United States, they don't understand a band that manages itself without a manager. It's very difficult for them." Due to various reasons, including cultural barriers, the band failed to gain recognition in the US and England. However, despite these obstacles, "Mano Negra" was involved in significant events in the US, such as accompanying Iggy Pop on a North American tour, participating in alternative festivals, and organizing concerts that promoted unity in America. They even had a sold-out show in London. It is worth noting that at the beginning of their career, "No Doubt" opened for a "Mano Negra" concert in Los Angeles.

Tired of the music industry's lack of understanding and satisfied with their survival in the independent culture, in 1991, Mano Negra reluctantly made their final attempt to conquer the United States with their album "King of The Bongo." The album received mixed reviews from critics. It differed from the band's previous works, featuring more protest against Western culture, with almost all songs performed in English and a rhythm more akin to heavy European rock. This album is considered the most punk-inspired by Mano Negra, with notable tracks such as "Bring the Fire" (a blend of reggae and hip-hop), "King of the Bongo" (which humorously speaks of being ignored in one place and idolized in another), "Letter to the Censors" (protesting censorship in Western culture), "It's My Heart" (100% ska), and "Welcome in Occident." The band continued touring, and from two concerts in Kawasaki, Japan, they released a live album called "Hell of Patchinko." This album includes unforgettable performances of songs like Chuck Berry's "County Line" and "I Fought the Law," which were originally performed by The Clash and Stray Cats. Mano Negra realized that they had moved away from their original style and decided to return to their initial ideals. In 1992, they embarked on an ambitious project with a French theater company, touring all the coasts of the southern part of the Atlantic Ocean on a ship. They performed cultural festivals, concerts, and theater productions in each port, ending the trip with a large festival in Rio de Janeiro. This idea was partially realized, and the band incorporated the journey into their worldwide Cargo Tour, which was supported by the French government. In late 1993, they embarked on another trip from Bogota to Santa Marta by train, accompanied by Manu's father, Ramon Chao, and correspondents from France and South America, including Fidel Nadal from Todos tus muertos. The journey encountered difficulties such as conflicts with local partisans and internal conflicts within the band, resulting in some members leaving the project. However, the band's energy resonated at many train stations in Colombia. As a result of this journey, both positive and negative outcomes emerged. The negative side involved conflicts among band members, leading to some departures, while the positive side led Ramon Chao to write a book describing all the details of the journey. The book, titled "Un train de feu et de glace" (A Train of Fire and Ice), provides a comprehensive account of the journey. Fidel Nadal was inspired by the band's philosophy and contributed new material. The highlight of this journey was the birth of Mano Negra's final album, "Casa Babylon," recorded in 1994. This album, with a strong influence of Latin American tendencies, is considered the band's best. Fidel Nadal's participation is prominent in most of the songs. The majority of the album's songs are in Spanish, including "Senor Matanza," "Santa Maradona," "Machine Gun," "Love & Hate," "Hamburger Fields," and "La Vida." These songs demonstrate the band's potential and their ability to understand the music of different cultures. This album was not released in the US or England.

In the same year, Mano Negra led the French project "La nuit du Foot" (The Night of Football), a festival related to the World Cup held in the USA. The band performed in South America and France alongside members of Todos tus muertos. In 1995, the band decided to move to Spain. Despite facing numerous problems in their surroundings, Mano Negra settled in Madrid. Conflicts with former members of the band escalated legally. It was during this time that Manu created Radio Bemba Sound System, a project in which the band would be involved in radio broadcasting in Spain. The project came about by chance, with the group comprising some former Mano Negra members and other Spanish and Italian musicians. Mano Negra disbanded in 1995. Rumors circulated that the band broke up due to Manu inviting many new musicians to join, which did not sit well with the original members, but these were just rumors. Manu made a solo comeback in 1998 with his first solo album, containing sixteen songs (twelve in Spanish, two in French, one in Portuguese, and one in English), showcasing his musical wanderings. "I am a sampler," says Manu, "I subconsciously absorb everything around me and then reproduce various sounds. I don't really know where these sounds come from - from Brazil? or Venezuela? maybe Senegal?" The album sold over a million copies. His second solo album, "Proxima Estacion: Esperanza" (Next Stop: Hope), preceded by the catchy single "Me gustas tu," demonstrated his political influence on the working class. If Mano Negra played explosive rock, as Manu himself defined it, then "Clandestino" was a collage of Mexican, Brazilian, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. The overall mood of the album was softened, whether in the melancholic "Desaparecido" or the gloomy "Je ne t'aime plus." The album remained more immediate than ever before. The concept of travel frequently resurfaced throughout the album. Manu paid special attention to the inhabitants of border regions, such as Gibraltar, between Spain and Maghreb(?), and Tijuana, the American dream of Mexican immigrants. "My travels are never hurried," said Manu. "For example, I don't like tours where you quickly hop from one place to another. I always make time to get to know the locals, have a chat in a bar, or play music."

Manu Chao is an all-encompassing spirit, capable of transitioning from punk to flamenco, from Cuban son to Neapolitan tamurriata. He cannot stay in one place for long. In fact, he moved to Barcelona because "after 30 years in Paris, a bustling city with a cold heart, I wanted sunshine and warmth." Even in Barcelona, finding him is challenging. "Mano Negra was born because I wanted a band that could play everything that came to my mind and satisfy my constant need for movement. Even now, at forty, that thirst is still unquenched. I cannot stay in one city for more than 15 days, but I don't like tours where you're here today and gone tomorrow. It's because I have friends all over the world, and when I'm in one place, I enjoy spending time with them, playing music. That's why I created Bemba Radio - it justifies my need for travel."

Manu's recipe is simple - folk music played with musicians from different countries and different colors of skin around the world, from Chile to Senegal, from Cuba to Italy. Africa and South America are Manu's favorite destinations. It seems that people there are centuries behind, but they have surpassed us in many ways. Manu's future plan involves a futuristic project with the band Prodigy, born in London: "I would like to transform techno music from a hypnotic and cold sound played in clubs into street music performed on real drums." This is the new journey of an eternal wanderer, a man-sampler.