Manu Chao - Biography
Manu Chao is a true enigma whose non-standard career path resembles more that of a musical vagabond than an international pop star. One of the most popular world music artists, he has been an inspiration and driving force behind both European and Latin alternative music scenes. His Spanish parents were political exiles who fled the fascist regime of Generalissimo Franco. He was raised in the suburbs of Paris, France, in a diverse community of immigrant artists and intellectuals that included his father, a writer and journalist. Born in Paris in 1961, Chao came of age during the era of punk rock, taking inspiration from British bands like The Clash. His first musical endeavor was with a group called Les Hot Pants whose demo, “Mala Vida,” was released in 1984. Commercial success proved elusive and Chao turned to his brother, Antoine, and other alternative-minded musicians to form a band called Los Carayos, who would release several recordings. In1987, the Chao brothers and a cousin formed a group whose name and music would spark great interest, Mano Negra.
Mano Negra literally means “black hand” and was the name of a notorious Spanish anarchist group as well as a slang reference to illegal or black market activities. Their debut album, Patchanka (1998 Virgin France) bristles with the energy of punk rock but goes beyond those limitations, employing a Latinized brass section and incorporating ska, rockabilly, hip-hop and flamenco into the mix. In addition to being the lead singer and guitarist, Manu Chao wrote almost all their original material including “Mala Vida (Bad Life),” “Los Indios de Barcelona (Barcelona’s Indians)” and “Killin’ Rats.” Singing in Spanish, French and English, the band was immediately embraced by a young European audience hungry for music they could call their own. Puta’s Fever (1989 Virgin France) followed and their popularity surged as they broadened their impressionistic musical palette of experimentation to include Tex-Mex, blues and gospel. The album yielded a couple minor hits, one sung in English, the dance-pop “King Kong Five,” and one sung in French, the rebel-made chanson “Pas assez de toi” (“Not enough of you”). One can hear the influence of Joe Strummer in Chao’s rapid vocal delivery but the loose, playful arrangements could hardly be accused of being derivative. The album became a touchstone for the Latin rock aficionados who enthusiastically embraced the band when they toured the Americas.
King of Bongo (1992 Virgin France) perhaps shows the influence of their American tour as they sing more in English and crank up the guitars a notch. The title cut would become a favorite and Chao would radically redo it, releasing a mellower, more melodic version on his first solo album, making it a hit two separate times. As members departed the band, Mano Negra became Manu Chao essentially and the brilliant Casa Babylon (1994 Virgin France) could be seen as Chao’s first solo album. The recording starts with the blatantly political “Viva Zapata” and from the beginning one can hear voices from radio or television as Chao begins to experiment with elements of sound collage. Reggae and dub techniques give the high energy production a more polished gloss and the Jamaican-Rastafarian concept of “Babylon” inspires the title. “Santa Maradona” is dedicated to the Argentinean football (soccer) star and stands out as unique in the long history of football songs. Although an anarchic agit-prop spirit imbues most all of Manu Chao’s songs, he gives space to humor on tunes such as “Hamburger Fields.”
Manu Chao relocated to Madrid in 1985 and Mano Negra officially disbanded. Collaborating with a few former bandmates as well as individuals from México’s Tijuana No!, Argentina’s Todos Tus Muertos and Brazil’s Skank, he formed the informal Radio Bemba Sound System. Taking name and inspiration from the pirate radio system Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries used in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra during the Cuban revolution, they traveled through Central and South America like a band of musical gypsies, recording as they went. The result of several years of wandering, Manu Chao’s Clandestino (1998 Virgin) stands out as the most significant Latin alternative album of its time. With most songs in Spanish and more of a Latin feel to the music, the album immediately captured the imagination of Latin American youth and easily crossed over to urban and cosmopolitan environs in the US. A huge seller internationally, it is one of those rare recordings that sells well year in and year out, reaching an ever-wider audience. Wearing his radical pedigree like a badge of courage, Chao’s catchy songs reveal a humble man concerned with social justice whose multicultural, multilingual music serves well as an imaginary soundtrack to an anti-globalization campaign.
“Clandestino” addresses the plight of the illegal immigrant from south of the border who goes north looking for work, living clandestinely, and draws a parallel to marijuana’s illegal status. “Bongo Bong” is a reworking of Mano Negra’s “King of Bongo,” whose whimsical lyrics, reggae rhythm and signature guitar riff make it an appealing tune for children as well as adults — it even found its way onto the soundtrack of Madonna’s The Next Big Thing. The tingly guitar riff from “Bongo Bong” continues into the next tune, “Je ne t’aime plus” (I Don’t Love You Anymore), sung in French. “Welcome to Tijuana” is a festive tune with superimposed voices, continuing the experimentation with random radio sounds and sound system shouts that give the music a connection to a greater ambiance — as if encountered in some public space. Roots, rock, reggae, Latin and French musical elements merge seamlessly as Chao switches between Spanish, English, French and Portuguese, sometimes within the same song.
Next up for Chao and his Radio Bemba Sound System was Próxima estaciíon: Esperanza (2001 Virgin) or “Next station: Hope” which takes its title from a Madrid metro stop. Expanding his concept of musical montage, the album sounds like an impressionistic travelogue of a musical nomad and his merry men as they wander through the Americas, the Caribbean and Europe. He recycles the previously mentioned “signature guitar lick” of “Bongo Bong” on “Homens” and “Mr. Bobby.” The horn arrangements are superb and he brings in some Arabic elements into the mix too. “Me Gustas Tú” has an irresistible pop charm, “Bixo” is an excellent, stripped down tune and “Merry Blues” closes the set with an easy reggae vibe. The album reached number one on the Italian charts and got to number four in Germany. Chao’s musical world knows no borders, flowing far and wide like a river to the sea.
Touring extensively and playing in large stadiums, Chao had achieved superstar status in Latin America and Europe. His large troupe would roll into a town, hang out for several days, mix with local musicians who would then open for them and sometimes perform with them. They would also try to play a free concert in every town connecting with the masses of poor, yet enthusiastic fans. Their ambitious touring schedule ended with a huge gig in Japan in July, 2002. In September they released a live recording made the previous year in Paris entitled Radio Bemba Sound System (2002 Virgin). The 29 tracks, most of them clocking in at a brisk two or three minutes, reprise most of his material in an energetic tour-de-force. The following year he released an excellent concert movie on DVD, Babylonia en Guagua (2003 EMI), that takes inspiration from Bob Marley’s iconic live “Babylon by Bus.” He then released a French-only album,
Síberie m’était conteé (Virgin 2004), that came with a book of lyrics and featured illustrations by Jacek Wózniak. The same year he produced Dimanche á Bamako (2005 Nonesuch) by Amadou & Mariam, a blind couple from Mali. The album sold over half a million copies and helped them reach a broader audience.
His first international release in six years La Radiolina (2007 Because) garnered numerous accolades, including the Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Song, the flamenco fueled “Me Llaman Calle.” The album contains some harder rocking tunes such as “The Bleeding Clown” and the provocative “Politik Kills,” which warns that politics breed violence. “Tristeza Maleza” addresses “Presidente Bush” directly, warning him to be careful. On the blistering “Rainin in Paradise” he sings “this world go crazy,” singing of atrocity in Congo and the lack of democracy in Bagadad, concluding there’s “too much hypocrisy.” “Mundorévés” (The World Upside Down) and “Amulucada Vida” are catchy tunes, while “La Vida Tómbola” imagines what it would be like to be Diego Maradona. Perhaps the most revealing song here is “Mala Fama,” a weary tune lamenting fame that quotes the famous line from Guantanamera, “Yo soy un hombre sincero” — I’m a sincere man. Another melting pot of music and perhaps a little edgier, Chao wear his politics and emotions on his sleeve, hoping his audience will not just enjoy, but think. Speaking about the record, Chao acknowledged that our world today can be depressing, but he maintains hope, inspired by the millions who live in poverty struggling day to day to take care of their families’ most basic needs. They don’t have time to be depressed — they’re too busy surviving. So, he takes inspiration from them, writing songs that in turn inspire them and give them hope.
