MANU CHAO (ABO #083)

MANU CHAO
QUE PASO QUE PASO

Chao was born on June 26, 1961, in Paris to Spanish parents — his father, Ramon Chao, a respected writer, comes from Galicia, his mother Bilbao. Growing up bilingual, he was also influenced by the punk scene across the English Channel that happened while he was still in his teens. As a teen he played in bands, including a rockabilly outfit called Les Hot Pants, which won local critical praise. After that, Chao and his cousin began Mano Negra, named for an anarchist organization that operated in Spain. They recorded their first album , "Patchanka," for Boucherie Productions (Pigalle, Les Garçons Bouchers, etc.) but its French success led them to a contract with Virgin — something many early fans decried as selling out.

Multilingual and decidedly multicultural, but with an edge heavily influenced by the punk rock of the Clash, Mano Negra seemed comfortably at home anywhere. In 1992 they began a seemingly odd tour of Latin America, traveling by boat with actors and a circus, playing in port cities on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides. In 1995, Chao moved the band to Spain, where he also formed another outfit, Radio Bemba Sound System, employing both musicians from Mano Negra and outside, which, according to rumors, caused rifts within the ranks, leading to the split.

Chao then returned to South and Central America, spending the next few years drifting around with his guitar and a four-track, recording here and there. The resultant collection of songs was released in 1998 under the title Clandestino. The album itself took off very slowly, but after a year was going stronger than ever, a sleeper that found its niche in the burgeoning Latin alternative scene (even though its lyrics freely mixed English and French along with the Spanish). In june of 2001, he released his second album, Proxima Estacion: Esperanza, which showed that his musical self had been spending the last couple of years soaking up the sounds of the Caribbean. This was further explored on Radio Bemba Sound System, a live recording done in 2002 that was taken from the tour following Proxima Estacion: Esperanza. In 2004 Chao released his first French-only album, Sibérie M'était Contéee and in 2007 Radiolina. This best of spans his entire solo career and displays how talented and versatile an artist Manu is. Enjoy!

1. Clandestino 2:28

2. Bongo Bong 2:38
3. Je ne t'aime plus 2:03
4. Welcome to Tijuana 4:04
5. Dia Luna... Dia Pena 1:30
6. Minha Galera 2:22
7. Merry Blues 3:36
8. El Dorado 1997 1:30
9. La Primavera 1:53
10. Me Gustas Tu 4:00

11. Mr Bobby 3:49
12. Por Donde Saldra El Sol ? 2:41
13. Peligro 3:09
14. El Viento 2:41
15. Rumba de Barcelona 3:31

16. Radio Bemba 0:34
17. Que Paso Que Paso 1:10
18. Pinocchio (Viaggio in Groppa al Tonno) 0:45
19. La valse à sale temps 3:41
20. Les mille paillettes 4:05

21. Helno est mort 3:34
22. Te tromper 1:13
23. Te souviens-tu... 2:34
24. 13 Dias 2:37
25. Politik Kills 3:03
26. Rainin' In Paradize 3:41
27. Me Llaman Calle 3:14

28. La Vida Tombola 3:16
29. Panik Panik 1:46
30. Sone Otro Mundo 1:19