who is Manu Chao anyway?

I haven't heard his new solo thing, but he used to be the lead singer/ main focus of MANO NEGRA, who were a multi-culti French band (named after a Spanish anarchist group called The Black Hand) who played a dizzying mixed bag of styles and sang in a variety of languages. Imagine a more versatile incarnation of Fishbone playing liberal interpretations of cuts of the Clash's LONDON CALLING and SANDINISTA! in various languages, and you've got kinda a clearer picture of Mano Negra. Plus, onstage, it was nothing but sheer kinetic mayhem. I'd hope his solo path carries on some of Mano Negra's appeal.

His most famous song details how he likes to play the bongos. It tells us that "Mama was queen of the mambo/Papa was king of the congo/Deep down in the jungle/I start banging my first bongo". Apart from that, he's rather good.

Manu Chao alone maintains the appeal of Mano Negra, and in lots of ways the same thematics, which go from legaliztion of pot to the rights of the indigenoous people of Chiapas (actually he is a friend of Sub Comandante Marcos). He is very well know by demonstrators against globalization, and contributes with them often, I heard that he donated a truck loaded with rotten apples for the demostrations in Genoa. he is very popular throughout Latin America, and of course in Spain since the time of Mano Negra. I saw him in Lima the year 2000, and it was a good show, the publicity was just made in colleges and it filled out. He is certainly loyal to his principles...his concert was cheaper than the ones of the local groups. Extremely cheap I'd say. His first album: Clandestino is great, with aggresive lyrics and fluent music. However he loses the point in the second one: Proxima estacion Esperanza, all there is repetitive and dull. with few exceptions like Promiscuity which is pretty funny.

"I heard that he donated a truck loaded with rotten apples for the demostrations in Genoa'

kudo's!

"Fishbone playing liberal interpretations of cuts of the Clash's LONDON CALLING and SANDINISTA!" sounds like the most awful idea in the history of time (tho i guess interps of "liberal" might just abt save it, esp if inflicted thru "a more versatile incarnation")

Yeah, I was sorta reaching on that one.

Despite Manu Chao selling right up there with the Oh Brother etc.sndtrk. at Barnes & Noble, I very much like him. But I haven't heard his recent album and may lose respect if it is rub.

On the one hand, all the facts surrounding this guy, esp. all the trust fund hippies that swarm, are negative indicators, and yet, _Clandestino_ is fun, quirky, interesting and catchy. In fact, I like it enough to have decided to absolutely under no circumstance purchase, sample or otherwise encounter _Proxima Estacion_. I don't want to risk contaminating what has been a happy listening accident for me.

Does anyone else do this, avoid further experimentation with a musician/band to avoid what one believes to be certain disappointment?

Not often (except w/Television), but in this case I think I feel the exact same way.

Stay away from Proxima Estacion just stay away it WILL dissapoint you while in clandestino all tracks sounded a like in proxima esatcion all tracks are the same bore

Saw him play in NYC last summer. They're pretty energetic and tight, but it was full of dumb ska-punk cliches and almost every song had the same damn structure. You could count it down like clockwork, "ok, they're gonna play fast...NOW...half-time on my mark..3, 2, 1 ". They went on way too long. Wasn't much fun.

Manu Chao is french-spanish-algerian singer. Anti-global-capitalism leader, he is capable of full crowd gigs without promotion. Good albums ("proxima estacion" and "casa babylon" of his previous band mano negra), his studio productions are used as raw materials for gigs performances. On stage, he plays 2 hours with his actual band "radio bemba". Splendid mix of electronic-afro-latino-ska-punk-rockab-french traditionnals-oriental sensations. must be seen to have an idea. Take profit on his actual world wide tour. bad quality sound but testable real audio on radiochango.com (live in G8 summit riots in genova 2001) webste : manuchao.net

Without promotion?
Have you been on an extended mission to Pluto promoting ignorance? (Sorry, but COME ON! by the way your post and content was a contradiction in fooool mode.)