sound of the suburbs

The job of rounding up this week of vinyl rips goes to a French band that I certainly hope that you are at least aware of their name if not their music, as along with Les Negresses Vertes, Mano Negra were the biggest selling French rock export of the 90's (the Gypsy Kings don't count as rock). The Band with their enigmatic leader Mano Chaos set fire to concert halls just about wherever they played with their explosive sets and on stage fun antics. After having independently released their debut album, 'Patchanka', they were snapped up by Virgin France who proceeded to turn this unruly bunch of radical music makers into international stars. Their fame was well deserved as they dished up a successful mix of musical styles, Ska, Punk, country, rap, oriental ......, that somehow or the other worked as they forged their own sound. 1990 was their year, as their groundbreaking second album 'Putas Fever' had hit the shops the previous year and was winning friends with every day that went by. To celebrate this success the band decided on a short tour of their home territory, Paris, and staying very true to the spirit of the album chose six venues, Erotika ; La Cigale ; New Moon ; Elysée Montmartre ; Narcisse ; Folies Pigalle, all situated in the Pigalle district that is of course known for it's lively nightlife, infact several of these venues were better known as strip clubs! The same year they released another single from the album, in it's 12" form it was accompanied by six live titles recorded during that tour, here are three of them for your pleasure.
1. 'Sidi B Bibi'
2. 'Darling Darling'
3. 'Magic Dice'