Origins
In the mid-1980s, alternative rock bands such as Bérurier Noir, Noir Désir, or Los Carayos were leading the local scene. It is in this context that the musician Manu Chao, with the intention of recording some songs written that did not fit into the groups of which he had been a part, decided to start a band with his brother, trumpeter Antoine Chao, and his cousin, drummer Santi Cassariego. Needing more musicians, they called the group "Dirty District" and recorded in 1987 EP Takin' it up (Boucherie Productions).
After this recording, the group was diluted almost sporadically, with three members participating in other projects: Manu in Les Casse Pieds, Antoine with The Kingsnakes Carayos and with Santi. However, the following year, they recorded the first LP of the group, Patchanka. That album had songs which Manu had written before and which Dirty District again participated with other musicians from Les Casse Pieds, urban group, holiday, folk and gifts to improvise, Hot Pants and Los Carayos, to accompany the three members of the group. Patchanka is an album that sounds like the time period, made on a budget and with imagination, and Manu Chao allowed recording several songs as unedited renditions: "Mala Vida", "Indios de Barcelona" and "Ronde de Nuit", among others.
The laborious search for the Patchanka sound did not stop there, as Manu continued to collaborate with other groups, while Patchanka continued to accumulate good reviews. Daniel Jamet (lead guitar), Jo Dahan (bass) and Philippe Teboul (drums), as 3 musicians from Les Casse Pieds, decided to join the project Mano Negra, and later would be joined by keyboardist Tomas Darnal. The group toured in France and drew media attention, getting a contract signed with major label Virgin Records France, which brought them criticism from France's alternative scene, but otherwise let them pay for their travel.
Read more about this topic: Mano Negra
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