Mano Negra - Success

Success

In 1989 the band started recording their second LP, Puta's Fever ("Slut's Fever"), a title that reflects the contempt with which other groups were treated for their signing with Virgin Records. Pierre Gauthe, trombone, joined as the eighth member of the group, and they went on tour to Latin America, choosing countries like Peru or Ecuador, unaccustomed to receiving foreign rock bands, causing a sensation in the audience to perform free concerts in auditoriums and public places. Recording concluded on Puta's Fever, considered one of the best albums of the group, which mixes Tex-Mex ("Patchuko Hop"), Arabic songs ("Sidi H'Bibi"), flamenco, etc. Enriched with the Latin American experience and tucked behind the success of the new job in France and other European countries, they began a world tour in 1990, leading them to visit more than fifteen countries, including: Japan, Holland, Germany and the United States, where they opened for Iggy Pop. However, the U.S. tour was not a good experience, and the band decided not to pursue the Anglo market since they don't identify themselves with their style of performing.

During 1991, while the group continued to tour the European continent, its members began to show signs of disunity. However, they began recording in Cologne (Germany) which would be their third LP, King of Bongo. The album, which was not well received by critics, included more lyrics in English, fewer Latin rhythms but more rock and hardcore sounds. Some English songs are "Mad Man's Dead", "Out of Time Man" or "Bring the Fire". Later, the group performed what would be its last concert in Paris with all its members, in the plaza of La Défense, with attempts to cancel the show by the municipality.