Mano Negra. Tackhead. Scottish Jazz Network, Concert of Ten Pianos. and more.
LISTINGS: ROCK 42 JAZZ 45 FOLK 48 CLASSICAL 49
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Vive to rock
Tom Lappin gulps down a refreshing slug of Patchanka with the very rock‘n‘roll (indeed), Mano Negra. .
Les Francois udorent [e Mano .Vegru; well. sufficient numbers of Francais have taken a shine to the 8-piece ‘rock’n‘roll. dance‘ band to give them a reputation as the hottest group in France.
That‘s no mean feat in a country rapidly burying its Johnny Halliday’Cbarles Aznavour musical reputation with a wealth ofcosmopolitan music. Paris has become the base from which African music has launched its assault on European listeners. and in the process native French bands have absorbed more than a few influences.
()ne ofthem. Les Negrcsses Vertes. won plenty ofplaudits with their recent live shows in Britain. and if reports are to be believed. Mano Negra look certain to do the same. Like the Negresses they enjoy a reputation for onstage exuberance and energy. ‘We have the same sort of spirit and attitude as Les Negresses. but our music is much a more rock'n’roll than they ever get says band I leader Manu (‘hao. a man who likes to use the phrase ‘rock n roll' whenever conceivably possible.
Mano Negra have been around in some form or other for quite a while. but the present line—up got 5 together in March 1988. Consistent touring built 3 up an audience for their first album. l’areliunku. i which sold in large quantities just by word of , mouth. The band became the most successful independent act in France. and quickly attracted , the notice of the majors before signing to Virgin j and taking their live show further afield to Japan. I South America. the USA and Canada. 3
They call their music Patchanka. a Spanish word for vulgar dance music. ‘l’atchanka means
nothing really.‘ says Manu (‘hao. ‘lt‘s a word we sort of tnade up to cover a whole range of musical types.‘ With tnore than a hint of the French obsession with rockabilly. the Mano Negra sound also encompasses elements of flamenco. rap. salsa. reggae. country and funk. New Model Army it ain‘t. ‘Punk. pop. reggae. salsa. anything at all.‘ says Manu. ‘We play what we like. and we- all seem to like different things.‘
'l‘itles like ‘Rock‘n‘Roll Band (for all the groups on the road)’ might be redolent ofSteve Miller outtakes. but the sound is distinctly more exotic. 'l’he lyric sheet for the new album has songs in four different languages. including an impressive looking Arabic squiggle. Whatever the language. violence. madness. sex and drunkenness seem to
s ‘ ‘\
crop up as regular concerns.
The title of the new record. l’ura's Fet'eriPuta meaning whore) is a response to the critics who accused them ofselling out when they signed to Virgin. ‘We just wanted to state that we may be whores but we haven‘t given up one inch on our original intentions.‘ says Mann. ‘A record company is just a record company. we don‘t have producers. We‘re true to our music and sound. and our ideals and everything Mano Negra has ever stood for. 'l‘hat simply means fun. energy and independence.‘ Not forgetting le rock 'n' roll.
Mano Negru: Edinburgh Queen 's l lull 'l'liurs I] and Queen .llurgurel Union. Glasgow (I)! Hi [2.
ITHE MUSICAL ELEMENT so [3: announcediorme E across tothe south side. ForthBailBridge ‘ stillsinging.andtinishthe ‘
set there. Should this sound an act at daring thatwould send Phil Collins back tothe drawing board, consider his earlier plan: to stand atop the bridge and do his stutt trom there. Jesse. ot course. has no learot heights— he scaled the Brooklyn Bridge lorthe
Centennial celebrations hasn‘t been startling. but you can always trust Jesse Bae (singer, songwriter. videomaker and now comic strip hero) to make a stab at stealing the show anyway. Rae has a noted tondness tor radio-mikes, and his plan. as we have heard it. is
to commence his setin ‘Overthe Sea'video-but North Oueensterry. climb "‘8 Ofigiflal idea was aboard a speeaboai, zoom shelved when it was pointed
out to him that no one in a kiltwould want to be standing up there with such a contlagration ottireworks going all underneath.
I CAN WE STAND another snippet about Goodbye Mr Mackenzie? Yes. Ithink so. Metcalte and Kelly have been in LA, supervising radical remixing otthe lorthcoming album. 'Hammer and Tongs', which will sound much rockierior the compartmentalised
American market than itwill here. Four mastertapes were shipped overtrom Britain. but then on the morning of 13 September. a transatlantic call informed their management that one at them was completely the wrong track. A mad dash to Edinburgh Airport ensued. and the correct tape was despatched - at a cost. declared the harassed Deke Primo as he returned tothe ottices otClandestine
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moment. but ‘the thinking man's popster'. otherwise
continues. known asthe 'Glasgow IONEINTBIGUINGITEM Herald's David Belcher. scheduled lorthe will be on hand to say a lew Glasgow's Glasgowtheatre words.
is ‘A Thousand Years oi I ON OUR TRAVELS, we Glasgow Bock' —described picked up the news that
as 'a surreal musical Bjork is taking time otttrom discourse on the historical ! The Sugarcubes to make 3 worth of Glasgow's rock 1 dance record. She doesn't scene, featuring The Beat ; thinkitwill beahit, . Poets and other special apparently. but reckons it guests'. Ouite what torm it i would do nicely as the
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The List Is September »— ll ()ctober l‘)l)ll35