fair music weblog

Manu Chao has sold up to 3 million albums when he decided to quit the contract with the record label and sell his next album at news stands and by homeless people - only in France, for a low price and in a small pressing. He even added a children’s picture book as a gimmick. Why he did that he didn’t tell. Music in the digital age is perpetually available and the master of world music says Goodbye to capitalism. Manu Chao’s step was surprising, but could have been predicted. It was the consequent continuation of his artistic and personal non-conformism.

Manu Chao is a of Spanish / Galician origins and grew up in France with wide multicultural diversity from the acquaintances of his father that influenced his personality to a large extent. Manu Chao’s lyrics are about love, living in ghettos and immigration and he has many followers among the European left and the anti-globalisation movement. His thoughts of social equality and a thirst for diversity as well show in the mixture of distinct exotic sound in his music. Manu Chao always tried to stay in contact with the audience - by appearing unannounced on a street corner or in a small bar with his guitar. At the same time he had sold millions of albums and the French punk band Les Wampas criticised him for “having accepted the system”.

But before you blink he turned and took the next corner. His next album will be released under a French label, and who knows what’s coming next.

Produkt auf der Flucht - zeit.de

photo by Paul Familetti / Flickr under a Creative Commons license