Radio Bemba Sound System
Radio Bemba Sound System is a live album by Manu Chao that was released in 2002. It is the accompanying CD to the performer's live DVD Babylonia en Guagua, filmed over two nights (4–5 September) in 2001 during the tour for Proxima Estacion: Esperanza. Many of the songs found on Radio Bemba Sound System, such as "Machine Gun", "Peligro","Mala Vida","King Kong Five" and "The Monkey", are songs originally recorded by Manu Chao's previous band, Mano Negra. However the arrangements performed with Radio Bemba Sound System are more reggae-, ska-, and rock-oriented. The album is sequenced and edited in such a way that there is very little audience noise and cheering between the tracks, thus giving the impression of an all-night happy party - which calms down in the penultimate track ("Minha Galera") only to explode again in the last one ("Promiscuity"); the cheering at the end of "Promiscuity" is cut short by a very early fade.
Radio Bemba Sound System | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Live album by | ||||
Released | 17 September 2002 | |||
Recorded | 4–5 September 2001 | |||
Genre | Latin, reggae, ska | |||
Length | 1:04:24 | |||
Label | Virgin Records | |||
Producer | Renaud Letang | |||
Manu Chao chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Entertainment Weekly | A−[2] |
Pitchfork Media | (8.0/10) [3] |
Track listing
- "Intro" – 0:50
- "Bienvenida a Tijuana" – 01:55
- "Machine Gun" – 02:13
- "Por Dónde Saldrá el Sol?" – 02:41
- "Peligro" – 03:09
- "Welcome to Tijuana" – 02:50
- "El Viento" – 02:41
- "Casa Babylon" – 02:34
- "Por el Suelo" – 03:55
- "Blood and Fire" – 02:35
- "EZLN... Para Tod@s Todo..." – 01:41
- "Mr. Bobby" – 03:36
- "Bongo Bong" – 01:05
- "Radio Bemba" – 00:20
- "Qué Pasó Qué Pasó" – 00:54
- "Pinocchio (Viaggio In Groppa Al Tonno)" – 00:45
- "Cahí en la Trampa" – 02:10
- "Clandestino" – 02:59
- "Rumba de Barcelona" – 03:31
- "La Despedida" – 04:02
- "Mala Vida" – 02:26
- "Radio Bemba" – 00:34
- "Qué Pasó Qué Pasó" – 01:10
- "Pinocchio (Viaggio In Groppa Al Tonno)" – 00:45
- "La Primavera" – 03:32
- "The Monkey" – 01:59
- "King Kong Five" – 02:44
- "Minha Galera" – 03:17
- "Promiscuity" – 01:44
Personnel
Radio Bemba Sound System is also the name of Manu Chao's backing band, named for the communication system used in the Sierra Maestra by the Castro-and-Guevara-led rebels in the Cuban Revolution.
- Vocals and rhythm guitar – Manu Chao
- Lead guitar – Madjid Fahem
- Bass guitar – Jean Michel Dercourt a.k.a. Gambeat
- Drum kit – David Bourgnion
- Percussion – Gerard Casajus Gaita
- Keyboards – Julio García Lobos
- Vocals – Bidji a.k.a. Lyricson
- Trumpet – Roy Paci
- Trombone – Gianny Salazar Camacho
- Accordion – B-Roy
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF)[4] | Gold | 20,000^ |
Belgium (BEA)[5] | Gold | 25,000* |
France (SNEP)[6] | 2× Gold | 269,500 [7]* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[8] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[9] | Gold | 20,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
- Radio Bemba Sound System at AllMusic
- Hermes, Will. "Music Review: Radio Bemba Sound System", Entertainment Weekly, October 25, 2002.
- Pitchfork Media review
- "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
- "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2005". Ultratop. Hung Medien.
- "French album certifications – Manu Chao – Radio Bemba Sound System" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- http://www.infodisc.fr/Ventes_Albums_Tout_Temps.php?debut=1468
- Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 964. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
- "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Manu Chao; 'Radio Bemba Sound System')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.