The Gipsy Kings have sold 25 million records worldwide. In a book, Chico, one of the co-founders, recounts the beginnings of the group, Saint-Tropez and the meetings with stars like Brigitte Bardot, his disillusionments, and his role as special envoy for peace at UNESCO. He will participate with his group, “Chico et les Gypsies”, in a charity concert in Nîmes, Tuesday November 19.
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“Djobi, djoba”, “Bamboleo”, two mega hits. “Week after week, we climbed the ranks of the Top 50 by rubbing shoulders with hits like “Bad” by Michael Jackson, “Joe le taxi” by Vanessa Paradis, “Ella, elle l’a” by France Gall, “Sans counterfeit” by Mylène Farmer or “Who’s that girl” by Madonna“.
At the end of the 1980s, France lived to the rhythm of Catalan rumba. But not only, in Europe, the United States or Australia as well. The Gipsy Kings are stars.
The group was born in Arles. At its head, Chico, whose real name is Jahloul Bouchikhi. He brought together two large gypsy families from Arles and Montpellier and co-founded the Los Reyes group in the 1970s.My childhood was marked by the image of the Crin-Blanc Camargue horse. Very quickly other wild horses appeared: the gypsies “.
Direction Saint-Tropez: Tahiti Plage, Club 55, Moorea Plage, La Voile rouge, L’Esquinade. With all its celebrities. But the beginnings are difficult, chasing the stamp. “I had multiple roles: manager, leader, guitarist, accountant, driver, stylist and even hairdresser. In the evening, I did the blow-drying. I became the spokesperson for the group. I was the link with the outside world“, recounts Chico in his autobiography: “Chico, under the gypsy stars, my life with the Gypsies” (Editions Robert Laffont).
With Brigitte Bardot, a friendship was born. Suddenly our status changed.
But Saint-Tropez is “The place to be” and several encounters will change the life of Los Reyes into “The Gipsy Kings.” Enrico Macias will offer them to play as opening act at the Olympia for three weeks then Brigitte Bardot: “A friendship was born. Suddenly our status changed in Saint-Tropez”.
“A North African and gypsies singing in gypsy Catalan, with an English name, giving off an energy worthy of a rock group – there you go, it’s France“, sums up Chico.
The Gipsy Kings are at the top of the bill, they sell out rooms, they accumulate TV shows at breakneck speed. Even if it means having to make improbable choices. “When the Rollings Stones offered to open for us on their tour of the United States and Canada, we were flattered, but we kindly declined. We were exhausted“.
But from one day to the next, everything stops. In February 1991, Chico was excluded from the group, accused of hiding part of the winnings, which he always refuted. “I found myself alone. I spent a lot of time in court. I paid a high price for my integrity. The tragedy of the Gipsy Kings is that they were surrounded by a few scavengers.” He has taken to court for unfair competition all those who present themselves under the name “Gipsy Kings”.
Chico created a new group but above all became special envoy for Peace for UNESCO in 1996. His brother, Ahmed, was assassinated by the Mossad in 1973. A mistake. In 1994, in Oslo, Chico, the North African, was called to serve a message of peace between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples.
With his new position, he found himself alongside Yehudi Menuhin, the English violinist, Mstislav Rostropovitch, the Russian cellist, and Charles Aznavour who would become a close friend.
If today he has left his place to other special envoys for peace, he is continuing his approach.
On the eve of International Children’s Rights Day, lawyers from the Nîmes Bar are organizing a charity concert on Tuesday, November 19 at 7 p.m. at the Paloma Hall. And once again, Chico and his group, Chico and the Gypsies, agreed to respond. The funds will be donated to the Unicef, Alphe and Aspie Family associations, a Nîmes association which supports families affected by autism.
Book “Chico under the gypsy stars, my life with the gypsies”.
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© Editions Robert Laffont
My story is an example of a life with ups, downs, betrayals: all the ingredients of a turbulent life but I came out of it with a smile because that is my optimistic temperament.
You write: “little by little, Travelers were seen in a more positive way in society.” All this, thanks to your music?
I lived for ten years in a caravan under a bridge in Arles. Before achieving success, the gypsies who got involved, the police made them leave. And from the moment we had success, the Arles police officers brought us packets of letters from fans who wrote to us. As they didn’t have the address, they put “Gipsys Kings, Arles police station. In their heads, they must have said to themselves that they must have been arrested once! The police brought them to us with a smile. ..
Tell us about your meeting with Brigitte Bardot…
We have to put ourselves back in the context of the time, 45 years ago. We meet her for her birthday. A magnificent celebration. The next day, she invited us to Madrague and there is a friendship that is born to this day. At the time, we played in restaurants, we weren’t known at all. She showed us incredible kindness. Then, she was the one who came to my birthdays in the Camargue. She believed in us because she called all her friends: Barclay, Guy Lux…
When she came with us in the evenings, she said to me: “You say I’m your big sister and you’re my little brother“.
For 25 years, I took my guitar-shaped pilgrim’s staff and set out to promote peace, tolerance and fraternity.
Are you becoming a UNESCO special envoy for peace in quite incredible circumstances?
For 25 years, I took my guitar-shaped pilgrim’s staff and set out to promote peace, tolerance and fraternity. When I go to play for Simon Perez and Arafat, in Norway, in the country where my brother was murdered, they represented what my brother was murdered for. And in the evening, when we play, both of them shake my hand. It became a beautiful image of forgiveness. UNESCO was very touched by my story and I became the first ambassador for peace.
Tuesday, November 19, you are participating in a charity concert in Nîmes. Should we see this as a logical continuation of your investment in UNESCO?
I have done many galas for children in need in general. We must encourage this type of initiative. I do it wholeheartedly, me and my group.
You are releasing a new album with your group “Chico et les Gypsies”. How is it different from the others?
I am not from a Christian background and I go and sing in churches. We recorded songs that we mixed with ours while respecting the place with this spiritual and sacred side. There are also Christmas carols. It is an album of ten tracks. We had never appropriated this type of repertoire and we are very happy to have done it.
The first concert of this new tour of churches and cathedrals was held in Annecy on November 1st. It will end on December 20 at the Notre Dame aux Anges collegiate church in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, in Vaucluse.
