He was one of the central figures of French alternative rock in the 1980s-1990s. François Hadji-Lazaro died on the night of February 25 to 26 at the age of 66. Founder of Garçons-Bouchers, Los Carayos and Pigalle, all groups that marked this bubbling scene, he also created the independent label Boucherie Productions, revealing many emerging artists including Mano Negra.
For many, the cheeky voice of François Hadji-Lazaro will remain attached to the success of ” In the room of the bar-tabac of the rue des martyrs », title released in 1990 with the group Pigalle. But the influence of “Gros François”, as he was affectionately nicknamed in the middle of alternative rock, went far beyond that.
Alongside Bérurier Noir or the Wampas, this real Parisian titi with the physique of a wrestler and a shaved head, for a time a teacher, was one of the key figures of the French punk-rock scene.
With Les Garçons Bouchers, Los Carayos or Pigalle, he played all the instruments, from the violin to the accordion and bagpipes. Social injustices, the fate of immigrants and refugees, global warming fed his texts.
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Manu Chao’s developer
François Hadji-Lazaro will also create the mythical independent label Boucherie Productions which allows many artists ignored by the majors to release their first album, such as Mano Negra with Patchanka, which revealed Manu Chao to the general public.
His face and his extraordinary physique will also offer him some beautiful supporting roles in the cinema, as in “The city of lost children” by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.