Massive Attack

Massive Attack

Massive Attack are an English trip hop band. Founded in Bristol in 1988, the band consists of Robert Del Naja and Grantley Marshall. With the release of their debut album Blue Lines (1991), Massive Attack were critically acclaimed for their fusion of jazz, hip hop, rock, and soul elements into a new genre, trip-hop. With the release of later albums such as Protection (1994) and Mezzanine (1998), the band integrated forms of electronic music into their sound. Yet the band have retained a broad fan base, their work has been used in many feature films and television shows, such as Sliver, The Matrix, Charmed and House. Their song Unfinished Sympathy has been consistently listed as one of the top ten songs of all time in British media polls. [1]

They have released four studio albums, two movie soundtracks, one remix album, and a greatest hits collection. Massive Attack are constant collaborators and have worked with a diverse mix of artists, from Sinéad O'Connor to reggae musician Horace Andy to Madonna.

History

1980s

Massive Attack began as an offshoot of the popular mid-1980s sound system The Wild Bunch. The core group consisted of three members, Robert Del Naja ("3D"), Grant Marshall ("Daddy G") and Andrew Vowles ("Mushroom"), along with occasional Wild Bunch collaborator (and also Del Naja's roommate) Tricky. In 1988 they released their first single "Any Love", followed in 1991 by their first album, Blue Lines, featuring the hit singles "Unfinished Sympathy" (with Shara Nelson) and "Safe From Harm". The album, which was produced by Cameron McVey, was well-received both critically and commercially. "Blue Lines" rap vocals were also done by Tricky. Blue Lines subsequently became one of the most influential British records of the 1990s, ushering in a new genre of music sometimes referred to as the 'Bristol sound', but more often labeled trip-hop, a label Massive Attack have said they dislike.

1990s

In 1994, Massive Attack released their follow-up, Protection, an album that featured two string instrumentals arranged by Craig Armstrong and a deeper, more lush sound than the first. This marked Tricky's last collaboration with Massive Attack, as he chose to concentrate wholly on his solo career. Tricky used lyrics from other songs (chronologically before and after the album's release) at some points during the recording. Several of the lyrics from "Karmacoma" shared between Tricky and 3D were later sung by Martina Topley-Bird on Tricky's single "Overcome". On "Eurochild", Tricky borrowed lyrics from "Blank Expression" by The Specials. Two songs ("Protection" and "Better Things") feature Everything But The Girl vocalist Tracey Thorn, whom the band collaborated with on a remake of The Marvelettes' hit "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" for the Batman Forever soundtrack. In 1996, the band won a BRIT Award for "best dance act".

Massive Attack's third album, Mezzanine, was released in 1998. Mezzanine showed the band moving towards a somewhat dark, tense sound filled with distorted guitars and a combination of drum machines and live percussion that lacked the laid-back, jazzy nature they had occasionally shown in their previous albums. Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins sang lead vocals on three tracks. Original member Vowles, dissatisfied with this change in sound, left the band shortly after the release of the album. He was replaced by Neil Davidge, who worked with Del Naja for much of his material on Mezzanine. The release of Mezzanine also led to a change in Massive Attack's live show. In addition to their previous simple set up of a few mics and turntables, the group began incorporating more and more live instrumentation into their shows. In addition to their usual numerous guest vocalists, the trio were now being joined on stage by a live guitarist, bassist, drummer, and keyboard player, as well as a video screen and lighting effects from United Visual Artists. Also during this time many members including Richie Partridge left the band due to musical differences but the core members remain.

2000s

Massive Attack's fourth album, 100th Window, which was recorded without Marshall, was released in early 2003. It entered the Top 10 at Number 1 in the UK.

In 2004, the band, now consisting of Del Naja, Davidge, and programmer Alex Swift, released an instrumental soundtrack for the feature film Danny the Dog, which was produced by Luc Besson. The film's title was changed to Unleashed prior to the American release, though the album was initially released under the original title as it came out months before the film. 2005 saw the band contribute another soundtrack, this time for the feature film Bullet Boy. The group had also been slated to work on music for the film V for Vendetta with past collaborator Craig Armstrong but had to leave the project due to scheduling problems.

That same year, portions of Massive Attack's song "Teardrop" were used for the theme song for House, a popular television medical drama. A year later the same song was used in an episode of another popular series Prison Break. The song can also currently be heard in select television advertisements for the video game, Assassin's Creed.

Also in 2006, the band released a greatest hits compilation, Collected. The two-disc set includes selected tracks from their studio albums, some rare singles, and two new tracks, "Live with Me" and "False Flags." The DVD layer of the second disc also contains all the group’s music videos to date. Massive Attack also returned to the studio to record a new album, tentatively titled Weather Underground. Of the three original members, Del Naja and Marshall have returned to record the group’s fifth studio album. However, they will not be collaborating with each other extensively. Del Naja will be in one studio with producer Neil Davidge, and Marshall will be working from his own studio on the other side of Bristol. Presumably the pair will work more closely on a finished album after their respective batches of tracks are completed. Dot Allison, Horace Andy, Mike Patton, and Mos Def are expected to contribute vocals.

Massive Attack toured North America and Europe in 2006, performing closing spots at summer festivals such as Austin City Limits Music Festival. Mezzanine-era collaborator Elizabeth Fraser returned to the line-up to provide backing vocals. Marshall was not present for most of the North America performances, because, according to Del Naja on stage, Marshall's wife had delivered a baby.

Massive Attack recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road on July 29 2006. Their performance was screened alongside sets from LeAnn Rimes and Dr. John on the Sundance Channel in the USA and Channel 4 in the UK.

EMI/Virgin confirmed that the newest Massive Attack album would be out in February 2007. However, during an interview with Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1 on December 19, 2006, Del Naja stated that the release would hopefully be sometime in 2007, and that the title was now unlikely to be Weather Underground. The latest news is that the album is now not likely to appear until around June 2008. It is likely to feature Tunde Adebimpe from TV on the Radio and Stephanie Dosen amongst others. Founder members Robert Del Naja (3D)and Grant Marshall (Daddy G) have been working separately, Daddy G having recently been working with production Team 'The Robot Club'. A Daddy G remix of Morning Child by 4 Hero has appeared as part of the singles release.

Robert Del Naja and producer Neil Davidge working under their production moniker One point Six have completed soundtrack work for 2 yet to be released films entitled In prison my whole life for which they have recorded with Snoop Doggy Dog and Battle in Seattle.

In February 2007, Massive recorded a live performance in legendary Abbey Road Studios. Video of three songs and short interviews was aired on BBC beginning of March 2007.

On February 6, February 7, and February 8 2007, Massive Attack organized and performed charity concerts in Birmingham and the Brixton Academy in London for the HOPING Foundation for Palestinian refugee children. The three sold-out concerts netted over £100,000 for the Foundation, and attracted extensive media coverage. It is one of the largest concerts in the world ever performed for Palestinian children.

Late in 2007, their song Two Rocks And A Cup of Water from the Danny the Dog soundtrack was featured in a trailer for the 2007 movie I Am Legend.

On November 24 and November 25, Daddy G featured in the Boss Sounds reggae festival in Newcastle. On the Sunday he was re-united with the great Horace Andy.

On February 14 Massive attack were confirmed as the Artisitc Directors of the Meltdown Festival at Southbank Centre. During Meltdown they will take over all 21 acres of Southbank Centre - including the riverside, Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall - for nine days of concerts, DJ sets, talks, films, and visual art.

Controversy

During the first Gulf War, several British media channels became anxious to avoid using words suggestive of war and violence, and Massive Attack (then struggling to become established) were forced to temporarily change their name to Massive. Del Naja makes no secret in interviews of his political objections to what he sees as U.S. aggression against the Third World in the name of democracy, often expressing regret that he ever agreed to the name change.

Discography

Studio Albums

Month/Year	Album	UK	U.S.	AUS	Additional information
June 1, 1991	Blue Lines	13	-	69
September 26, 1994	Protection	4	-	15
April 20, 1998	Mezzanine	1	60	1
February 10, 2003	100th Window	1	69	4
TBR	Weather Underground	TBR	TBR	TBR	Album title is likely to change

Other Releases

Month/Year	Album	UK	U.S.	AUS	Additional information
February 17, 1995	No Protection	10	-	34	Dub versions of songs from Protection
December 7, 1998	Singles 90/98	-	-	-	11 disc box set of all singles to date
October 11, 2004	Danny the Dog	70	-	-	Film soundtrack
March 27, 2006	Collected	2	198	19	Singles compilation

Singles/EPs

Month/Year	Title	UK	U.S. Dance	AUS	Additional information
Unknown, 1988	"Any Love"	-	-	-
October 15, 1990	"Daydreaming"	81	-	-
February 11, 1991	"Unfinished Sympathy"	13	-	-	Featuring Shara Nelson
May 28, 1991	"Safe From Harm"	25	32	-
February 10 1992	Massive Attack EP	27	-	-	aka Hymn of the Big Wheel
October 17, 1994	"Sly"	24	-	-	Featuring Nicolette
January 9, 1995	"Protection"	14	-	-	Featuring Tracey Thorn
March 20, 1995	"Karmacoma"	28	-	-
October, 1995	"I Want You"	-	-	-	Video produced, single cancelled prior to release, featuring Madonna
July 7, 1997	"Risingson"	11	-	-
April 27, 1998	"Teardrop"	10	-	16	Featuring Elizabeth Fraser, opening theme song of House.
July 13, 1998	"Angel"	30	-	-	Featuring Horace Andy
October 19, 1998	"Inertia Creeps"	-	-	-
March 11, 2002	"I Against I"	-	-	-	12" promo only, featuring Mos Def
February 24, 2003	"Special Cases"	15	-	-	Featuring Sinead O'Connor
June 16, 2003	"Butterfly Caught"	-	-	-	8 track EP ineligible for chart inclusion
April 22, 2005	Bullet Boy EP	-	-	-	Itunes download only EP
March 13, 2006	"Live with Me"	17	-	-	Featuring Terry Callier
June 5, 2006	"False Flags"	158	-	-	12" promo only

Live mixes

• BBC Radio One Essential Mix (December 12, 1994)
• Heaven, Stockholm (May 18, 1998)
• Pinkpop Festival (June 3, 1998)
• Royal Albert Hall (July 7, 1998)

Vocalists

Over the years Massive Attack have hand picked some of the best vocalists for their albums.

• Shara Nelson (Blue Lines)
• Horace Andy (Blue Lines, Protection, Mezzanine and 100th Window)
• Tricky (Blue Lines and Protection)
• Nicolette (Protection)
• Tracey Thorn (Protection)
• Madonna (I Want You)
• Elizabeth Fraser (Mezzanine)
• Sarah Jay (Mezzanine)
• David Bowie (Natureboy)
• Mos Def (I Against I)
• Sinead O'Connor (100th Window)
• Terry Callier (Collected)

Unreleased

• Dot Allison (Aftersun)
• Jhelisa Anderson (100th Window sessions)

External links

• Massive Attack homepage (requires Flash)
• Massive Attack filmography on imdb.com
• Massive Attack videos on AOL.co.uk
• Massive Attack 15 years on
• Promotional website for Massive Attack's 100th Window album (requires Flash)
• Massive Attack discography at MusicBrainz
• Massive Attacks photographs in Todomusicaymas Live in Bilbao
• Massive Attack Meltdown Festival page on the Southbank Centre website
• MASSIVEATTACK.IE: Your source for News - Info - Media - Discussion on Massive Attack