Massive Attack

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Massive Attack

Massive Attack are a seminal British trip hop duo and live band. Their name comes from an '80s warehouse party they enjoyed going to. Starting out as 3 in 1988, with their independently-released song, "Any Love" (sung by falsetto-voiced singer-songwriter Carlton McCarthy), DJ's Grantley (Grant) Marshall, Andrew Vowles and graffiti artist and MC Robert Del Naja from Bristol, England, UK, went on to sign to Circa records in 1990, a subsidiary of Virgin records (that would, in turn, be bought by EMI) to release six studio LP's and a "Best Of" or "greatest hits" compilation. This multicultural, unlikely and semi-anonymous production trio were together prior to the formation of the group, as part of The Wild Bunch, along with Claude 'Willie Wee' Williams and Tricky, whose solo career flowed from collaboration on their debut album Blue Lines in 1991, which executive producer and then manager Cameron McVey would be instrumental in making possible. (During this time, Tricky (kid) was on work experience with 'tape-op' (teaboy) Geoff Barrow, who would go on to form Portishead.) From this release, Massive Attack would receive critical acclaim for their combination of distinctive, often 'ethereal' or whispery and ever-changing guest vocalists (plus occasionally Robert and Grant's (initially Tricky's) own similarly hushed sprechgesang stylings) with, what was thought to be, a quintessentially British, creative use of sampling that fused down-tempo hip hop, soul, reggae and other references (including lyrical ones).

Some of their most noted tracks would feature dramatically atmospheric dynamics, conveyed through epic distorted guitar crescendos, lavish orchestral arrangements (like swelling, sustained strings or flourishes of grand piano) or prominent, looped/shifting basslines, all underpinned by high and exacting production values. In other cases, use of analog recording techniques, vinyl scratches and turntablism, 'ethnic' percussion, 'gothic' synths, industrial noise, psychedelic / pitch-bending sound design, dub delay effects and bassline-complementing high-pitched instrumentation were the artistic order of the day. The pace of the music was generally slower than prevalent British dance music at the time. The aforementioned sonics, often used minimally in their earlier material, formed a much-emulated style journalists began to dub "trip hop" from the mid-nineties onwards, though Grant Marshall still resents the media-invented term. Each studio album that followed Blue Lines would be one year slower to arrive.

With the coffee-table chill-out of Protection in 1994, a rather heavier, guitar-upgraded Mezzanine in 1998, and then the denser, more clinical soundscaping of Robert Del Naja's essentially solo 100th Window in 2003, Massive's overall sound grew persistently more experimental and melancholy, having a greater degree of gothic post-punk texture and moodily cinematic electronica integrated into it. Andy Vowles reluctantly and acrimoniously left Massive Attack, at the behest of his colleagues, in 1999. The more casual Marshall had also effectively left by 2001 (in so far as he just stopped coming into work at all), but returned with greater commitment in 2005 (Del Naja having persuaded Marshall to join the touring line-up of 2003/4); though not involved in producing "Live With Me", with Terry Callier, the one new track from [Disc 1 of] 2006's Collected, their "Best Of" LP. Also, a record label, Melankolic, was started back in 1995 (as an imprint of Virgin [EMI] ), but more or less folded after 2002.

Over the decades, the Bristol collective have collaborated with Neneh Cherry, Madonna, David Bowie, [1] Mos Def and [2] Sinéad O'Connor amongst many others. Roots reggae veteran, Horace Andy has featured on all of their studio LP's. Currently, producer Neil Davidge and Massive Attack spend time in (Del Naja and Davidge's) 100 Suns studio, in Bristol (where they remain one of the city's most successful cultural exports), supposedly grafting away to finish their, as yet untitled, but very long-awaited, fifth studio album.

The Timeline

1988-1989: Any Love

Unsigned, Mushroom (Andy Vowles), Daddy G (Grant Marshall) and 3D (Rob Del Naja) put out Any Love as a single, co-produced by Bristolian double-act Smith and Mighty.

Through The Wild Bunch they meet Cameron McVey and Neneh Cherry.

1990-1992: Unfinished Sympathy, Blue Lines and Cameron McVey

3D co-writes (the rap verses of) Neneh Cherry's Manchild, which goes to number one. Cameron McVey and Neneh Cherry help them to record their first LP, "Blue Lines", partly in their house, and the album gets released in 1991 on Virgin records.

The album was critically acclaimed across the board. It would encompass a range of different vocalists, normal practice for an eclectic soundsystem but quite unusual for a high-profile album at that time. The singers included Horace Andy, a reggae legend as well as Shara Nelson, a former Wild Bunch cohort. MC's Tricky and Willie Wee, also once part of The Wild Bunch, would also feature, as too would Daddy G's voice on "Five Man Army". Neneh Cherry would sing backing vocals on environmentalist anthem, "Hymn of the Big Wheel".

That year they would release "Unfinished Sympathy" as a single [an obvious pun on Unfinished Symphony], a grandiosely string-arranged track at Abbey Road, scored by Will Malone, that would go on to be voted the 10th greatest of all time, with a one-take video that would also become iconic and much-imitated (by The Verve amongst others). The group shortens their name, on the advice of McVey to avoid controversy relating to the Gulf War. They go back to being Massive Attack for their next single, "Safe From Harm".

They do a relatively brief tour, that includes the States, as a DJs & MCs, hip hop-type setup, with only turntables and microphones. The tour is not particularly well received which spurs the decision to make Massive Attack into a more traditional live entity for the following tour.

1993-1997: Protection, Nellee Hooper, Melankolic and Neil Davidge

After falling out with Shara Nelson over wages and her decision to make a solo record, the guys bring in Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn as a new vocalist. Cameron McVey drifts out of role as Massive Attack's manager and Daddy G finds Marc Picken to represent the band. Picken finds Nicolette to be the other female vocalist on the album that would become their second studio album, Protection.

With Cameron McVey out of the picture, Massive, returning to their roots in some respects, enlist the production talents of Wild Bunch alumnus, Nellee Hooper to co-produce the record,, or rather co-produce some songs on it, with Mushroom. Other tracks are co-produced by The Insects and 3D.

Overall the album is successful. (A dub version of it is released the following year by Mad Professor). It wins a Brit award for Best Dance Act and 3D jokes, on receiving it, that none of them can dance. It is more chilled out and overtly electronic than Blue Lines and even ends with a lighthearted cover of the Doors classic, "Light My Fire", sung by Horace Andy, often thought of now as an ill-chosen reference to their live soundsystem past. The other collaborators on Protection are Craig Armstrong, a virtuoso Scottish classical pianist and Tricky. Tricky's solo career was taking off at this time and he decides not to collaborate with Massive anymore after this, having never been very happy with Massive Attack's creative direction or in his relationships with 3D and Daddy G.

1994-5 would also be the period of Portishead's Dummy and Tricky's Maxinquaye albums and the term, "trip hop" is coined. Massive Attack bitterly oppose its use, wanting to not be pigeonholed. The media start to refer to the "Bristol scene", although this would be spurious to some extent, as Portishead, technically, is not in the city of Bristol and Tricky bases himself in London [and later in the States] and there was not a great deal of camaraderie between the three entities (although they could be related in that the protagonists were all connected to Blue Lines studio sessions and their wages being initially paid by Neneh Cherry and Cameron McVey's "Cherry Bear Organisation").

In 1995, Massive Attack start a label under EMI, Melankolic, an obvious reference to their interest in elegiac music, and sign Craig Armstrong, as well as a number of other artists: Horace Andy, Alpha, Sunna and Day One. The trio espouse a non-interference philosophy that allows the artists to make their albums in the way they want.

The same year, The Insects would become unavailable for co-production and having parted ways with Nellee Hooper, the band are introduced to Neil Davidge, a relatively unknown producer whose main claim to fame thus far had been an association with anonymous dance/pop outfit, DNA. The first track they work on is "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game", a cover version sung by Thorn for the Batman Forever soundtrack, foretelling ever greater forays into film music. Initially, Davidge is brought in as engineer, but soon becomes de facto producer.

The trio increasingly fracture in the lead up to the third album, Davidge having to co-produce the three producers ideas separately. Mushroom is reported to be unhappy with the degree of the post-punk direction, 3D, increasingly filling the production vacuum, is taking the band in.

In 1997, a single from their third album would be released, Risingson, to sate the fans appetite for new material. The album, Mezzanine, would come out nine months later.

1998-2001: Teardrop, Mezzanine, the Mushroom split and 3D solo

In '98, Massive Attack release Mezzanine. Darker, heavier sounding and more guitar-driven, the album came out initially to rather mixed reviews and a perception that it was not a commercial record, although it would go on to be their most commercial. The record marked Massive Attack becoming a live band and incorporating more fresh, recorded live music as well as samples. Angelo Bruschini would become their permanent lead guitarist both in recording and live.

The lead single, after Risingson was Teardrop, perhaps the most accessible track on the album, sung by Cocteau Twin, Elizabeth Fraser. (It is accompanied by, what would become, a very memorable video directed by Walter Stern, of a animatronic singing foetus.) Mushroom and 3D would meet Liz Fraser in Safeways (a British supermarket) and this is how her collaboration on three songs came about and the relationship with Tracey Thorn falls by the wayside. Horace Andy is invited back to sing on three songs, including the epic, Angel and a track the band made for movie The Jackal, Dissolved Girl, sung by Sara Jay, is remixed longer and darker for inclusion on the record.

Mezzanine goes onto be critically acclaimed, winning a Q Award for Best Album (Q magazine initially only having given it 3/5 stars) as well as being nominated for a Mercury. The record eschews hip-hop to some extent in favour of more experimental, gothic and post-punk-like music, resulting from 3D's influence. Most of the songs were started and co-written by Neil Davidge, but Davidge would not receive any writing credit on the record. The artwork for the album is a beetle, made out of parts of a Volkswagen beetle car.

Touring extensively, friction between Mushroom and the others would come to a head. Mushroom was unhappy with the direction of the group, 3D's dominating role and having to appear on tour. Mushroom is thought to have leaked Massive Attack material to Madonna in an effort to have her involved on an album and to have been refusing to allow anyone else in the band to modify his material (seen to be against the collaborative spirit of the group). Finding his behaviour intolerable to deal with, the other two suggested he would need to leave or the band would have to end. Mushroom acrimoniously split from Massive Attack officially in the autumn of 1999. It is rumoured that Vowles privately blamed his subsequent severe health problems on the strain of the acrimony. It was widely reported in subsequent years that he would produce a solo album, but no Mushroom material has ever appeared in the ten years since.

In 2000, Del Naja and Marshall would do a highly publicized webcast on the state of the band and future plans, which was perceived by some to be a show of unity following divorce from Mushroom.

Around this time, Del Naja, with Davidge would decant into Ridge Farm studio with friends and band members of Lupine Howl (itself made up of sacked members of the band Spiritualized, including Damon Reece who would go on to be Massive Attack's permanent drummer and one of two live drummers) towards a fourth Massive Attack LP, taking things even further into an experimental, psychedelic rock direction.

Daddy G would become increasingly disillusioned with this approach, despite having supported the direction up until the point of Mezzanine, and stayed away from the studio from around 2001, effectively leaving Massive Attack as a producer.

3D and Davidge eventually concede that the separate elements of the Lupine Howl sessions do not make for great music and this material is almost entirely discarded in favour of a more cinematic and busily electronic sound.

It is around this point too that their label, Melankolic would start to dwindle. There would be no releases from it after 2002 and the company dissolves in 2003. 3D later suggests in interviews that it was in part due to the artists "taking the piss" in spending too much money and Daddy G would cite Virgin records lack of infrastructural support as reason for downfall.

2001 also sees the release of Eleven Promos, a DVD of all Massive Attack's 11 music videos thus far (including Angel, a £100,000+ promo that they initially withdrew from fear of inflaming unhelpful speculation about the relationships in the band at the time, even though it is G, and not Mushroom who is depicted running away.)

2002-2005: 100th Window, Danny the Dog and return of G

With Daddy G no longer involved in the studio, Davidge and Del Naja steer "LP4" on their own. Enlisting the vocals of a flu-ridden Sinéad O'Connor and perennial favourite Horace Andy, 100th Window is mastered in August 2002 and released in February 2003.

More sonically conceptual than the other records and featuring no samples of other artists or cover versions, 100th Window, a reference to a book about internet security used as a metaphor apropos of 'no man is an island', is not as well critically received in Britain as the other records. It is described in the press as 'hook-free'. Q magazine brands the soundscaping record 'pompous'. People begin to question whether Robert Del Naja on his own should release records as Massive Attack, and the project is increasingly referred to as 'whiter', 'depleted' and 'embattled'.

It is also in 2003 that Robert Del Naja is arrested on child porn allegations, which is reported very widely in all media outlets, thanks to the UK police and The Sun newspaper. (The allegations resulted from D entering his credit card details into a website in 1999 that was connected to other abhorrent material he did not view). 3D is soon eliminated as a suspect (although he is charged with Ecstasy possession and unable to get a US visa for awhile) and Daddy G and fans offer support. The arrest affects the beginning of the 100th Window tour schedule.

The 100th Window tour does not include the United States and is very elaborate in terms of its light show, collaborating again with UVA (United Visual Artists).

Despite the difficulties of 2003, 100th Window still sells over a million copies and is toured extensively (including in Queens Square, Bristol - a one-off gig set up in the city centre's park seen as a homecoming). Daddy G was fully involved as a member of the tour. It is rumoured that the tour of 2003 was so expensive, it sent Massive Attack into the red, with the group unable to fully pay the roadies at the time. A less ambitious tour of 100th Window would take place in 2004.

Afterwards, Del Naja and Davidge agree to an offer from director Louis Leterrier, to score the entire soundtrack for Danny The Dog, starring Jet Li. It is off the back of this lucrative job that they would have the funding to buy their own '100 Suns' studio. Dot Allison, who had sung with the band on the 100th Window tour, sings the end titles track, "Aftersun". Neil Davidge also scores the soundtrack for the more critically well-received "Bullet Boy" film, with 3D on the end titles.

In 2005, Daddy G starts coming into the studio, although little would come of the material. Grant decides to instead work with a production duo, Robot Club, in another studios, feeling that he would be more free to develop tracks in the way he wanted. Meanwhile, Del Naja and Davidge try-out recording with a number of different singers as well as recording a track for UNKLE's "[War_Stories_(album)|War Stories]" album. Later in this year, Massive Attack decide to release their contractually-obliged, Best Of, "Collected" in 2006. To make things more interesting they release it with a second disc, made up of previously released non-album songs and unreleased sketches.

2006: Collected

Massive Attack tour their greatest hits record, including North America for the first time in nearly eight years. It sells well and is critically well-received for the most part. The artwork is an echo of the concept of Mezzanine, depicting four wreath-looking flowers as if they were made out of weapons. The justification given for the "Best Of" is that the record buys the band more time with the record company to develop "LP5" in the way that they want, i.e. to hold off on releasing it for six years.

2007-present: Meltdown and "LP5"

In 2007, Del Naja and Davidge do three soundtracks, "In Prison My Whole Life" (which features a track called Calling Mumia with vocals by American rapper Snoop Dogg), "Battle In Seattle" and "Trouble The Water" (which would receive an Oscar nomination for the music).

It becomes apparent in 2007, through the band's MySpace, that the group are working with Stephanie Dosen and she later becomes part of the touring line-up, Elizabeth Fraser having returned to the live repertoire initially.

In February 2007, Massive Attack host a charity benefit for the Hoping Foundation, a charity for Palestinian children, cementing their reputation as one of Britain's most obviously political bands. A year afterwards in 2008, it is also announced that Massive Attack are to curate the UK's Southbank [[1]], a week long event encompassing numerous bands Massive Attack like and relate to. It is suggested in interviews that this event, will inspire Massive back into action, having spent several years drifting towards the completion of their fifth studio album. Later on the same year, the band pick up a Q award for Innovation.

Later that year, Del Naja and Marshall head to Damon Albarn's studios for some writing and jamming. Around this time, Davidge does the soundtrack for a Paul McGuigan) movie, Push and in December, Del Naja completes the score for "44 Inch Chest" with The Insects and Angelo Badalamenti.

Davidge and Del Naja then get back together in 2009 with Marshall to concertedly finish the fifth album, incorporating bits of the Albarn material. It is widely suggested that "LP5" (formerly known as "Weather Underground") will be released in September 2009 (even as specifically as 22 September 2009 on the official forum). Although Massive Attack have claimed the album will be released in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008, it could be projected that a 2009 release fits exactly the 'one year slower' pattern of the previous studio LP releases (with "Collected"'s release date almost exactly halfway between that of 100th Window and "LP5"'s ETA).

Later it is announced that the band are to headline the Bestival festival and soon after that they are to be doing a big succession of dates across Europe, suggesting that "LP5" is imminent, along with two strange and typically caps-locked blog entries by 3D on the official site, one being entitled "SUMMER OF SUBMISSION"[2].

LP5 Speculation

Generally it is thought that the album is going to hark back to Blue Lines and Mezzanine in direction, to some extent. Del Naja recently joked on his blog that the record might be called "Steal It Back".

3D, Daddy G and Horace Andy are thought to be featuring as vocalists on "LP5".

Other vocalists thought to have recorded with Massive Attack after Collected [2006-2009]:
Jhelisa Anderson (also recorded unreleased material in 2002), Stephanie Dosen, Yolanda Quarty of Phantom Limb, Damon Albarn (potential co-writer), Guy Garvey of Elbow (potential co-writer) & Hope Sandoval (has previously collaborated with The Chemical Brothers)

Material recorded with potential guest vocalists over 3 years ago is probably less likely to be used on the record.

Other vocalists known to have recorded with Massive Attack before Collected [2004-2005]:
Elizabeth Fraser, Mike Patton, Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Dot Allison, Fredo Viola & Beth Orton (has previously collaborated with The Chemical Brothers)

Other vocalists who have been speculated upon but are not thought to have recorded any material with Massive Attack specifically for their next studio album (and therefore far less probable or expected candidates for inclusion) are:
Mos Def, Tom Waits, Tricky, Patti Smith, Alice Russell & David Bowie

Some websites refer to Sia having worked with Massive in the past. Also, a number of pictures of influential Bristolian musician, Mark Stewart, appearing to be in 100 Suns studio, have been posted on the blog of the official website.

Media Usage

Massive Attack have developed a reputation over their career for creating soundscapes which lend themselves to visual media. Their music is well known for being featured in many different forms of media, such as film and TV. The following are some select examples of media in which Massive Attack have featured on the soundtrack:

In Films/TV

Angel - Firewall, Stay, Flight Of The Phoenix, Antitrust, Snatch, Go, Best Laid Plans, Pi, The West Wing (Episode: Commencement), Le Femme Nikita (Episode: Off Profile), Smallville (Episode: Rogue)

Be Thankful For What You've Got - Bounce

Dissolved Girl - The Matrix, the Jackal

Everywhen - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Episode: Simple Man)

Future Proof - Smallville (Episode: Asylum), Queer As Folk (USA) (Episode 12 of Season 3)

Home Of The Whale - Eye Of The Beholder

Hymn Of The Big Wheel - The Fan

I Against I - Blade 2

I Am Home - CSI:_Miami (Episode: Recoil)

Inertia Creeps - Taking Lives, Stigmata, Numb3rs (Episode: Pilot)

Inflight Data - The Uranus Experiment (1999)

Karmacoma - 187 , Sleeper Cell (Episode: Intramural)

Name Taken - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Episode: Butterflied)

One Love - Under The Skin (1997)

P Is For Piano - Miami Vice

Protection - Hackers, Sabrina

Risingson - Abre_Los_Ojos

Safe From Harm - The Insider, Definitely,_Maybe

Simple Rules - CSI:_Miami (Episode: Recoil)

Small Time Shot Away - CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (Episode: Eleven Angry Men)

Spying Glass - 187

Superpredators - The Jackal

Teardrop - House_(TV_series) (US Version's Main Theme'), Prison Break (Episode: Tonight), Cold Case (Episode: Sanctuary), Charmed (Episode: Which Prue Is It, Anyway?)

Three - City Of Industry

Unfinished Sympathy - Sliver

Wire - Welcome To Sarajevo

Previous Guest Vocalists

Blue Lines

  • Shara Nelson [Safe From Harm, Unfinished Sympathy, Daydreaming, Lately]
  • Horace Andy [One Love, Five Man Army, Hymn of the Big Wheel]
  • Tricky [Blue Lines, Five Man Army, Daydreaming]
  • Claude Williams or "Willie Wee" [Five Man Army]
  • Neneh Cherry [BV's on Hymn of the Big Wheel]
  • Tony Bryan [Be Thankful For What You've Got]

Protection

Mezzanine

100th Window

Other known Massive Attack songs

Discography

Main article: Massive Attack discography

Studio Albums

Other

References

  1. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3b0rBhy971I
  2. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EsGwLFchRg
  3. ^ http://www.neildavidge.com/projects/

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Massive Attack.
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