Short Biography
Michael Coppel Presents...
MASSIVE ATTACK
with special guest: Martina Topley-Bird
Massive Attack, the UK's 'trip-hop' pioneers, bring their haunting and hypnotic fusion of hazy beats, dub, hauntingly soulful melodies and choice samples to Australia this March.
Founding members Robert Del Naja (3D) and Grant Marshall (Daddy G) will be joined on tour by vocalists Horace Andy, Deborah Miller, Martina Topley-Bird, and band members Damon Reece (drums), Angelo Bruschini (guitar), John Baggott (keyboards), Winston Blissett (bass) and Julien Brown (drums).
Also on February 5, Massive Attack will release their 5th studio album, their first since 2003's 100th Window. Heligoland (EMI) features guests Damon Albarn, Hope Sandoval, Martina Topley-Bird, Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Elbow's Guy Garvey, Portishead's Adrian Utley and long time associate, ragga-reggae veteran Horace Andy.
Massive Attack formed out of Bristol's legendary DJ collective The Wild Bunch in 1988, releasing their debut single Daydreaming two years later, with Shara Nelson and Tricky on vocals. The soaring Unfinished Sympathy with its iconic one-take video followed, as did Safe From Harm, again featuring Nelson, all lifted from their enduring classic and critically acclaimed debut album, Blue Lines.
The chilled out Protection followed in '94, with singles Karmacoma, Sly and the title track featuring Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn, the album winning Massive Attack the Brit Award for Best Dance Act.
The group's darker third album Mezzanine, featuring Teardrop - vocals by Liz Fraser (Cocteau Twins) - and Inertia Creeps, won the Q Award for Best Album and a nomination for Mercury Music Prize.
In 2008 Massive Attack were awarded the Q Award for Innovation and last year were honoured with the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
Supporting Massive Attack on tour, as well as appearing on stage with them, is Martina Topley-Bird. Martina came to the fore providing the feminine touch on Tricky's landmark album Maxinquaye, plus three follow-up albums, her eerie soft vocals contrasting with Tricky's menacing mutterings.
In 2003 Martina released her Mercury Music Prize nominated, solo debut album Quixotic, with guest appearances from David Holmes, Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan, Mojo describing it "a sensual and endlessly inventive record." The Blue God is Martina's latest album release. She also features on lead vocals on two new Massive Attack tracks, Babel and Psyche.
In-depth Biography
The pioneering force behind the rise of trip-hop, Massive Attack were among the most innovative and influential groups of their generation; their hypnotic sound -- a darkly sensual and cinematic fusion of hip-hop rhythms, soulful melodies, dub grooves, and choice samples -- set the pace for much of the dance music to emerge throughout the 1990s, paving the way for such acclaimed artists as Portishead, Sneaker Pimps, Beth Orton, and Tricky, himself a Massive Attack alumnus. Their history dates back to 1983 and the formation of the Wild Bunch, one of the earliest and most successful sound-system/DJ collectives to arrive on the U.K. music scene; renowned for their seamless integration of a wide range of musical styles, from punk to reggae to R&B, the group's parties quickly became can't-miss events for the Bristol club crowd, and at the peak of their popularity they drew crowds so enormous that the local live music scene essentially ground to a halt.
When the Wild Bunch folded during the mid-'80s, two of its members -- Andrew "Mushroom" Vowles and Grant "Daddy G" Marshall -- teamed with local graffiti artist 3D (born Robert del Naja) to form Massive Attack in 1987; another Wild Bunch alum, Nellee Hooper, split his time between the new group and his other project, Soul II Soul. The group's first single, "Daydreaming," appeared in 1990; it featured the sultry vocals of singer Shara Nelson and raps by Tricky, another onetime Wild Bunch collaborator. The classic "Unfinished Sympathy" followed, as did another compelling effort, "Safe From Harm." Finally, in 1991 Massive Attack issued their debut LP, Blue Lines; while by no means a huge commercial success, the record was met with major critical praise, and was dubbed an instant classic in many quarters. Nelson, featured on many of the album's most memorable tracks, exited for a solo career soon after, and the group then confusingly changed their name to simply "Massive" to avoid any implication of approval for the U.N.'s policy towards Iraq; in the wake of the disastrous U.S. tour that followed, many were quick to write the band off right then and there.
After a three-year layoff, Massive Attack -- their full name now properly reinstated -- resurfaced with Protection; again working with Hooper and Tricky, they also brought into the fold vocalist Nicolette, as well as Everything but the Girl's Tracey Thorn. Three singles -- "Karmacoma," "Sly," and the title track -- were released from the LP, which was also remixed in its entirety by Mad Professor and issued as No Protection. A lengthy tour followed, and over the next several years, Massive Attack's solo work was primarily confined to remixes for artists including Garbage; they also worked with Madonna on a track for a Marvin Gaye tribute album. Finally, to promote their appearance at the annual Glastonbury music festival, the group issued a new EP, Risingson, during the summer of 1997. The third full-length Massive Attack effort, Mezzanine, appeared in mid-1998; in addition to reggae singer Horace Andy, making his third consecutive LP appearance with the group, vocal chores were handled by the Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser and newcomer Sara Jay. Mezzanine became a cult hit among critics, clubs, and the college crowds, spinning successful singles such as "Teardrop" and "Inertia Creeps." A tour of America and Europe followed, but Vowles left the band after disagreeing with the artistic direction of Mezzanine. Del Naja and Marshall continued as a duo, later working with the likes of David Bowie and the Dandy Warhols, but Marshall later took a leave of absence to raise his family; producer Neil Davidge took up the slack. In February 2003, after a five-year wait, Massive Attack released their fourth album, 100th Window, including collaborations with mainstay Horace Andy as well as Sinéad O'Connor. Danny the Dog from 2004 marked the group's entry into the world of soundtracks. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
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