Massive Attack

  • Bristol, England
    hometown
  • Dance/Electronic
    genre
  • 1988
    started
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    full story
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About Massive Attack

Official Site: http://massiveattack.co.uk/ | @MassiveAttackUK | facebook.com/massiveattack


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 its name to simply "Massive" to avoid any implication of approval for the U.N.'s policy toward 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 hit among critics, clubs, and the college crowds, spinning successful singles such as "Teardrop" and "Inertia Creeps." The album topped the U.K. chart and crossed into the Top 60 of the Billboard 200 in the U.S. 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, released in 2004, marked the group's entry into film score work and, perhaps unsurprisingly, often sounded much more like incidental background music than a typical Massive Attack release. From there, Del Naja and Davidge scored a handful of other films -- In Prison My Whole Life, Battle in Seattle, and Trouble the Water, for which they earned an Oscar nomination -- but their work was credited to their real names or the pseudonym 100 Suns rather than Massive Attack. The fifth Massive Attack album, Heligoland, released in 2010, featured collaborations with Horace Andy, TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe, Elbow's Guy Garvey, and Martina Topley-Bird. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

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Music

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  • Teardrop
    massive-attack
    Video
    Teardrop
  • Sly
    massive-attack
    Video
    Sly
  • Special Cases
    massive-attack
    Video
    Special Cases
  • Safe From Harm
    massive-attack
    Video
    Safe From Harm
  • Day Dreaming
    massive-attack
    Video
    Day Dreaming
  • 2117
    SoundStream
    SoundStream
    song name
    0:00
    Audio powered by
    All the music you want, just 10 bucks a month. Try it free.
    • Teardrop
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/9/5/5/3/104635594.mp3
    • Angel
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/1/5/6/3/104636516.mp3
    • Paradise Circus
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/3/9/1/8/220781936.mp3
    • Protection
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/3/6/9/0/4/104640963.mp3
    • Exchange
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/9/6/5/6/104765696.mp3
    • Inertia Creeps
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/7/1/6/6/104766172.mp3

Photos

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  • Massive Attack
    Courtesy of Virgin Records
  • Massive Attack
    Warren du Preez & Nick Thornton Jone

News

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  • Massive Attack
    Massive Attack's "Heligoland" charts new territory
    music.yahoo.com
    vocals by former Cocteau Twin Liz Fraser. "Heligoland" continues the band's collaborative tradition. Guests on the album include Damon Albarn (Gorilla...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Listen to Massive Attack's Heligoland
    Paste
    Heligoland, Massive Attack's follow-up to 2003's 100th Window, brings more of the duo's pulsating trip-hop to ears near (or attached to) you next week...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Nicki Played Hard To Get After First Listen of "Massive Attack," Sean Garrett Says
    www.vibe.com
    For over a month, Sean Garrett has served as the ultimate hypeman behind Nicki Minaj's first ... Nicki Played Hard To Get After First Listen of "...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Massive Attack Promise Politics and Spectacle on New Tour
    www.rollingstone.com
    touring for the last 10 years, to my horror," jokes singer Robert Del Naja. "A lot of that has been around ... Massive Attack Promise Politics and Spe...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Massive Attack, Phil Collins, Roxy Music To Play Montreux | Billboard.com
    www.billboard.com
    by Billboard, on July 3, an evening of rock from Billy Idol and Gary Moore on July 6, U.S. singer-songwriter Ben Harper on July 7 and U.K. trip-hopper...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Thom Yorke and Massive Attack's 3D Perform for Occupy London
    Paste
    As NME points out, Radiohead's Thom Yorke and Robert "3D" Del Naja, the main figure of trip-hop group Massive Attack, performed a special DJ set for O...
    Read More
  • Massive Attack
    Listen to Scarlett Johansson and Massive Attack's 3D duet for Days Of Grace
    Paste
    Scarlett Johansson and Massive Attack's frontman 3D have recorded a cover of "Summertime," the iconic 1935 aria composed by George Gershwin. The track...
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  • Massive Attack
    Nas - "The Don (Massive Attack Remix)"
    stereogum.com
    Here's Massive Attack's take on Nas's "The Don," a remix that rephrases the song as a huge-sounding, droning banger. Stream it below. Nas's Life Is Go...
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  • Massive Attack
    Massive Attack's 'Blue Lines' Gets Reissue Treatment | Prefix
    www.prefixmag.com
    Tweet The dreaminess/moodiness of a lot of contemporary hip-hop and pop owes a small debt to trip hop, the micro-genre that sprung out of England in t...
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  • Massive Attack
    Watch the Massive New Trailer for Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim"
    Paste
    for the safety of your computer screen. The film stars a relatively unknown cast, but that's hardly a problem because del Toro seems much more focused...
    Read More

Tour Dates

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  • Jul 7 Sunday
    Manchester, UK Mayfield Depot
    Buy Ticket
  • Jul 11 Thursday
    Manchester, UK Mayfield Depot
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 28 Saturday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 29 Sunday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket
  • Sep 30 Monday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 2 Wednesday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 3 Thursday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket
  • Oct 4 Friday
    New York, NY, US Park Avenue Armory
    Buy Ticket

Discography

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  • Heligoland (2010)
    Massive Attack
    Heligoland (2010)
    Virgin
  • Danny the Dog [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2004)
    Massive Attack
    Danny the Dog [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] (2004)
    Virgin
  • 100th Window (2003)
    Massive Attack
    100th Window (2003)
    Virgin
  • Mezzanine (1998)
    Massive Attack
    Mezzanine (1998)
    Virgin
  • Protection (1994)
    Massive Attack
    Protection (1994)
    Virgin
  • Blue Lines  (1991)
    Massive Attack
    Blue Lines (1991)
    Virgin
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