“A story seimic enough to shift perceptions of finace and flag forever”. Visit the website for “The UK Gold”.

Thom Yorke of Radiohead and Robert Del Naja (who should need no introduction on here) are jointly scoring the soundtrack to an upcoming film documentary entitled “The UK Gold”. The documentary is getting its world premiere at London’s Troxy Theatre on the 25th June.

The premiere will also apparently feature “a special musical performance by a secret act”. We’ll just have to leave that to the imagination on who that could be – Del Naja/Yorke super group for one night only perhaps?

The subject matter of the documentary is concerned with “the history of tax avoidance from the Cayman Islands to Clapton and how Britain is becoming the tax haven of the world”.

You can find out more details about “The UK Gold” on its website.” Here’s a quote about it from the director Mark Donne -

“This is a political documentary, but more than anything else it is an extraordinary story. To have a quintessentially English figure embarking on an odyssey to understand how London remains the financial capital of the world is in itself a fascinating narrative. To have this journey unfurling at the exact time that the eyes of the world were on this country, during the Jubilee and the Olympics, gives the story a powerful twist with a pretty stunning soundtrack from the creative hearts of Radiohead and Massive Attack to create a spellbinding experience.”

- Mark Donne (Telegraph – May 2013)

On some level this is’nt all that surprising that 3D and Thom Yorke should join forces on a project such as this. This interview on Youtube (also embedded below) from December 2011 was when they talked about some of these same issues at Occupy London.

A little bit off-topic here, but this is’nt the only soundtrack project this year for Del Naja. Whilst I have’nt yet blogged about this until now, 3D has also contributed to the soundtrack to an Australian musical theatre production of King Kong, which will be kicking off in Melbourne at the end of this month. Last week, a Youtube video featuring samples of 3D’s work for said musical went online.

So while I don’t believe a new Massive Attack album is anywhere near the horizon yet, at least we have a few things to look forward to this year as fans, between the soundtracks for “The UK Gold” & “King Kong”, 3D’s “Fire Sale” exhibit in London, the “Art Of Massive Attack” book and finally the Adam Curtis live shows. Mark them down on your calendar!

Watch this video on YouTube.

While alot of fans (including myself) eagerly await the upcoming Massive Attack V Adam Curtis shows this summer, in the interim anyone in London this May or June may want to take note of a special one-off exhibit by Massive Attack’s 3D that will be taking place at the Lazarides art gallery.

Branded “Fire Sale”, the exhibit will be a career spanning showcase of Robert Del Naja’s artwork from his early 1980′s graffiti on the streets of Bristol to his more recent screen prints from the Heligoland album and everything else in between.

The Lazarides gallery on Rathbone Place, London. Click here for the Google Map coordinates.

This is actually the 2nd time 3D’s art has been on display in London’s Lazarides gallery – the first was 5 years ago when his assorted paintings for UNKLE’s War Stories album were put up on display there. Here’s an old blog post and some pictures from that particular exhibit.

As for the upcoming “Fire Sale” it will be on from the 24th May – 20th June and you’ll also be glad to hear – will be free admission. Just about everything else you need to know about the exhibit is in this PDF press release issued by the Lazarides gallery.

Below are two tweets from Steve Lazarides, the owner of the gallery, to whet your appetite for “Fire Sale”.

Saw work for Robert Del Naja’s upcoming show at Rathbone. The legend is rocking it. Some serious historic Massive imagery. Spread the word

— Steve Lazarides (@SteLazarides) April 29, 2013

Been with Robert Del Naja in studio today. The show is shaping up, I’m well excited. We are going to fucking roadblock Greek st..

— Steve Lazarides (@SteLazarides) April 30, 2013

And finally, there is also one very interesting nugget of information tucked away at the bottom of the press release for “Fire Sale”, – that 3D is working on a book to be published later on this same year entitled “The Art Of Massive Attack”. You can guess from the title what the book will entail.

It will be nice to have all of 3D’s imagery gathered together in one place to flick through. The last time 3D published an art book, “Fitting In” in 2000, only 150 copies of it were published. “The Art Of Massive Attack”, should get a far wider release. Lets hope this book comes to fruition unlike the “Battle Box” shows in Bristol, which I can only assume are on the backburner for now.

And to anyone going to “Fire Sale” over the next month, don’t forget to take plenty of pictures!

3D’s “Fire Sale” will feature pieces from Massive attack’s Blue Lines and Protection albums painted and screen printed for the first time. Check out the press release for further information.

It’s cliche to say Massive Attack’s music has got somewhat of a cinematic edge to it. As if its the music to a film that has yet to be made. At least that’s what I keep reading in countless interviews with the band.

And I guess the claim that there is a filmic quality to their music is given alot more credibility when you consider just how many times its been licensed for film and TV. So for this blog post I’m going to be listing some of my favourite uses of Massive Attack’s music in the movies.

I’ve limited my list to just ten for my own sake, and while I’ve numbered them for organization purposes I don’t really have any preferences over which are my ultimate favourite. If they made it on this list, then just trust me, they’re good. Don’t ask me to rank them.

Also, if you want to check out more media clips featuring Massive Attack’s music that did’nt make this top 10, then check out these two links -

Massive Attack Media Usage YouTube Playlist

↓ List Of Massive Attack Media Usage

And if you would like to offer your own input into your favourite use of Massive Attack in a moving medium, then by all means be my guest in the comments area below…

1. Angel – Snatch (2000)

Watch this video on YouTube.

One of the better films on this list and surely one of the best uses as well of any Massive Attack song in a  film. You can definitely tell that director Guy Ritchie knows his music and how to use it in his films and the scoring of Angel with the scene were Micky’s (Brad Pitt) mother is murdered in top-notch.

Not only that but we also get Angel included on the soundtrack CD. Other inclusions from “The Stranglers” and “The Specials” make it a varied soundtrack for this crime-filled British caper.

2. Dissolved Girl – The Matrix (1999)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Until the dire sequels came along and ruined the allure of the original, The Matrix stood as a groundbreaking sci-fi/action hybrid. I even have the soundtrack CD for the film, which was a nice hybrid in itself of rock and electronica.

Of course, the one big omission from the soundtrack album was Dissolved Girl, the track Neo is listening to on his headphones when we are first introduced to his character.

There was talk of Massive Attack contributing a new song for inclusion on the Matrix Reloaded soundtrack, with 3D saying as much on the old Raft message board in 2002. I don’t know the reasons but whatever it was, it did’nt happen. “Bogus” as Keanu Reeves would say.

3. Superpredators – The Jackal (1997)

Watch this video on YouTube.

The Jackal – an otherwise forgettable film released in 1997, but with the noted distinction of having not one but two unreleased Massive Attack tracks contained within its soundtrack. The first one being an early version of Dissolved Girl, which I’m not featuring here.

Instead, I’m going for the 2nd track, that being the original version of Superpredators before the Mad Professor got his hands on it and remixed it for the Risingson single. Played over the opening credits, the track’s  juxtaposition with all the Soviet era backdrops make it a very effective use of music to start the film off with. Also, you’ve gotta love the use of the “Siouxsie & The Banshees” sample.

Unfortunately the only other really memorable thing about the film outside this opening, is Richard Gere’s ridiculous Northern Ireland accent. Makes me wince just thinking about it.

4. Angel – Firewall (2006)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Question: How many times has Harrison Ford starred in a movie were he has to fight to save his wife/family? Answer: Far too many.

And Firewall can be added to that long list. Check out this hilarious joke trailer I found on YouTube, sending up Mr. Ford’s attraction to this kind of role.

Anyway, back to the film and Angel, which is heard during the opening credits and is actually a pretty good use of the song, tapping into the fear of the surveillance society that we live in today. So definitely good marks here for the opening. Pity that the rest of the movie had to be so formulaic.

5. I Against I – Blade 2 (2002)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Blade 2 was only famed Mexican director’s Guillermo del Toro 2nd English language film. Its even probably the highlight of the Blade trilogy to be honest, even though they were never really my cup of tea. But you can’t deny, Blade was the role Wesley Snipes was born to play.

Anyway, 3D who was an admirer of del Toro’s previous films, got Massive Attack involved in an interesting crossover for the film with the American rapper/actor known as Dante Smith A.K.A Mos Def. The result was the bass-pounding I Against I, in my opinion still the best output the band put out in the period in between Mezzanine and 100th Window.

The use of I Against I in the film is one of the most badass scenes in the film (in a film full of badass scenes). Check out the YouTube embed if you think I’m lying. The track is only featured for about 30 seconds in the movie but it sure does make an impact.

There was also the Blade 2 soundtrack album that came out at the same time as the film, that was billed as being a kind of rap vs. electronica crossover with lots of different acts from both genres collaborating with each other – Eve & Fatboy Slim, Ice Cube & Paul Oakenfold, Mystikal & Moby, etc… A good idea in theory I suppose, but in execution it was bloody awful, with the sole exception of the Massive Attack & Mos Def pairing.

6. Unfinished Sympathy – Sliver (1993)

Watch this video on YouTube.

I keep hearing over and over again how Massive Attack’s music is ideally suited for having sex to. I’ll let you be the judge of that, but the filmmakers of this 1993 erotic thriller starring Sharon Stone obviously thought so, as Unfinished Sympathy is played over the soundtrack to this makeout scene, which I believe only gets more explicit as it goes on. The YouTube clip however cuts off before anything too revealing is shown.

I have’nt seen Sliver, so beyond the erotic thriller angle (Sharon Stone seemed to star in loads of those in the 1990′s), I can’t really make much comment on it. From the scant few reviews I looked up, it seems I’m not missing much.

This would also be the first use of Massive Attack’s music in a mainstream Hollywood feature. The first of many as we all know.

7. Spying Glass – One Eight Seven (1997)

Watch this video on YouTube.

The always watchable Samuel L. Jackson stars in this 1997 urban drama. Spying Glass is used to good effect in the 2nd scene of the film, with Jackson’s character returning to teaching after a 15th month absence, after being stabbed previously in his last school.

It’s a good film dealing with violence in schools and the disenfranchised youth of L.A. It also has a memorable ending I did’nt see coming when I saw it a couple of years back.

There’s actually two Massive Attack tracks present in this film, the aforementioned Spying Glass and also Karamcoma played at a later point in the film. The soundtrack album features both these tracks on it, as well as DJ Shadow and Everything But The Girl amongst others.

8. Angel – Stay (2005)

Watch this video on YouTube.

Ryan Gosling faces some personal demons of his in this clip from Stay, where Angel is well used as the soundtrack to a seedy strip club. I’m surprised no one had thought to use the two together like that before, but it certainly works here.

The film itself is well worth a watch in my opinion, as it plays as a superior version of Jacob’s Ladder. Even though just by mentioning Jacob’s Ladder (if your at all familiar with that movie), I’m perhaps giving too much of the ending twist away.

Anyway, this is the 3rd and last time you’ll see Angel on this list. Its by a fair margin the most used (I would say overused) Massive Attack track when it comes to being used in movie soundtracks. I get the appeal of it. It instantly creates a heightened mood and tension for any scene as soon as you hear the opening two bars of that awesome bassline.

But as I mentioned, its overuse by music supervisors its starting to smack of laziness. Maybe, Massive Attack or (is it?) EMI should cut down on licencing it so readily, but I digress…

9. Safe From Harm – The Insider (1999)

Watch this video on YouTube.

I thought 1999 was a great year for films – we had Fight Club, The Matrix, American Beauty, Magnolia and The Insider. The last one in that list tends to be forgotten but I’ve always appreciated its real life story about how the big tobacco industry operates.

Another thing to appreciate about it is the film’s soundtrack – an original score by Dead Can Dance’s Lisa Gerrard and a few other notable selections, from the likes of Graeme Revell, Gustavo Santaolalla and of course Massive Attack.

Actually, the use of Safe From Harm (more accurately the Paul Oakenfold remix of SFH) in this film’s climax really adds to the sense of triumph Al Pacino‘s character feels as he walks out the door at the end. It also helps that the song takes centre stage during this bit. Its a pity I missed this one in the cinema at the time, because it would have felt a real treat hearing Billy Cobram’s bassline over the sound system in a enclosed theatre.

10. Teardrop – Prison Break (TV) (2005-2009)

Watch this video on YouTube.

So for this final entry, I’m kind of cheating as it pretty obvious to most this is’nt a film but a TV series, but I thought I’d include it for a few reasons.

I wanted to have one instance of Teardrop on this list and the interesting fact is that at least for all its popularity, Teardrop does’nt seem to have been used in any films that I’m aware of, but has been used frequently on the small screen, most famously as the opening theme to House.

Because that one is so well known I did’nt want to include it on this list, so instead I went with when Teardrop was used on the soundtrack to an episode of Prison Break, that episode being titled “Tonight” and being the 20th of the 1st season of the show.

As for Prison Break itself, I remember watching it when it first came out.It was a great show, at least for the 1st season when afterwards it very quickly ran out of steam (as most fans of the show would probably admit).

Here are links to the IMDB page for the film and TV shows that have used Massive Attack’s music as part of their soundtrack in the last odd 20 years. Not comprehensive by any means but a good sampling of them. Check out Massive Attack’s IMDB page for a full list. And of course, thanks for checking out this post!

• Angel – Pi (1998), Go (1999), Best Laid Plans (1999), Wonderland (1999), Snatch (2000), Antitrust (2001), Flight Of the Phoenix (2004), Stay (2005),Firewall (2006), Le Femme Nikita (TV) (1997-2001)
• Teardrop – House M.D (TV) (2004-2012), Charmed (TV) (1998-2006), Cold Case (TV) (2003-2010), Prison Break (2005-2009), Occupation (TV) (2008)
• Protection – Hackers (1995), Sabrina (1995)
• Dissolved Girl – The Jackal (1997), The Matrix (1999)
• Inertia Creeps – Stigmata (1999), Taking Lives (2004), Numb3rs (TV) (2005-2010)
• Safe From Harm – The Insider (1999), Definitely, Maybe (2008)
• Karmacoma – One Eight Seven (1997), Sleeper Cell (TV) (2005-2006)
• Spying Glass – One Eight Seven (1997)
• Risingson – Abre Los Ojos (1997)
• Three – City Of Industry (1997)
• Superpredators – The Jackal (1997)
• Future Proof – Smallville (TV) (2001-2011), Queer As Folk (TV) (2000-2005)
• Unfinished Sympathy – Sliver (1993), Jack & Sarah (1995)
• Be Thankful For What You’ve Got – Bounce (2000)
• Paradise Circus – Luther (TV) (2010-), Gossip Girl (TV) (2007-2013), Revenge (TV) (2011-)
• Splitting The Atom – (Luck (TV) (2011-2012)
• Live With Me – Person of Interest (TV) (2011-)
• I Against I – Blade 2 (2002)

First post of 2013, and I just want to take a moment to remember the fact that 100th Window has reached its 10th anniversary this month since its initial release. So please forgive me if this post gets a bit nostalgic but I just want to share my feelings towards this album and rather or not its stands up when listening to it 10 years on. Now for some needed context…

So, the 5 (-ish) year period between Mezzanine and 100th Window, I sometimes refer to as the dark ages in Massive Attack history. There was a lot of uncertainty about what was going on with the band. What do I mean by that?

Well, Mushroom had left, finally putting to rest the rumors that he had been unhappy with his fellow bandmembers and/or the general direction Massive Attack were taking during the recording of Mezzanine.

There also was’nt a lot of musical output coming out in that time either. A few (in my opinion) half-hearted, lacklustre soundtrack and remix work, but nothing to get too enamoured with about (with the notable exception of I Against I).

Neil Davidge and Robert Del Naja, the architects of 100th Window.

And finally add in the rumblings that Daddy G was also on the verge of jumping ship, leaving 3D as the last man standing, with co-producer Neil Davidge being silently promoted to fulltime bandmember in his absence.

So, as I said it was an uncertain time to be a Massive Attack fan. It was also the time I became a fan in 2000. By 2002 (after listening non-stop to Blue Lines, Protection and Mezzanine for the 2 years prior), I was glued to the old Raft message board which 3D used to communicate with fans on the progress of ‘LP4′ (as the fans referred to it back then). That old message board was a lot more intimate affair than the Facebook page nowadays, but I suppose times move on. An archived version of that board can be found here for anyone interested in trawling through it.

3D alongside Damon Albarn and Billy Bragg protesting at a march in London, on the same week as 100th Window’s release about the then eminent US-UK led invasion of Iraq. Photo Credit. Watch a news clip of this event on YouTube.

Fast forward to Christmas 2002, and 100th Window leaked on the P2P networks of the time, nearly 2 months before its official release date the following February. I said “screw waiting” (paraphrased, of course) and downloaded the album in earnest over the holiday period. Call it a Christmas present to myself. 

So, what had the pairing of 3D and Neil Davidge come up with for an album nearly 5 years removed from the last one, however mostly put together over the first 9 months of 2002?

Well, it certainly was’nt an immediately likable or assessable album upon first listen. I’ve heard adjectives used to describe 100th Window such as “dense”, “intricate”, “reflective”, and “moody” and also less flattering ones like “dull, “plodding”, “cold” and “pretentious”. Sometimes it can be all those things really, but what did I think of it – both at the time and now 10 years on.

Well, once I got over the initial shock of listening to a new Massive Attack album and let it set in, I was definitely pleased with what I was hearing. I had built up a picture in my mind before listening, of what I thought the album would be like (continuing on from where Mezzanine left off, in much the same way Protection had done following Blue Lines), and I have to say it kind of matched, but not in a predictable way, just in a way I know Massive Attack are capable of.

The meticulous nature of 100th Window applied not only to its music, but also its sleeve artwork photographed by Nick Knight, in one of the most expensive ever photo shoots for an album on the EMI label. Watch a video highlighting some of the 100th Window ‘exploding glassman’ photography on YouTube.

And no I don’t think of it as ‘Mezzanine 2.0′, as many of the negative reviews insisted at the time. In the Massive Attack oeuvre, it probably does have the most in common with good old ‘Mez’, so maybe you could get away with calling them both sister albums, but the lazy copy argument I don’t get.

The instrumentation, less focus on raw guitar and more on texture, and the more insular nature of the project as a whole, give it a different feeling altogether for better or worse. For one, it’s more consistent in quality than Mezzanine throughout, even though the highs of Mezzanine eclipse the highs of 100th Window for me.

Saying that, there are still plenty of highs on this album, from the opening beeps of Future Proof, the whispered murmurings of Butterfly Caught to the provocative Middle Eastern stylings of the epic closer, Antistar.

And only recently (owing maybe to the slow-burner nature of the album), I’ve really started to think of What Your Soul Sings as not only being the best track on the album but also one of the best Massive tracks full-stop. It took nearly 10 years for me to really warm up to that one, but there you go.

I certainly would’nt want Massive Attack to repeat 100th Window (and neither would they want to, I’m sure), but for the time and for its place in the overall discography of the band it remains a perfect fit, for carrying on the Massive Attack tradition in the face of adversity and still going in a new direction.

But saying that, no one could deny that the overall reaction to 100th Window from both critics and fans as being decidedly “mixed”, even taking into account the Metacritic score of 75/100. To represent that, I’ve gathered together a quick list of some of the critical reviews of 100th Window when it came out.

I tried to pick a small sample size ranging from the critics who saw it as disappointing and as just a clone of Mezzanine with little imagination, to overwhelmingly praising the album for its bold experimentation and immaculate production.

• BBC Music (Negative)
• Dusted Magazine (Negative)
• The Guardian (Mediocre)
• Rolling Stone (Mediocre)
• Pitchfork Media (Mediocre)
• Stylus Magazine (Positive)
• Prefix Magazine (Positive)

Its interesting looking back on it all. The funny thing is I remember reading all these reviews at the time. I’m sure 3D would have taken notice at the critical reaction as well, but as an artist I doubt he would want to waste much time dwelling over it, good or bad.

Still probably the most visually spectacular Massive Attack live show to date, the 100th Window tour heavily emphasized (by means of the huge L.E.D screen) the turbulent political climate in 2003 and the band’s distaste for the US-UK endorsed invasion of Iraq. Watch a highlight reel of the tour on YouTube.

I’ll finish off with a quick quote from Mr. Alexis Petridis of The Guardian newspaper taken from his review of 100th Window. I wanted a quote from an album review that was’nt too too hyperbolic one way or the other and I think Mr. Petridis gives a good moderate opinion that most would agree with, even though he was’nt too amazed by the album itself.

“For all its flaws, it is difficult not to look upon 100th Window with respect. Del Naja’s determination to keep moving and produce music so removed from his past seems admirable, particularly at a time when most major artists choose a style and rigidly stick to it for fear of alienating their fans. Not everything here works, but at least you could never accuse Massive Attack of resting on their laurels.”

- Alexis Petridis (Guardian Review – February 2003)

I think that even detractors of 100th Window would agree with Mr. Petridis that Massive Attack were trying something different with this album and playing outside their comfort zone, and you have to admire that regardless of the outcome in your estimation.

If anyone would like to add their own thoughts on 100th Window on its 10th anniversary, then please do in the comments area below.  Thanks for reading!

P.S. - Embedded below is a half hour audio interview 3D conducted in December 2002, where he goes into depth behind the whole 100th Window project. Well worth a listen.

Watch this video on YouTube.

We have another year nearly over and done with and with that we begin seeing all those end of year lists and being overcome with temporary nostalgia. So in the spirit of all that, I’ve done my own little thing of collecting together all the happenings and goings-on with Massive Attack this year and placing it all into a timeline.

Whilst the release of the remastered Blue Lines was probably the most notable thing from Massive this year, there has also been a few other things going on this year, that this timeline might help jog your memory of.

I’ve presented the timeline in a cool JQuery embed, which you flick through like pages in a book. I’ve also made a separate timeline which covers everything Massive Attack related from 1998-2012 and has nearly 100 different events listed in it. You can find that here.

Anyway, back to 2012…

To finish off this post, I’ve also picked a few of my favourite Massive tweets from this year, some of my own and some from others, and embedded them below for you to check out.

And before you begin scanning down the rest of the post, I just want to thank everyone for visiting MA.IE this year and here’s to a Massive Attack tour in 2013. Fingers crossed.

EDIT: Since first publishing this post, it appears that the first of the “Battle Box” events scheduled for December has been postponed until January. I have amended the title of this post to reflect the delay. I will update further once I know more…

So, now that Blue Lines 2012 is out this week, I guess that’s all we can hope for from Massive Attack before the close of another year. But, you would be wrong!

Announced a few hours ago courtesy of Massive’s Facebook, we now have “Battle Box” to look forward to. What is “Battle Box”? Well, it seems to read to me as nearly a “mini-Meltdown” festival that 3D is putting together, with the ultimate aim is to “reengage with Bristol”, using the avenues of music, art and politics, all within the rather unique environment of the Old Crown Court and adjoining abandoned prison cells in Bristol centre.

There’s a revealing new interview with 3D in this month’s Crack magazine that reveals all the major details of his “Battle Box” brainchild, and I’d invite everyone to read it to get the lowdown on it. It also covers his thoughts on the 21st anniversary and reissue of Blue Lines, naturally.

Also, while we’re on the topic of the Blue Lines reissue, remember to tune (or stream, if online) into BBC6 this Saturday. Gilles Peterson is putting on his usual show from 3-6pm, but this time he will be joined by 3D and Daddy G as they go into a retrospective look at Massive Attack’s career, in the wake of the release of Blue Lines 2012. More info about that here.

Anyway, back to what I’ve gathered about the upcoming “Battle Box”, most of which has come from the Crack magazine interview, which is embedded towards the bottom of this post for you to read in full. Here’s all the salient details…

New photo of Massive Attack’s 3D taken from this November’s issue of Crack Magazine. Photo credit – Charles Emerson.

• The first of the six “Battle Box” events will be held on the 12th December 2012 at the Old Crown Court in the centre of Bristol. The remaining five events will be held in the same venue over the next 18 months.
• According to this blog post from one of the production designers for the event, Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz and Adrien Sherwood’s On U Sound-System will be joining Massive Attack in the first “Battle Box”, with it being billed as a “soundclash” between the three acts.
• There will be a series of exclusive vinyls featuring new Massive Attack material to mark each of the six “Battle Box” events, the first one being the already announced Guy Garvey track. In the Crack magazine interview, it is also mentioned that the recent Nas remix will be on one of these future vinyl releases.
• Massive Attack will perform a live show on one of the three nights (TBA) of December’s upcoming “Battle Box”. It will be a stripped-back and more intimate version of their usual performances, to accommodate the smaller space available in the Old Crown Court.
• On the political side of things, Clive Stafford-Smith of Reprieve will be making an appearance.
• 3D’s artwork along with others from the Lazarides gallery will be on display in the former prison cells for all to look at.

“It has massive appeal. We’re doing something in a space you would never normally enter unless you were there for all the wrong reasons, or the right reasons. We’re also creating an opportunity to work in a space where the economic factors aren’t key, where your not trying to put a festival on for 10,000 people, with tickets at 50 quid to cover it, and then hope to sell 1000 gallons of cheap lager to make profit. In the era of austerity, we thought it would be more fun to go into a smaller space, more contained and be able to make decisions based on quality more than quantity.”

- 3D on his reasons for holding “Battle Box” in the former prison cells of Bristol’s Old Crown Court (Crack Magazine Interview – November 2012)

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery.In music terms, that would apply quite aptly to the cover version. Massive Attack have certainly done a number of covers of other bands songs in their time, but as for this post I will be making a top 10 list of my favourite tunes other bands/artists have made out of Massive Attack tunes.

As you see from the title of this blog post, my list will not be including any Teardrop covers. The reason for that being is that – well I’m seriously fed up with the amount of Teardrop covers that are out there. There are of course, some rather good Teardrop covers. But to single out one or two would be very hard. I could make a separate blog post on just the top 10 Teardrop covers, if I really wanted to (something I may just do at some stage).

So my advice to anyone contemplating doing a Massive Attack cover – is do anything but Teardrop. You will instantly stand out from the crowd in my book. The market is just way to over saturated with Teardrop covers.

Back to this list, while I’ve numbered them for convenience sake, the entries are not really in any order of preference, except maybe #10 as being my overall favourite.

Also if you want to listen to some of the other Massive Attack covers that did’nt make this list, then you can check out this YouTube playlist I compiled.

Massive Attack Covers YouTube Playlist

Anyway to kick-off my list…

1. “Dissolved Girl” by vkgoeswild

Watch this video on YouTube.

I’d wager Dissolved Girl is one of the most popular Massive Attack songs that never got a single release. I loved it when i first heard it, however in the last few years I’d gone a bit off it. I will still admit though that it serves its purpose well as being the midway point on Mezzanine and understand its appeal to others.

It was’nt until I heard this immauclate piano cover of it on YouTube recently, that reinviograted my original love for the song. Its by vkgoeswild, who has a huge YouTube following for her amazing piano renditions of popular music. She also has a Teardrop piano cover as well, which I recommend you listen to as well, but seeing as I’m not doing Teardrop in this post, I won’t be including it on this list.

2. “Safe From Harm” by Mo Solid Gold

Watch this video on YouTube.

I think this might be the only cover of a Massive Attack track that got a UK single release. I actually remember it too, when it came out in 2001. I was still only in the early phases of being a Massive Attack fan and upon hearing Mo Solid Gold’s (now long since defunct) take on this Massive classic, I was’nt too pleased with the added gospel choir and the over the top male vocals.

Still on reflection, its not that bad of a cover at all, but then again that Billy Codham sample sounds good on just about anything.

3. “Live With Me” by The Twilight Singers

Watch this video on YouTube.

As of writing this post, Terry Callier passed away only a week ago, so I guess I felt compelled to try and include a cover of Live With Me on this. Thankfully, there’s quite a good one out there by The Twilight Singers with additional vocals by Mark Lanegan, who might be more familiar to Massive fans, as he along with Martina Topley Bird were recently remixed by Massive Attack on a cover of a “The XX” song.

As for this Live With Me cover, Mark Lanegan successfully captures the yearning in Terry’s vocals, but with an altogether more sullen rockier edge to them.

4. “Protection” by Dart

Watch this video on YouTube.

I tried “google-ing” the band Dart and could find practically nothing about them besides being from California. Nevertheless, their cover of Protection is a real winner, which they released on a 7″ back in 1995. Hearing Protection with male vocals offers a slightly different perspective on the song, whilst being even more calm and relaxing than the original, if possible.

5. “Future Proof” by Telepotik

Watch this video on YouTube.

Telepotik, a Turkish electronica/trip-hop/downbeat (take your pick) band, who beyond this Future Proof cover have done a number of other Massive Attack and Portishead (for that matter), which are up on their YouTube Channel to watch (all of which are pretty interesting riffs on the original versions.

I picked their Future Proof cover as my favourite, I suppose because I wanted some 100th Window representation on this list and I just happen to think its their best cover too. It helps too that the lead singer ain’t the worst looking in that black number she has on  in this particular video.

6. “Be Thankful For What You’ve Got” by Cool Hipnoise

Watch this video on YouTube.

Well here we are with a cover of a cover! Massive Attack originally covered William DeVaughn’s “Be Thankful, I believe at the behest of Daddy G. Along comes Cool Hipnoise, a Portuguese band that specializes in acid jazz and dub with a take of their own. They also have a pretty good cover in a similar style of One Love, even though that one is not on YouTube or anywhere else that’s easily streamable.

7. “Weather Storm” by Craig Armstrong

Watch this video on YouTube.

You could probably contest the opinion that this is a cover in the first place, as the original version found on the Protection album is largely a Craig Armstrong composition to beginning with, what with Massive Attack merely adding on a sample from a “Pieces Of A Dream”, on top of Armstrong’s twinkling piano notes.

I don’t think Armstrong minds too much, as Massive Attack did come through by signing him to their own record label, Melankolic, back in 1997 when he released his debut album, with his quite lush and epic reinterpretation of Weather Storm as its opening track.

8. “Angel” by Sepultura

Watch this video on YouTube.

I don’t how many Massive Attack fans are into the more heavy stuff out – namely metal, but if your going to do a heavy metal take on a Massive Attack song, you can’t do too wrong with Angel, as the song already had a very heavy vibe to it to begin with.

Sepultura, who hail from Brazil do a good job here (the bassline is still a killer), even though I’m not a fan of the vocals, but I’m not a overly keen fan of metal to begin with, so your mileage may vary on how many grunts and howls you can stomach in your music.

9. “Atlas Air” by Terenn

Watch this video on YouTube.

I could’nt do this list without including at least one cover of a Heligoland track. There’s a number of unremarkable Paradise Circus ones out there, and then there’s this one from YouTube user, Terenn. An overall more dirtier sounding reproduction of Atlas Air, which takes the almost cheesy sounding keyboard riff of the original and makes it even more pronounced throughout the track to great effect.

I would also advise to check out another YouTube video from the same user, which is a multi cam edit of live audience footage of Atlas Air from about 10 different sources. Puts my video editing skills to shame.

10. “Unfinished Sympathy” by Hooverphonic

Watch this video on YouTube.

Last, but not least (maybe even best, now that I listen to again), we have Hooverphonic’s take on Unfinished Sympathy. I previously wrote a blog post on the release of this cover earlier this year, were I seriously impressed by what they did with it, but I’ll just reiterate – I think its one of the best Massive Attack covers ever. The stripped back piano arrangement really leaves the emotion of the song bare and Geike Arnaert makes a fine substitute for Shara Nelson. I think most will agree at least, its a better Unfinished Sympathy cover that what Tina Turner came up with back in 1996. I’m still trying to erase the memories that one!

Thanks for taking a look at my favourite Massive Attack covers. If you want to add a few of your own please do so in the comments area below.

The Deluxe Box which will contain the CD, DVD with 96K/24 bit high resolution audio files, the album split over two 180g vinyl LPs and the original 24” x 18” Blue Lines promo poster.

Just saying, but it might have made more sense releasing this last year, what with it being the then 20th anniversary, but rather belatedly or not, Blue Lines will be getting released this 19th November in remastered guise.

It was announced earlier today on Facebook (where else?, maybe MassiveAttack.com might also have been suitable, seeing as it is the official site and all ) and has from when I’m making this blog post roughly 12 hours later, already received over 10,000 likes and 500 comments, so it seems the response from the fans has been favourable, or at least its definitely sparked off some discussion which is always a good thing.

I would imagine that if this remastered version of Blue Lines sells well for EMI, it would leave the door open for further similar remastered versions of other Massive Attack albums, which sounds like an exciting prospect now that I think of it assuming of course the remastering job done on Blue Lines is for lack of better word “good” and is it really warranted.

Will I be able to hear new sounds buried in the original mix brought to the fore in the new mix? Will it just be a case of “remastered=louder” as some on Facebook have questioned? Will I want to listen to the new remastered version over the good old trusty original version which has more than sufficed for the last 21 years? Well, I guess its a wait and see until 19th November.

Anyway enough with speculation, here’s the facts from an online press release I found  for the remastered Blue Lines:

The 2012 Remix/Remaster will be available on a single CD format, standard and high resolution digital downloads, and as a Deluxe Box which will contain the CD, DVD with 96K/24 bit high resolution audio files, the album split over two 180g vinyl LPs and the original 24” x 18” Blue Lines promo poster. Both will be packaged in 5” and 12” card mailers, respectively, with the album’s artwork screen-printed per the original release. Blue Lines: 2012 Remix/Remaster is dedicated to the memory of Johnny Dollar.

The back cover of the original vinyl issue of Blue Lines depicting the diagram for building an antique vinyl player. Looks like the new Deluxe Box sleeve will have the same design.

Not to appear ungrateful, but it does appear there will be no bonus material present. I was thinking of outtakes or unused material from the original Blue Lines sessions, probably the most well known being “Just A Matter Of Time”. This would have been a perfect opportunity to release it (well this and when Collected was released over 6 years ago), so I guess at this stage we’re never going to get a chance to hear a clear studio quality version of it.

Just for the Massive Attack collector in me I’m definitely getting this release. Hell, I might even get two copies. One to listen to and the other one to remain shrink wrapped on my shelf alongside all my other Massive Attack vinyls. Here’s hoping even if I was’nt a collector, the remastering job done on this is worth buying.

Much like the recent Nas track, we have yet another remix by Massive Attack seemingly out of nowhere onto Soundcloud and with not an awful lot of info concerning it (frustratingly). This time out its what appears to be a cover of The XX track “Crystalised” from their 2009 self-titled album. Their new album, coincidentally (or not) is out next week.

Mark Lanegan, previously did a cover version of Massive Attack’s Live With Me as part of the band “The Twilight Singers”. Listen to it on YouTube.

It’s a bit confusing as there’s quite a few names involved with this cover version/remix and the crediting is somewhat on the vague side. We’ve got Martina Topley-Bird (also producing) and Mark Lanegan on vocals along with Warpaint (in what capacity, I am still unsure about). Massive Attack seem to only be remixing. No hint either of any kind of proper release. So, just like the Nas track then, in that regard.

Massive Attack for this remix is 3D and Euan Dickinson, whose been their studio engineer since 2005 but I guess now that Neil Davidge has left/on hiatus, Euan’s production role seems to have grown alongside Tim Goldsworthy’s that is. Daddy G seems to be too busy partaking in charity football games at the moment to be in the studio, but I’ll give him that one, as it was for a good cause.

It will be interesting to see where (or if?) this recent batch of remix work is leading to in regards new Massive Attack material. Unfortunately I’ve have’nt been keen on any of the remixes released this year to be completely honest. Hopefully that’s a case of working themselves back up with a few quickie remixes before tackling anything too substantial, like the next album. Even though, lets face it that’s still a long time away, knowing Massive Attack, so plenty of time to get there yet.

I’m a bit late to the game here (pun intended), as by now its been reported by just about every major gaming publication on the planet but, the final tracklisting and release date for the Halo 4 soundtrack was announced yesterday.

Halo 4 is shaping up to be THE game of the year and as most of us should know, Massive Attack alumni Neil Davidge is taking on the task of providing the in-game score. I can’t wait to hear the results, and wish Neil the best and that all the new fans he has garnered from the Halo gaming community will appreciate what he’s got in store for them.

IGN have done a new interview with Neil and also posted up a fair amount of samples from the soundtrack for everyone to judge. Good for whetting the appetite for the main course, which will be on the 22nd October. I’ll just post one of the samples on here – Awakening, probably my favourite that I’ve heard so far. As good a tune as any to blast a few aliens to.

The special edition includes the remix album, a signed art print, a 12″ vinyl picture disc and a making-of hardback book and DVD.

There’s also the welcome addition of a remix album that is also being released alongside the regular album with various DJ’s having a go at reinterpreting Neil’s soundtrack work. One of those DJ’s being Gui Boratto, who already remixed Massive Attack’s Paradise Circus, a couple of years ago to great effect.

The remix version of the soundtrack will only be available as part of a special limited edition that comes with a lot of other goodies, which are always nice if you can afford it, which in this case is £50/$75. I know I’ve already put myself down for one.

So, I’ll probably come back to this topic on the blog in or around the 22nd October once I get to hear the soundtrack in it’s entirety. In the meantime, I’ve got to get myself an Xbox 360.

With that admission out of the way, I’ll just finish this post with an embed video of Neil being interviewed at E3 in Los Angeles last June about the soundtrack.

Watch this video on YouTube.