Info → Any Love
The very first Massive Attack release - the Any Love 12" vinyl from 1988.
UK Release: Summer 1988 & 15th October 1990
UK Highest Chart: N/A
Track Duration: 04:57 (1988 Version) & 04:17 (1990 Version)
Formats: CD, Vinyl, Digital. View Discography Entry.
Written By: David Wolinski
Produced By: Grant Marshall, Rob Smith and Ray Mighty
Mixed By: Robin Goodfellow (1990 Version)
Any Love bears the distinction of being the very first song released under the Massive Attack name, even though it would only feature one third of what would become the Massive Attack lineup. At the time of Any Love's release as a limited edition promo 12" vinyl, much of what had been The Wild Bunch and disbanded and moved on. For instance, two of the main architects behind the The Wild Bunch, Nellee Hooper and DJ Milo were busying working with Soul II Soul in London and living and DJ-ing in Japan respectively. This would leave Daddy G alone in Bristol to form Massive Attack in 1988. 3D and Mushroom would not join until just after the release of Any Love. In their absence, Daddy G sought help with the song's production from another Bristol band with close connections to The Wild Bunch, Smith and Mighty. The final component of the song was the singer who came if the form of falsetto voiced local singer Carlton McCarthy, or just simply Carlton, who in the next year would produce a solo album of his own in conjunction with Simth And Mighty, The Call Is Strong.
Carlton McCarthy, a Bristol based singer was the vocalist on the original 1988 12" release of Any Love.
The Any Love single would end up being the only ever record released on the 'Massive Attack Records' label which was just a small label Daddy G setup with the intention of releasing Any Love and any future Massive Attack songs in the future. When Massive Attack received their major record label contract with Circa Records in 1990, Massive Attack Records became unnecessary and was made defunct.
Daddy G's and 3D's vocals on Any Love almost certainly were recorded at one of The Wild Bunch's Soundsystem's parties during the eighties and then sampled for the song.
1990 Version – Any Love (2) (or the 1990 version) is basically just a redux version or reimagining of the original Any Love. This time around, Smith and Mighty were out of the picture and 3D and Mushroom were now involved in the production unlike with the original version. The original singer of Any Love, Carlton had also moved on as well and was busy working with Smith and Mighty on producing his own solo album at the time. This left Massive Attack to charter in a new singer to sing on the reimagined song. This would be Tony Bryan, who would feature a year later on the Be Thankful For What You've Got track featured on the Blue Lines album.
Any Love uses a sample from the song Do The Funky Penguin by Rufus Thomas. It appears primarily on his 1971 7" single release which is also called Do The Funky Penguin. It is not credited officially by Massive Attack.
DJ Milo thought's on Any Love – “When Gee [Daddy G] went and did that record, I thought it was wicked and I was really proud of him for that.” [The Wild Bunch: Story Of A Soundsystem (Album Booklet) - October 2002]
DJ Milo on the reason for the name Massive Attack for the Any Love vinyl single – “Massive Attack was a name originally given to us by graffiti artist Brim from New York - 'the underground massive'. I thought it was a wicked name but I wanted to turn it into an acronym sort of thing so it would read as T.U.M.A. So, I added the word 'attack' onto the end to make it work and it became 'The Underground Massive Attack'. It got shortened from that.” [The Wild Bunch: Story Of A Soundsystem (Album Booklet) - October 2002]
Tony Bryan was the vocalist on the 1990 version of Any Love found on the daydreaming single release. He would also work with Massive Attack on be Thankful For What You've Got.
American singer Chaka Khan's 1980 hit Any Love was the basis for Massive Attack's cover version of the song
You go out every night as a single
But you don't really know what to do
You see someone you'd just like to mingle
And you imagine she's waiting for you
Any love
Any love that you feel is for real
And each time that you use love
You're gonna lose love
Any love
Love, love
Love, sweet love
Any love
Love, love
Love, sweet love
There is no certain crowd that you run with
Throw your passion away let me run with
He says hi she says hi and I'm done with
Though you never belong I'm waiting to see
Any love that you feel is for real
And each time that you use love
You're gonna lose love
Any love
Love, love
Love, sweet love
Any love
Any love
Love, love
Love, sweet love
You go out every night as a single
But you don't really know what to do
You see someone you'd just like to mingle
And imagine that she is waiting for you
She's waiting, waiting for you
Is waiting for you
Waiting for you
Any love
Love, love
Love, sweet love
[Repeat x 4]