Info → Just A Matter Of Time
Some photo stills from the video for Just A Matter Of Time.
UK Release: 2nd Half of 1991 (Dance International VHS)
Track Duration: 06:40
Formats: VHS. View Discography Entry.
Written By: Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles and Shara Nelson
Produced By: Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles and Jonny Dollar
Vocals: Robert Del Naja, Grant Marshall and Shara Nelson
The promo video for this unreleased song Just A Matter Of Time was filmed in and around various locations in Massive Attack's hometown of Bristol, UK in late 1990. This makes it the only promo video of Massive Attack to actually be filmed in Bristol. Some of the various places which are shown in the video include - Daddy G's house, a barber's and Bristol City's football pitch. The story of the video is a day in the life, so to speak of the members of Massive Attack trying to track down their erstwhile companion Tricky, who does not appear in the video until the very end.
The song itself was an output of the Blue Lines recording sessions that ultimately did'nt make the cut in the end and was only included on this Dance International compilation VHS, which is unfortunately laced throughout with all the various sound effects and dialogue contained in the storytelling narrative of the video, which overshadows some of the music at times.
Just A Matter Of Time was only ever released as the soundtrack to a short film that appeared exclusively on this "Dance International" VHS tape in late 1991.
Massive Attack sought to include Just A Matter Of Time on the Special Edition of Collected but encountered problems with procuring the original master tape of the recording which maybe has become lost at this late stage and also with getting the legal rights to include the song either on Collected.
Some of the lyrics in the song spoken by 3D, would end up being re-used once again in a few years time on Eurochild. Examples of these lyrics include "Glow from the tv set was blue, just like neon
activated the remote, and then I put the BBC on".
Just A Matter Of Time has never been played live by Massive Attack.
3D on the death of the video director Roger Pomphrey who made the promo video for Just A Matter Of Time – “We are so sad to lose our friend, the great Roger Pomphrey today. He was a lovely man and an brilliant film maker. He made the first Massive Attack short film for us back in 1990. He inspired us to treat each video opportunity as a movie making experience and paved the way for collaborations with other great directors like Baillie Walsh, Jonathan Glazer and Walter Stern-to name but a few. He will be greatly missed.” [Facebook – January 2014]
Former Eurythmics guitarist come music video director, Roger Pomphrey, directed the video for Just A Matter Of Time.
Shara:
(Humming throughout track)
3D:
...Just like average (uh huh)
...To get leverage (why)
To the situation
Cause we need lubrication
Drink vitamin c drink
Strength in the situation
Glow from the tv set was blue, just like neon
Activated the remote, and then I put the BBC on
Hope to see a likeness, maybe truth and rightness
Toying with fire and messing with rightness
I should recite this
'Cause always he's trouble (uh huh)
We don't see markateegee(?)
Daddy G:
(Humming)
...Visa card
...Every chord
...Makes a board
3D:
...Tokyo city