Invasion
Song Info On Invasion
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Global Underground 26: James Lavelle in Romania (Medway Vs Eva Coast To Coast Mix), - Never Never Land (Limited Edition) (Medway Vs Eva Coast To Coast Mix)
22nd September 2003
05:15
Medway Vs Eva Coast To Coast Mix - This is a remix of the original Invasion, that James Lavelle played live as part of his DJ sets after the release of 's Never Never Land. The remix was produced by two club DJ's known as Eva and Medway. It was eventually released as part of his Global Underground compilation mix that he played live in Bucharest, Romania and recorded for release. This release truncated the full length of the remix from over eight minutes to five minutes. The full version of the remix would not be released until a special edition of Never Never Land was released in late 2004, nearly a year after the regular edition of the album was released.
Written by James Lavelle, Richard File, Robert Del Naja, Neil Davidge and Anthony Genn
Produced by James Lavelle and Richard File
Vocal Session Produced by Neil Davidge and Robert Del Naja
Vocal Session Engineered by Lee Shephard
Electric Guitar, Synth and Bass by Anthony Genn and Richard File
Programming by Richard File and Richard Flack
N/A
N/A
Robert Del Naja
Backing Vocals: Anthony Genn and Richard File
Invasion was the offspring of 3D's and James Lavelle's long-running friendship. Lavelle who had long been a admirer of 3D's before becoming an actual friend, was the main man and instigator behind , not to mention the label boss of Mo'Wax and had wanted to do something creatively with 3D for several years. It had been hoped originally, during the production of 's debut album, Psyence Fiction, which already featured a glut of guest vocalists from Thom Yorke to Richard Ashcroft, that 3D would also lend his vocals to a song on that album. Unfortunately, he could not find the time what with being in the middle of producing Mezzanine and getting ready to tour it. Later on in 1998, he did find time to do a remix for one of the singles off that album called Rabbit In Your Headlights, but it would not be until the early part of 2003, just before Massive Attack were getting ready to tour and promote 100th Window that 3D found the time to go down to the recording studios in London and lay down his vocals for Invasion on Never Never Land, the album for 2003.
Keeping the connection with James Lavelle alive, would in the future provide remixs for Massive Attack's False Flags. 3D would also once again feature on the next album, which came out in 2007 called War Stories, on a song called Twilight.
Apart from his musical collaboration on Never Never Land with Invasion, 3D was also the artistic director for the promo video Eye For An Eye. Many of his drawings and figures common on many Massive Attack releases and his own Fitting In book were used in the video such as the Eurochild and Insect President. James Lavelle originally wanted 3D to contribute musically to the song Eye For An Eye as well, but 3D felt the song was good enough without him tampering with it.
Invasion has never been played live, neither by Massive Attack or U.N.K.L.E. While Lavelle's band have never never played it live, Invasion (and its remixes) has been played occassionly as part of James Lavelle's solo DJ sets.
James Lavelle on why he admires Massive Attack so much that he asked 3D to be apart of Invasion - "I first encountered them when I was a kid. I saw something on television called Bombing, which was the first British-made hip hop documentary, and it had 3-D on there. This is when they were still the Wild Bunch. That was my first ever encounter with them and it was reallt what got me wanting to DJ. The whole sound system thing was what I grew up on. There was the Wild Bunch and Smith & Mighty in Bristol and then Soul II Soul in London. That's what sparked it off, really. It was English as well: they were taking the American breaks and beats and doing something different with it. When I started making records and setting up the Mo'Wax label they were a big influence. More than anything else it was 3-D and his attention to detail about the artwork and design, the graffiti-orientated artwork with the contemporary design and music - all in the same package. It inspired the label...and making music. It's funny for me because now 3-D's one of my best friends, but I'd definitely say I look up to him" [Jockey Slut Magazine - Sometime in 2002]
DJ Eva on remixing Invasion - "It was my first remix. Medway came up with that great b-line, and I wanted to turn the mix on it's head a bit by having it go from a 4/4 to a breakbeat, We did everything over the phone and internet due to him being in Orlando and me in Seattle. I had a lot of creative input and ideas, and Medway worked his magic doing all the arranging and technical aspects" [Raves.com - June 2004]
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