1999
The first show of the 1999 tour, a continuation of the tour from last year to further promote Mezzanine, gets under way on this date at The Phaze in Colonge, Germany. It is noticeable for not having Mushroom present at it at all, making it the first ever Massive Attack live show to not have his presense. He would not return either for the entire 1999 tour nor ultimately on any other tour again.
Reports surface from MTV Europe on this day speculating the belief that Mushroom has left Massive Attack to focus on a solo career. Further fuel is added to the fire, by Mushroom’s absense at the recent shows on the 1999 tour starting in Germany starting in the last week. No official statement from Massive Attack or their management rebuts this accusation.
Mushroom plays a DJ set accompanyied by his own comrade from The Wild Bunch, DJ Milo, at a the Lizard Festival in Cornwall, UK on this date. This is not a Wild Bunch reunion as some sources were claiming at the time. It could be seen as further evidence that Mushroom is fed up with touring with Massive Attack and his wish toreturn to his hip-hop DJ roots like as it was with his days with The Wild Bunch.
The Uranus Experiment, a relatively high budget porn movie, is released on this date on DVD and VHS (it did not recieve a mainstream theatrical release). It features on the in-film soundtrack a new Massive Attack song composed mainly by 3D called Infight Data. Liam Howlett of The Prodigy also contributed a seperate song called Titan to the same soundtrack project. Infight Data would not appear on any record until the release of 3D’s Nocturne Sessions CD in early 2002.
Mushroom has now officially left Massive Attack according to represenatatives of the band on this unfortunate day in Massive Attack’s history. His departure (a decision he actually took in secret at the start of the year) ended months of speculation as to his position within the acclaimed Bristol trio. Rumours of a musical rift began circulating last year after Mushroom revealed that he was unhappy with the musical direction the band were taking leading up to the release of Mezzanine. Mushroom, who had been with the group since their early days as The Wild Bunch, was earlier reported to have been disappointed that Massive Attack appeared to be moving away from their hip-hop roots with each album, eventually deciding that he could no longer contribute to them. Mushroom’s last live appearance was at the bands series of shows at Bristol University in the Anson Rooms last Christmas. Since then he has been working with former Wild Bunch collaborator Miles Johnson. Quote - 3D revealed to the press about Mushroom’s departure - The split was not acrimonious and that the three of us will remain friends… as long as we don’t talk about music. As soon as we do, we argue”. 3D also confirmed that he and Daddy G will be continuing as Massive Attack.
Horace Andy’s new album, his second as well on Massive Attack’s Melankolic label, Living In The Flood, is released on this date. It contains a song that had been written (not produced however) by 3D by the name of Doldrums.
The entire tour to promote Mezzanine starting in April 1998 to the end of 1999 finally comes to an end at the Melkweg in Amsterdam, Netherlands. This show was also televised and a video bootleg exists of it in the Bootography section. You can download it by clicking here. There would also be a long gap between this last show of the 1999 tour and the next tour. the next Massive Attack live date would not be until the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, Australia on 11th March 2003.
Loading ...
