Massive Attack
"Love, love is a verb. Love is a doing word."
Massive Attack
Massive Attack is a British musical group formed in 1988 in Bristol, consisting of Robert "3D" Del Naja, Grant "Daddy G" Marshall and formerly Andy "Mushroom" Vowles ("Mush"). Their debut album Blue Lines was released in 1991, with the single "Unfinished Sympathy" reaching the charts and later being voted the 63rd greatest song of all time in a poll by NME. 1998's Mezzanine, containing "Teardrop", and 2003's 100th Window charted in the UK at number one. Both Blue Lines and Mezzanine feature in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
The first time I came to the UK was December 1991. My brother and I were chaperoned kids who had never really spent much time unsupervised. We had never taken a bus or even a public taxi. LIfe here was a massive eye-opener for us. Nothing prepared me though for the amount of music that I would be exposed too. Having never heard Jamaican or Caribbean influenced music before, I fell in love with roots and bass driven music.
Shortly after being introduced to Shaka Demus & Pliers I was fast-tracked to Trip Hop through Blue Lines and my life was forever changed. Their impact on modern music can only possibly be surpassed by Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno and The Talking Heads, and I would hope that the guys in Massive Attack would agree with me.
My first manager had grown up in Bristol with the guys from Massive Attack. She spent her teenage years hanging out with the Wild Bunch sound system at the now famous Dugout club, before becoming a Dj and much later an Artists Manager. Her personal and professional relationship with this iconic band allowed her entry to some amazing places, and access to even more incredible people. As her client, at such a tender age I was fortunate to benefit from her associations. My first professional writing session was with Milo from the Wild Bunch, then shortly after auditioning for Massive attacks Tear Drop Tour. It was such an overwhelming experience that I completely messed it up by attempting to sing like the incredible voice that is Elizabeth Fraser rather than showcasing my own voice, but I still hold on to the experience as one of the greatest of my life. On a number of occasions, I got to spend time in the presence of these amazing musicians and was always shocked at how down to earth they were.
Their music is like the core of me and millions of people around the world share this experience. This band came along and expanded my understanding of beats and expression while giving me a cultural education through sound. There is really not a song of theirs that I can say isn't incredible, but if forced to state one song it would be "Protection". With the heartfelt vocals of Tracey Thorn, this song is like warm liquid in my soul. The lyrics immediately take me back to being a 20 year old with the whole world in front of me. A time when I was so certain I knew the answers to it all. Where every second was a fearless but emotional expedition into my own feelings.