"Chaudement recommandé !"

Une petit article en français sur le livre :

En dehors de la zone de confort, de Massive Attack à Banksy Mélissa Chemam Edition Anne Carrière - 6 octobre 2016
Sous-titré, « L’histoire d’un groupe d’artistes, de leur ville, Bristol, et de leurs révolution », la journaliste Mélissa Chemam a mené son enquête pour aboutir à un livre de prêt de 400 pages. Si elle relate l’évolution musical des artistes de Bristol (Black Roots, Pop Group, Smith & Mighty, Rip Rig + Panicavec Neneh Cherry, The Wild Bunch, Portishead, Roni Size), la part belle du livre est consacré à la carrière du groupe Massive Attack. Des premiers pas aux succès (mérité !) de ce groupe majeur des années 90 et 2000, Mélissa Chemam développe, grâce à ses nombreuses interviews, les personnalités complexes que sont Robert Del Naja (3D), Grant Marshall (Daggy G), Andy Vowles (Mushroom) et l’électron libre Tricky. A travers son écrit, on est au cœur de la création artistique du groupe. Au fil des pages on découvre le processus pour composer, avec ses artistes qui ne jouent pas d’un instrument de musique, mais qui ont LE SON dans leurs oreilles. Avec leur premier album Blue Lines, ils ont révolutionné la sphère pop en créant une musique qui mélange, hip-hop, reggae, dud, soul, électro, new wave/after punk et BO de films. Dans de nombreux médias (The Guardian en tête), Blue Lines fait partie des meilleurs albums de tous les temps. L’aspect politique/citoyen engagé du groupe est également développé par la journaliste. Si la ville de Bristol est un bon vivier à mélomanes, c’est aussi un ciel ouverts dédié aux street art. Dans la rue, on reste avec Massive Attack, grâce à 3D qui est aussi un pilier du graff. Son premier graff date de 1983. Il en fera des émules, dont un certain Banksy. Cet artiste, dont on ne connait pas son identité (3D ?, non ! selon Mélissa Chemam) est devenue une figure majeure du street art. Banksy désirant ne pas dévoiler son identité, Mélissa Chemam, ne l’a pas interviewé. Ainsi dans son ouvrage, le parcourt de Banksy est moins développé que celui de Massive Attack. Au fil des pages, de par son style d’écriture pour chroniquer les albums, on sent que Mélissa Chemam est très fan du groupe. Elle écrit des belles phrases, très imager pour définir le son, le style de mélodie qui ressort des morceaux. Elle donne envie de réécouter les albums et singles du groupe. Si la ville de Bristol a son importance dans la toile de fond, ce livre est avant tout le premier ouvrage important en langue française (avec une belle écriture) sur le groupe Massive Attack. Chaudement recommandé à lire ! www.anne-carriere.fr/fiche.php?fiche=302

'Soldier Of Love'

Isn't she absolutely amazing?
From the song, the voice, the themes, the elegant choreography, the stage light... and the heartfelt thankful words in the end, the singer in a grand lady:

Sade - 'Soldier Of Love' (Live in 2011)

Follow Sade
Website: http://www.sade.com/gb/home/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadeofficial
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sadeofficial
 

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Lyrics


I've lost the use of my heart
But I'm still alive
Still looking for the life
The endless pool on the other side
It's a wild wild west
I'm doing my best
I'm at the borderline of my faith,
I'm at the hinterland of my devotion
In the frontline of this battle of mine
But I'm still alive
I'm a soldier of love.
Every day and night
I'm soldier of love
All the days of my life
I've been torn up inside (oh!)
I've been left behind (oh!)
So I ride
I have the will to survive
In the wild wild west,
Trying my hardest
Doing my best
To stay alive
I am love's soldier!
I wait for the sound
(oooh oohhh)
I know that love will come (that love will come)
Turn it all around
I'm a soldier of love (soldier of love)
Every day and night
I'm a soldier of love
All the days of my life
I am lost
but I don't doubt (oh!)
So I ride
I have the will to survive
In the wild wild west,
Trying my hardest
Doing my best
To stay alive
I am love's soldier!
I wait for the sound
I know that love will come
I know that love will come
Turn it all around
I'm a soldier of love
I'm a soldier
Still waiting for love to come
Turn it all around
(4x)
I'm a soldier of love
I'm a soldier
Still waiting for love to come
Turn it all around
(3x)
Still waiting for love to come

Massive Attack: temporary book cover for England

Temporary book cover for the UK:

Cover art credit: Robert Del Naja

(with so much gratitude!)

Massive Attack - Out of the Comfort Zone (Paperback)

Melissa Chemam (author)

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£14.99

Paperback394 Pages / Published: 09/04/2018

• Coming soon

Awaiting publication

This book is dedicated to the history of the band Massive Attack and to their relationship with their home town of Bristol. A city built on the wealth generated by the slave trade. As a port Bristol was also an arrival point for immigrants to the UK, most notably the Windrush generation from the Caribbean in the 1950s. 

Author Melissa Chemam's in-depth study of the influences that led to the formation of the Wild Bunch and then Massive Attack looks into Bristol's past. It explores how the city helped shape one of the most successful and innovative musical movements of the last 30 years. 

Based on interviews with Robert Del Naja (3D), his close collaborators and many Bristol's legendary musicians and artists, the book examines Massive Attack's influences, collaborations and politics, as well as the relations and inner tensions between the founding members, 3D, Daddy G and Mushroom. It also retells the way in which they opened the door for other musicians and artists from Bristol, including Inkie, Nick Walker, Tricky, Portishead and Banksy, and beyond (U.N.K.LE, Air, Radiohead, Gorillaz, Burial). 

Publisher: Tangent Books 
ISBN: 9781910089729 
Number of pages: 394 
Weight: 550 g 
Dimensions: 235 x 152 x 30 mm

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Melissa Chemam is a French journalist and author who has worked for France 24, the BBC World Service and Radio France International, as well as many magazines, and for the filmmaker Raoul Peck. Since 2003, she has been based in Prague, Paris, Miami, then in London, Nairobi and Bangui, travelling to more than 40 countries. 

(The book is published under licence from Anne Carriere in France by Tangent Books in partnership with PC Press. Its French title is En Dehors De La Zone De Confort De Massive Attack A Banksy)

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Link to Waterstones: https://www.waterstones.com/book/massive-attack/melissa-chemam/9781910089729

Retracing "the history of Massive Attack and their relationship with Bristol"

First announcement of my book release in the UK, by Crack Magazine, "independent platform for contemporary culture":

https://crackmagazine.net/2018/01/new-book-will-trace-history-massive-attack-relationship-bristol/

• NEWS
 
• CRACK STAFF / 04.01.18

A new book will trace the history of Massive Attack and their relationship with Bristol

A new book tracing the “story of Massive Attack, through their music, art and influences” will be released this April.

Massive Attack: A Bristol Story was first published in French in October 2016 but this is its first release in English. It is written by French journalist and writer Melissa Chemam.

According to a press release, the book is “dedicated to the history of the band Massive Attack and their relationship with their own city, Bristol, which shaped their greatness and uniqueness.” The book was written across three years and features interviews with 3D, Tricky, Adrian Utley, Neil Davidge, Mark Stewart, Sean Cook and others.

The book is published on 09 April 2018 through Tangent Books. Pre-order via Waterstones here.

Bristol: St Paul's Carnival's 2018 return?

2018 will be the year of the 50th anniversary of Bristol's Caribbean Festival in Saint Paul's.
The city has promised to get it back on track after two years of cancellation...

Read the latest news here:

Exciting plans for St Paul's Carnival's spectacular 2018 return

The huge celebration will be back in time for its 50th anniversary

•       Bristol post, 3 JAN 2018

http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/exciting-plans-st-pauls-carnival-1005729 

(Image: Colin Rayner)

It's left a large hole in Bristol's summer calendar since it was cancelled in 2015, but this year will finally see the return of St Paul's Carnival. And the return of the annual celebration of African Caribbean culture could not come at a better time, as 2018 will mark 50 years since the event was first held. Plans are well underway for the landmark celebration, which will take place on Saturday July 7, and it's hoped this year's festival will help take the celebration 'back to its roots'.

The first stage of planning the festival is now complete, with an event production team, as well as voluntary teams being formed to oversee soundsystems, the parade, community workshops and engagement, music and dance, and an education programme which will begin this month.

As well as receiving confirmation they will be joining the Arts Council’s prestigious ‘National Portfolio’ 2018-22, the St Pauls Carnival Community Interest Company (CIC) successfully applied for and received funding from Bristol City Council’s Imagination Fund for the operation of this year’s carnival.

Organisers are now looking to recruit a Managing Director alongside a number of key positions. There are also internship opportunities with Creative Youth Network and it’s You Produce scheme . Together the two will offer an internship in festival production aimed at 18-25 year olds. This will offer the opportunity for them to learn the fundamentals of event production on projects including St Pauls Carnival, Shambala and Port Eliot Festival. 

St Paul's Carnival will return in style in 2018

Marti Burgess, CIC non-executive director, said: “St Pauls Carnival is of huge cultural significance, not only for the area of St Pauls itself but for Bristol as a whole. For so many people Carnival is more than just a great party; it’s about culture, heritage and community.

"We have completed the first planning phases of the festival in collaboration with Bristol City Council and all the key stakeholders and we’re now inviting everyone wanting to participate in the festival or our community programmes to get in touch.”

The St Pauls Carnival Community Interest Company (CIC) is needing to raise an additional £200,000 for 2018's carnival and is inviting any partners or interested funders to get in touch.

"The Rise of Graffiti Writing – From New York To Europe: BRITISH PIONEERS" (Arte)

Arte's episodes on England!!
Watch the most recent interviews with the Bristol pioneers of a new form of an underground and unorthodox art.

The Rise of Graffiti Writing – 

From New York To Europe (6/10) l WILDSTYLE GOES EUROPE

Arte Creative

Published on 22 Dec 2017

"Wild Style!" schwappt über den Atlantik, versetzt Europa in helle Hip-Hop-Begeisterung und infiziert den Kontinent mit dem Graffitivirus. In dieser Folge sprechen Vertreter der englischen und deutschen Szene wie CAN2, 3D und PRIDE über den ungeahnten Einfluss des Films, der als Underground-Klamotte startete und schnell zum Sprachrohr für eine neue Subkultur wurde.

In 10 Episoden zeichnet die Dokuserie den Aufstieg der Graffiti-Bewegung nach: vom New York der 70er über Amsterdam und Paris bis nach München, von wo aus der Graffitivirus ab den 80ern ganz Europa infizierte. Folge 6: "Wild Style!“ – der Film macht Furore und versetzt Europa in helle Hip-Hop-Begeisterung.

The Rise of Graffiti Writing – 

From New York To Europe (7/10):

BRITISH PIONEERS

Arte Creative

Published on 29 Dec 2017

1983 überschwemmt die Graffitiwelle Großbritannien. Grundstein für den späteren Ruhm von Crews wie den CHROME ANGELZ legen die Writer der ersten Stunde PRIDE oder etwa 3D. In dieser Episode erzählen sie vom Einfluss ihrer Style-Bibel "Subway Art“, den Anfängen des Stylewritings in Bristol und den Eindruck, den das erste Graffiti-Piece von FUTURA2000 in Europa auf sie machte.

In 10 Episoden zeichnet die Dokuserie den Aufstieg der Graffiti-Bewegung nach: vom New York der 70er über Amsterdam und Paris bis nach München, von wo aus der Graffitivirus ab den 80ern ganz Europa infizierte. In dieser Episode geben sich die britischen Writer PRIDE sowie Robert "3D" Del Naja von Massive Attack die Ehre und lassen die Anfänge der englischen Graffiti-Szene Revue passieren.

https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/072993-...

Abonniert den Youtube-Kanal von ARTE Creative:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsyg...

Folgt uns in den sozialen Netzwerken:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creative.arte
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ARTEcreative
Instagram : http://www.instagram.com/ARTE_creative

1998 - 2018

2018 is near. So near!

And 1998 is already on music journalists' minds... 

1998 was a great year for Bristol, even more than the brilliant 1997, among other things because it saw the release of an amazing album: Mezzanine. 

Here is what FACT Magazine has to say about it in its list of the 22 best albums of 1998:

Massive Attack
Mezzanine
(Virgin)

The Mercury-nominated Mezzanine saw Bristol’s finest reach the peak of their cross-pollinating powers to perfect the spiky downtempo stew they had begun cultivating some seven years earlier. Featuring guest spots from Studio One legend Horace Andy and Cocteau Twins’ Liz Fraser – whose ethereal vocal is the jewel in the crown of an album that brought us one of the most memory-jogging songs of the ‘90s, ‘Teardrop’ – we named Massive Attack’s third LP one our favorite albums of the decade in 2012, and quite rightly so. 

ACW

http://www.factmag.com/2017/12/30/albums-turning-20-in-2018/

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The story of the making of the unique record is retold in my book's eighth chapter.

Release date in the UK / US: April 9th, 2018.

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More on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Massive-Attack-Bristol-Melissa-Chemam/dp/1910089729

Book's Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/frombristoltomassiveattack/?_rdc=1&_rdr

Trois livres qui résument l'année

Le meilleur de 2017 - en livres :

L’Art de perdre, d’Alice Zeniter 

Un style sublime et l’audace de s’attaquer à un sujet difficile, le parcours d’une famille de harkis, de leur village de Kabylie aux beaux quartiers parisiens. Le livre est d’une écriture magnifique et la sensibilité de l’auteur transparaît à chaque paragraphe. Une histoire qui transporte comme peu de livres sur le sujet.

I Am Not Your Negro, de Raoul Peck et James Baldwin 

Avec son documentaire nominé aux Oscars, le réalisateur haïtien Raoul Peck a donné vie à un livre du grand auteur américain James Baldwin, laissé à l’état de notes, intitulé Remember This House. Consacrés à son amitié avec trois grands militants pour les droits civiques Metgar Evers, Martin Luther King Junior et Malcom X, le texte et le film décryptent la construction de la société américaine basée sur la discrimination et l’érection de stéréotypes insurmontables pour séparer les héritiers des autoproclamés « pionniers », venus d’Europe, et les autres Américains. Depuis, le film a permis aux éditeurs français de ressortir les textes de James Baldwin et le film de Raoul Peck est quant à lui devenu ce livre. Une lumière.

The Underground Railroad, de Colston Whitehead 

Récompensé aux Etats-Unis par le prix Pulitzer 2017 et le National Book Award, Underground Railroad  retrace l’histoire d’un réseau d’aide aux esclaves en fuite à travers l’histoire d’une jeune femme qui s’évade de sa plantation de coton en Géorgie pour tenter de rejoindre « les Etats libres du Nord », avant la guerre de Sécession. Un roman, écrit et paru avant l’élection de Donald Trump, et qui s’est hissé sur le devant d’une scène qui a pris le parti de ne plus enterrer l’histoire troublée de ce pays en pleine crise sociale et politique.

Marx and the Windrush Generation at the British Library in 2018

The British Library, in London, will hold in 2018 two exhibitions on two themes that have been crucial in my recent work!

London, I'll definitely see you in the spring!

2018 at the British Library:

https://www.bl.uk/press-releases/2017/november/2018-at-the-british-library

Karl and Eleanor Marx 

Treasures Gallery display 

(1 May 2018 to 5 August 2018)

As part of the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of Karl Marx’s birth, this Treasures Gallery display will explore the role the British Museum Reading Room, a predecessor institution of the British Library, played in the life and work of Marx and his daughter Eleanor, a notable writer and political activist in her own right. 

The display will include correspondence by Marx, his family and Friedrich Engels, covering both personal and political affairs, as well as rare copies of first editions of Marx’s writings, several of which he himself donated to the Library.  Among these is a copy of the first French translation of Capital, which is believed to feature annotations in Marx’s own hand.

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See our Young Karl Marx' trailer:

Poster for France:

The film will most probably be shown in London on May 5th, 2018.

I'll keep you posted!

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Windrush 

(1 June 2018 to 21 October 2018)

Next year marks 70 years since the Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury Docks in Essex carrying hundreds of Caribbean migrants to Britain. It also marks the passing of the British Nationality Act, which established common citizenship and enabled all British subjects to settle in Britain.

Through literature, personal correspondence and official reports – from a 1940s suppressed report detailing labour protests and rebellions across the Caribbean to E.R. Braithwaite’s annotated typescript of To Sir, With Love – this free Entrance Hall Gallery exhibition will explore the significance of the arrival of the Windrush within a broader narrative of Caribbean history.  

Though the arrival of the Windrush was initially met with fear-mongering and prejudice, the ship has since come to symbolise the origins of British multiculturalism. This exhibition, however, will tell a different and deeper story of Caribbean people’s struggles for self-expression and recognition across the 20th century. 

We are delighted to announce that we will be exhibiting Andrea Levy’s manuscript of her award-winning 2004 book Small Island. The novel was loosely based on the experiences of Levy’s parents, who emigrated to Britain from Jamaica in 1948, and the manuscript will be displayed alongside other items her father brought with him on the Windrush.

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My book on Bristol deals deeply into the issue:

It will be out in the UK from April 9th, 2018.

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See you there, friends!

Making "The Alternativity"

I guess they wouldn't mind me posting it...

Banksy x Danny Boyle "The Alternativity"

Published on 17 Dec 2017

The story of how Britain’s favourite artist Banksy teamed up with Britain’s favourite film director Danny Boyle to put on a moving nativity play at The Walled Off Hotel in December 2017.