Journalist at RFI (ex-DW, BBC, CBC, F24...), writer (on art, music, culture...), I work in radio, podcasting, online, on films.
As a writer, I also contributed to the New Arab, Art UK, Byline Times, the i Paper...
Born in Paris, I was based in Prague, Miami, London, Nairobi (covering East Africa), Bangui, and in Bristol, UK. I also reported from Italy, Germany, Haiti, Tunisia, Liberia, Senegal, India, Mexico, Iraq, South Africa...
This blog is to share my work, news and cultural discoveries.
On 28 April 2008, 10 years ago, Portishead's last album to this day, simply titled 'Third', was released in the United Kingdom through Island Records, and a day later in the United States through Mercury Records.
Portishead's first studio album since 'Portishead' in 1997, it incorporates different influences and was extremely positively received by critics, named one of the best albums of 2008 by several publications. It entered the top ten of several countries' music charts and has Gold certification in the UK.
The album was announced with a first single on 24 March 2008: "Machine Gun"... Here's a live version:
Michael Jackson - Making Of Bad (BAD 25) Documentary
The making of Bad from the Spike Lee Bad 25 documentary.
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Michael Jackson: Spike Lee - Bad 25 (Trailer)
Twenty-five years after Michael Jackson’s visionary BAD album and tour, BAD25 takes you back inside the recording sessions, film shoots and sold-out stadiums for an intimate look at the King Of Pop’s creative genius. Directed by Spike Lee.
The Windrush generation, campaigners and politicians discuss the scandal in a Channel 4 News special just yards from the Home Office. Watch it all live here.
The Home Secretary has said all victims who are fighting to be British will get citizenship and compensation. Will our audience, many of whose lives have been ruined by the crisis, believe her?
Joining our live debate will be Labour MP David Lammy, who described the Windrush controversy as a "day of national shame", and leading Conservative Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg.
You might think the government's spectacular U-turn on the Windrush generation has solved the problem. They will now be able to get British passports free. It should never have happened, said the Home Secretary, as she finally promised to fix it. But why did she suddenly change her mind after months and years of ignoring the outrage?
And is Windrush a unique mistake - caused by officials? Or was it the policy? The political atmosphere - a toxic, racist undercurrent driven by public alarm about immigration? And has the government actually solved the problem? Or are there many scandals unfixed?
Tonight we have gathered those directly affected, whose lives have been ruined, together with leading politicians, campaigners and thinkers, And we'll be live in Jamaica. What does it say about us? This Britain?
So glad this is finally about to be shown in England!
There are a few screenings in Ireland too.
'The Young Karl Marx' – UK Trailer
ICA Cinema releases The Young Karl Marx (dir. by Raoul Peck) in selected cinemas from 4 May 2018.
At the age of 26, Karl Marx embarks with his wife Jenny on the road to exile. In Paris in 1844 they meet young Friedrich Engels, son of a factory owner, who has studied the sordid beginnings of the English proletariat. Engels, somewhat of a dandy, brings Marx the missing piece to the puzzle that composes his new vision of the world.
Together, between censorship and police raids, riots and political upheavals, they preside over the birth of the labour movement, which until then had been mostly makeshift and unorganized. This grows into the most complete theoretical and political transformation of the world since the Renaissance – driven, against all expectations, by two brilliant, insolent and sharp-witted young men from wealthy families. The Young Karl Marx tells the story of these extraordinary events.
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Published on 8 Mar 2018 Transcript: Who saw the movie The Matrix? The Matrix was a banging movie to me. And the reason why I appreciated it so much, was because- remember at the end when Neo realises his potential? He started to see the binary code. Remember that? The whole world. That’s where I’m trying to be spiritual. I’m trying to see the word of God in the whole world. Every time that agent throws a punch, I’m like: I see you! You know, I’m just catching his punches. You know, so I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid because I’m starting to see that. Situations materialize themselves and “hugh!! He’s an agent!” Here’s the trick: You have to remember that sometimes you can be an agent. You can be an agent to yourself. You can be an agent against someone else, and not even realize that you’re been used. You Know? Let me tell you another thing about the Matrix. I was always confused about it. I always thought that you know, the Matrix was battling the enemy out there. Picking the battle. I’m going to find those enemies, I’m gonna get that enemy! Until I realize that until you conquer the enemy in yourself, you can’t deal with anyone. In order to be “used by God”, you have to really be used. We always want to be used for the glorious jobs. Let God put me on a stage, in front of the people, and the Grammy show, and a nice dress on, and let me just praise your Name. But that’s not been used- sometimes in order to be used, you also have to be humiliated. It’d be humiliating sometimes. You have to be kicked, and beaten. And in that situation, the person who is kicking and beating, he’s feeling more pain than you are. You know, love is an incredible thing. And we don’t know love like we should. We always talk about “I have unconditional love”. Unconditional love is we don’t even know it. Because if a person stops stimulating us, we stop loving him. You’re not interesting to talk to anymore, goodbye! But that real love, that love that sometimes is difficult… difficult to have, that’s that love. And that's the confidence builder. Speaker:
Lauryn Hill
Copyright Disclaimer:
Word Porn does not own the rights to these video clips. They have, in accordance with fair use, been repurposed with the intent of educating and inspiring others.
As Mezzanine is turning 20 years old, the scale of its legacy never stops broadening.
One reminder of the forward-thinking dimension of the album's sound was, in 1999, the choice of this song to wake up Neo in the Matrix, one of the greatest science-fiction film ever made...
'Dissolved Girl' is playing in the hero's headphones just before he's told about the White Rabbit... and later on meets Trinity, who's the one who contacted him on this computer.
The song was co-written by Robert Del Naja, with Sarah Jay, the featured vocalist, and Matt Schwarz, and produced by Del Naja, with Grant Marshall, Andrew Vowles and Neil Davidge.
Here's the original video for Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 1984 seasonal Number One, 'The Power Of Love'. Not ostensibly a seasonal song, it has become one of UK's favourite festive sounds and that journey began with this clever and highly evocative promo.
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Lyrics:
I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door
I, feels like fire I'm so in love with you Dreams are like angels They keep bad at bay, bad at bay Love is the light Scaring darkness away, yeah
I'm so in love with you Purge the soul Make love your goal
The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door When the chips are down I'll be around with my undying Death defying love for you Envy will hurt itself Let yourself be beautiful
Sparkling love, flowers and pearls and pretty girls Love is like an energy Rushin' in, rushin' inside of me, yeah
The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal
This time we go sublime Lovers entwine, divine divine Love is danger, love is pleasure Love is pure, the only treasure
I'm so in love with you Purge the soul Make love your goal
The power of love A force from above Cleaning my soul The power of love A force from above A sky-scraping dove
Flame on burn desire Love with tongues of fire Purge the soul Make love your goal
I'll protect you from the hooded claw Keep the vampires from your door
Songwriters: Brian Philip Nash / Holly Johnson / Mark William O'toole / Peter Gill / William Holly Johnson
A creative playlist to celebrate Massive Attack's Mezzanine:
Massive Attack ‘Mezzanine’ Legacy Playlist
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When Massive Attack released Mezzanine in 1998, they weren’t exposed to the recording equipment and technology most artists utilize today, making the album an even-more impressive feat. All of the artists in this playlist display some similarities to Massive Attack’s haunting electronic output through a number of genres, from hip hop, to R&B, to simply acoustic. See if you can imagine Massive Attack performing alongside these songs, and maybe their next studio album will resemble some of these current music trends.
Take a listen via Tidal or Spotify and read about each track below. Check out details for our Mezzanine CAS sessions here.
Deltron 3030 ‘Virus’
Dan the Automator, one half of Deletion 3030, was given his first exposure to the popular music scene in producing Dr. Octagon’s Dr. Octagonecologyst, which was released on Mo Wax Records. The psychedelic and experimental hip hop trends of Mo Wax definitely influenced Dan the Automator’s direction as a solo musician and collaborator, and “Virus” is a perfect example of where he succeeds in making an impressionable mark on the genre. Del the Funky Homosapien, the other half of the group, attempts to bring down the world around him as he “composes a virus” to send panic into the world in hopes to change its comfortable course and institute change.
Nine Inch Nails ‘All the Love in the World’
Nine Inch Nail’s style of electronic music is very reminiscent of the terrifying qualities of Mezzanine, but Trent Reznor, the brain behind the band, was more influenced by heavier music in his early career than Massive Attack. As he has grown as a musician, some of his music has taken a more tranquil character, and “All of the Love in the World” is perfect mix of the two musical personas. Similar to Massive Attack, Reznor gradually adds instrumental layers and builds more and more tension as the song plays. By the end, he rips the previous arrangement to shreds only to build a new melody from scratch, which becomes equally as intense with distorted synthesizers.
FKA twigs ‘Papi Pacify’
FKA twigs’ songs often detail how she is lost in love, forcing her to wander into unknown passages to find satisfaction and belonging. Her heart aches for reassurance in “Papi Pacify”, where she yearns for her lover to “clarify [their] love.” Arca’s droning production drips with twisted vocal samples, sporadic clicks of percussion, and bass-heavy waves, making twig’s question a terrifying ultimatum. Arca’s solo work carries the same fearful quality, only it’s more disjointed and requires more brainpower to fully comprehend.
Gorillaz ‘Stylo (feat. Mos Def and Bobby Womack)’
Damon Albarn began to collaborate with Massive Attack after the release of Mezzanine, where he contributed vocals under the identity of Gorrilaz frontman 2D on 100th Window’s “Small Time Shot Away” and appeared as a contributing instrumentalist and vocalist on Heliogland. The philosophy behind “Stylo” is “electric is the love”, which is further emphasized by contributions from Bobby Womack (who’s performance on the track was his first since 1998) and Mos Def. Gorillaz band member Murdoc claimed the song is an effort make music euphoric, which feels evident as soon as the song beings with a catchy synth line. Take a walk with “Stylo” and feel the love “flowing on the streets”.
Portishead ‘Machine Gun’
Most Portishead tracks are pretty slow and creepy, given Geoff Barrow’s sparing production and Beth Gibbon’s eerie but beautiful vocals. “Machine Gun” is one of the few tracks in the Portishead discography fitting for a set of club speakers with its dubby bass and percussion samples. The same beat is repeated throughout the song but is beautifully manipulated to take on multiple sinister forms, proving the beat for the track is nearly perfect.
Death Grips ‘The Fever (Aye Aye)’
Whenever I listen to Mezzanine, I often think how it’s a scary album. It’s grimy and slow character sends tickles down my spine, and Massive Attack emphasize that point through visualizations, like the beetle used for the album art and fetus singing in the “Teardrop” music video. Death Grips is easily the most terrifying and punk-oriented hip hop group today and remind me of this artistic angle. MC Ride, the band’s vocalist, raps with a roaring yell, which is fueled by his endless energy and frustration of being trapped in a world where he doesn’t belong. Zach Hill and Flatliner man the production for the group with loud sirens, live drums, and array of skewed and chopped samples from the oddest places in the music world. If you want to use your imagination, think of what 3D would sing about, if he were the vocalist on the song.
Addison Groove ‘Savage Henry’
In 2012, Massive Attack curated a playlist of their current influences for BBC Radio 6. They featured “Savage Henry” as a current inspiration, which is no surprise when you hit play. When Massive Attack sings about being lost in the lights and sounds of a club, they describe the hectic and dynamic nature like Addison Groove’s music, whose heavy dub beats and chopped vocal samples can make anybody move.
Holly Herndon ‘Interference’
Holly Herndon claims to be an electronic artist inspired by the endless limits of technology. Today, we’re exposed to so many different mediums and devices that our minds are sent into an abyss of possibility, where we are overwhelmed but satisfied of our access to the world around us. Herndon does that in her music, where a variety of fast and slow moving vocal clippings, static, and psychedelic wish-wash is tied together by a mysteriously executed bass composition. “Interference” is oddly addicting because it’s a song that’s impossible to pin down and understand yet you try to do so until your brain can’t follow its sudden movements any longer.
Burial ‘Ghost Hardware’
If you’re looking for an artist that is most consistent with Massive Attack’s style of electronica, look no further than Burial’s Untrue. “Ghost Hardware” is one of the album’s sweeter tracks, thanks to its ghostly female vocal sample, while most of the others feel more fitting for isolation or admiring the darkness around us. I’ve had many great spins of the album on the subway, and it’s easy to get lost in the track’s repetitive beauty while the sounds of the train against the rails below seep through your headphones.
UNKLE ‘Restless (feat. Josh Homme)’
UNKLE is the project of James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy, co-founders of alternative hip hop label Mo Wax. Without Mo Wax, UK hip hop wouldn’t be as challenging and complex as it is day— its releases inspired artists to do more with sampling, vinyl, and experimentalism. UNKLE have made their own make on the genre with well-known collaborations with Thom Yorke, Mike D, 3D from Massive Attack, and more. On “Restless”, they craft a melody similar to the Arctic Monkeys’ recent output for Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, where he sings about fighting with a mysterious feeling within himself.
Shabazz Palaces ‘Are you… Can you… Were you?’
Shabazz Palaces is an experimental hip hop duo created by Ishmael Butler, founder of 90s hip hop group Digable Planets, and multi-instrumentalist Tendai Maraire. Their debut album, Black Up, is a crazy-but-addicting variation of modern hip hop has yet to be topped- most songs contain multiple addicting melodies, many of their weird experiments succeed, and Butler’s societal critiques are thought-provoking and relatable. In “Are you… Can you… Were you?”, Butler raps about handling life’s hardships and how achieving success is an endless struggle contained within one’s self. Our happiness cannot be entirely defined by the world around us, even though its influences can be overwhelming, and here, Butler is telling the listener to look inside his art and feel inspired to reflect on oneself and relationship between their mind and heart.
Disclosure ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’
While most members of Massive Attack contributed vocals to their songs, they depended on their featured vocalists most to bring variety to their dark, experimental output. Disclosure is a bit more pop-oriented than Massive Attack, but their collaborations with popular vocalists are well-executed, especially on their debut album Settle. The last track on the album, “Help Me Lose My Mind”, features electro-pop group London Grammar along with synth lines that gradually float in and out of focus. Disclosure is proficient in creating effective dance arrangements entertaining enough to propel the song forward without overwhelming the vocalist’s contributions, giving London Grammar an excellent opportunity to exercise her dynamic vocal range.
Jose Gonzalez ‘Teardrop’
While this playlist is understandably consumed by electronic music, Jose Gonzalez, who is also a member of alternative rock outfit Junip, curated a gorgeous cover of “Teardrop” for his sophomore solo album, In Our Nature. Not only does he accurately mimic Elizabeth Fraser’s elusive vocal performance, but he also builds tension during the track’s vocal-less moments with layers aggressive guitar strumming. Gonzalez absolutely does justice to Massive Attack’s best known track here.
14–18 NOW would like to thank our generous funders, partners, supporters and volunteers who have helped us reach over 30 million people in the UK so far.
14-18 NOW: African Soldier - John Akomfrah, Artist
Watch artist John Akomfrah talk to us about his 14-18 NOW commission, African Soldier
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Image credit: Composite image courtesy of Smoking Dogs Films and Lisson Gallery. Images reproduced with the kind permission of the Estate of Lieutenant Colonel G C Hill and IWM
Massive Attack's Mezzanine will turn 20 this week:
This key album in Bristol's recent music scene was initially planned for a release in 1997 but had to be delayed many times over, due to the band's intense perfectionist work.
In July 1997, they therefore released an E.P. featuring a first extract from the coming record, 'Risingson', to please fans and satisfied their label's demands.
The album was finally released on April 20, 1998, reaching number 1 in the Albums Chart in the U.K. and many other countries as well as critical acclaim.
Massive Attack as Grant Marshall (known as Daddy G), Andrew Vowles (aka Mushroom) and 3D
3D in the video for 'Risingson'
Initially, last summer, the band was planning a few events to celebrate this anniversary... But we'll have to wait until their summer tour to know more. Meanwhile, you can listen to their iconic singles:
Massive Attack - 'Risingson'
Massive Attack - 'Angel'
Massive Attack - 'Teardrop'
Massive Attack - 'Inertia Creeps'
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As you may know, I spent three years working with most of Bristol's musicians to write about the city's cultural history. The book is in the correction phase.
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 to explore how the city helped shape one of the most successful and innovative musical movements of the last 30 years.
Based on interviews with Robert (3D) del Naja and others, the book examines the inner tensions between the founding members of Massive Attack - 3D, Daddy G and Mushroom - their influences, collaborations and politics and the way in which they opened the door for other Bristol musicians and artists including Banksy.
The book is published under licence from Anne Carriere in France by Tangent Books.
Its French title is En Dehors De La Zone De Confort - De Massive Attack A Banksy
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About the Author
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 into more than 40 countries.
