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Grant "Daddy G" Marshall and Robert "3D" del Naja
They pressed buttons when everyone clanged guitars. They created an entire musical genre that they now distance themselves from. They claim musical ineptitude, yet recently were inducted into an elite fraternity of songwriters. It’s hard to judge where Massive Attack’s place will be in the history of pop music, but their influence on the genre cannot be overstated.
Now that original members Robert “3D” del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall are back on the road together with their best album in a decade, the duo have are making the rounds to the music press about the tour, the record and their band’s unique trajectory.
In a recent Pop Matters interview, Marshall discussed how their sample-based sound was “the antithesis” of what was happening in England, when no-wave bands were just beginning to discover themselves. A few weeks later, Marshall dismissed any association with the “Trip Hop” genre. Understandable, not from lack of relevance but from retail and restaurants re-purposing of the sound to sell shoes, lattes and tonight’s blue plate special (my thesis, not his).
He may have distanced himself from the genre in its present state, but not from its past progenitors, mentioning that Portishead’s Geoff Barrow is still a close friend of whom he hopes to collaborate with soon.
Do they consider themselves musicians? “Not in the slightest,” says Marshall, admitting to their lack of prowess with traditional instruments. That, however, hasn’t stopped Del Naja from scoring half a dozen films and the duo being awarded the Ivor Novello Award for excellence in songwriting.
But enough about honorifics. What about the FRF performance? The latest album is packed with guest vocalists, but as of writing, Smash cannot confirm who will join them onstage in Naeba (Keep your fingers crossed for Horace Andy!). It appears that their info-laden backdrop screen will be on tour with them through Europe, but it’s unclear if the massive utility will make it across the Pacific.
We’ll update you if more info comes in.
