10. Massive AttackBlue Lines
Shara Nelson is incredible. We ended up working with her – well, Bob [Bob Stanley] and Pete did, really. Again, another record from when dance music was really evolving: all those beats and new sounds. People were going off in weird and wonderful directions and with Massive Attack it was almost orchestral. Again, melancholy: always the best thing in music. You were starting to hear songs that were longer, too, and they were being played on the radio, which was pretty amazing. Yeah, big soft spot for Massive Attack. They were another collective type, weren’t they?
You always hope and imagine with a band like that that they all live together in a big house. You picture them in a big squat, just living and breathing music together. Mmm. I suspect that wasn’t the case somehow. Did we ever live together? We did actually, yeah. Do you know, it’s actually really nice when you’re living together and recording. And for my last album, everyone who was working on it was staying in the house. It helps the creative process, I think, when you’re in each other’s pockets. You’re all on the same mission. We’re not like Fleetwood Mac, though. None of this start at midnight and work through the night business. We’re more like start early and then have a break for tea and cake.
