November 14, 2001 16:14

MUSHROOM CLOUD

The duo admit they had to completely rethink their plans for the follow-up to 'Mezzanine' when their friend departed...

MASSIVE ATTACK have admitted they are "sick" of the songs they recorded prior to the start of this year, as they attempt to "focus" on the long-awaited follow-up to 1998's 'MEZZANNINE'.

Speaking in a recent interview on the group's official website, www.massiveattack.co.uk, group member Robert '3-D' Del Naja said that they are still on course to finish the record in early 2002, despite material recorded prior to the start of this year now sounding now like it belongs to "another band".

He said: "At the moment we're trying to give the (album) some focus. There's about ten to 15 tracks which are working properly. I'm finishing lyrics for a couple of tracks, (Daddy) G and Horace (Andy) have also done some vocals. I want to do the string arrangements in November along with some other instrumental pieces and we might even boldly mix some of the tracks in December. But there's no such thing as a final mix with us.

"The thing about our band is that things always happen for a reason; coincidences, bumping into people, people moving into our sphere and orbit. If you try and rush things, you're inevitably going to fuck it all up. When it's right, it's right and you just have to accept that with Massive Attack. Once you've done an album you can say 'This is our reason for not giving a fuck'. We're not going to give ourselves a schedule; I know it's selfish but that's just the way it is."

Del Naja also said that the departure of Mushroom from the group was a "heavy and major issue".

He continued: "We were still touring in 1999 but our split with Mushroom was a heavy and major issue which really changed the shape of our lives, not just as a band... Mushroom had left us and wasn't touring so the band had moved in a new direction but we were playing all the old songs.

"A lot of the things we recorded at the end of 1999 and beginning of 2000 still sound good but they probably belong to another band...2000 started with all these tracks but by the end of the year I was sick of all of them. So this year's almost been like starting again."

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