With Bloc Party still on hiatus, I must admit that I've abandoned this blog over the last few months. Although Kele's solo career has been ticking over (he's got three gigs coming up in February) and Gordy's Young Legionnaire project are currently preparing for their album release with Wichita Recordings, there has been a distinct lack of Bloc activity.
As a result, this blog has slipped down my to-do list. So, rather than keep it going half-heartedly, I've decided to freeze BLOG PARTY where it is...I'll no longer be updating it with new articles. However, I'll continue to update the main website, and the Always New Depths forum is still very much alive.
So, thanks so much to everyone who's visited this blog over the past 5 years (it's been that long?!), especially those who contributed with articles, covers, mp3s, photos, gossip, etc...there have been over 1 million blog views in total, and nearly 700 posts. I'll leave up all the old posts, as well as all the downloads (radio sessions / covers / bootlegs), so feel free to keep browsing as usual. There's also a HUGE archive of Bloc Party gig bootlegs / remixes / sessions in 'The Banquet' section on Always New Depths.
I'll leave you with the video that started the love affair. God Bless BP!
James
Update (11/05/11): Thanks so much for all the comments :) Although it's nothing to do with Bloc Party, I do have a new blog that some of you may be interested in. It's called The Soft Anonymous and it's mostly about science-y things, plus any random stuff that takes my fancy. I'll still be updating the main BP.net site too, if/when the boys make a return. In the meantime, go and check out the Young Legionnaire album - it's awesome.
Labels: BlocParty.net, Videos
¶ 3:04 PM 45 comments links to this post
Tomorrow sees the release of Young Legionnaire's first 7" single, 'Colossus', backed by 'Iron Dream'...available to order / listen to here via Holy Roar Records. Only 500 copies are being pressed, so don't dilly-dally!
As a reminder, Young Legionnaire is the band formed by Gordy and Paul Mullen (ex Yourcodenameis:milo), joined by William Bowerman (Brontide / La Roux) on drums. Keep up to date with their news on the official YL website.
The band had this to say about the two tracks (via their blog)...
"‘Colossus’ and ‘Iron Dream’ both came out of last winter’s intermittent writing sessions, the former being knocked into shape on the same day as our first show back in January. Both songs were recorded at Gun Factory, our rehearsal/demoing space of choice in north-east London, by its resident button-basher, Trevor Heaton. Holy Roar Records gave us a chinese burn and insisted they put out our first piece of vinyl: as a result Trevor polished up ‘Colossus’, while Gordy tinkered on ‘Iron Dream’ at home, spending untold half-hours adding ‘oohs’ and ‘ohs’ of twinkly reverb."
Check out the fantastic video for 'Colossus' below:
Young Legionnaire - 'Colossus'
And here's an interview with Gordy and Paul recorded at the Sonisphere festival last month:
Labels: Other_releases, Solo_projects, Videos, Young Legionnaire
¶ 12:09 PM 16 comments links to this post
Labels: Kele, Solo_projects, The Boxer, Videos
¶ 4:04 PM 12 comments links to this post
He is also featured on the front cover of this week's NME...watch here a video interview he recorded for the magazine!
Edit: The three videos are now on YouTube...watch 'Everything You Wanted' below, and click here to watch the other two tracks!
Labels: Interviews, Kele, Radio_sessions, The Boxer, Videos
¶ 10:15 AM 10 comments links to this post
Labels: Kele, Solo_projects, Tenderoni, Videos
¶ 10:21 PM 8 comments links to this post
Just a reminder that Pin Me Down's debut album is out today! Here's a video of their acoustic set at London's Rough Trade East on Saturday (for Record Store Day)...
Labels: Pin_Me_Down, Solo_projects, Videos
¶ 11:02 PM 3 comments links to this post
Bloc Party recently performed at the famous Abbey Road studios as part of a programme which aired last Saturday on Channel 4 (UK). Watch the interview plus live versions of 'Mercury', 'Signs' and 'The Prayer' below...
I see signs now all the time
The Gord's Prayer
Labels: Interviews, Intimacy, Television, Videos
¶ 10:52 PM 6 comments links to this post
Bloctober is well underway, and the first setlists have started to trickle in. On Saturday, Bloc Party treated the Edinburgh faithful to the first ever live rendition of 'Zephyrus'...watch it below!
[Setlist]
One Month Off / Mercury / Hunting For Witches / Biko / Trojan Horse / Luno / Song For Clay (Disappear Here) / Banquet / Ion Square / Uniform / One More Chance / Zephyrus (first time played live) / This Modern Love / The Prayer
'Zephyrus' gets its first live treatment
¶ 11:21 PM 5 comments links to this post
And here's a Kele interview recorded backstage at Reading, 10 years since Kele and Russell first met and kickstarted the Bloc Party love...
Labels: Interviews, Videos
¶ 8:39 PM 10 comments links to this post
Bloc Party were promoted to the headlining slot at this French festival last night after planned headliners Oasis pulled out at the last minute, with Noel Gallagher walking out of the band. Watch below Kele's announcement to the crowd...
[Setlist]
Secret gig performing as 'The Silent Alarms'! Video footage below...
Report from NME.com:
Bloc Party played a secret gig in the pub area of the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay, Australia tonight (July 24). The band, warming up for their appearance at the Splendour In The Grass festival tomorrow (July 25), played for 400 fans and were billed as 'The Silent Alarms' – after the title of their 2005 debut album 'Silent Alarm'.
In fact the set was influenced by the temporary name, with Bloc Party playing the whole of the aforementioned first LP, plus 'Two More Years' and 'The Marshals Are Dead'. "They billed us as 'The Silent Alarms' so we decided to live up to the name," frontman Kele Okereke explained from the stage. "We're here in the most beautiful part of Australia and we wanted to do something special for you."
[Setlist]
It doesn't get much better than a 'Blue Light' and 'The Marshals Are Dead' double whammy
Luuunnnooooooooo
Labels: Setlists, Silent_Alarm, Videos
¶ 10:49 AM 10 comments links to this post
Brent Hodge, a film maker from Vancouver, Canada, has sent over this video he made of Bloc Party's gig in his home town earlier this year...enjoy!
Brent is a self-confessed Bloc Party addict and has posted various other Bloc-related media on his online videoblog: Hodgee Podgee. Here are BLOG PARTY's favourites...
'I Carry Your Heart'...based on E. E. Cummings' beautiful poem (which also inspired the lyrics of 'Ion Square'), soundtracked by 'SRXT'
'My Scars'...a video poem written by Brent Hodge about 'the hardships of reaching your goals...no matter what path you choose in life, where you end up, what you want, or who you're with, you will always have your memories and your scars'. Soundtracked by the early live version of 'Compliments'.
Labels: Fan_art, Random, Videos
¶ 5:43 PM 2 comments links to this post
Listen to the concert here, courtesy of Xfm!
[Setlist]
'One More Chance' at London's Roundhouse
¶ 8:29 PM 3 comments links to this post
Love it or hate it, Bloc Party's new single, 'One More Chance', is undeniably catchy, as addictive as a tube of Pringles in all their glutamate glory. If you can still cope with that piano riff, check out the video below. If not, put it on mute and enjoy the spectacle!
[Watch] 'One More Chance' (official video)
A man with mutton chop sideburns plonks enthusiastically on an electric keyboard whilst Matt looks bemused. A Blanche DuBois-esque woman preens herself whilst Kele looks glum. A vested young man pulls some shapes whilst Russell looks bored. A girl has a scary Ouija board experience whilst Gordy smiles wryly. I'll leave you to make sense of it all...
Update: Here's the video in all its YouTube glory...
Labels: One More Chance, Singles, Videos
¶ 11:22 PM 23 comments links to this post
Last night, Bloc Party played one of the biggest gigs of their careers, headlining the Other Stage at Glastonbury, and they well and truly rocked it. Watch highlights of their set here, courtesy of the Beeb!
[Setlist]
Bloc Party give the Glasto crowd 'One More Chance'
Edit: Download seven of the live tracks here, courtesy of bootleg-extraordinaire, Dave Allen!
¶ 2:48 PM 9 comments links to this post
'Intimacy Remixed' is out today on limited edition CD (5000) and triple vinyl (1000), plus the usual download from here (UK) and here (US). Check out the tracklisting...the iTunes version comes with bonus remixes by Sky Larkin and Foals!
The band have also released a video for the Villians remix of 'Ares', made entirely of mobile phone clips sent in by fans (and Gordy!) from the two recent London Olympia gigs. Feast your eyes below...
Labels: Intimacy Remixed, Videos
¶ 10:46 PM 7 comments links to this post
In the spirit of Tarrant on TV, here's a random Bloc Party-related advert for French radio station, Oui FM. Thanks to nos amis across the English Channel for the video.
¶ 7:30 PM 3 comments links to this post
[Setlist]
Bloc Party remind Oakland of the genius that is 'She's Hearing Voices'...
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Labels: Interviews, Videos
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