Unfinished Sympathy

Soul Music

BBC

Personal Journals, Music Commentary, Society & Culture, Music

4.7 • 772 Ratings

🗓️ 27 November 2021

⏱️ 28 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Personal stories inspired by Massive Attack's breakthrough single. Featuring the vocals of Shara Nelson, the track together with its iconic video would help catapult this band from Bristol onto the global stage. Stories include the photographer Giles Duley whose work was displayed during the song at the band's 2016 homecoming show in Bristol. Mountaineer Dmitry Golovchenko who named an attempt on the Nepalese mountain of Jannu after the track, and solicitor Marti Burgess who saw early sets from The Wild Bunch, the collective from which Massive Attack emerged, and for whom 'Unfinished Sympathy' helped crystallise her identity. Music Producer Ski Oakenfull deconstructs the track, peeling back the layers of beats, bells and samples. Belgian singer Liz Aku recorded a version of the track during lockdown, bringing back memories of her first love. Melissa Chemam, author of 'Massive Attack Out Of The Comfort Zone' explains the origins of Massive Attack, how 'Unfinished Sympathy' was written and why, when the track was released in 1991, the band had to drop the word 'Attack' from their name. A radio producer and DJ who spent New Year's Eve in a detox centre in London was asked to pick the tune to be played at midnight, and she chose 'Unfinished Sympathy'.

Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Toby Field

Transcript

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0:00.0	The Traitors is back and so is that mysterious cloaked figure with the familiar fringe.
0:06.7	Yeah, it's me.
0:07.9	And when you've watched Claudia in the castle, join me, Ed Gamble, for the official visualised companion podcast.
0:13.7	And remember, I'll be listening.
0:15.9	Okay?
0:16.7	No, seriously, I love it.
0:18.5	What a faithful.
0:19.7	We'll unpack betrayals and spill scandalous secrets with celeb guests,
0:23.8	traitors legends and murdered and banished players.
0:27.1	The traitors uncloked.
0:28.4	Watch on eye player.
0:29.4	Listen for more on BBC Sounds.
0:33.2	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:37.3	I'm not a particularly brave man, and when I'm in working in conflict... BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:44.2	I'm not a particularly brave man, and when I'm in working in conflict areas, sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed and I struggle to sleep.
0:54.8	And I kind of need to psych myself up a bit. And listening to unfinished sympathy is one of those tracks that I think, maybe because it takes me back to being 19 when I believed everything was possible and had no fears.
0:57.4	It's a track for me that makes me think of what real love is, of relationships, and yeah,
1:03.2	I put that track on and I'm a photographer who covers conflicts around the world.
1:29.3	Bristol and Massive Attack synonymous. The two things are the same.
1:33.3	I actually moved there in April 1991 the same time that the album Blue Lines came out.
1:39.3	It was an amazing love at all and how it could be with you.
1:47.0	It was an amazing time. I mean, I was 19, just starting photography.
	...

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