{"id":610644,"date":"2026-04-16T12:08:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T12:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/610644\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T12:08:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T12:08:09","slug":"massive-attacks-first-song-in-six-years-features-tom-waits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/610644\/","title":{"rendered":"Massive Attack\u2019s First Song in Six Years Features Tom Waits"},"content":{"rendered":"

After 6 years away, Massive Attack<\/a> have finally gifted us with new music. The single \u201cBoots on the Ground<\/a>\u201d also includes a rare feature from Tom Waits, who sings about the recent socio-political turmoil in America. \u201cBorn shiny bullets in an army of pants, blow that horn, we sleep in our pants,\u201d he says, before following it up, for some reason, with a mention of \u201cbig titties, big titties.\u201d The song arrives with a short film spotlighting the photography of thefinaleye<\/a>, who captured scenes from pandemic-era Black Lives Matter protests and recent countrywide ICE raids. Watch the visual below.<\/p>\n

Massive Attack\u2019s Robert \u201c3D\u201d Del Naja and Grant \u201cDaddy G\u201d Marshal said in a press release, \u201cIt\u2019s a career honour to collaborate with an artist of the magnitude, originality and integrity of Tom, but this track is arriving in an atmosphere of chaos. Across the western hemisphere, state authoritarianism and the militarisation of police forces are fusing again with neo-fascist politics. Seen within the American emergency, at home and overseas, this track contains pulses of callous impulse & abandoned mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Waits\u2019 last album was 2011\u2019s Bad as Me<\/a>. Since then, he has primarily focused on acting, recently starring in 2025\u2019s Father Mother Sister Brother<\/a>, and 2023\u2019s Star.Wav and The Absence of Eden.<\/p>\n

In 2020, Massive Attack released Eutopia<\/a>, an EP that addressed global issues such as the climate and cost-of-living crises. In 2025, the duo requested to have their music pulled from Spotify, saying \u201cthe economic burden that has long been placed on artists is now compounded by a moral & ethical burden, whereby the hard-earned money of fans & the creative endeavours of musicians ultimately fund lethal, dystopian technologies.\u201d This week, Del Naja<\/a> was arrested at a demonstration in support of the activist group Palestine Action. In May, Massive Attack will launch a short tour that will take them across Europe before ending in Niigata, Japan. Scroll down for the full itinerary.<\/p>\n

Revisit Pitchfork\u2019s Sunday review of Maxinquaye<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Image<\/a><\/p>\n

Massive Attack xLive 2026<\/p>\n

Massive Attack:
05-27 Helsinki, Finland – Veikkaus Arena
05-30 R\u00e4ttvik, Sweden – Dalhalla
06-01 Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
06-04 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound
06-07 Berlin, Berlin – Zitadelle
06-08 Brussels, Belgium – Forest National
07-26 Niigata, Japan – Fuji Rock Festival<\/p>\n