Bloc Party have been together since 1999, with names such as Superheroes of BMX, The Angel Range, Diet, and Union, before settling on Bloc Party in September 2003. Band members Kele Okereke and Russell Lissack have formed the fulcrum of these various incarnations, and were subsequently joined by bassist Gordon Moakes who answered an advert in the NME, and most recently drummer Matt Tong. Lissack and singer/guitarist Kele Okereke first met in 1998 in Essex, where Lissack had grown up and Okereke attended school. Lissack attended Bancroft's School and Okereke attended Ilford County High School until 16 then Trinity School for sixth form. They bumped into each other again in 1999 at the Reading Festival and soon after formed the band Union.
In 2003 they changed their name from Union to Bloc Party. The name is a play on block party, a name for an informal neighbourhood festival, which might hire a local band as entertainment. The band have said that the name was not intended to be an allusion to the Soviet Bloc or the Canadian political party Bloc Québécois; the absence of a 'k' is purely for aesthetics.
However, the band's bassist, Gordon Moakes, said on the group's official internet forum that it was more a merging of the eastern "blocs" and the western "parties", in the political sense. Moakes notes that the name was not driven by politics, but rather it "looked, sounded, seemed fine so we went with it."
In November 2003, Bloc Party had their track "The Marshalls Are Dead" featured on a compilation CD called The New Cross released by Angular Recording Corporation. Soon after they released their debut sngle "She's Hearing Voices" on the then fledgling record label Trash Aesthetics.
The band got their break after Okereke went to a Franz Ferdinand concert in 2003, and was able to thrust a copy of the single into the hands of both Franz lead singer Alex Kapranos and Radio One DJ Steve Lamacq. Lamacq subsequently played the song on his radio show, labeling the track "genius", and invited them to record a live session for the show.
The buzz generated off the back of the single sparked some A&R interest, leading to another single "Banquet", this time released by the label Moshi Moshi, and to the eventual signing with indie label Wichita Recordings in April 2004.
Bloc Party's own variation of spiky guitar rock draws on influences such as The Cure, Gang of Four, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Pixies, Joy Division, and XTC, but the band says that some of these bands are just comparisons. Does that last bit even mean anything?
The drumming on Bloc Party songs is often influenced by the London dance and R&B scene whilst the guitar demonstrates typical indie sharpness with alternative panned chords and fast chord picking. To achieve their unique guitar style, BOSS echo effects equipment is implemented and is particularly apparent on the track "Like Eating Glass".
The musical style of A Weekend in the City is more varied, however, drawing influence particularly from more expansive sounding bands, including Radiohead. As large as Bloc Party has been over recent years, they are still in their youth. They have developed unique songs and sounds, but they are still trying to find their own personality. The song "Flux" was released at the end of 2007 as an add-on to A Weekend in the City. The band is coming to terms with its growth and development, and should find itself with its next album.
Silent Alarm (2004–2006)
Their debut album Silent Alarm, released in February 2005, was met with critical acclaim and broke sales records, being voted by NME critics as the 2005 album of the year and reaching #3 on UK album charts (selling platinum in the UK). The second single from the album "So Here We Are" made the top 5 on UK charts. Further singles "Banquet" (which reached #13 in NME's "Top 50 singles of 2005"), "Helicopter" (which featured on the FIFA 06, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, Project Gotham Racing 3, Burnout Revenge and Guitar Hero III game soundtracks) and "Pioneers" (July 2005), whilst failing to repeat this success, managed to make dents in the UK top 20. The animated video for the single "Pioneers" was number one in the NME video charts for 4 weeks and was made for a tiny budget in four weeks by the Shoreditch based Mini Vegas design agency.
Even though the band was met with good reviews from critics in America, Bloc Party failed to break through to the pop or rock charts in the US.
Bloc Party became one of the most popular new bands of 2005, and the established electronic group The Chemical Brothers soon collaborated with Okereke for "Believe", a track on the Brothers' Push the Button album.
An album of remixes of tracks from Silent Alarm was released at the end of August in the UK. This remix album, Silent Alarm Remixed, retained the album's original track list and includes remixes from the likes of Ladytron, M83, Death from Above 1979, Four Tet and Mogwai.
During July, they recorded two new tracks (titles were given of "Hero" and "Two More Years") with Silent Alarm producer Paul Epworth. The latter, "Two More Years" was released on October 3 to coincide with their October 2005 UK tour. The songs were released as an EP titled Two More Years, accompanied with a re-release of Silent Alarm, which included "Two More Years" itself along with former single "Little Thoughts". The single format of "Two More Years" contained a remix of "Banquet" done by The Streets, for which a video was also recorded.
The band also contributed the track "The Present" to the Help: a Day in the Life compilation, the profits of which benefits the War Child charity.
The single "Banquet" was sampled in 2006 by DJ Green Lantern for a track with Apathy, Tak (of rap duo Styles of Beyond) and Mike Shinoda. The track, entitled "Bloc Party", appears on Green Lantern's Fort Minor: We Major mixtape.
The band released their second album, called A Weekend in the City on February 5, 2007 in the UK and February 6 in the United States. The album debuted at #12 in the Billboard 200 with 48,000 copies sold. It became available via the UK's iTunes store a day ahead of schedule, on February 4, and reached the #2 spot in the Official UK Chart. The album was produced by Jacknife Lee. The first single, "The Prayer", was released on January 29. This single had been located on their MySpace since November 22, 2006. The next single, "I Still Remember", is their first American single. In the build up to the release of the album, Zane Lowe aired a live set from Maida Vale featuring a mix of old songs and new ones on his evening radio show on BBC Radio 1 on January 30, 2007. On February 1, 2007, A Weekend in the City was made available to listen to for free through the band's official MySpace page.
The band's first gig following the release of AWITC was on February 5 at Reading Hexagon. It was broadcasted live on BBC's Music Station 6 Music that night as well.
Bloc Party played in the Live Earth concerts on July 7, 2007 and T in the Park and the Oxegen Festival that same weekend, as well as Glastonbury and the Reading and Leeds Festivals 2007.
On 27th October, Bloc Party showed "Flux" to the world at their gig during the BBC Electric Proms, and on November 12th, they released the single. It charted well, reaching #8 in the UK charts, and was well received both by critics and fans, despite the new electronic direction.
On 7th July, Bloc Party premiered new track "Mercury" on Zane Lowe's BBC Radio 1 show following a countdown timer on Bloc Party's website. The track took a bold new direction, moving away from guitar rock, with an experimental electronic sound. The track charted at #16 in the UK charts when it was released as a single on the 11th of August.
On the 18th of August, in a webcam chat with fans, they announced that their third album, Intimacy, would be released for download on their website on the 21st of August. The album contained
On the 23rd and 24th of August, Bloc Party played second headliners before The Killers at Reading & Leeds Festivals, opening their set with "Mercury", and also playing "One Month Off" from their new album. They also played an entirely unplanned encore of "She's Hearing Voices".
The album Intimacy was released in physical formats on October 27th, featuring additional tracks, such as current single "Talons".
In June 2009 it was announced that a new single, "One More Chance", would be released on 10 August 2009. The song did not appear on Intimacy and was produced by Jacknife Lee. It was played for the first time on BBC Radio 1 on 18 June. In an interview with Zane Lowe immediately following the premier playing of the song, Okereke said that he was in the studio but that he couldn't "tell you anything"
In July 2009, Okereke stated that the band did not have a current recording contract and had no obligation or pressure to release a new album in the foreseeable future; he went on to suggest that the release of a fourth album is on an indefinite timescale
On 31 October 2009 the band played their final gig of the Bloctober tour at Bournemouth International Centre, home town of drummer Matt Tong. This was recognised as the band's last gig before going on hiatus.
In a February 2010 interview with NME Magazine, Lissack answered direct questions about Bloc Party's future, saying:
"We're probably going to pick up again with Bloc Party later this year. I mean, we wrote a lot of new material on the last tour. What does it sound like? It's hard to say. It's still just sketches of songs. The feel will come together in the studio. We're definitely not splitting up, there's a lot more creative life left in it yet."
On 11 July 2012, the band released "Octopus", the first single from their upcoming fourth album "Four". The album was released on 20 August 2012.
During the summer tour of 2013, drummer Matt Tong left the band. Lissack told a Canadian newspaper, the National Post that the band were planning to take an indefinite hiatus following their appearance at the Latitude Festival on 19 July.
In September 2014, Okereke stated that Bloc Party were working on a fifth album. In March 2015, bassist Gordon Moakes tweeted he had parted ways with Bloc Party. Bloc Party unveiled their new line-up at two intimate gigs in the Los Angeles area (19 August 2015 at The Glass House in Pomona and 20 August 2015 at The Roxy in Los Angeles). Following these performances, Bloc Party also subheadlined FYF Fest in Los Angeles on 22 August 2015. At these shows, the band confirmed that they've finished recording their next album. The shows marked the live debut for new bassist Justin Harris of the Portland, Oregon, indie rock outfit Menomena, who had previously opened several Bloc Party U.S. tour dates in April 2009; and drummer Louise Bartle, who was accidentally announced a month earlier as Bloc Party's drummer by instrument manufacturer Natal Drums.
In a performance at Maida Vale, Bloc Party gave "The Good News" its live debut; hours later, "The Love Within" was featured as "Hottest Record in the World" by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1. Okereke revealed the band's upcoming fifth album is set to be titled Hymns. The album's release was later confirmed on social media as 29 January 2016.
Letter to My Son
Bloc Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
At the point where we kissed first
On a rooftop
Overlooking the East London mosque
They said, they said, they said, they said
You can't go around breaking young girl's hearts
I said, I said, I said, I said
And you looked so right
In that red dress
Oh how I'd love
To be a rock for you
To be anything
You could rely on
So I'll try, I'll try, I'll try, I'll try
But I'll get caught out
So we'll try, we'll try, we'll try, we'll try
But we'll forget the lines, forget the lines
And you looked so thwarted
In the back of the car
Like you could thwart
A hundred wars
Save my letters
Where we can first call
By the bedroom door
And kitchen floor
(I tried, I tried, I tried)
All my letters
I'm too young
To be the father
To a son
(I tried, I tried, I tried)
Forgive me Oscar
Bloc Party's song "Letter To My Son" is a poignant and contemplative piece, with haunting melodies and lyrics that explore themes of love, responsibility, regret, and growing up. The song begins with the singer reminiscing about the place where he first kissed his lover, on a rooftop overlooking the East London mosque. This detail is significant, as it sets the scene for a story unfolding against a diverse backdrop of cultures, traditions, and beliefs.
The first verse describes how the singer initially tried to keep things casual and easy, but found himself falling deeper in love with this person in the red dress. He longs to be a rock for her, something she can rely on, but he acknowledges that he'll make mistakes along the way. The second verse reveals that the singer has a son, but he feels too young and unprepared to be a proper father. He asks for forgiveness from his son, Oscar, and promises to be there for him as best he can.
The chorus is a refrain of the words "I tried", repeated multiple times as if in anguish, lamenting the difficulty of maintaining relationships and living up to the expectations of others. The final lines of the song suggest that the letters he has saved from their early days together are a symbol of hope and connection, reminders of a time when love was simpler and easier to understand.
Overall, "Letter To My Son" is a powerful reflection on the complexities and challenges of love, parenthood, and the human condition. It invites listeners to empathize with the singer and his struggles, and to contemplate their own experiences of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
I find myself
Starting the song in a reflective mood, the singer is reminiscing about the beginning of his romantic relationship with the person he's addressing in the song.
At the point where we kissed first
The singer remembers the exact location where he first kissed the person he's addressing in the song.
On a rooftop / Overlooking the East London mosque
The singer provides a specific setting for the location of the kiss, romanticizing the location while also providing context for the song's location and storyline.
They said, they said, they said, they said / You can't go around breaking young girl's hearts
The singer is repeating an adage he's heard before to suggest he may have made mistakes in the relationship with the person he's addressing, and wants to acknowledge this.
I said, I said, I said, I said / Keep at casual, easy thing
The singer is acknowledging the advice he's received, but also trying to justify his actions by saying they were just trying to keep things casual and easygoing.
And you looked so right / In that red dress
The singer is paying a compliment to the person he's addressing by remembering a particular outfit they wore that made them look attractive.
Oh how I'd love / To be a rock for you / To be anything / You could rely on
The singer is expressing his desire to be a source of stability and reliability for the person he's addressing.
So I'll try, I'll try, I'll try, I'll try / But I'll get caught out
The singer is acknowledging that he'll make mistakes along the way while trying to be a reliable person for the person he's addressing.
So we'll try, we'll try, we'll try, we'll try / But we'll forget the lines, forget the lines
The singer is acknowledging that the relationship will be full of trying and making mistakes, but also the importance of moving past them and establishing common ground.
And you looked so thwarted / In the back of the car / Like you could thwart / A hundred wars
The singer is reflecting on a particular memory where the person he's addressing looked upset and putting into words how they often have a powerful presence when they're unhappy.
Save my letters / Where we can first call / By the bedroom door / And kitchen floor / (I tried, I tried, I tried)
The singer is suggesting the importance of holding onto sentimental items from throughout their relationship, creating a scrapbook of sorts filled with important memories.
All my letters / I'm too young / To be the father / To a son / (I tried, I tried, I tried)
The singer is acknowledging that they are still young and inexperienced in life, but still trying their best. He also references being a father, which is a metaphorical reference to the responsibility he feels in being accountable to the person he's addressing.
Forgive me Oscar
The singer is using a final line to ask for forgiveness, acknowledging that they may have done things to wrong the person he's addressing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: GORDON MOAKES, KELE OKEREKE, MATT TONG, RUSSELL LISSACK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
trexrawrrawrrawr
+Raudel Ibarra
My take
It begins with him reminiscing about their first kiss. He then brings up the criticism from others about his relationship "you can't go around breaking young girls hearts" it is obvious that he is serial lover/dater. His response? "It is just a casual, easy fling" So nothing to worry about, we are in a casual relationship.
The next few verses are about him actually wanting to be in this relationship. He wants to be the rock, he wants it to work, but it doesn't. He isn't good at relationships. They try but they "forget the lines" of what it takes to be in a stable relationship.
Then it ends. She looks "wanton in the back of the cab" she is angry, she could "start a hundred wars"
But there is a problem "See the trouble that we could both cause by the bedroom door, the kitchen floor" The trouble? A son, due to there sexual exploits by the bedroom door and the kitchen floor.
He then leaves, he can't be a father to this son. He leaves it unto them. We don't know who that is but, it isn't him.
I think there is some debate about the name at the end. Autumn or Oscar. So he is either apologizing to his son Oscar (this song be a the a letter written to him) Or he is apologizing to Autumn, the woman he abandoned with the child.
TLDR: It is about a father leaving a mother and child and then him being sorry for it.
Franco Cavecchia
God, I swear this hits me harder as the years go by. Miss the good ol' days...
A C
same, same
Muhammad Afzal
Pirnt vido full
moosesnWoop123
3:07 is one of the saddest/ most emotive parts I have heard in a song. That bass riff and guitar picking is moving beyond words. I think the context of the lyrics give it a sad meaning.
RIP BP
moosesnWoop123
@Ben yes, it's such a great riff. I leart the guitar and bass parts - I think what really makes it special is Gordon's bass riff at that part.
Ben
My favourite musical part of any Bloc Party song, ever.
pablo binch calvo
remind me why people hate intimacy? cos this is amazing
Pentex Sucks
Because the album is a mess, Ares is such a God awful song, and it's even worse that it's the opener, the tracklist flops from 1/2 good songs to an awful one. It's not bad, but super inconsistent. Also it doesn't help that bloc party fucking suck at making tracklistings. The initial release of this isn't worth buying at all, but the rerelease with this songs, Talons, and Your Visits are Getting Shorter is amazing. It's just messy
Luke S.
And it ain't on Intimacy
ivy ginger
Still can't get enough of this song. It's something else