Bloc Party

Having formed at the 1999 Reading Festival, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Kele Okereke and lead guitarist Russel Lissack had performed under the monikers Angel Range and Union before settling on Bloc Party in 2003. The pair then advertised for a bassist in the music publication NME to which Gordon Moakes responded, and subsequently drummer Matt Tong was invited to complete the lineup. The band’s debut recording was the single “The Marshals Are Dead”, which landed on Angular Recording Corporation’s “The New Cross” compilation in November 2003. Having released the subsequent single “She’s Hearing Voices” on Trash Aesthetics, lead singer Okereke gave the recording to Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand and BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq. The single was ultimately played on national radio and earned the group a substantial following in a remarkably short time.

Bloc Party’s next single was “Banquet/Staying Fat” released on Moshi Moshi, after which the group signed with Wichita Recordings in April 2004. The band’s debut full length “Silent Alarm” was issued by Wichita in February 2005 earning widespread critical acclaim. The record debuted at No. 3 on the UK Albums Chart led by the singles “So Here We Are/Positive Tension”, “Banquet”, and “Pioneers”. By August 2005 “Silent Alarm Remixed”, an album of remixed “Silent Alarm” songs by the likes of Ladtytron, M83, Four Tet, and Mogwai had been released. After which the band embarked on an 18-month world tour, which would see Bloc Party reach their considerable fan base in the U.S.

Produced by Garret “Jacknife” Lee, Bloc Party’s sophomore full-length “A Weekend in the City” was released in February 2007. Charting at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart, and No. 12 on the Billboard 200, the album spawned the singles “The Prayer”, “I Still Remember”, and “Flux”. Once again the record earned rave reviews and was supported by their most extensive tour to date, including shows at Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds Festivals, Austin City Limits, and BBC Electric Proms. The band’s third full-length “Intimacy” arrived in August 2008 led by the singles “Mercury” and “Talons”. Like “Silent Alarm”, a remix album followed in May 2009 entitled “Intimacy Remixed”, after which Bloc Party released the single “One More Chance” and discussed their longevity.

Lead singer Okereke released the solo album “The Boxer” in June 2010, and an EP “The Hunter” in November 2011. Fans had to wait until August 2012 for the release of new Bloc Party material, which surfaced in the form of the album “Four”. Drummer Matt Tong left the band shortly after the release in 2012, as did bass player Gordon Moakes in March 2015.