Massive Attack tease new single featuring Tom Waits

Massive Attack and Tom Waits have teased a new collaborative single titled ‘Boots on the Ground,’ which is set to debut on Thursday, April 16.

This release marks Waits’ first new studio performance in eight years. The news of the collaboration was initially confirmed on Massive Attack's Instagram on April 14. The teaser was also shared by Waits before being deleted off his account. Little is known about the upcoming single, however, the post included the hashtags #IceOut and #NoWar.

Massive Attack's Robert Del Naja, known as 3D, was arrested recently, following a protest in London against the UK Government's prohibition of Palestine Action.

During the demonstration in Trafalgar Square on March 12, Del Naja was one of hundreds of protestors, over 500 of whom were arrested by the Met Police. He held a sign that stated, "I Oppose Genocide, I Support Palestine Action."

The group has a history of vocal opposition, having previously called on Live Nation to sever ties with Israel, pledged to remove their music from Israeli streaming services, and publicly backed Irish rappers KNEECAP when British MPs sought to cancel their Glastonbury slot.

The track follows Massive Attack’s EP Eutopia from 2020. Last autumn, they had announced they would release new music in 2026, though they warned fans it would not be available on Spotify.

They cited a new label and a "Spotify exception" for their forthcoming material, a decision linked to their previous public condemnation of the streaming service after its then-CEO invested in a military drone and AI technology company.

Waits is also slated to contribute to the upcoming Shane MacGowan tribute album, 20th Century Paddy - The Songs of Shane MacGowan, due out in the autumn. It will feature artists like Bruce Springsteen, Hozier, Jessie Buckley, Amble, and The Pogues.

 

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