Chapter 10: Loss

“Biscuit” — A creative transformation — Sick of love — Song of the South — Genre exhaustion — The problem with trip-hop — The Bristol scene — The denial of tea — Ducking — A martial art — Mono — The trappings of success — The rules — Doubt — A way out — Portishead — Films shot through cymbals — Burnout — Another strange record 

In this chapter:

  • "Biscuit"
  • Over-exposure
  • The exhaustion of Dummy's innovations
  • Hating the 'trip-hop' label; rejecting the 'Bristol scene'
  • Ducking
  • Stereo
  • Producing Portishead (1997)
  • Roseland NYC Live (1998)
  • Breaks and other directions: 1998-2008
  • Third (2008)

Johnnie Ray – "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (iTunes), 1959

British comedian Bill Bailey performing "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" in the style of Portishead, 2004.

Portishead – "Half Day Closing", performed live on Later With Jools Holland, 1997

Portishead – "Sour Times" from Roseland NYC Live (iTunes)

Beth Gibbons & Rustin Man – "Spider Monkey" (iTunes), performed in 2002