Bloc Party News

Bloc Party's Kele Okereke has spoken about the tragedy that affected his family.

Speaking to NME.com as part of NME's linkup wtih charity movement Love Music Hate Racism, the singer spoke of the moment his fears about racism were realized.

He said: "A few years ago my cousin was killed in a racist attack, and a lot of the anxieties I had as a young person really compounded recently."

Recalling the first time he encountered racism, he said: "The only thing I can remember is when I was around 4 years old and I was in a playground and some kid made a comment. That was the first time I realized I had different colored skin to other people...as a 4-year-old realizing that you're different, realizing that although you live in this country [England], there are certain avenues and doors that are closed to you."

On his decision to join NME and Love Music Hate Racism's campaign against recent activity by the British National Party, he said: "I was told about the situation with the BNP handing out racist music outside schools and I thought that was a really abhorrent thing, because young minds are impressionable. Anything that I could do to try to stem that is completely fine with me.

"We live in a bubble in London that isn't the same as certain parts of the rest of the U.K., and you can't forget that. There are places we've played in the U.K. where they really don't see non-white faces."

A remix of Bloc Party's "Where Is Home" by Diplo is featured on NME's free Love Music Hate Racism CD, available on the cover of this week's NME, on sale at newsstands now.

The double-CD comes free with this week's NME, in partnership with Love Music Hate Racism, which is making a stand against the BNP and their targeting of schools.

The two discs contain a mix of new songs, hidden tracks, live versions, and remixes, also featuring British acts the Enemy, the View, and Hard-Fi.

The tracklisting of CD1 is:

1. The Enemy - "Fear Killed The Youth Of Our Nation"
2. Lethal Bizzle - "Babylon's Burning The Ghetto"
3. Roll Deep - "Racist People (Vocal Remix)"
4. Helsinki - "Ampersand"
5. The View - "Fireworks & Flowers"
6. Hard-Fi - "We Need Love (Wrong Tom Mix)"
7. MIA featuring Afrikan Boy - "Hussle"
8. Bloc Party Vs. Diplo - "Where Is Home? (Diplo Remix)"
9. Carbon/Silicon - "The Network's Going Down"
10. Natty - "If I..."
11. Babyshambles - "Stone Me - What A Life!"
12. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - "If I could Build You A Tower (Demo)"
13. The Charlatans - "Blank Heart, Blank Mind"
14. Dirty Pretty Things - "9 Lives"
15. Albert Hammond Jr. - "Cartoon Music For Superheroes"

Meanwhile, the second CD is available to download from NME.com/lovemusichateracism. The tracklisting of CD2 is:

1. Blood Red Shoes - "Can't Find The Door"
2. Manu Chao - "Tristeza Maleza"
3. Mecca 2 Medina - "Who The Cap Fits"
4. Akala - "Electro Livin'"
5. Nine Black Alps - "Burn Faster"
6. Biffy Clyro - "Love Has A Diameter"
7. New Young Pony Club - "Ice Cream (The Hooks Remix)"
8. Billy Bragg - "The Big Lie (Featuring Ian McLagan)"
9. Maximo Park - "Nosebleed"
10. Statik - "Summer Nights (Featuring Tom Paddington, Ears, Scorcher)"
11. Fionn Regan - "Campaign Button"
12. The Noisettes - "Shame"
13. Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit - "Cold Bread (Engine Room Demo)"
14. Skream - "Chest Boxing"

For more on the CD and the LMHR, campaign go to NME.com/lovemusichateracism.