MASSIVE ATTACK - MASSIVE ATTACK CONFIRMED AS CURATORS OF MELTDOWN FESTIVAL

Bristolian dance legends Massive Attack have been confirmed as curators of this year's Meltdown festival, to be held at London's Southbank Centre.

The Blue Lines stars will be responsible for selecting the acts for this year's event, the 15th Meltdown festival.

Glenn Maxx, producer of contemporary culture at the Southbank Centre, said the band "embody the promiscuous intermingling of late 20th-century music".

"Technology enabled these sonic explorers to send UK dancehall culture into a state of hallucinatory bliss. Few artists could throw a better party," he added.

Lasting for nine days in June, Meltdown includes concerts, film, visual arts performances and DJ sets, among other acts.

In a statement confirming their role as artistic directors, the band said: "It's an honour to host Southbank Centre's Meltdown festival and to be in such inspiring company as its previous curators.

"In addition to the music, we want this year's festival to have a strong political and visual element to it to reflect our influences and obsessions.

"Our aim is to mix it up a bit by instigating collaborations that make sense and probably some that don't."

Massive Attack follow in the footsteps of previous hosts David Bowie, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello and Morrissey.

The only non musician or composer to have curated the event was the late John Peel, whose 1998 direction included performances from Sonic Youth, Spiritualized and Cornershop.

Last year's festival was organised by Jarvis Cocker and featured Iggy & the Stooges, Motorhead, Devo and the Jesus and Mary Chain.