Why did Matt Tong leave Bloc Party?
The big issue with bands is not just whether you’re able to make good tunes, play them well, and sell the records, but whether you can actually stomach being around each other. From boybands to indie groups, the fact remains the same – as soon as cracks begin to show, it’s often a ticking time bomb until everything implodes, and let’s just say the detritus can be more than a little messy. You don’t need Bloc Party to tell you that, but they’re just one example of many where the rage from the rift will forever be burning.
Bloc Party was formed in 1999 with lead singer Kele Okereke at the helm. Drummer Matt Tong was one of those initially in tow, forming part of the band for 11 years, from 2002 until 2013. In that time, they experienced seismic success – a slew of hit albums, not least in the form of their 2005 debut, Silent Alarm, and various coveted nods of critical acclaim. But even despite all that, trouble in paradise was still brewing.
Tong left the band with dramatic flourish while mid-tour in 2013. Rumours swirled as to what exactly had caused the sudden rupture, as well as uncertainties over the band’s future. However, it seems Okereke was in no mood to calm the tension, instead deciding to fan the flames by vaguely referring to various issues within Bloc Party’s dynamic which were never made public.
It then all came to a head when he elusively stated that Tong’s departure came down to “someone doing cocaine, and someone not being into it. That’s all I’m gonna say.” This understandably angered Tong, what with the allusion to a supposed drug use – but this year, he has put the record straight.
So, why did Matt Tong actually leave?
Well, Okereke was right in the respect that it did involve drugs, just not in the way he had perhaps painted it. In an interview this summer, Tong put forward his case: “A lot of people have inferred that maybe I had a drug problem – I didn’t.” So, what was the truth? “It was nothing to do with me or Gordon [Moakes, the band’s former bassist who also left, two years after Tong’s departure]. It involved someone who wasn’t in the band, but there was a birthday celebration on the touring bus, which I had absolutely nothing to do with.”
“Were drugs involved? Apparently,” he explained, and the problem was exposed when “Kele took umbrage to that and was trying to remove that person from the touring party.” That may be all well and good in theory, but making such decisions without consulting his bandmates was the nail in the coffin for Tong.
Adding: “When I heard about that… I was like, ‘Fuck it, I can’t work with this person anymore, I’m going to quit’ – so I did!” But in true rock star style, Tong couldn’t help himself from making a dramatic – if slightly petty – exit, giving his resignation via email.
However, it was ultimately Okereke’s narrative on drugs that solidified his decision: “Anyone who’s been in a rock band and toured consistently has definitely had that come into their world. But did any of us have a problem? Not at all. I just felt like Kele was an insurmountable obstacle.”
Concluding, “In no uncertain terms, I told Kele to go fuck himself.” Well, you can’t say he minces his words. It does, however, put things in perspective – the next time you’re cursing your mountain of unnecessary and annoying emails, you can take comfort in knowing you could never receive anything as bad as your drummer quitting your band at the height of a tour. Breathe easy.
