Bloc Party live in Sydney 2013 / Photo by Ashley Mar

Bloc Party Are Now Two Original Members Short

March 24, 2015

It seems we’ll be getting an entirely different Bloc Party lineup on their next record with the band now only half of what it used to be.

10 years after the release of their breakthrough record Silent Alarm bassist Gordon Moakes confirmed that he has officially left the band. Moakes took to his other band Young Legionnaire’s Twitter to write, “Update for fans: I’m not involved in the latest incarnation of Bloc Party. I’m now focussing on Young Legionnaire.” Young Legionnaire are a British three-piece who released their debut album Crisis Works in 2011.

It follows the departure of drummer Matt Tong in 2013 and now leaves frontman Kele Okereke and guitarist Russell Lissack as the only two original members.

It’s yet to be announced who will replace Moakes and Tong on the band’s fifth album which was recently confirmed by Okereke. While in the country promoting his sophomore solo LP Doubt, Okereke said that the band were “at the writing slash recording stage” and hoping to lay down those ideas in the next few months. He also played an acoustic version of one of the tracks they’ve been working on called Exes.

Bloc Party’s last album was 2012’s Four which was recorded following the band’s previous hiatus, which started in 2009.

Update for fans: I'm not involved in the latest incarnation of Bloc Party. I'm now focussing on Young Legionnaire. Gordy #rhythmsection4hire

— Young Legionnaire (@YNGLegionnaire) March 20, 2015