Damon Albarn awarded OBE by the Queen of England

Here's excellent Blur news just before New Years- Damon Albarn has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to the British music scene for over 20 years. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is the "order of chivalry of British constitutional monarchy, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations and public service outside the Civil Service.

The singer, composer and songwriter for Blur, Gorillaz and various other musical successes joins ranks of Goldie and actors James Nesbitt, Idris Elba, David Oyelowo, Barbara Windsor and Imelda Staunton among the celebrities saluted by Queen Elizabeth II as part of her annual Honours List.

In December Albarn, who was was born in London and raised in Essex, opened his musical, wonder.land, at the National Theatre in London - reworking Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures In Wonderland into a story about the digital age.

Damon Albarn has also been working on the fifth Gorillaz album, which is expected in 2016. In an interview with Rolling Stone in October, he said: "So far, it's really fast, and it's got quite a lot of energy. I've been stuck on piano, somewhere off Broadway, for years now. I want to go somewhere completely opposite of that."

For a full list of awards, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-years-honours-2016.

Damon Albarn announces New album

Supergroup The Good, The Bad & The Queen may have already produced their second record, with Damon Albarn revealing that he has "got" the record. Albarn's band – which also features The Clash bassist Paul Simonon, The Verve guitarist Simon Tong and drummer Tony Allen – were last seen performing two gigs in London in November 2011.

The group's self-titled debut album was released in 2007. In an interview with The Sun yesterday (December 18), however, Albarn said that as well at a new Gorillaz record, "I’ve also got a Good, the Bad and the Queen record. It will either be Gorillaz or that [that comes next] and then I might be allowed to go back into my own solo world or another musical."

As early as July, Albarn had said that he could record a new Gorillaz album "next week," while in October he described the animated act's new material as "really fast" with "quite a lot of energy."

On the new Gorillaz album, Albarn said: "I'm in the very early days on a new Gorillaz record. So far, it's really fast, and it's got quite a lot of energy. I've been stuck on piano, somewhere off Broadway, for years now. I want to go somewhere completely opposite of that." Over a year ago, in October 2014, Albarn told the Sydney Morning Herald a new album by The Good, The Bad & The Queen is fully written.

Albarn reinvented Alice in Wonderland for Manchester International Festival earlier this year, and had to be carried off set at Danish Festival Roskilde after refusing to stop his show after five and a half hours.

New Gorillaz, New Style ? Jamie Hewlett previews New Gorillaz Artwork

Just recently, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett announced that their highly successful virtual band Gorillaz will be releasing a new album in 2016. Much to the delight of their fans, the duo announced that they have been actively working on recording a new Gorillaz album which is scheduled for release next year, although no teasers or musical tracks have yet to be released. 

The band has always emphasised the visual and aesthetically side of their music, preferring to animate rather than use traditional people to feature in their live shows as well as music videos. 

But what will the new Gorillaz look like? Jamie Hewlett, cartoonist and co-creator of the band Gorillaz has been posting teasers of the 'new' Gorillaz up on his Instagram throughout the past few weeks. 

Despite these previews, the question of what the new Gorillaz will look, feel and sound like still remains unclear. Until further news, it still remains a mystery to the fans.

Blur's Damon Albarn visits and performs at Banksy's Dismaland

The rumours were rife that someone big was going to make a surprise appearance at Banky's Dismaland for its final night of music after Massive Attack pulled out. And it was Blur frontman Damon Albarn who surprised the crowds a few weeks ago during the last week of Banksy's exhibition.

Wearing a mask over his face, as Banksy requested all guests did on Friday night so that he could attend himself, Albarn ran on stage to join De La Soul for a rendition of The Gorillaz' Feel Good Inc. Last night also saw performance from Pussy Riot, Kate Tempest and Leftfield. De La Soul also performed their "Me, Myself & I" during the "Masked Ball" performance.

According to the Bristol Post, Albarn along with many of the Dismaland guests wore masks so Banksy – himself disguised – could attend the concert and not have his identity revealed. "Dress code – due to the amount of paparazzi staking out the park in recent weeks Banksy has requested people come masked-up so he can attend the event without being photographed," a Dismaland statement said.

Banksy and Albarn previously worked together when the artist designed the cover image of Blur's Think Tank. They joined the likes of Fatboy Slim, Run the Jewels and Savages who have taken it in turns to fill the Friday night music slot during Dismaland's five week run in the former Tropicana site in Weston-super-Mare.

Damon Albarn confirmed to be working on New Gorillaz Album- 2015

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett who formed the biggest virtual band in the last decade in 1998 have been hinting at new music throughout 2015. Now, Jamie Hewlett has confirmed that the pair are actually in the process of working and actively recording a new Gorillaz album, which is scheduled to a 2016 release.

Jamie Hewlett, who is behind the group’s iconic animations, was recently quoted as saying he had been “shutting himself away” to work on Gorillaz’s fifth album.

“I’m working on it at the moment, and it’s going very well,” he said. “I’m very excited. I don’t want to say too much about it, but I’m at that phase of experimentation. What I try not to do when I’m working in this creative period, the cooking of the mess, is go to other peoples’ exhibitions and look at other peoples’ work".

"I close my eyes, and don’t want to know what anyone else is doing. Doing that has kind of ruined the creative process for me in the past, and I don’t want to let that happen again" he also added.

“That’s next year," he told DIY Mag of the Gorillaz project in a new interview to promote his first art exhibition in London. "I’m working on it at the moment, and it’s going very well. I’m very excited." It's been four years since the group's last release, 2011's The Fall.

So what about the new Gorillaz artwork? Will it be an entirely different style from the old Gorillaz, or will it be similar to the last album's style?

"I don’t want to say too much about it, but I’m at that phase of experimentation," Hewlett said. He also added that he has been posting teasers of the new fictional "members" of Gorillaz on Instagram throughout the year.

Whatever the style of the new Gorillaz, this is absolutely fantastic news for Gorillaz fans, who will be able to look forward to a new world tour and album from one of the most recognised and popular virtual bands of our time.

Must watch Blur Clips

Whether you’re a life-long fan of Blur, or you’ve only just discovered what it is to live in a Chemical World, there’s always some interest to be found in clips of some of the band’s most exciting and dynamic performances. Here are just a few of the best clips of the band for you to watch now.

To begin with, in July of this year, Frontman Damon Albarn delighted and surprised attendees of the Roskilde Music Festival in Denmark when he refused to stop playing his set and had to be forcibly removed from the stage. Albarn had been playing for 5 hours solid before being told by the organisers to wrap it up at 4am. Amid chants from the crowd of “We Want More”, a security guard climbed on stage, lifted Albarn over his shoulder and carried him off. This incident was recorded and was reported on by several newspapers, and is definitely worth a watch.

Another fantastic clip is of Blur a very early Blur performance in 1993, still young and fresh faced, performing Chemical World at Germany’s Rocklife concert, nicely warming up the stage for Duran Duran. However, the band got a little bit carried away with themselves, becoming slightly too energetic, resulting in Graham Coxon’s guitar becoming unplugged mid set. Luckily, Albarn sees the funny side, telling the crowd: "Don't jump too high, OK kids?"

If you’re after rare, hardly seen footage of the band then you’re in luck, as earlier this year MOJO published some rare footage of a small, intimate concert which was played on May the 1^st in the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. This includes a performance of their track Lonesome Street, which prior to MOJO’s release had not been seen anywhere.

Finally, make sure you check out the phenomenal performance of Tender, live at Hyde Park in 2009. This gig marks Graham Coxon’s return to the band following a 6 year break, and the excitement and revitalisation in the band during this reunion gig is palpable.

Many of these clips might not have been seen by some people, and it is only thanks to the internet that they have been categorised for your enjoyment today. The internet makes it possible to search for just about anything you might need, whether it be clips of your favourite band, television shows from the past or even online casinos. That’s right, you can find out about the best casino sites but checking out sites like www.paypal-casinos.co/.

Make sure you check out some of the referenced clips in this article for the full Blur experience! It’s possible to download Blur performances as audio and video files so you can watch them for yourself!

The Making Of: Blur- The Magic Whip

Watch an excellent documentary about the making of Blur's new album The Magic Whip below. The video, filmed in Hong Kong, stars Alex James, Graham Coxon, Dave Rowntree and Damon Albarn in the recording studio, wandering around Hong Kong's cityscape, performing at various venues and also contains many candid shots of the band.

Top 10 Most Overlooked Gorillaz Songs

Gorillaz is coming back in the next year or two, and it's going to be huge. With the virtual band's return confirmed by singer Damon Albarn and cartoonist Jamie Hewlett, the next year will be an exciting one as the successful pop band makes their biggest comeback ever.

Nonetheless, most of the famous Gorillaz tracks have become popular in the mainstream and in soundtracks and playlists. Songs such as Clint Eastwood, Feel Good Inc, 19-2000 and Dare have become so popular that many people automatically type these in their search engines as they discover Gorillaz and their charm.

Here at BlurBalls, we bring you a refreshing list of the top 10 most overlooked, most neglected but amazing Gorillaz songs of all time. These include tracks from their b-side albums and lesser-known tracks from their official albums, as well as other various performances that fans of Gorillaz should check out!

1. Rockit - There's no denying that Rockit is probably the top of the top, and one of the best Gorillaz songs out there that fans should appreciate more. The chorus features 2D rapping and almost talking to the microphone in a monotonous, bored voice. The chorus of "Blah Blah Blah" is absolutely delightful, and we mull over life along with 2D as we listen to this song. It's fantastic and absolutely delightful, a true hidden gem.

2. We Are Happy Landfill - One of the lesser known songs from the album D-Sides, this tune is catchy and upbeat, and is definitely a hidden gem that deserves more attention. Damon Albarn comes off as more raspy and louder than usual, croning his signature lyrics. It's a rough song, but it's terribly good. 

3. Mr Softy's Balloon Race - Probably the least known Gorillaz song on this list, Mr Softy's Balloon Race was originally found on the official Gorillaz website in a record player in one of Russell's rooms. It was later transcribed onto an audio formate and shared across the net, and remains to be one of the cuter, lighter and fluffy Gorillaz songs ever created. 

4. 911- Created by Damon Albarn after the disastrous 9-11 terrorist attacks at the Twin Towers, this song is an epic chilling commemoration at it's best. It's worth listening to simply due to it's relevance in history and it's theme- peace, love and freedom. 

5. Latin Simone (English version) - Who can forget Latin Simone, the single on Gorillaz's first album sang in Spanish. However, this version here is in English, and it's even better in our opinion because it's Damon Albarn. Yes, the one and only Damon Albarn singing makes everything special. 

6. 12D3- We are absolutely loving the lyrics in the song 12D3. 2D sings fantastic lyrics in most of his songs, but in this hidden gem, the lyrics are gentle, soft and yet so meaningful. It's also somewhat trance-like and dreamy, giving this song a unique feel and touch. 

7. Faust - This song is synthetic, peaceful and slightly psychedelic even as the tunes repeat and repeat at the background. The song features a repeating rhythm created from an electronic piano, and features almost no lyrics except at the end when Noodle sings something unknown in Japanese. It's a true hidden gem. 

8. 68 State - This song is purely a non-lyrical tune, and it's extremely catchy and relaxing at the same time. This gem of a track features an electro-pop synth at the background with a repeating tune at the chorus which is rather epic in itself. The fact that 2D's voice doesn't appear makes this track all the worth listening to because it sounds exactly like something in Gorillaz's world- high speed, catchy, fantastic.

9. Film Music- The B-side for Gorillaz's hit single "Tomorrow Comes Today" makes it on the list because of it's unpolished shine and tune. It's worth a listen and it's short and sweet. 

10. Crystallised (The XX Cover)-  Gorillaz did cover The XX's song "Crystallised" in a BBC live session and it's a beautiful cover. Damon Albarn's voice is melancholic, sad and suits this song very well. In fact, we know for a fact that Damon has said that he uses The XX as an inspiration in some of his songwriting!

Damon Albarn: Blur, Gorillaz and other Fables - Book Review + Giveaway 2015

Heads up for all Damon Albarn fans- there's a new Damon Albarn biography out in the bookstores and this one is the most up to date, most recent Blur biography of all time.

This fully updated book by authors Martin Roach and David Nolan was published in August 2015. Featuring first-hand interviews with those closest to the musician in his formative years, is the only available dedicated biography of Albarn and covers his multiple musical personas in depth, as well as the Britpop era and the rock star’s re-emergence as the Godfather to the iPod generation.

Damon Albarn: Blur, Gorillaz and other fables. Out 6th August, Paperback, Music Press, RRP £7.99. 

‘I can’t stand the idea of being a sad, lonely bedsit poet. I’d much rather be perceived as loud and arrogant, because all our sensitivity’s in our records’ - Damon Albarn

From Blur to the virtual band Gorillaz and his unique solo album Everyday Robots, to working with recently deceased Soul legend Bobby Womack, everything Damon Albarn touches turns to success. With The Magic Whip – Blur’s first album in over a decade - released last May, Damon Albarn is once again ready to take his place as an iconic jewel in the crown of the British music scene.

Yet this book documents the musician's struggles, life, love, relationships, origins and musical journey throughout his most formative years. The book follows Damon Albarn through Blur, the Britpop era, to his next musical endeavours, to his life with his partner Suzi and ends with a complete discography encompassing all of the singer's songs up to the year 2015.

This book is a definite must have for any Damon Albarn fan out there who wants an accessible, well-written and thorough book. It's biggest advantage is it's timely relevance- the year 2015 marks the beginning of possible a new chapter in Damon Albarn's musical career, and this book serves as a good memorabilia for the 'new' Blur of 2015.

About the authors: David Nolan is a British television producer and author, specialising in music and popular culture biographies, including the seminal book on the Sex Pistols, ‘I Swear I Was There’.

Martin Roach is a firmly established writer and publisher on all things popular music, having ghost-written several extremely high-profile projects for major publishing houses and owned his own music publishing company

This book is great for both younger fans and to the more serious Albarn fans who want more insight into how the musician developed his career throughout the years.

This book is available on Amazon for purchase.

Alternatively, BlurBalls is bringing you an exclusive chance to win 1 FREE COPY of the book Damon Albarn: Blur, Gorillaz and other fables. Simply enter using the form below and the winner will be chosen in 4 weeks (September 28)! 

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