Alex James to judge Ambition AXA Awards

AXA, in association with Arts Council England, have recently launched the Ambition AXA Awards, making available £200,000 to 5 talented 11-18 year olds in the UK.


Each winner will receive up to £40,000 worth of personalised mentoring, to help develop their ambitions in their chosen field of arts, enterprise, science, community or sport. The prize will be judged by an expert panel, which includes Laura Gander Howe, ACE Director of Learning and Skills Strategy as well as celebrity musician Alex James from Blur.


He also had a little interview that talked about his life, bio and achievements so far. 

Alex James - How to aim for a career in the arts and get the most out of it 

I’ve always loved music, but I never thought it was a career option.

My dad bought a piano when I was 13 and showed me how to play boogie woogie. Not much later I got a bass and joined a band. I went to London to study French, but spent all my time playing music. I dropped my studies because I wanted to be in Blur.

It’s very hard to know what you want to do with your life – in fact it’s the hardest thing there is. I’ve never had a master plan, but I’ve always followed what has interested me most.

Do what you love

I don’t think you can help following interests. And it’s vital, even if it makes you look ridiculous – there was a time when leaving university to be in a band that had songs that all went very, very fast and were very, very loud seemed ridiculous, but that was what I cared about.

I’ve always loved music, but journalism and even inventing cheese are equally creative. I really love cheese so I always find it interesting.

Get into a band

Whenever you find something that interests you, you’ve got to go after it with everything you’ve got even if it makes you look stupid. If it’s music, get involved in a band. If it’s writing, write. If it’s cheese, er, give me a call. Whatever it is, the important thing is doing it, not dreaming about it.

Don’t fret about music lessons/training/not having enough money

I didn’t have any training when I was younger. I just played every day and eventually I could do it. Pop music is great, as you don’t have to know loads -  it’s just a way to express yourself. But I don’t think I’ve ever stopped learning. I’ve had loads of music lessons recently, and I wish I'd done it years ago.

Enjoy yourself

I like playing the guitar on my own. I love making records, I love playing music, I like talking about it – always have, always will. So I was drawn to music.

If you dedicate yourself to something you like, it is surprising what will come out of it. I still find it amazing that what I enjoyed messing about at as a teenager has led me. Who’d have thought when I formed my first band in my bedroom all those years ago that I’d be playing to thousands at Glastonbury? (Apart from me, I mean – I knew it was going to happen).

Read about Alex James from AXA's official website HERE. 

Albarn's 'DRC Music' tracklist revealed

Damon Albarn's Congo collaboration album "DRC Music" has been premiered on Soundcloud a few days ago. 5 tracks has been made available on the online streaming website, and you can head over there to listen below. 


The album from this is called 'Kinshasa One Two' and it will be released digitally by Warp Records on 3rd October 2011 with a CD/vinyl release to follow on 7th November 2011, to benefit Oxfam. 


"Hallo" (feat. Tout Puissant Mukalo and Nelly Liyemge)
"K-Town" (feat. N'Gotshima and Bebson)
"African Space Anthem (A.S.A)" (feat. Ewing Sima of Tout Puissant Mukalo)
"Love" (feat. Love)
"Lingala" (feat. Bokatola System and Evala Litongo)
"Lourds" (feat. Yende Bongongo of Okwess International)
"Respect of the Rules" (feat. Loi X Liberal)
"We Come From the Forest" (feat. Bokatola System)
"Customs" (feat. Bokatola System)
"Virginia" (feat. Magakala Virginia Yollande and Yowa Hollande)
"Ah Congo" (feat. Jupiter Bokondji and Bokatola System)
"Three Piece Sweet part 1&2" (feat. Bebson)
"If You Wish to Stay Awake" (feat. Washiba) "Departure" (feat. Bokatola System) 


You can hear Damon Albarn sings in the track "Hallo". Apart from that, the tracks sound a lot like Gorillaz's ipad album "The Fall" and parts of Damon's unpolished demos from not only the Blur era, but also from Monkey Journey to the West. Seems like he reused parts of old demos and incorporated  some more exotic instruments to compile this interesting piece!  


Listen to some of the tracks HERE 

Damon Albarn to make first solo album for 2012

Damon's going to make a solo album! Exciting news everyone! 

DAMON Albarn's done a lot in his 20-year career in music but he's still missing one thing from his lengthy CV – a proper solo recording (The Sun)

Now the Blur and Gorillaz man has pledged to follow fellow Britpop hero Noel Gallagher and spend most of next year recording an album of his own.

But Damon has three albums to get out first.

One is a project by Africa Express – a collective of Western and African musicians – recorded in the Congo.

Another is a collaboration with Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers and drumming legend Tony Allen.

The third is a recording of his Elizabethan opera.

After that he'll get to work on his first solo disc so it's ready for release some time in 2012.

A source said: "Damon's finally ready to make a solo album after years of hiding behind cartoon band Gorillaz and working with collectives of musicians.

"He's looking forward to it and his label bosses at EMI are pleased as it's sure to sell by the bucketload."

Although it's bad news for fans holding out on a full Blur reunion – a Damon solo disc is still an exciting prospect.

What's up with Alex James after Blur ? Interview August 2011

Alex James

The musician and cheese maker talks about his family

• Interview by Nick McGrath
• The Guardian, Saturday 6 August 2011
• 
  
• 

My uncle was a jazz pianist and my granny's sisters were on the stage. My grandma was part of a glamorous dance troupe called the Dolly Sisters, so music was in my blood. My dad taught me how to play the piano, but that was the only musical training I had. Mum and dad would have much rather I'd been an accountant – until Blur started getting written about, by which point they were very pleased to tell all their friends.

My family dealt with me becoming a public figure remarkably well. I think they all liked it. My mum got doorstepped a bit by journalists when I first got famous but everyone has just enjoyed the benefits and didn't make a fuss about the negatives. My mum and dad came on tour with Blur at the height of Britpop and loved it.

My grandfather was a chef and because of that my dad never cooked a blooming thing. It can go two ways when your dad's a chef; you're, like, "What's going on here, how do I do that?" but my dad was, like, "Ooh, thefood here is really good", so he never cooked anything in his life. But he had a very developed palate so we discovered food together and food is absolutely the focus of family life for me.

I'm protective of my sister, Deborah. She's two years younger and we've always been close but are very different. She's really good at painting and drawing; she's got visual acuity. She's a glass artist and has made a few pieces for Damien Hirst.

Meeting my wife Claire happened at the same time that Blur sort of stopped, so it felt like a new part of my life was starting. I think when you get married that it's the end of rock'n'roll. When you start having kids something does change. It's been amazing, though. When I was 18 I thought I was going to have to kill myself when I hit 40. I thought it would be all over, but it keeps getting better and better as you evolve. What you want out of life changes, and my idea of heaven now is good food with my family. It's pretty simple but it's about as good as it gets.

I've got five children and people say, "are you busy?" and it's like, before I even go to work, I'm busy. I've got five kids. I need a spreadsheet to keep track of them. No one ever regrets having children. To be honest, I don't know how people do it with less than five.

I thought I was getting the hang of parenting and then our first girl came along. She is two now and she amazes me: "What? You'll just sit there colouring and you're happy to do that? Really?" The boys need constant attention – they want you to fight, play football or make Lego with them. It's all about doing things.

I live on a farm now, which is a natural environment for an ageing rock gentleman. There's a reason I wanted to put down some roots after all those years living out of suitcases. You can't be more grounded than on a farm. so I've built my life around my family. They're my main source of pleasure, and of pain too, but it's worth fighting for. It takes absolutely every ounce of your strength to keep the ship sailing straight, but fucking hell, it's worth it.

Alex James is an ambassador for MasterCard's Big Lunch campaign, which encourages people to embrace community spirit. For more details visit www.thebiglunch.com

Damon Albarn to perform in Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2011

Back in 2008 we were first presented the first-ever Honest Jon’s Chop Up!, a gathering of music from global artists who all had recorded for the influential West London label Honest Jon’s, which specializes from postwar black music in Britain to African highlife, from 70s English folk to modern Southern Soul. 

And now it’s back! With another helping of extraordinary artists including a new project featuring Damon Albarn, Afrobeat legend Tony Allen and bassist Flea. Plus Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara, Chicago brass sensation Hypnotic Brass and Detroit techno/house alchemist Theo Parrish.

Damon Albarn will be one of the headline acts set to perform at this year's Guinness Cork Jazz Festival on October 21st 2011.


Albarn will lead a collaborative show with 25 other artists under the collective name of 'An Honest Jon's Chop Up' – named after the Britpop icon's music label.

Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, and afro beat drummer Tony Allen will also play as part of the group, in what will be the third such performance of the collective. The show will kick off the Jazz weekend, which takes place over the October Bank Holiday Weekend.

For more details of the gig and a full programme of events during the Jazz Festival visit www.guinnessjazzfestival.com.

To book your ticket now, click HERE.

Stay Tuned and remember tosubscribe and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook, or email subscribe to receive the latest news on everything Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon! 

If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news! 

Damon Albarn's new album - DRC Music - Aug 2011

A collective of producers lead by Damon Albarn will visit the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to produce a new album for Oxfam. 

Travelling with Damon to Congo are T-E-E-D (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs), Dan The Automator, Jneiro Jarel, Richard Russell, Actress, Marc Antoine, Jo Gunton and Kwes. They hope to make an album in 7 days.

Wracked by years of conflict, the DRC is home to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, and proceeds from the album will go to helping Oxfam's work, helping thousands of the DRC's poorest people. 


Albarn previously visited Mali with Oxfam in 2001 which produced the album Mali Music. He has since recorded in Nigeria with Tony Allen and has visited Congo, Mali and Nigeria with Africa Exprez.

Listen to a section of a new track HERE

Visit their website here

Harry Potter meets Damon Albarn !

I watched the last Harry Potter movie a few days ago, and walking out of the theatre, I can't help feeling a little melancholy about the "end" of an era. An era of Harry Potter fandom and kids growing up along the world of wizards, Hogwarts and the actors that play these wonderful characters.

Surprisingly, I was reminded by TracyJackAlbarn, a fellow Blur fan, that Damon Albarn actually met Harry Potter - or lets call him Daniel Radcliffe, during an interview in the Jonathan Ross Show on March 2007.

Quoted from the 2007 Friday Night with Jonathan Ross episode summary found here: Daniel Radcliffe, who has gone from boy wizard to horse fondler, returns to the show as does Damon Albarn with yet another new band, The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Has he finally formed a good one?

There's a footage, just a snippet of them on the show together, chatting together, I am not sure whether it was backstage on the show or on the actual Harry Potter set,  which appeared in another video interviewing Daniel Radcliffe about the movie.

Apparently, Daniel views Damon Albarn as one of his mentors and person he looks up to!

Watch below, Damon's part is at 0:48:



Anyone offer an opinion on where Damon and Daniel met in the video ? Is it on the Jonathan Ross show in March 2007, or was it on the Harry Potter movie set ?

And why is Daniel Radcliffe dressed up ? Did Damon actually go visit him on set ?

Do let us know on our FACEBOOK page (Click here!) Long live Potter! 

Damon Albarn making new album for Warp - July 2011

Damon Albarn's opera Doctor Dee has now reached the end of its run as part of the Manchester International Festival and has received almost universal acclaim and positive reviews. 


"I'm making an album for Warp," Damon reveals in The Guardian's latest article on Doctor Dee, his new opera . This is the only new thing that the article reveals, oh, and that Damon stumbled quite a lot around the stage during his opera....


Warp is a Sheffield-based record label usually renowned for techno. 


"I'm taking six young English producers with me and we'll make it in a week. Then I'm going on a six-
week holiday to dispel rumours I'm a workaholic." said Damon.


And my thoughts on this is exactly northernmonkey's, which goes like this:


A six weeks holiday should recharge the creative juices for getting started on a new Blur album!!!


Lastly, watch the recent short interview Damon Albarn did for BBC Two Culture Show on July 12th 2011 about his opera. Quite interesting. 





Stay Tuned and remember to subscribe and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook, or email subscribe to receive the latest news on everything Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon! 


If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!

Doctor Dee - Manchester International Festival 2011 - Review

It's time for a review! Since I have no chance of seeing Doctor Dee live, I will present to you the first proper review, by The Guardian, on Doctor Dee -  Damon Albarn's opera, which premiered last Friday night at the Manchester International Festival 2011.

 4/5 stars

It is perhaps as much a disservice to call the 16th century alchemist and astrologer John Dee a Renaissance man as it is to refer to Damon Albarn as the former frontman of Blur. Neither scratches the surface of their achievements.

Dee was an occultist, hermetic and spiritual advisor to Elizabeth I who appointed the Queen's coronation day through the alignment of the planets.

A world famous scholar who dabbled in the undefined area between science and sorcery, he was reputed to be the model for Marlowe's Dr Faustus and Shakespeare's Prospero. And by applying Euclidean principles to navigation, he laid the visionary blueprint for the British empire.

Now latter-day polymath Albarn has created an opera based on the life of this mysterious philosopher. The pairing seems irresistible: an inscrutable but undeniably beautiful meditation on Englishness inspired by the man who coined the term "Britannia" and written by a musician who made it cool.

Dr Dee is an erudite affair, inspired by the philosopher's exile to Manchester in the 1580s, where he founded the English speaking world's first public library. It's extraordinary to think that whereas Albarn has been bringing himself up to speed with concepts of hermeticism, Euclidian geometry and Rosicrucianism, his erstwhile Britpop rival Liam Gallagher has formed Beady Eye.

Damon Albarn performs on the preview night of the opera 'Dr Dee' at Manchester Palace Theatre. Photograph: Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage

Even so, Dr Dee is by no means an opera in the conventional sense. Instead director Rufus Norris lays on a sumptuous array of scenes and tableaux that draw upon the lavish stage mechanics of an Elizabethan masque. If there's a parallel to be drawn it might be with Berlioz's similarly grandiose "dramatic legend" the Damnation of Faust.

You suspect that the main reason Albarn creates a sound-world combining kora, theorbo, and Afrobeat drummer Tony Allen is because he can. More contentious is his decision to cast himself as a kind of troubadour-narrator, as it slightly negates the dramatic function of Bertie Carvel's Dr Dee, whose role becomes largely mute.

Yet there is genuine dramatic frisson delivered by the ice-cold counter-tenor of Christopher Robson as Edward Kelley, the psychic or "scryer" who became Dee's ultimate undoing.

Dee commissioned Kelley to commune with the angels; the angels apparently suggested that Kelley be allowed to sleep with the Doctor's wife.

Albarn's opera can seem obscure and sometimes wilfully perverse. But it reaches to the heart of the tragedy of an overreaching intellect destroyed by a deal with a second-rate Mephistopheles. Dee was haunted by his shortcomings: "You know I cannot see, nor scry" he lamented.

Yet for Albarn, who ends the evening triumphantly aloft against a panorama of the cosmos, the scry's the limit.

Pretty good review, in fact it's EXCELLENT. Damon's reached a whole new level with his opera performing, and I can't wait for footage of it to surface, or perhaps there'll be a soundtrack album like Monkey Journey to the West. 

You must watch Damon Albarn talk about Doctor Dee in the video below. He discusses his opera (mistakenly named "Dr. John Dee" in The Guardian's website ! ) ahead of it's premier on Friday Night in Machester International Festival. 

Enjoy! And I would like to announce BlurBalls reached a GOOGLE PAGERANK of 3/10. What an achievement! I'm chuffed! All thanks to you guys who link back, tweet and support.

Stay Tuned and remember to subscribe and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook, or email subscribe to receive the latest news on everything Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon! 


If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!