Blur's Alex James directs and produces new track for Virgin Media Shorts (video)

For the premier of the Virgin Media Shorts short film competition, Alex James, bassist and cheese-maker from Blur directed, scored, wrote and acted in his very own short film, all under the main motif of the contest- "Life is Short". For the film, Alex James was given a sponsored Nikon D5200 and asked to let his creative juices spill.

The Blur bassist's final film is a mere 2.20 minutes long, but manages to include an exclusive, new Alex James song titled "Superordinator". The brand new track is the background music to the short film and will definitely keep Blur fans hoping for new sounds satisfied.

Scene from Alex James's directing debut for the Virgin Media Shorts competition

Alex's film, titled "Slice of Life" was filmed in Los Angeles, USA, and features Alex James dancing to the beat, shaking his head, brushing his teeth and walking around the sunny Los Angeles streets.

The film highlights that colorful, high-resolution scenes can be created using a normal-priced DSLR camera. Additionally, the background track also sounds somewhat like an early Blur demo . It also has a surprise ending which you can find out by scrolling down and watching the full film.

Watch: "Slice of Life" - a film by Alex James 

Rate Alex James's Short Film:

Happy Birthday Dave Rowntree - Blur drummer turns 49!

David Alexander De Horne Rowntree, a.k.a Dave Rowntree (born on May 8th 1964, aged 49) from Blur, is an English musician and the drummer of Blur. He is also a registered solicitor and political activist, and has an interest in computer animation and graphic design. Though known as the "quiet one" in Blur, Dave regularly updates his Instagram, Twitter and Facebook stream, even posting pictures straight from the backstage of Blur concerts.

Tweet Dave a birthday greeting at @DaveRowntree 

Blur are currently on a week-long visit to Hong Kong, where they played an energetic concert at the Asia World Expo arena.

BLUR FACT: Did you know- Dave Rowntree is the oldest member of Blur, being 3 years older than Blur frontman Damon Albarn and guitarist Graham Coxon (both born in 1969). He's 4 years older than bassist Alex James, who is a year younger than Damon and Graham.

Happy 49th Birthday Dave!

Check out the top Dave Rowntree quotes of all time HERE.

Damon Albarn: "We are recording a new Blur album" 2013

Blur confirms rumours to release a new album 

Blur announces firm plans to record a new album during their Hong Kong concert on May 5th 2013. Not only a new single or a track, but a new album is next up for Blur. 

Yes- it is true , Blur will be recording a new album for release soon and will be starting the recording process this week. We heard it straight from the horse's mouth, live from the Blur covert in Hong Kong's Asia World Expo this evening as Damon announced it to the Hong Kong audience.

"It's a secret" said Damon Albarn before announcing the news to the live audience. The Blur frontman seemed relaxed and excited at the prospects of working with Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree for a new Blur album. 

"We were supposed to play in Taiwan and Japan next week, but due to unforeseen circumstances we weren't able to go there" he said, "so we have a week in Hong Kong, so we thought it would be a good time to try and record another record". 

It looks as if they are planning to use the week in town to record and plan the new Blur album. If that's so, then Blur may have plans to tour the city and gain inspiration from the aesthetic views of the city's skyline for new Blur songs. 

Hong Kong fans heard it live - Blur are working on a new record for 2014/2015 release

This news confirms strong rumours that Blur are recording a new album after their massive 2013 world tour, which brings them to cities such as Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Istanbul and other American,  European and Asian destinations around the world. Check out a full list of tour dates and venues from our site. 

Once again, Blur are definitely recording a new album and if it successfully gets released, will  be releasing new singles , new songs, new Blur B-sides and new albums after their current tour. 2014 is looking to be a fruitful year, with many new Blur songs coming your way if Damon keeps to his word. 

Blur's reunion has been a surprise - a very pleasant surprise for the long time fans and devotees. Fans who were in Hong Kong had it lucky since this is the first time the band officially confirmed the new album rumours, ending months of speculations. Perhaps the new Blur album will sound like completely different, unexpected and experimental; or will it be centered around rock and pop ? Who knows.

All we know is that - as Damon Albarn chants : it really really really could (and did) happen. 

Exclusive Blur news from Blurballs.com, live from the Hong Kong gig.

Blur announces plans to record new album 2013

Blur confirms rumours to release a new album 

Blur announces firm plans to record a new album during their Hong Kong concert on May 5th 2013. Not only a new single or a track, but a new album is next up for Blur. 

Yes- it is true , Blur will be recording a new album for release soon and will be starting the recording process this week. We heard it straight from the horse's mouth, live from the Blur covert in Hong Kong's Asia World Expo this evening as Damon announced it to the Hong Kong audience.

"It's a secret" said Damon Albarn before announcing the news to the live audience. The Blur frontman seemed relaxed and excited at the prospects of working with Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree for a new Blur album. 

"We were supposed to play in Japan and Taiwan" he said, "but it was cancelled so we have a week in Hong Kong". 

It looks as if they are planning to use the week to record and plan the new Blur album. Blur plans to tour the city and gain inspiration from the aesthetic views of the city's skyline for new Blur songs. 

Blur at Hong Kong - original picture by BlurBalls

This news confirms strong rumours that Blur are recording a new album after their massive 2013 world tour, which brings them to cities such as Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Istanbul and other American,  European and Asian destinations around the world. Check out a full list of tour dates and venues from our site. 

Once again, Blur are definitely recording a new album and going to be releasing new singles , new songs, new Blur B-sides and new albums after their tour. 2014 is looking to be a fruitful year , with many new Blur songs coming your way.

Blur's reunion has been a surprise - a very pleasant surprise for the long time fans and devotees. Perhaps the new Blur album will sound like completely different, unexpected and experimental; or will it be centered around rock and pop ? Who knows.

All we know is that - as Damon Albarn chants : it really really really could (and did) happen. 

Exclusive Blur news from Blurballs.com, live from the Hong Kong gig. new blur single

Blur Live 2013 - Hong Kong Live Stream

Blur will be playing Hong Kong for the first time in 20 years in less than 7 hours - and the excitement is building up. Spatially, Hong Kong is an extremely small and dense city, but information travels fast. Hype has bee building up for this special gig for more than a month since the announcement of Blur live in Hong Kong, and it's only getting bigger.

@daverowntree on Instagram tweeted this picture of Hong Kong's Soho area last night 

A few lucky fans even met the Blur boys at the Hong Kong airport last night when they arrived in the vibrant city at 12:00a.m midnight, May 4th 2013.

#BlurHongKong - Live gallery

There is a new Blur feature on the Blur official website - the Blur Live 2013 section will feature all the fans' images, videos and media, and will be updated immediately after the show for all to see. If you're going to see them tonight and have a smartphone, remember to tag #blurhongkong for a chance to be featured on the official Blur website gallery.

The 'Blur Live' galleries on the website also gathered media from Blur at Coachella and the Vive Latino Festival, where they played for their first few months on tour. Check them out to re-live the experience and to see exciting new fan pictures.

BlurBalls will be heading to watch Blur live in Hong Kong tonight at the Asia World Expo. We'll be taking lots of pictures and doing an exclusive review after the show. 

Tweet us @danomind to say hello if you're at the Hong Kong show! Blur follows us, you should too!

Live Instagram Gallery #Blurhongkong

Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE

Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

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Blur confirms gig in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Tour 2013

Blur to play in Argentina 2013

It's official - Blur have confirmed to play in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on November 2nd 2013 as part of their large-scaled world tour this year.

Fans in Argentina have been celebrating the news all over social media yesterday after the announcement was made online via a tweet from a reputable journalist Diego Zuccari. Diego tweeted "Blur en Bsas 02/11/13" yesterday, sparking more than 140 retweets and many more shares.

Many fan-made posters and comments have cropped up in celebration.

Fans are right to rejoice in the confirmation, because the last time Blur performed in Argentina was for a concert held in Estadio Luna Park, Buenos Aires, on November 27, 1999 as part of the '13' Tour.

There has not been more official details or news from the band. More information are expected to be released in the next few weeks.

Blur have been touring the world starting from the beginning of 2013 as part of their new comeback series, although there hasn't been any new songs released. Rumours of a new album and single have been circulating for months, as well as many new tour dates and venues in South America and Asia.

Blur last played in Argentina in 1999 at Luna Park

Blur recently cancelled their scheduled gig in Tokyo and Taiwan unexpectedly, stating the reason as promotion and management issues.

Hope's in for Blur in Argentina and the recently confirmed Brazil gig (Planeta Terra Festival 2013), in which Blur seems to be announcing more and more South American dates.

Check out the event and RSPV for Blur live in Argentina HERE.

Follow Blur Argentina on Twitter. Stay tuned for more updates.


Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE
Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

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

Remember to subscribe to RSS and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.

The Life of Blur: New Blur Biography by Martin Powers

A new Blur biography titled 'The Life of Blur' by Martin Power will be available in bookstores and online in June 10th 2013. 

Blur book description

'The Life of Blur' is about.  According to the book description, it "delves into every detail of Blur's pock-marked history, also shedding new light on the group's various solo activities, including Damon Albarn's experiments with Gorillaz and Graham Coxon's one man assault on the indie charts".

The book will also feature new interviews with Blur's collaborators, Britpop rivals and friends, as well a detailed biography of the four members of Blur and their Britpop years, which were spent playing in crammed London bars, huge stadiums and rooftops. There are also going to be rare photographs and a full up-to-date discography up until 2013. It may well be the definitive biography of one of the UK's biggest bands.

Which Blur book do you own?
	Bit of a Blur - Alex James
	Black Book: The Live History of Blur
	3862 Days - Stuart Maconie
	Damon Albarn - Martin Roach
	All Cheeses Great and Small - Alex James
	Blur in their Own Words
	Other / None

The book's author is known for writing a line of biographies for celebrities and musicians, including renowned talents such as Queen, Jeff Beck, Manic Street Preachers and Aerosmith.

Hence, the book will be most suitable for casual fans, new fans or the reader who wants as much information about Blur as possible. There hasn't been an updated Blur book covering the band post-1999.

Check out the other Blur books ('Bit of a Blur', 'Damon Albarn', 'All Things Great...') from the past below.

 

Order 'The Life of Blur'- Pre-order 'The Life of Blur' by Martin Power on Amazon by visiting the page below - only £16.96.

Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE

Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

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

Remember to subscribe to RSS and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.

Blur to headline festival in Brazil - Planeta Terra 2013

Blur to play Planeta Terra Festival in Brazil 2013 

Blur are going extra-terrestrial - and this time, it's because of another tour venue outside of their UK home, which had just been announced hot off the press.

Blur are confirmed to be going to Brazil as part of their giant 2013 World Tour (view all the full dates) and are officially going to headline the Festival Planeta Terra 2013. 'Planeta Terra' means Earth in Portugese, hence the festival's nickname "Earth Festival".

The festival will be held in Arena Anhembi in November 20th 2013.

According to the Brazilian newspaper "Destak", the only band confirmed for the festival is Blur. The complete lineup and details of the Festival Planeta Terra 2013 have not been released. Last year, featured bands include Kings of Leon, Garbage and Gossip.

Fans of Blur have already begun to spread the word through social media networks. "I will definitely buy tickets to the Festival Planeta Terra 2013 . Blur is the best rock band in England in recent times" said one Brazilian devotee on Facebook.

Tickets for Planeta Terra 2013 will be available online shortly. Visit their official website and Facebook page for more information.

Stay tuned for more of the latest information about Blur's new world tour, and the possible new tour dates coming up.

Habrá fechas en Argentina y Chile? 

Después de unos meses agitados en materia de festivales, donde cerraron el Vive Latino y el Coachella, Blur confirmó ahora su presencia en el festival Planeta Terra de Brasil (que se hará a principios de noviembre en San Pablo) y los rumores de una gira sudamericana completa cobran más fuerza. 

La expectativa es enorme dado que la última vez que la banda pisó el continente fue en el año ‘97, en pleno furor del disco “Blur”, con hitazos como “Song 2” y “Beetlebum”. ¿Habrá fechas en Argentina y Chile? A cruzar los dedos.


Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE
Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

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

Remember to subscribe to RSS and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.

Blur to headline Australian festival Big Day Out - 2013

Britpop heroes Blur are shaping up as headliners for the Big Day Out next year, according to industry sources.

Damon Albarn and co haven't performed in Australia since reuniting and returning to the touring circuit in 2009, the year they starred at iconic UK festival Glastonbury. Many fans had the Londoners on their wish list for this year's Splendour in the Grass festival, to be held at the North Byron Parklands in New South Wales in late July, when Blur have dates in Italy. The band touring schedule consists mostly of festival dates until early September.

With the Splendour line-up out of the bag this week, sources now suggest that the Big Day Out will host Blur's long-awaited return to Australia. The BDO bill won't be revealed until about mid-July. Blur, who won the Brit Award for outstanding contribution to music last year, were reportedly working with producer William Orbit on the follow-up to 2003 album, Think Tank, but those sessions were subsequently shelved.

However, the quartet, consisting of singer Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree, did release two singles, The Puritan and Under the Westway, last July.

Blur have earned an incredible dozen UK Top 10 hits. Albarn has worked on various side projects such as Gorillaz and the Good, the Bad and the Queen. He features on the debut album for Dutch modern soul man, the Child of Lov, released next week.

Source: Yahoo Australia News 

Blur Tour 2013 - Full dates and rundown  HERE
Blur @ Coachella- video and image gallery HERE 

Blur confirmed for Mexico HERE

Blur Europe Tour News  HERE

Order the new Blur: Parklife (Live at Hyde Park CD / DVD) HERE

SUBSCRIBE NOW!

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

Remember to subscribe to RSS and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook.