Damon Albarn has spoken out finally about The Guardian interview a while ago, when he deemed the 'end of Blur' and possibly Gorillaz, his successful virtual band. The good news? He dismissed the rumours surrounding the comments he made in the article, which definitely helped clear up many of the things he said previously.
In the latest issue of ShortList, Damon seemed quite unhappy about how some of the comments he made got distorted - and even got to correct some of it.
When asked whether Blur will make a new record in the future, he stated that there are no concerete plans as of right now, but that the band will see how it is after their massive Olympics Hyde Park 2012 gigs- "It would be interesting to see where it would arrive, because it would be very different, I'd imagine."
He also said that "there could be another Gorillaz album", as he was willing to make the music as long as Jamie Hewlett wanted to collaborate and do the illustration.
It seems that the article implied Damon is not saying Blur's over, The Guardian article exaggerated his comments and that the four boys are on good terms. It also seems that the Hyde Park gig this summer will be the make-or-break gig which may just determine the band's future prospect.
Albarn also said he was willing to collaborate with Noel Gallagher "if he [came] on the African Express train this September". The African Express Train will be Damon Albarn's new musical tour, set inside a train, travelling around Britain (click here to read more).
Scroll down for the scans for Damon's ShortList interview below (credits to JackS for the scans).
It's brilliant news that Damon Albarn, the frontman, finally clears up the rumours and mixed messages so prevalent in recent media about Blur. Now, it all boils down to Hyde Park and whether the gig for the London Closing Ceremony will be a success, or a disaster.
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
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In the 90s, the media reported Graham Coxon's narrow escape from death - Graham was photographed getting hit by a car during an evening out. Here at BlurBalls, we dug up from his archive interviews what Graham said on his first near death experience:
Jamie: Have you ever been in a car crash?
Graham: I was run over when we signed our first record deal - it was almost the shortest career in the world. I was around Notting Hill Gate and I found myself bashed up into the sky and landing on the road.
Alan: Were you driving?
Graham: No, I was just drunk - walking in the road and this copper said 'Hey sonny, wake up' and I said 'Am I dead?' and he said 'No, but you've had a nasty knock, son. We're taking you to hospital.'
Jamie: Were you alright?
Graham: I had huge concussion - this Irish nurse was wheeling me around the hospital for hours doing tests. I just kept asking her to marry me all the time. There's nothing so good when you're drunk and concussed as an Irish voice. Not one of the harsh ones, but the soft ones.
Now, in 2012, he has done it again. A huge fire destroyed the seafront Best Western Hotel in Falmouth, Cornwall yesterday, and Graham Coxon narrowly got away, yet again. Staff and guests, including the Blur guitarist, was evacuated and no one was hurt.
On Coxon's official twitter page, he, who is performing at Princess Pavilion in the town, wrote: "We have rooms at the beach hotel and had to leave."
He later tweeted: "We watched it... We had to leave the foyer and then watch it get worse and worse... rather sad."
Watch the video clip, and listen to an appropriate Graham Coxon song below. Graham Coxon's luckily unscathed!
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
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BLUR NEWS:It's official -Blur
is not over!Furthermore,
Gorillaz will record another record in the future, even though the date is not
announced yet; Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn has repaired their relationship and amended differences and all seems bright and well.
The
Metrofeatured a plain,
no-nonsense interview with Damon Albarn, frontman of Blur and Gorillaz (amongst
other projects) and it seems very positive. The interview is printed with
little authorial intervention, and is in a question/answer format.
Albarn spoke out about Blur and Gorillaz's future, stating (quote
fromMetro)
:
Are Blur and Gorillaz both
finished?
No. That comes from an article which was
an interesting take on a very long conversation. I don’t know how we’ll feel
when we play Hyde Park. Some days I feel one way and other days I feel the
other. If you don’t see something as a career but as an important part of your
life, you don’t know how you’re going to feel about it. We want to put on a
great performance but nothing’s been said between us about the beginning or the
end.
What about Gorillaz?
When Jamie [Hewlett] and I have
worked out our differences, I’m sure we’ll make another record.
Will that be difficult?
I don’t think so. We’ve been through too
much together for it to be that big of a mountain to climb. We’ve just fallen
out like mates do sometimes. I’m not the only person to fall out with mates and
then make up again – everyone does it.
Are you looking forward to the
Hyde Park gig in August?
Very much so. I love playing with Blur –
it’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had. At the same time, though, I don’t
want to cock it all up by staying around too long and making a fool of myself.
At 44, there’s a little trepidation about jumping around on stage but I love
it.
Were you happy with your
performance at the Brits?
Yes. I went there to thank our manager,
Chris Morrison, and to have a laugh. I enjoyed myself. We take ourselves a lot
less seriously now in the context of things like awards.
What’s the worst gig you’ve done?
There have been a few but when things
did go wrong we immediately rectified them for the next night. One stage inSpainwasblownawayinastormbutweweren’tonit,thankfully.
What are you proudest of
achieving?
Pride isn’t something I indulge in. I think everything could have been better. I could
definitely improve on my interview technique.
Have you visited Alex James’s
cheese farm?
Yes I have. I’ve tasted his cheese. It’s
very good. What can I say? I’m not a
cheese expert but it tasted like cheese
to me.
What are people’s
misconceptions of you?
That everything that comes out of my
mouth is serious.
What’s been your most extravagant
purchase?
I’ve bought a lot of bicycles over the
years but mainly because they keep getting nicked. I don’t go too high-end,
just keep it basic. I usually buy them from a shop on Golborne Road [west
London] and they’ve seen a few of my bikes cycling down the road with someone
else on them. Every time they see it happen, they say: ‘Damon will be in again
to buy another one.’
His new interview with the Metro is quite a positive for Blur and
Gorillaz fans. It offers a bit more hope amidst the recent rumours that
Blur are splitting up again. These rumours were fuelled by myriad of comments
from Damon, Graham, Dave and Alex about the uncertain future of Blur and the
group’s “last’ gigs.
The Band, all together, with a fan
Plus, Gorillaz is not over...yet. Is Damon saying that there will
be a new Gorillaz album? Then he and Jamie Hewlett’s arguments are over? Or
will Damon continue to change his mind, in each separate interview he does? It
seems all positive here, yet again.
The thing is, Damon seems insecure in recent
interviews. He has to stop thinking Blur's all about jumping around and making
a racket on stage - it's about the music. Sure, stage antics are fun to watch,
and jumping around does show energy. But Damon, it's ok if you just sing, and
play "music for the ears".
Maybe it all depends on Damon’s mood – feeling low?
No more Blur. Feeling alright? Blur and Gorillaz are back. Or perhaps the “Blur’s
future” response “hat” that Graham talked about recently exists. Pick and
choose your answer.
Feeling moody, Damon ?
However, this interview definitely sparked new hope
in fans, who thought that the band’s over for good after Hyde Park 2012. It’s a
much more hopeful piece of evidence that Blur’s still going strong.
It just goes to show that, with Damon,
anything really, really could happen.
Download and listen to the full Damon Albarn / Stuart Maconie
interview byCLICKING HERE(credits to Gorillaz Unofficial).
Damon talks about Blur and Dr Dee.
Click HERE to read the full Metro interview, where Damon speaks more on Dr. Dee
Leave a comment below and vote in our poll - what do you think of Blur's return - is it truly "to the end", or will they remain musically "young and lovely" ?
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
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The London Olympics start in less than 100 days, and one of the key players in the event, Damon Albarn, has revealed that there will be a third London 2012 Olympic related project.
Damon Albarn has stated in a BBC 4 interview that his new project after the summer Hyde Park gigs will be called the "African Express Train". The ensemble of African musicians, along with Albarn and others, will "travel across the UK" and play music in places including Doncaster and Bradford. They will be playing "concerts in the evening" and be visiting schools.
African Express is Albarn's side projects, and its noted for it's diverse mix of Western and African talents. It's the epitome of Albarn's collaborative spirits, and love of African music which grew after the last Blur album Think Tank, in 2003.
So, it seems that Damon is getting on with Dr Dee and it's album release, playing with Blur this summer and then start touring with African Express - it seems 2012 will be, as usual, a varied year for Damon's many projects.
If the African Express Train tour is in place, it is likely that Blur, Albarn's first commercially successful band, may not be making any new material for a long time.
Where's the Blur train heading too? Has it already reached it's final destination, the Olympics 2012 ?
Listen to his interview HERE (from 9:00 - 13:00 mins)
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
Read all about Blur being BASHED AT THE BRITS (Adele!) HERE
Read all about Blur talking about their bleak future HERE
New "tear jerker" song HEREand check out their newest track Under the Westway HEREand read our REVIEW HERE.
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Damon Albarn performed and showcased his new opera Dr Dee at Onefest on April 14th 2012. The full length album of the opera, inspired by mathematician John Dee, will be available in stores on the 7th May 2012. For fans who didn't go, one can view some well-shot pictures of the festival HERE.
Credits to Derren Nugent, Safeconcerts
The album's sounds are different to any other Albarn projects in the past. Critics have described it as a folk-ish album with mixtures of The Good, The Bad and The Queen (Damon's previous take on more traditional English music) and the piano-ballad styles of Blur's new track Under The Westway.
Damon also gave an exclusive track by track commentary of his new release. He talks about each song and it follows with a little snippet of the individual track. You can listen to it on DIY's website (click here).
And finally, Damon Albarn will appear on the Stuart Maconie show TONIGHT (April 22nd 2012) at 8:00pm UK time, to speak about his eclectic musical contributions, Blur, and present an exclusive live on-air performance of his Dr Dee opera.
As quoted from the BBC4
page: First premiered at last year's Manchester International Festival, Dr Dee
tells the story of John Dee; mathematician, astronomer, occultist and advisor
to Elizabeth I. Recorded last year in Salford with the BBC Philharmonic
Orchestra, the opera sets Dee's story to a sonic backdrop of early English
period instrumentation, African beats, and Renaissance flourishes, described by
Albarn as "strange, pastoral folk".
Tonight, Stuart will
talk in depth to Damon about the opera, his recent production work with Bobby
Womack, his collaboration with Tony Allen and Flea from The Red Hot Chilli
Peppers - Rocket Juice & The Moon - and most importantly, the
future of Blur.
You can listen to the show at 8:00pm UK
Time by clicking HERE.
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
Read all about Blur being BASHED AT THE BRITS (Adele!) HERE
Read all about Blur talking about their bleak future HERE
New "tear jerker" song HEREand check out their newest track Under the Westway HEREand read our REVIEW HERE.
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If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!
BLUR NEWS: An exciting announcement on Blur's official Facebook page...
To celebrate 21 years since the release of Leisure... a new box set is to be released along with expanded remastered albums & a new vinyl box. There is a lot of info to take in with 21 discs of material (over 3 hours of unreleased material) included in box alone - so we've created a page which gives you more in depth info.....#blur21
Blur 21: The Box A deluxe 21 disc set, featuring
All seven newly expanded Special Editions
Four discs of rarities, exclusive to this set. Includes 3½ hours of previously unreleased material
Three DVDs including over 2 hours of previously unreleased footage. Includes two pivotal live shows and an exclusive disc of video rarities.
Collectable 7" single of the rare and previously unreleased live recording of the Seymour-era Blur song Superman.
Deluxe hard-bound book telling the story of Blur's 21 year career with extensive liner notes based on a brand new interviews with the band, illustrated with imagery of the era, including some previously unseen photos.
Blur 21: The Vinyl Box
All seven vinyl formats of the Blur albums are collected together for The Vinyl Box and housed in a sturdy hard case, presenting the definitive collection of Blur vinyl.
Special Edition boxes of all seven studio albums, each with bonus disc of material that includes previously unreleased extras, exclusive Blur artwork postcards, expanded booklets including previously unseen photographs and liner notes based on a brand new interview with the band.
The set is out on July 30th 2012. Pre-order your box set or vinyl set HERE!
Damon Albarn had an in depth interview for The Word magazine
this week. The interview offered many insights into Blur's future and Albarn's
relationship with the rest of the band. But it also gave more mixed messages
about Blur's future; the singer recently said to The Guardian that Blur's
"end" is approaching and that Hyde Park 2012 may be their last ever
gig.
Scroll down and click to open the scans of the interview. Credit goes to Gorillaz-Unofficial for the scans.
Thanks again to Gorillaz Unofficial for transcribing the Blur parts. Scroll down to read what Damon said about Blur, Adele, Alex's five kids, getting fatter, keeping off weight (!) and their 2012 comeback...
Here's my grand theory about Damon
Albarn. It's precisely because you are so in touch with that creative flow that
you can drop in and out of Blur in a way that Morrissey and Robert Plant or Ian
Brown or Paul Weller never can do with the bands that launched them. Your own
work is never threatened, never overshadowed.
That is it exactly and I know it's a very
unusual situation to be in. But that's completely accidental, I assure you. I
just love music and I love making it and I'm adventurous, so why should
anything else overshadow something I do? Of course I respect Blur enormously,
and that's why it's always good to go back to them. Writing that song was
important as it felt like I was contributing to a real band again. It's a chord
sequence I've had for years - it's such a standard chord sequence, I thought it
was too obvious to use. I wrote it, lightheartedly, as an idea for a national
anthem I was going to write for my house in Devon and that whole beautiful area
by the sea. The idea was to have one copy, one record I'd keep on a wind-up gramaphone,
and play it as I hoisted the flag. Obviously I never got round to it! I started
it as, "There was a bright sky in my city today..." It was when the
cold spell was coming, so it talks about snow and that beautiful moment when
the planes come in at sunset and they turn into comets. So it's about the
Westway too. The lyrics were written upstairs too. The men in yellow jackets
are in it. In the song they're putting adverts in my dreams (grimaces). That's
a scary though. People just walking into your dream and holding up a sign that
reads, "NIKE".
That day is coming soon.
I know and I always enjoyed it in Blur when we
had songs like The Universal, which seemed very strange and at odds with the
spirit of the times, but now they're these dystopian anthems.
Are the rest of Blur like distant family
members now?
There is definitely an element of that, but,
honestly, I still feel like I always did making music with Graham. We started
together and we still have that magic, and that's really nice. But we've also
had a decade of not talking to each other. Nothing just arrives. If you want to
stay in a band and do good stuff, it's a very hard road.
Your relationship with Graham goes back to
childhood - not many people get to share that kind of history.
I suppose not, but we don't dwell on it. I'm
just really glad that we got the band back together in 2008. That was the
healing that we needed. But Blur had to have a reason each time it comes to
life. It can't just because people have bills to pay.
You would refuse to take part under those
circumstances?
Absolutely. I have done. I could be an
incredibly wealthy man. I'm not a badly off man anyway, but I could be far
wealthier than I am if I'd agreed to all the things that we've been offered and
if I worked to those principles. But Blur has to be special; it has to have a
joy for me to make it work.
But that's tricky because you might be in a
better position than anyone else in Blur to pay your bills?
Well (very long pause) that's because I go to
work at ten o'clock and finish at five, five days a week. It's my job! We all
have our own situations. Alex has five children. That is extraordinary to me
(very long pause) but, of course, that's wonderful and I'm proud of him. Dave
is nearly a lawyer now; he has this amazing alter ego. Everyone works very hard
in Blur. But I also work with a lot of other people.
The three other members of Blur seem a bit
more damaged by the experience than you.
That's true. But I have made life a lot harder
for people in a lot of other ways. You can't compare experiences. I'm reluctant
to do that. The older you get, the more you realise that it's the same for
everyone. When we were at the Brits I was conscious of how there were all these
people who were about 25, then this massive gap until people like us. With
Coldplay in the middle. (pause) and that's their business.
That's where they're comfortable.
Well, exactly. When you first put a record out
and it does well, your sense of entitlement become incredible. The first thing
you ever did and everyone's into it! Naturally you then assume that everything
you do will become of interest to people!
And that's not quite the case, is it?
Ha! No, that's such an illusion, I liked the
way all these kids are all very excited about taking on the world.
Do you remember what it felt like to be in
a hot new band?
I do remember that feeling - it's wonderful
but it's an illusion. Being older and seeing it all in a very different light
was a lot of fun. Singing This Is A Low with Guy Garvey was magical and I loved
camping it up on the ramp. I really did! Once in a blue moon for that sort of
thing is lovely, but you must never forget it's all an illusion. That's why
ritual in your life is important. Ritual can feel different at different times
in your life, but that's why you maintain it, so that it does give you these
super-sensitive reflections of who you are and where you are.
......
Let's talk about your Brit Awards speech,
which certainly split opinion.
Well, that's why I agreed to do it in the
first place! Hand on heart, I did it so I could thank a lot of people
especially [his and Blur's manager] Chris Morrison, his contribution to our
lives. He's been an important player and a good operator and a great friend.
Poor old Adele though?
Yeah, but that's nothing to do with me. We
were standing there like lemons waiting for the curtain to come up. I'd have
been quite happy to wait another two minutes and let her finish her speech. I
didn't mind. None of us were bothered by that at all.
..........
How do you feel about closing the Olympics?
Blur have now been positioned as the single most emblematic English band. You
are representing your country!
Yes, yes, that's all true. But I don't think
about it too much. I don't think about it too much at all. All I know is I have
to be fighting weight and I have to be able to hit all the top notes. What's
really important is that there's enough spark left in the material to make for
some real drama and joy on the day itself. To make all that work I have to be
pretty fit these days.
Does that get harder?
No, not at all! It's great. It's just a
wonderful excuse to be strong. _________________
This particular interview seems much more friendlier and positive than the Guardian one (click to read). Blur's future may not be as bleak as it looks after all, unless of course Damon changes his mind again.
Additionally, Graham Coxon did an interview for the Manchester
Evening News on April 13th, and at the end he says of Blur "Now
the pressure is off and people are used to us being back it feels nice again'
and ' Blur are capable of a lot of really interesting stuff, so it's really
healthy, and we can do what we feel like doing, we're not forced to get on the
treadmill. It's a great situation".
Blur forumer Jonathans offers an interesting theory - "Can we allow for the possibility that Damon is
actually doing something quite sensible; taking the classic denial route which
means that eventually people stop asking about a blur comeback and leave the
band to get on with it quietly, or at least decide in their own time what they
want to do next. Personally, I think it makes sense to stonewall the topic and
let things happen, if they happen, when they happen."
Makes sense, we think.
Read Damon's full Guardian interview deeming the end of Blur HERE
Read all about Blur being BASHED AT THE BRITS (Adele!) HERE
Read all about Blur talking about their bleak future HERE
New "tear jerker" song HEREand check out their newest track Under the Westway HEREand read our REVIEW HERE.
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!
