Damon Albarn Is Best Friends with Noel Gallagher

There's something endearing about seeing Noel Gallagher and Damon Albarn on stage together. Not only that, but it appears that Damon Albarn has been publicly affectionate about Noel Gallagher, his one-time biggest enemy during the Britpop era.

In an interview by the Rolling Stone, he praised Noel Gallagher for being "funny" and cool.

So how did you get guitarist Noel Gallagher, your Britpop archnemesis in Oasis, to play on "We Got the Power"?
At one point, that track was Noel, me and [Blur's] Graham Coxon. It was the ultimate self-congratulatory Britpop moment. It was the victory lap, these geezers singing about all the power they had [laughs]. I went back and opted to doing it like you play something at the end of a film, as the credits roll. Jehnny Beth was necessary. The testosterone levels were off the fucking scale.

At one point, Damon would have looked at Noel like this

How is it that you and Noel can get along so well now, after Oasis' vicious sniping at Blur in the Nineties?
Noel is not stupid. I love him for that. There was a point when they were set against us. And he had the advantage. He was from the working-class band. He was playing up to that and using it very successfully. I found it difficult to counter. What do you say? It's like when you get called "liberal elite" by right-wingers. The best I can say is "Call me liberal, but don't call me elite."

How easy is it to work with him now? You were both alpha males in your respective bands.
He's really musical. He's got a great tone to his voice. I love his guitar playing. And he's funny as shit. He's fucking brilliant company.

Good on you Damon!

Damon Albarn Hints At New Blur Album - 2017

Damon Albarn, the Blur frontman and recently re-launched Gorillaz singer, has hinted that he might release a new Blur album in the future. When asked about whether there will be a new Blur album, Damon was not his usual mysterious self. He told the press he “never said I’d never make another record” with the band. 

Damon Albarn is set to release a new album with Gorillaz called ‘Humanz’ this Friday (April 28th 2017) and has said that he will then work on a new record with The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Blur lasted released their latest surprise album ‘The Magic Whip’ in 2015.

Asked by Rolling Stone where his focus on other projects leaves the Britpop band, Albarn said: “We’re all really good friends. And I feel like I’ve given many of my best years to Blur, so I don’t feel guilty in that sense. I’ve never said I’d never make another record. It’s all the same thing at the end of the day. It’s the nuances that make it different. It’s just more music, to add to the mountain of music there already is.”

Damon Albarn also spoke about Blur’s 2015 gig at Madison Square Garden in New York, saying: “We’d never done the Garden, and I felt bad that I’d done it before with Gorillaz [in 2010]. That was not fair. But in a way, Blur always felt that we terribly underachieved in America. It was hard to understand how bands like Radiohead and Coldplay are so successful here, and we weren’t. Thankfully, I have Gorillaz. Otherwise, I might be a terribly bitter, aging Britpop-er.”

Bitter as he is, he definitely made fans' day by hinting that there might, possibly be a new Blur album coming. Stay tuned for more!

Trump References Cut Out of Humanz- Damon Albarn 2017

Damon Albarn has revealed that he “edited out” any specific references to US President Donald Trump because he didn’t “want to give the most famous man on Earth any more fame.”

Humanz, the fifth album from the virtual band, is due out on 28 April and features guest artists including Popcaan, Kelela, Vince Staples and Danny Brown.

Speaking to Billboard, Albarn revealed that Trump’s ascension was “one of the sources of energy that we meditated on” for Humanz, “when it was like, ‘Ahh, that’s ridiculous, that could never happen’.” 

“There’s no references to [Trump] on the record – in fact, any time when anyone made any reference, I edited it out,” he said.

“I don’t want to give the most famous man on earth any more fame, particularly. He doesn’t need it!”

In the Billboard interview Albarn also explained how some of the collaborators he picked for the new Gorillaz album have his teenage daughter to thank.

His 17-year-old daughter, Missy is apparently a huge fan of Staples and Brown, and “some of the decisions for this record were fuelled by wanting to impress her still”.

Gorillaz are currently letting fans listen to their album in full via their app, at various locations around the world.

On 10 June, the band will host their own festival, Demon Dayz – named after their second record – which will take place in Margate’s very own Dreamland amusement park.

So far, only Gorillaz are on the line-up but expect additions in the near future. Tickets start at £60.00, with Priority Entry available for £70.00. 

Relive One of Blur's Greatest Gigs - Hyde Park 2012

For those of you who are feeling a little bit of Blur nostalgia, here's the full run of Blur's epic, and must we say, extremely passionate gig from Hyde Park 2012. Remember to watch in full screen at 480p!

1. Girls & Boys 00:00

2. London Loves 5:11

3. Tracy Jacks 8:43

4. Jubilee 13:10

5. Beetlebum 15:53

6. Coffee & TV 21:49 

7. Out of Time(with Khyam Allami) 27:24

8. Young & Lovely 32:15

9. Trimm Trabb 36:38

10. Caramel 42:07 

11. Sunday Sunday 47:19

12. Country House 50:47 

13. Parklife (with Phil Daniels) (& Harry Enfield) 55:20

14. Colin Zeal("Bugman" and "Oily Water) 59:12

15. Popscene 1:02:22

16. Advert 1:06:11

17. Song 2 1:10:41

18. No Distance Left to Run 1:13:34

19. Tender 1:17:29

20. This Is a Low 1:26:38 

Encore:

21. Sing 1:31:52

22. Under the Westway 1:38:14

23. Intermission 1:42:12

24. End of a Century 1:44:16

25. For Tomorrow 1:48:00 

26. The Universal 1:54:42

Brett Anderson Moans About Damon Albarn in New Memoir

It's expected in spring 2018 Suede frontman Brett Anderson has signed a deal to publish his memoir. The Britpop singer has sold his autobiography to publishers Little, Brown – who have described the writing as “as sharp as [Anderson’s] cheekbones”.

The Guardian reports that the book will be called Cold Black Mornings, while differing reports suggest that the title is in fact Coal Black Mornings. NME has asked Suede’s PR for clarification on the actual title.

Either way, the title is said to refer to the death of Anderson’s mother as well as the loss of his lover, Elastica‘s Justine Frischmann, to Britpop rival Damon Albarn.

The book is set to look at Anderson’s upbringing, his “eccentric father” and the “choked Britain” of the early 1990s. It’s expected in spring 2018. “This is a memoir which is so very good we would have wanted to publish it, whoever the author,” says publisher Richard Beswick. “The fact that it is by the founder of an internationally successful band of course adds to the attraction.

But fundamentally it is a classic memoir, which can stand alongside books like This Boy’s Life and Alan Johnson’s memoirs, as well as music books such as those by Mark Oliver Everett and Tracey Thorn.”

New Gorillaz Song- Let Me Out - Out Now!

There's a brilliant new song released by Gorillaz today! It's probably the best single out so far, because it sounds like something from their 2nd album (which is arguably their best one). We spot an anti-Donald Trump-theme here.



Lyrics- Let Me Out

[Verse 1: Pusha T]

Mama Mavis, oh

Mama, they tried my patience

Obama is gone, who is left to save us?

So together we mourn, I'm praying for my neighbors

They say the devil's at work and Trump is calling favors

You say I'm dangerous, I speak for the nameless

I fly with the vultures, I be with them bangers

If change don't come, then the change won't come

If the bands make 'em dance, then the rain gon' come

(Woo!)

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?) Look into your eyes

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark, let me out)

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change come to pass

Change come to pass

You'd best be ready for it

[Chorus: 2-D]

Something I've begun to fear is about to change its form

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a shift in time

But I won't get tired at all

[Refrain: 2-D]

Let me out, let me out

Let me out, let me out

[Verse 2: Pusha T]

Look into my eyes, mama, tell me what you see

Tell me there's a chance for me to make it off the streets

Tell me that I won't die at the hands of the police

Promise me I won't outlive my nephew and my niece

Promise me my pastor isn't lyin' as he preach

Tell me that they'll listen if it's lessons that I teach

Tell me there's a heaven in the sky where there is peace

But until then, I keep my piece in arm's reach

(Yeah!)

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?)

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark) Another night

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change coming

You'd best be ready for it

[Chorus: 2-D]

Something I've begun to fear is about to change its form

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a shift in times

But I won't get tired at all

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?)

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark) Another night

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change is coming

You'd best be ready

[Outro: Mavis Staples]

Be ready, ready for it

Be ready, be ready

Oooh, oooh oooh

(Let me out)

Damon Albarn on the Inspiration behind Humanz

Excellent interview about the idea behind Gorillaz's Humanz- to be released in April 2017!

Listen to the New Gorillaz Album Humanz Here!

4 new tracks have premiered yesterday by Gorillaz on BBC Radio in England. Listen to them below!

Gorillaz Album Humanz out April 28th 2017!

Damon Albarn is set to go on BBC Radio 1 later today to debut at least two new Gorillaz songs. Earlier today, as Pitchfork points out, four new Gorillaz popped up on TIDAL (they weren’t available to actually stream), though they’ve since been removed.

They are: “Ascension” (featuring Vince Staples), “We Got The Power” (featuring Savages’ Jehnny Beth), “Saturnz Barnz” (featuring Popcaan), and “Andromeda” (featuring D.R.A.M.). Those titles match up with the rumored tracklist that was leaked earlier this week.

So we’ll be getting new Gorillaz music today, that’s for sure — just no telling how much! Albarn will appear on BBC Radio 1 at 3:30PM EST.

UPDATE: Gorillaz have updated their Instagram account with an announcement of the album’s title and release date: It’s called Humanz and will be out on 4/28. More details presumably to come!