Oh my. After “Fool’s Day”, recorded for Record Store Day 2010, this could have been amazing – especially in light of last year’s revelation that they have material, even if there are no plans for an album. Blur: the band that only records because things are fucked up:
Blur have shelved a new single, recorded this summer with poet Michael Horovitz. The unnamed spoken-word track, intended as part of a campaign to save the Notting Hill carnival, was set aside after officials agreed that the 2011 event could go ahead.
“[The track] was relevant for about 12 hours,” Damon Albarn explained to the NME. Following the riots in London in August, there were briefly fears that this year’s carnival would be called off; it eventually went ahead, with police doubling their presence in the streets. “[The song] had its moment,” Albarn said. “It was a perfect plea to reinstate the carnival … If they’d have cancelled the carnival – and thank God they didn’t – maybe we’d have put it out.”
While I’m very happy the Notting Hill Carnival didn’t get cancelled, oh! What might have been! I’m sure it would have been glorious.
Maybe we could confect some things to see if we can get a song out of Blur? In fact, I almost demand it!
Allegedly Blur are also thinking of touring the US next year, which would undoubtedly be neat, though Albarn seems to be plenty busy with his manifold sideprojects. Is Dave still a politician?
MP3: Blur, “Fools Day”
NME: Damon Albarn: ‘Blur have been meeting up regularly and recording again’
The Guardian: Damon Albarn reveals Blur recorded single to save Notting Hill carnival
Drew Athans’ Black Book is the sort of thing that no serious Blur fan and bootleg collector should be without. In what has clearly been a serious labour of love, Athans has gone about collecting every bootleg he can find, and as well as making them available via his excellent The Blur Live Audio Archive, he’s written and self published this in-depth history of Blur’s live performances, taking in everything from early appearances by the early incarnation of the band as Seymour to the comeback gigs played last year. The resulting volume is frequently insightful into Blur’s development, and is never less than fascinating.
(Read the article)
As a teenager, without fail on a Sunday night I would be sitting beside my cassette recorder listening to Radio 1’s regular In Concert series. And, most likely, if it was a band I liked, then I’d be taping it (for archival purposes only, of course). One of my very favourite gigs was Blur’s 1999 performance of songs from their album 13.
(Read the article)
NME.com is reporting that Blur has got a few more songs in them, following the success of the ‘Fool’s Day’ single:
Though stressing he is still very busy with Gorillaz, who have just announced a UK arena tour, Albarn explained that the four-piece would reconvene occasionally to record again.
“I’m definitely going to do a few more of those seven-inches,” he explained. “I love the no pressure aspect.”
With plans to work on another opera with Jamie Hewlett and Alan Moore, plus more Gorillaz releases, Albarn was keen to stress that fans may have to wait for more Blur songs, but they would come eventually.
“We can’t do it all the time,” he stressed. “So I don’t want anyone to think there’s an album coming soon, it’s not possible, but we’ve got songs!”
There’s more in the current issue of NME!
And if this is true, I am going to be a VERY happy camper.
(Although an album? YES PLEASE!).
MP3: Blur – Fool’s Day
Watch a short teaser from No Distance Left To Run in the feature below.
MP3: Blur – Girls & Boys (Frap Frap Frap Mix)
Be certain to catch him at:
11th November Manchester, Royal Academy Of Music
12th November Edinburgh, Queens Hall
28th November London, Barbican Hall
The Spinning Top is out now.
MP3: Blur – To The End
Enjoy ‘Rock The Casbah’ (which features a slew of other guests) below.
MP3: Patrick Wolf – Hard Times (James Yuill Mix)
Enjoy yesterday’s tremendous duet below. Blur’s reunion is officially over.
MP3: Blur – Song 2
