Band: Blur

[Josef K]

I watched a bit of their set from Glastonbury on Saturday night. Whilst some of the songs still sound like 'knees up mother brown' some of the others sounded great. Coxon's guitar playing was really great, the big advantage of him being back in a band is that we don't have to listen to his speaking or singing voice. Alex James didn't seem like the tool I used to think he was, either.

For that show alone. NC

Crap for everything that came before.

[John George Peppers]

I watched a bit of their set from Glastonbury on Saturday night.

I would have killed to fly across the Atlantic to watch that set.

[Josef K]

I watched a bit of their set from Glastonbury on Saturday night.

I would have killed to fly across the Atlantic to watch that set.

I should clarify. I watched it on the telly. I wasn't actually at Glastonbury.

[givemenoughrope]

I don't like Blur or Damon Albarn's half of the Ravenous soundtrack or 99% of Gorillaz but I do like that Spacemonkeys remix of the first Gorillaz. It's pretty cool.

I would like to see Wire play before I die.

[ianscanlon]

I've seen Wire twice and Blur once (years ago when they were touring playing all their singles in order). Wire were better. Blur were pretty dull at that show, especially after they played the universal. That self titled album was crap, and i didn't bother listening to anything after that as the singles they released were so terrible.

[B_M_L]

I don't really like Blur - but I like Coxon's guitar playing, he was in pretty good form at Glastonbury (I watched on TV). I like the solo albums he's done way more than anything Blur.

[sparky]

I watched a bit of their set from Glastonbury on Saturday night. Whilst some of the songs still sound like 'knees up mother brown' some of the others sounded great. Coxon's guitar playing was really great, the big advantage of him being back in a band is that we don't have to listen to his speaking or singing voice. Alex James didn't seem like the tool I used to think he was, either.

I was going to write about accidently catching some of this set on tv as well. You have effectively summed up what I thought. From that performance, sometimes intrusive samples/synth/DAT sounds notwithstanding, they looked like a cool, tight little rock band projecting out some joy at being just that. The bit I saw did not have any bullshit, which surprised me. (Though I wish "Tracy Jacks" was played with a little less grind.)

[B_M_L]

They seriously ripped through Parklife - I was amazed that Phil Daniels could keep up.

[John George Peppers]

They seriously ripped through Parklife - I was amazed that Phil Daniels could keep up.

(Though I wish "Tracy Jacks" was played with a little less grind.)

exactly! They are tearing through these old songs, playing them faster and harder than ever before. I think they sound great.

Advert into Song 2

[John George Peppers]

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8168723.stm

[kazoozak]

Man, fuck that noise.

I'm studying abroad in Glasgow in the Fall, I would have loved to see Blur live. My first Britpop love.

[Isabelle Gall]

For those interested, the 2010 No Distance Left To Run documentary in full.

Don't ask me how I know of this. I've been thinking about the 90's recently for various reasons and will attempt to collect my thoughts later, perhaps elsewhere.

[Dudley]

For those interested, the 2010 No Distance Left To Run documentary in full.

Don't ask me how I know of this. I've been thinking about the 90's recently for various reasons and will attempt to collect my thoughts later, perhaps elsewhere.

I got to the bit where Albarn starts talking about his move from Leytonstone to Essex, and was brutally reminded that while I like some of the music he's made, he always seems an utter pillock. Few other people seem to posture so much in interviews, on stage and in songs as him. He's Britpop's Bono.

Blur's music. The sad stuff I like. The Cockney social commentary stuff always seems stupid and superior - they've taken stuff from the Kinks and Madness and missed the heart and genuine(-seeming) feeling that those bands have for what they're singing about.

[Heeby Jeeby]

He's Britpop's Bono.

This is a perfect description.

[alex maiolo]

I still love them.

I forgive what appears to be Albarn's pretentiousness because the guy is truly talented. Often times talent and confidence are confused with pretense.
Blur were great, Gorillaz aren't always my thing, but he's doing something interesting and people love it, I absolutely loved The Good The Bad and the Queen. It says a lot that he can always hit gold with his projects, and that he's constantly playing with talented people, who all seem to like and/or respect him.

Ginger really is a great drummer. He was such the right guy for that job.

I like Alex James. I like that he's embraced being a fop, and became a gentleman farmer, living a good life. I like the Aga ad. "I used to be a hell raising dandy, now I'm relaxing a bit in this here kitchen with this nice stove." Considering how successful the band has been the fact that he semi-retired to his cheese/charcuterie farm, and has embraced the local food movement seems like a cool thing to do. I always thought the best part about being rich would be having the time and ability to work on projects at your leisure, not trying to stay relevant, unless you want that and have something to offer (Damon). I wouldn't want money as access to power and fame, I'd want it so I could do interesting things and develop, which is what Alex seems to have done with his. This is different from criticizing David Balfe "for his very big house in the country" which is his way of showing his power and success. Alex is just living the good life, it seems.

Graham Coxon is one of the most clever guitarists ever. I love the way he plays. His solo stuff is fine, but his strength is adding angles to other people's songs, I think.

So there you have it, post-Blur:
Singer: Electronic/Hip Hop/World/Art rock fusionist
Drummer: Dropped out of music to learn about flying
Bassist: Gentleman farmer, living the good life and occasionally writing about food
Guitarist: Still a little grotty and playing in the trenches.
-North, South, East, West
It's a wonder these guys even have anything to say to each other anymore, but it also indicates how many different inputs the band had, and explains direction changes, non-sequitors, and odd ideas that came to fruition.
I also think it's funny that the two guys who once had the strained relationship are still the most active in music, and have careers on very different trajectories.

I like Blur. Liked them then, like them now. The crap stuff is forgivable because they tried it, even though their label pushed back hard, and the band got their way.

-A

[enframed]

Good band that made many good records. Not crap.

[tallchris]

"Coffee and TV" is a great, great song.

I've never been that blown away by anything else they've written, but I don't hate 'em. I'll give them a not crap just for writing one song I love.

[alex maiolo]

"Coffee and TV" is a great, great song.

I've never been that blown away by anything else they've written, but I don't hate 'em. I'll give them a not crap just for writing one song I love.

I think it shows that Graham can write a truly excellent song in the context of a band.
I'm not that much of a videos guy but the video for this song is fantastic.

-A

[Isabelle Gall]

For the uninitiated/bored/curious, Live Forever: The Rise and Fall of Brit Pop. Albarn is visibly rattled in places and takes to a ukulele for comfort. Some unutterably vile wankers make appearances and you will probably want to kick your laptop in half but it's also surprisingly amusing in spots.

I am baffled and possibly even offended by Blur's decision to celebrate the Olympics by playing Hyde Park as part of the closing ceremony. In a recent interview Albarn was bemoaning town planning in West London through a song full of references to "men in yellow hats" and a world "where the money always comes first." Go figure. I've never had any real problem with him however and (despite having zero interest in Gorillaz for one) can't help thinking good for him for doing whatever he wants to do and obviously taking real pleasure in creating lots of music. He is also okay in my book for co-founding Honest Jon's record label and I'd quite like the 10" that came out recently with him, Tony Allen and...Flea, with Erykah Badu on one side and a Mark Ernestus dub on the other.

As my response to Brit Pop at the time was to start collecting the FMP and Incus back catalogues and listen to radio shortwave and static while gently rocking back and forth my only exposure to Blur then was what was impossible to avoid. I heard Tracy Jacks recently by chance however and thought it was both alright and something which I would have enjoyed at the time as a huge fan of The Kinks and XTC. I did hear 13 all the way though when it came out and thought it was pretty good, there's a lot in that album which I think many would find surprising and a loose, open-ended production by (checks Wikipedia) William Orbit (?!) You'll just have to take my word for it. I did also always consider Graham Coxon to be a very good and clever guitar player and that I'd check out whatever he'd go on to do, which I've then never done.

[numberthirty]

I did also always consider Graham Coxon to be a very good and clever guitar player and I'd check out whatever he'd go on to do, which I've then never done.

Bad call.