Blur: Last News

Blur have shared a new clip from their upcoming documentary, To The End – watch it below.On July 5, two weeks ahead of To The End‘s cinematic release in the UK and Ireland, the band shared a new clip that chronicles the minutes before Damon Albarn and co. took to the stage at Wembley last year.In the clip, we see throngs of fans at the sold-out Wembley Arena, as Albarn, Alex James, Dave Rowntree and Graham Coxon huddle together before heading out on stage, sharing a laugh.Albarn narrates: “I don’t allow it to get to me ’cause I accept if my voice can’t sing all those songs then that’s just the way it is.

Danny Dyer has spoken about his recent collaboration with Robbie Williams on stage at BST Hyde Park for a version of Blur’s ‘Parklife’.The unlikely pairing came together midway through Williams’ set on Saturday (July 6), with Dyer singing the cockney spoken-words parts of the 1994 song, first made famous by actor Phil Daniels.Speaking about the collaboration, Dyer told Radio X that he was approached by Williams during a recent Soccer Aid event.“I was like, what? Are you sure about this?'” said Dyer. “And he went, ‘I’ve never been more sure of anything,’ So I said yes, and then I thought, ‘Oh now I’ve got to do it.’“So, you know. I love the tune.

Danny Dyer joined Robbie Williams on stage at BST Hyde Park yesterday (July 6) for a version of Blur’s ‘Parklife’ – watch the footage below.The unlikely pairing came together midway through Williams’ set at the British Summer Time show on Saturday, the lone UK festival appearance for the ‘Rock DJ’ singer in 2024.“It’s the double act you didn’t know you needed in your life!” exclaimed Williams as the song began.Dyer took up the cockney spoken-words parts of the 1994 song, first made famous by Phil Daniels, with Robbie taking the place of Damon Albarn and the pair being backed by the Coldstream Guards.

UK general election yesterday (July 4), Blur drummer Dave Rowntree was unsuccessful in his bid to become MP for his Mid Sussex constituency.Rowntree was beaten to a seat by Alison Bennett, the candidate for the Liberal Democrats.When he announced he’d been selected as Labour candidate last March, he said: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to become Labour’s first Mid Sussex MP. Residents have their best chance in a generation to make their vote count and return a Labour MP to parliament.”If you want to get rid of the @Conservatives in Mid Sussex, vote @UKLabour #Win24 pic.twitter.com/ZGcXM1bhRd— Dave Rowntree (@DaveRowntree) June 29, 2024Sir Keir Starmer has now fulfilled that aim, with Labour sweeping hundreds of seats across the country and ending 14 years of Conservative rule.The FAC, for whom Rowntree is an Artist in Residence, have extended their commiserations to the X drummer, but have said they look forward to working with “a new influx of MPs” following the Labour win.At the end of year FAC AGM in 2023, which NME supported, Rowntree highlighted the financial difficulties musicians were facing because of streaming.“Our Blur album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ on week one in the UK sold just over 44,000 units – including 22,000 vinyl albums, 13,000 CDs, 3,000 cassettes and 2,000 sales-equivalent streams,” he said.“In fact, the album had tens of millions of streams on Spotify alone but the cassette sales had a bigger impact on our chart position.

Bombay Bicycle Club on stage at Glastonbury on Friday (28 June), Blur frontman Damon Albarn addressed the crowd about Palestine and “the importance of voting” in the United Kingdom’s general election next week.The indie band brought out Albarn for their evening set at the Other stage to perform ‘Heaven’, a cut from their latest album ‘My Big Day’ on which Albarn features.After thanking Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman, Albarn took a moment to address “three things” with the crowd, asking them to show him how they felt about Palestine. “Are you pro-Palestine?” he asked, to cheers.

Bombay Bicycle Club have brought out Damon Albarn during their Glastonbury 2024 set as a surprise guest.The Blur frontman came out during the band’s performance of ‘Heaven’. “This next song is from the new record and I feel like it sums up this whole weekend very nicely,” Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman told the crowd before jumping into the song.“Glastonbury, give it up for Mr.

Bombay Bicycle Club are rumoured to bring out a special guest for their Glastonbury set today (June 28) – and there’s good chance it might be someone from Blur.The band are due to take on the Other Stage today, and there’s been speculation they might have some surprises up their sleeves.NME heard the rumour in the media area that the band would be joined by someone from an act that has headlined multiple times.Fuel was further added to the flames when Radio X‘s Sunta Templeton asked the band whether any guests would make a special appearance for their performance. Guitarist Jamie McColl reportedly replied: “There is, but we can’t say who I’m afraid!”, further confirming the guest would be someone from their most recent album ‘My Big Day‘.The only collaborator from the album who has headlined Glasto multiple times would be frontman Damon Albarn, who last performed at the festival with Blur in 2009.

Blur have paid tribute to their former collaborator Françoise Hardy, who has died at the age of 80.The French singer-songwriter, actor and model’s death was confirmed by her son Thomas Dutronc on Tuesday (June 11).A cause of death has yet to be disclosed. However, Hardy shared in 2021 that she had been diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2018 following a lymphoma diagnosis in 2004, and said she felt “close to the end” of her life.Hardy worked with Blur in 1995 on a reworked version of the band’s single ‘To The End’ – the original of which appeared on their third studio album, 1994’s ‘Parklife’.The team-up ultimately became a duet, ‘To the End (La Comedie)’, and it was subsequently serviced as a single in France.

Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed to NME what he has been listening to on Spotify recently, including an eclectic range of new and old music.The BAFTA-winning star of Doctor Strange and Sherlock is also known as a music lover, and in a new interview with NME’s Alex Flood, he has shared his most recently played tracks.Cumberbatch named Elbow’s new album ‘Audio Vertigo’ as a current favourite. “Guy is a friend and I love him to bits,” he said.

Blur have announced their new ‘Live at Wembley Stadium’ album, which will accompany their brand-new documentary and concert film – find all details below.The band took to social media to share the news, posting a teaser trailer of their huge Wembley gigs that took place last July. While there, Blur played to over 150,000 fans across two nights at the stadium.

Blur are set to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award at the annual charity gala ceremony this year.Per Music News, the Britpop legends will be honoured on July 5 with the event’s biggest prize, alongside the other newly-announced prize winners of the night in AC/DC, Chaka Khan, Loyle Carner, Mark Knopfler, Young Fathers and Jacob Collier.With this award, Blur joins a league of past awardees that includes David Bowie, Oasis, Paul McCartney and Kylie Minogue.“Making music with my brothers in Blur has been one of the great gifts of my life,” said bassist Alex James in a statement.“We are absolutely chuffed to receive the O2 Silver Clef Award and help raise awareness for [music therapy charity] Nordoff and Robbins, a brilliant organisation.” Last year’s recipient of the O2 Silver Clef was Stormzy.In a statement, AC/DC expressed that they’re “over the moon” to receive the Amazon Music Legend Award for their lengthy run as a recording artist and live touring act.“As a band, we’ve been dishing out our own brand of music therapy for the past five decades,” said vocalist Brian Johnson, “so to hear all about how Nordoff and Robbins helps the young and the old with the power of music is something that we understand and salute.

Blur’s Alex James has revealed that he is underway with trying to create a giant Frazzle in time for The Big Feastival 2024.The bassist for the iconic Britpop group – who has also turned his sights to the food and beverage industry – confirmed that he was looking to make a huge, culinary version of the vintage British crisp during a new interview.Speaking on the Chris Moyles Radio Show yesterday morning (May 29), the musician looked at the upcoming 2024 instalment of his very own festival, The Big Feastival, and discussed his plans for this year’s edition.According to James, he has been looking at the issue of disposable plates at live events, and has been attempting to develop a massive version of a Frazzle that, one day, may work as an alternative.He explained that the idea has been in the works since last year, and he even spoke about it with his Blur bandmates before they embarked on their reunion tour dates.“There was a point where we first met to discuss touring again last year, and Damon [Albarn, frontman] was like, ‘So what you doing then Graham [Coxon]?’ And Graham’s doing a film score with Jess Butterworth. ‘What you doing Dave [Rowntree]?’ Dave’s doing a film score for Disney…“Then he said, ‘What are you doing Alex?’ I was like, ‘I’m actually trying to make a really big Frazzle’,” he explained.

Blur have announced details of their new feature-length documentary To The End, which will follow their recent comeback and the release of their first album in eight years.The Britpop icons first shared a teaser about the upcoming project back in February, when they announced that a feature-length documentary was on the way, and set to recall the making of their latest album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’.Now, frontman Damon Albarn and co. have shared the title of the film, and confirmed that it will be arriving in cinemas across the country later this summer.Called Blur: To The End, the new documentary will be shown in cinemas across the UK and Ireland from July 19 and, according to a press release, will “follow the unique relationship of four friends – and bandmates of three decades – Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree as they came together in early 2023 to record new songs ahead of their sold-out, first-ever shows at London’s Wembley Stadium in July last summer.”The Wembley shows refer to when the band played two massive back-to-back headline shows at the venue last summer.

Damon Albarn said “this is probably our last gig” during Blur’s set at Weekend 2 of Coachella 2024 last night (April 20).The legendary Britpop band – comprised of Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree – took to the annual music and arts festival’s main stage for the second consecutive Saturday night (April 20).And as they prepared to launch into ‘Tender’, the last song of the night, Albarn confided to the crowd: “In the spirit of clarity and truth, this is probably our last gig”.“In the spirit of clarity, and truth, this is probably our last gig” – Damon Albarn introducing the last song of the Blur set at Coachella, Weekend 2 pic.twitter.com/52Fy56y702— Damon Albarn Unofficial (@DamonUnofficial) April 21, 2024It comes after Albarn stated in December that the band would be going on a hiatus until further notice, saying “it’s too much for me”.“It is time to wrap up this campaign,” he said. “It’s too much for me.

Blur frontman Damon Albarn has revealed that he didn’t want to perform during the band’s second Wembley show last year.In November 2022, Blur announced a reunion gig at Wembley Stadium for July 8, 2023. Due to overwhelming demand, the reunion gig turned into a two-parter, with a second show announced shortly after.That second show – which took place on July 9 – went on to become their “best ever” gig, according to Albarn himself. However, the July 9 show was on the verge of being cancelled by Albarn, who didn’t want to perform.Albarn revealed the near-cancellation during an interview with KROQ during Coachella‘s opening weekend, sharing: “I never thought I’d love Wembley.

Blur‘s Damon Albarn has opened up about the audience and attendees at Coachella, saying that “they’re sort of on their own planet”.The legendary Britpop band – comprised of Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree – took to the annual music and arts festival’s main stage on Saturday night (April 13).In an interview with KROQ before their set, Albarn said: “I don’t know, it’s a weird one Coachella when it comes to audience you know. It’s hard to know sometimes because they’re quite sort of on their own planet really,” after being asked if he was surprised by how excited and crazy the fan reaction was to the band playing the festival.Elsewhere in the chat, Albarn and James explained how they came to play Coachella this year.

Blur’s Damon Albarn aired his frustration live on stage while performing to an unenthusiastic Coachella crowd this weekend.The Britpop legend performed with his band at the California music festival on Saturday (April 13), in between sets from Sublime and No Doubt, before Tyler, The Creator headlined that evening.Blur delivered a career-spanning set on the Coachella main stage, including fan favourites like ‘Song 2’ and ‘Popscene’.However, Albarn was visibly irritated when attempting to perform a call and response with the US crowd during ‘Girls & Boys’.“You can do it better than that,” he told attendees at one point, which was met by a quiet crowd. When he still didn’t get the desired response, the frontman said: “You’re never seeing us again, so you might as well fucking sing it.

Liam Gallagher’s favourite Blur song is, you won’t have to wait any long – see what Liam Gallagher considers to be his top Blur track below.During Blur’s pre-Coachella warm-up gig at the Fox Theater Pomona in California on April 10, frontman Damon Albarn spoke of several instances of Americans trying to claim songwriting credits for their hit track ‘Song 2’.Albarn said onstage: “Because of the nature of American law, if someone gets a lawyer… they can come quite a long way with absolutely no grounds. Someone else this year – not only is it that person who’s convinced they’d written it, but there was another person who was convinced.

Blur broke out a number of classic tracks at their Coachella warm-up gig last night (April 10). Check out footage and the complete setlist below.The intimate live show took place at the Fox Theater in Pomona, California, yesterday evening, and came ahead of the huge set that the Britpop icons are set to break out at Coachella later this weekend (Saturday, April 13).They first announced details of the set on social media back in February, when they shared an image of a flyer, and confirmed that support on the night would be from Mercury Prize-nominated duo Jockstrap.On the night, Damon Albarn and co.

Militarie Gun put their own spin on Blur‘s hit ‘Song 2’ during a festival appearance over the weekend – check it out below.The Californian quartet performed the iconic Britpop track during a set at Louisville hardcore festival LDB. Given the group’s ’90s alternative rock influences, it sounds like it sat with the rest of their songs quite cohesively.Fan-filmed footage of the cover shows the crowd responding rather enthusiastically to it, with frontman Ian Shelton being surrounded by gig-goers preparing to stage dive.According to Setlist.fm, Militarie Gun have been playing ‘Song 2’ in their setlist for quite a few of their recent shows, with the potential that it might be a long-term part of their set.Check it out below:.@militariegun covering Song 2 by Blur goes so incredibly hard omfg pic.twitter.com/bh4sbRLznF— kero’s corner (@_ouijabored) March 22, 2024In January, the Californian band released a new EP, called ‘Life Under The Sun’, featuring re-worked tracks from the band’s 2023 debut album ‘Life Under The Gun’, for which they linked up with a series of collaborators.Manchester Orchestra came on board ‘My Friends Are Having A Hard Time’, while they also collaborate with Bully (on ‘Never Fucked Up Twice’) and Mannequin Pussy (‘Will Logic’).

Blur drummer Dave Rowntree will stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election.Announced on Wednesday, Rowntree will stand in Mid Sussex. The constituency includes Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and the Mid Sussex villages.In a statement, per The Guardian, Rowntree said of his candidacy: “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to become Labour’s first Mid Sussex MP. Residents have their best chance in a generation to make their vote count and return a Labour MP to parliament.”He continued: “The Tories have run out of ideas, and the Lib Dems have run out of steam.