Posts Tagged ‘Blur’

The “Parklife” Stamp: Even Better Than Sealing Your Letter With A Kiss

3:00 PM on Thu Oct 15 2009 by Maura

Next year, the UK will issue a series of stamps dedicated to the art of the British album cover. The Stones’ Let It Bleed, New Order’s Power, Corruption, and Lies, Primal Scream’s Screamadelica, and Blur’s Parklife will all be honored in this 10-stamp issue. If the US had a similar stamp issue, I wonder what albums would get the nod? You’d think Thriller would be a no-brainer, and Madonna’s True Blue would look kinda dynamite, but after that… ? (First person to shout Merriweather Post Pavilion!” is fired.) The full issue of stamps after the jump. More »


1:30 PM on Mon Jun 29 2009 by Maura

If you’re awake and reading this right now, you probably missed this weekend’s Glastonbury Festival–and Blur’s fest-closing reunion set last night. Thanks to the Internet, though, MP3s of the performance are out there! Well, for now, anyway. [Deaf Indie Elephants / Pic via slint4587] More »


Blur In Surprise Gig Shocker (Although You Probably Missed It Before It Even Happened)

8:00 AM on Mon Jun 15 2009 by Maura

Blur’s career retrospective Midlife comes out in the UK today, and to celebrate that fact–not to mention their upcoming shows around that country–the band has decided to surprise everyone with a show at an undisclosed location in London today. According to Blur’s official site, the first 170 people to show up at the Brixton Academy box office would get tickets to the gig… although the queue for these tickets started at 11 a.m. local time, so they’re probably long gone by now. But! More »



Why Is Damon Albarn Wearing A Backpack While Rehearsing?

4:30 PM on Wed Jun 10 2009 by Maura

Blur’s first concert since 2000 is happening in London this Saturday, and to whet peoples’ appetites–and make Americans who don’t have the type of spending money to jet across the Atlantic to see Blur for a weekend insanely jealous–they’ve posted footage of themselves rehearsing three songs online: “Song 2,” “For Tomorrow,” and “Death Of A Party.” But as many astute YouTube observers noted, lead singer Damon Albarn is wearing a backpack during the test run of “Song 2.” Why would that be? Are there weights in there to help him get in shape for what might be a hyperactive performance of the most unlikely jock jam? Is he hoping to bring back raving? Did he really not want to lose his keys? So many mysteries. Video after the jump! More »


New Britpop Comp Ensures That It Will Be Hot Topic By Neglecting To Include Songs By Blur Or Oasis

1:00 PM on Wed Apr 29 2009 by Maura

The three-disc Britpop-of-the-’90s compilation Common People–named after the Pulp song, of course–comes out in June, and it will come packaged with liner notes written by Pitchfork contributor / Saint Etienne member Bob Stanley. While the track listing does have more than its share of gems, the absence of feuding NME titans Blur and Oasis will no doubt cause lots of message-board handwringing, perhaps even more than the presence of Gay Dad. Get ready to argue over what songs were missed by checking out the full tracklisting after the jump! More »


Damon Albarn And Graham Coxon Give It Another Go

9:30 AM on Thu Feb 26 2009 by Maura

Video footage of Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon… More »


“NME” Awards Show Little Consensus, Lots Of Interest In American Politics

6:15 AM on Wed Feb 25 2009 by Maura

xOasis, Alex Turner, MGMT, and Muse were the big winners at tonight’s NME Shockwaves Awards in London, which also doled out awards to the Killers (Best International Band), the Jonas Brothers (Worst Band and Worst Album), and YouTube (Best Web site) in between performances by half of Blur, Franz Ferdinand, and the Cure. Also honored and dishonored: newly minted U.S. President Barack Obama, who won Hero Of The Year honors, and recently departed Commander-In-Chief George W. Bush, who was named 2008’s villain. Full list of winners after the ump.

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Damon And Graham Reunite On Stage, Play A Blur Song, Make American Anglophiles Even More Jealous

5:15 AM on Wed Feb 25 2009 by Maura

Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon reunited onstage… More »


Bernard Butler: Blur Reunion More Embarrassing Than The Black Kids Album

3:30 AM on Thu Feb 19 2009 by Maura

Well, the former Suede guitarist and producer of Partie Traumatic didn’t say that exactly. But he did tut-tut at the spate of Britpop-era bands that have been giving one last show a try lately, saying that such attempts at mining nostalgia fiends’ dollars had “no relevance to what’s going on at the moment.” Which means that you probably shouldn’t get your hopes up for a Suede reunion tour anytime soon—although to hear Butler tell it, no one’s been interested! Wait, what?

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Programming Notes

2:00 AM on Wed Jan 14 2009 by Maura

Damon Albarn is guest DJing on Radio 1 right now… More »