I have to be honest, im not even sure i want Blur to come back, i just can't see them fitting in with the current "scene". That said, if they do come back, it must be with the original line-up, not people missing :angry:

Damon Albarn's Lily woe

 

Blur star Damon Albarn's attempted collaboration with Lily Allen was a disaster.

 

The musician was forced to work with the 'Smile' star by his record label, but says it was a "bad idea".

 

He said: "The record label thought it would be a good idea. Lily came down to my studio and said normally she would just sit around and listen to a musician and come up with some ideas.

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"I jumped on the piano and played mad stuff and she just looked at me - it didn't exactly go well. She's a really talented kid, but it was just a bad idea."

 

Damon also revealed he has no plans to reunite with Blur bandmates Alex James and Dave Rowntree.

 

He told Britain's The Sun newspaper: "I had dinner with the guys recently and it was a laugh but there's no way they want to work with me again - they all hate me. A reunion is not going to happen. The only reason people would do it is for the money, but I don't need the money.

 

"Alex is writing books and making cheese and Dave's moving into politics. I've always said if you want to be a musician you have to dedicate yourself to it and do it every day."

 

Blur were rocked in October 2002 when guitarist Graham Coxon left the band. After their seventh studio album 'Think Tank' in 2003, the remaining members went on to pursue various solo projects, with Damon finding global success with animated band Gorillaz.

 

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/Lily+Allen-19482.html

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/Lil...9482-page2.html

Damon Albarn: 'the rest of Blur hate me'

 

Recording is a no go, but lunch was fun says singer

 

 

Blur's Damon Albarn says he believes the band's reunion fell apart because the rest of the group "hate" him and don’t want to work with the singer.

 

Albarn who is currently working on new projects with his Gorillaz and collaborators, spoke to The Sun about why the proposed reunion did not happen.

 

"I had dinner with the guys recently and it was laugh but there’s no way they want to work with me again – they all hate me," he said. "A reunion is not going to happen."

 

He also said the rest of the group weren’t as committed as him, saying: "Alex(James, bassist) is writing books and making cheese and Dave (Rowntree, drummer) is moving into politics. I’ve always said if you want to be a musician you have to dedicate yourself to it and do it every day."

 

The singer, possibly having a dig at other big name bands who have reunited over the past year, added that he was not too upset the reunion did not take place, saying: "The only reason people would do it is for the money - but I don’t need the money."

 

Albarn's comments follow those from guitarist Graham Coxon yesterday (January 31), who told NME.COM Blur were naive to think they could go back into the studio last year.

 

http://www.nme.com/news/blur/34023

Gorillaz documentary to receive premiere

 

 

A new film about the virtual band Gorillaz will receive its world premiere at this year's Berlin Film Festival, it has been announced.

 

Bananaz looks at the world of Gorillaz, a cartoon band created by artist Jamie Hewlett and musician Damon Albarn.

 

 

From 2000 to 2006, filmmaker Ceri Levy documents the making of the award-winning creativity machine, from the first drawings and animations through to the music, the musicians and the voices.

 

Bananaz also looks closely at the working relationship between Jamie and Damon and their collaborations with famous faces including Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, De la Soul and Ibrahim Ferrer.

 

Formed in 2000, Gorillaz' eponymous debut album was released to international acclaim and five million plus sales. Gorillaz were crowned Best Group at the 2005 MTV Europe Awards and received five Grammy nominations and two Brit Awards nods. Their second album, Demon Days has sold six million albums worldwide.

 

The 58th Berlin International Film Festival will be held February 7-17.

 

http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayN...;pNodeId=188965

Oasis and Blur make cheese together

 

Oasis and Blur are set to make a special cheese together.

 

The British bands - who were fierce pop rivals in the 90s - are huge fans of the savoury snack and Blur bassist Alex James wants them to team up to create their own brand.

 

James, who is now a dairy farmer and cheese maker, has invited his band's lead singer Damon Albarn and Oasis stars Noel and Liam Gallagher to his Cotswolds cheese factory so they can start working on a special cheese for next month's BRIT Awards.

 

A source said: "Damon and Alex have always been enthusiastic about cheese - it was the glue that held Blur together for so long.

 

"But it wasn't until recently that Alex discovered Liam and Noel shared their obsession. So he had the masterplan of creating something constructive through the medium of cheese, which would mark their maturity."

 

James believes the prestigious music event, to be held at London's Earls Court, would be the perfect place to showcase the cheese and is hoping it will be offered as a dessert alternative during the dinner.

 

James is thoroughly enjoying his life as a farmer, even though it is a far cry from his days as a glamorous pop star.

 

He said: "From hard drugs to soft cheese! That's me. From boozy, vegetarian vampire of the Groucho Club in London to rural sober family man.

 

"It's amazing, the friends you can make, just through cheese. People get very emotional about it."

 

http://www.smh.com.au/news/people/oasis-an...1714103535.html

 

Er i dont have a clue what this is :lol:

Damon Albarn, Hard-Fi, Reverend And The Makers for Afrika Exprez gig?

 

Afrika Exprez, the collective that featured the likes of Damon Albarn, The Magic Numbers and Fatboy Slim alongside some of Africa’s most feted musicians for a performance at the Park Stage at Glastonbury 2007, will perform again at the Liverpool Olympia venue on March 6.

 

It is yet to be announced which musicians will perform at the event, but organisers have hinted that Albarn, Hard-Fi, Reverend And The Makers, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly and may feature.

 

See Africaexpress.co.uk for more information.

 

The Aliens have confirmed that they will be performing, writing on their MySpace blog: "We hope that it is just as chaotic, exhilarating and inspirational for both artists and audience alike [as Glastonbury]."

 

http://www.nme.com/news/nme/33888

Classic FM signs up ex-Blur bassist

 

Former Blur star Alex James and interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen have signed up to Classic FM.

 

Britpop musician-turned-farmer James, 39, is presenting a marathon series entitled The A-Z Of Classical Music, which will run over two years.

 

The 100-part, 200-hour programme is the biggest commission in the station's 15-year history.

 

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hp...KMu1GYMKkw5Jg7g

Blur's Dave Rowntree To Run For Labour Party

 

Last April we reported that Blur drummer Dave Rowntree was looking to give up the skins and enter the world of politics, and now more has surfaced about his occupational 180.

 

The certified pilot and man behind the infamous opening beat of sports anthem “Song 2” has announced he will stand in for the Labour Party during the next general election. Rowntree was chosen by the Cities of London and Westminster Labour Party to contest the seat, which is currently held by a Conservative.

 

Though he did stand in as councillor for his local ward in the Westminster City Council elections last spring, Rowntree was not elected. If he succeeds, this would be the first time he would serve as an MP.

 

On the musical front, rumours have run rampant the last few months over Blur would actually reunite for another album – with or without Graham Coxon. However, recently Damon Albarn quashed all talk earlier this month telling tabloid paper The Sun: "I had dinner with the guys recently and it was laugh but there’s no way they want to work with me again – they all hate me. A reunion is not going to happen."

 

http://www.exclaim.ca/articles/generalarti...&fid1=30050

Alex James is on Al Murray's Happy Hour tonight at 10pm if anyone's interested :P