One of the year’s most eagerly anticipated shows is nearly upon us, with Blur set to perform at Hyde Park tonight (July 2nd).
It was a re-union no one expected to see. Blur dissolved into a vast array of solo projects in 2003, after guitarist and co-songwriter Graham Coxon departed the group during sessions for their final album ‘Think Tank’.
Singer Damon Albarn went on to enjoy success with Gorillaz, helming his record label Honest Jon’s and also scoring an opera. Coxon, meanwhile, injected a pop touch to his solo career and scored a number of hits.
Recent album ‘The Spinning Top’ was an ambitious acoustic affair, featuring the guitarist paying homage to British folk greats of the 60s and 70s. Bass player Alex James, meanwhile, retired to the countryside where he became a farmer.
Blur drummer Dave Rowntree had always been politically active, and put his efforts into working for the Labour party. A committed politician, Rowntree has also acted a spokesman for the Featured Artists Coalition.
After playing a number of small scale re-union shows, including one in London’s legendary record shop Rough Trade East, Blur stepped things up a gear with a sensational Glastonbury show.
Headlining on Sunday (June 28th) the band rolled back the years with a greatest hits set. Opening with their debut single ‘She’s So High’ Blur played two encores before finally finishing with ‘The Universal’.
However even the legendary Worthy Farm event won’t compare to the Hyde Park shows. Choosing their support acts themselves, Blur have left nothing to chance in one of the biggest gigs of the year.
In a new interview with NME, singer Damon Albarn explained the band’s recipe for success. “It’s very simple – we’re just going to put our heart and soul into it!”
Bassist Alex James revealed that he never expected to see the band reform. “I was actually half way to Northumberland and the phone rang: ‘It’s back on, go and see Damon and Graham (Coxon, guitarist), they’re best friends again’.”
“But in terms of our lives it’s been the best possible thing for all of us to do, to be on our own for a bit. I think it’s wicked it’s happening at the right time (for us) because we’ve all sort of worked out who we are anyway and I think we’re coming to this with the same sense of joy and preconceptions that we had to start with.”
“When you start a band, it’s the most fun thing with the people that you love the most. After doing it for ten years straight it’s still good but it does become work. This is not work now, it’s something else.”
Blur are set to play Hyde Park, London on July 2nd and 3rd.
