May 4, 2015

Blur at UK Number 1 for New Album

The Magic Whip, Blur's first album since 2003 has topped the UK Top Album chart in May 2015. It's currently at number 1 on the list. This is the group's first number one album in 12 years. 
They knocked out last week's chart topper Josh Groban's Stages, into fourth place.
The album chart saw little in the way of new entries aside from Blur, with Scottish twins The Proclaimers scoring the second highest new entry with Let's Hear it for the Dogs debuting at number 26. Taylor Swift's 1989 was at number two, followed by James Bay's Chaos and the Calm at three. 




November 22, 2011

Blur - Country House - Chipmunk Version

Time for some fun, fellow Blur fan! I decided its time to update my Youtube channel (www.youtube.com/user/uktahhh) and thank you ALL for the awesome 650+ subscribers. So I made a video, and I hope you enjoy it and isn't it just pure fun ?




I drew the logo myself.



November 4, 2011

Blur recording new songs again while Damon Albarn starts a new band

Breaking news: Damon albarn has been recording again with his old Brit-pop band Blur, with members including Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree. The news came just after Albarn, the frontman of bands including renowned electro-pop eclectic group Gorillaz, The Good The Bad and The Queen and most recently, a new band Rocketjuice and The Moon with Tony Allen and Flea, has revealed exclusively to NME magazine that "Blur had been meeting up regularly and recording again"! 


What exciting news - this means officially that Blur has NOT broken up, rekindled their grudges with each other, gotten past the massive hiatus of 8 years since 2003's album Out Of Time (minus Coxon) and officially started recording new songs again!

Will we see an album ? According to NME, Albarn revealed the britpop band has recorded a "spoken word piece with poet Michael Horovitz", a British Oxford-man, poet, songwriter/singer, translator, journalist amongst other things, who is famous for his provoking work for over five decades.




The track was put together in response to the brief threat that this year's Notting Hill Carnival would be cancelled. Albarn is ambiguous about whether the track will ever be released, commenting:
If they'd have cancelled the carnival – and thank God they didn't – maybe we'd have put it out. It had its moment: it was a perfect plea to reinstate the carnival. So it wasn't relevant – it was relevant for about 12 hours.
Albarn also said to NME he gets an "amazing feeling" from playing with Blur and hinted at plans to play live with the band, perhaps outside the United Kingdom sometime next year in 2012, due to his packed schedule. He also explains how he's trying to balance out Blur and his other projects which the work-a-holic is part of, such as his new band Rocketjuice To The Moon with the Red Hot Chili Peppers man Flea and Tony Allen.


Abarn also has two gigs with The Good, The Bad & The Queen later this month (both on November 10). He also released his DRC Music side-project album last month.


A truly great news for every Blur fan out there.


******* Stay Tuned and remember to subscribe and "LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook, or email subscribe to receive the latest news on everything Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon! 
If you missed old news, visit the NEWS ARCHIVE to read about past news!


June 25, 2011

"LIKE" BlurBalls on Facebook !

Please support BlurBalls by clicking the "Like" button on Facebook below! The new BlurBalls fanpage is awesome and really colorful, and hopefully it'll make more people connected to our little world of Blur, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon and Gorillaz. Please do check it out, and feel free to add me on Facebook.



Remember to LIKE! Please! It means the world to me!


May 31, 2011

Damon Albarn - Doctor Dee Opera 2011 UPDATE

Doctor Dee Opera

Damon Albarn's new opera Doctor Dee has received some press from a double page spread in the 28th May GUARDIAN newspaper, on the guide to Manchester International Festival. 


Quoted from the article, Damon Albarn's new show is a 'modern English opera' directed by Rufus Norris, about Elizabethan thinker and magician John Dee. In Doctor Dee, Damon Albarn will appear as himself, rather than in character, performing with legendary afrobeat drummer (and bandmate in The Good, The Bad and The Queen) Tony Allen. The BBC Philharmonic will be in the pit. There will also be Elizabethan instruments and some ritualistic elements, will be primal, about the life, ambition and belief of John Dee.

Read the whole article by clicking below, thanks damon4president and 2J for the scans.


March 23, 2011

Damon Albarn turns 43 ...and he's still as creative as ever

Before the clock strikes midnight, I would like to dedicate this post wishing Damon Albarn, of Blur and Gorillaz, a happy 43rd birthday! 


Now what's BlurBalls without crazy memes and pictures and captions?




And how can I put up pictures of Damon without adding something like this:


Good night readers! What do you want to give Damon for his birthday? Think he even celebrated at all or did he go out drinking all night ?

Food for thought.


March 22, 2011

Song Review: Snoop Dogg feat. Gorillaz - Sumthin Like This Night

RATING: 


So the song "Sumthin Like This Night" from Snoop Dogg's latest album Doggumentary is out on youtube.

The song features Snoop Dogg's signature drowning rap and clever lyrics, then Damon Albarn does the vocals, or the first part of the chorus "but you never tried it... something like this night...somethin like this night....". The second part of the chorus doesn't sound like Damon, it sounds like someone else, but we can still hear the Damon Albarn backing vocals all through out.

Listen below and keep reading on for a bit more reviewing.



The tune is much like Doncamatic (All played out), Gorillaz's non-album single released a few months ago. That was because Damon felt Plastic Beach didn't have a single that was "pop" and synthetic enough, so he created the song for the sole purpose of it being a non-album single that can sell. Anyways, in Doncamatic (listen below) there is an electronic trumpet instrument that blares the sounds all through the song. The rhythm is basically constructed of the electronic trumpet item blaring the tune of the song. In Sumthin Like This Night, similar sounds were used, and I think it worked better in Doncamatic to be honest.



I would say this isn't good single material. It's catchy but rather repetitive, and definitely not dance floor material (usually those get to top the charts, admit it) and the song's rather mellow and down key. I do hope it will chart if it gets released as a single from Snoop Dogg's album, though I somehow have doubts about that.

I just wish Gorillaz would make a more single worthy song like 19/2000 or Clint Eastwood soon! And release their b-sides.


March 20, 2011

Damon Albarn's new opera 2011 - Doctor Dee


Damon Albarn has written and will star in a stage show about 16th Century alchemist, astrologer and spy John Dee.
A musical work based on Elizabeth I's medical and scientific adviser, Doctor Dee will have its premiere in July at the Manchester International Festival.
It will then be staged at the home of the English National Opera as part of London's Cultural Olympiad programme.
The Manchester festival will also feature the debut of Bjork's new show during a three-week residency.
Other original productions will be created for the event by immersive theatre company Punchdrunk, film-makers The Quay Brothers, comedian Victoria Wood and performance artist Marina Abramovic.
Manchester International Festival director Alex Poots said the event, which started in 2007 and takes place every two years, was "a home for major artists to realise their most ambitious projects".
Albarn's Chinese opera Monkey: Journey To The West was a highlight of the first Manchester International Festival four years ago and the Blur and Gorillaz singer will present his next production at the city's Palace Theatre.
Albarn did not appear in Monkey but will perform in Doctor Dee.
The show has been co-produced by the English National Opera and the London 2012 Festival and will be staged at the London Coliseum next year.
It will be directed by Rufus Norris, who staged Don Giovanni at the ENO last year and whose Broadway revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2008.
"It will be a big, spectacular show," Mr Poots said. "I know that Damon's passionate about it and he's already written some incredibly beautiful songs, some anthemic songs."
Bjork will launch the Manchester International Festival on 30 June with a show based on her new album Biophilia.
The project combines her interests in music, science and nature and is billed as a "multi-media project encompassing music, apps, internet, installations and live shows".
There will be an app for each song and the singer has invented a range of new instruments for the shows, including a 30-foot (nine-metre) pendulum that harnesses the earth's gravitational pull to create musical patterns.
She will perform six times over three weeks at the Campfield Market Hall.
Punchdrunk will return after creating the acclaimed theatrical experience It Felt Like A Kiss with Damon Albarn at the last festival. Their new show, The Crash of the Elysium, will be the company's first for children.
Elsewhere, the Quay Brothers, celebrated for their dark, disjointed films and animations, will team up with Russian-born violinist Alina Ibragimova to stage chamber music in a promenade setting.
Amadou & Mariam
Amadou & Mariam will play a show in total darkness
Amadou and Mariam, a blind musical duo from Mali, will attempt to stage the world's first concert in total darkness, while comedian Johnny Vegas will present a new theatre show.
Victoria Wood is writing and directing That Day We Sang, about the 1920s Manchester Children's Choir, which will open at the Manchester Opera House.
'Artistic powerhouse'
Hollywood actor Willem Dafoe is to star in The Life and Death of Marina Abramovic alongside the Serbian-born performance artist. The production will feature music written and performed by Antony Hegarty from the Mercury-prize winning Antony and The Johnsons.
The festival will also involve rapper Snoop Dogg, singer Sinead O'Connor, artist John Gerrard, the Halle Orchestra and French composer Mark Andre.
Manchester City Council's executive member for culture and leisure, Councillor Mike Amesbury, said the festival "makes a massive contribution to the cultural offering of our great city and has helped establish us on the world stage as a leading artistic powerhouse".


March 15, 2011

BlurBalls Caption Contest 4

TUESDAY NIGHT, people, time for another weekly BLURBLOG CAPTIOCONTEST! Apologies for the erratic times, tough times call for a bit more flexibility on the postings. I've been up to drawing more pictures of Blur, going to the gym a few times per week, and generally doing what I do best - procrastinate. This week I present to you:



Come on guys! This one is A PIECE OF CAKE (or should I say bananas) ! Damon, Graham, two bananas, matching outfits, black shirts, damon's expression. You got a caption/ comment? Leave it below. 

The awesome winner for Blurball Caption Contest 3 is my amazing reader Rose  who didn't technically submit a caption, but committed Blur blasphemy by uttering Franz Ferdinand in a Blur website (gasp, horror!) with her comment mentioning how the line "Do you want to ? " was stuck in her head.


Really appreciate the long flowing comments, Rose. Keep posting. You get this awesome GIF as a prezzie. 

Thanks Rose. You can keep Damon! 
And for all you who are new or just stumbled upon this cozy little Blur blog across cyberspace, please leave a comment below!


Blur - 100 gigs you should have been at (NME)

This week NME features reviews of a 100 famous gigs. 

NME this week featured the top 100 gigs you should have been at. Seems pretty random to me, but Blur appear twice: with Suede at #63 at Town&Country Club, London, July 23, 1992 - and at #12 with, of course, Hyde Park, London, July 2-3, 2009.



Pic of the day - beautiful drawing of the boys
SUEDE/BLUR - TOWN & COUNTRY CLUB, LONDON, July 23, 1992

"We're so fucking shit you might as well go home now. This could be the worst gig you've ever seen." So said Damon Albarn as a ridiculously pissed Blur - having spent the afternoon drinking in Camden - took the stage for the charity Gimme Shelter gig in their 'Modern Life is Rubbish' phase.
They proceeded to deliver either the best or worst (depending who you ask) set ot their career, barely able to see their own instruments, falling over and trying to shoulder a speaker stack off the stage. It was as punk as Britpop would ever get, but in its aftermath, Food Records gave them a month to clean up or they'd be dropped. And out of the wreckage, immaculate rising supposrt act Suede, shimmied gloriously into the big time, having utterly outstaged the headliners. The first Battle of Britpop was on..
.



Town and Country Club - 1992
BLUR - HYDE PARK, LONDON, July 2-3, 2009

They may not have been the final shows of their ecstatically received 2009 reunion tour, but Blur's two night at Hyde Park were arguably their pinnacle as a live band, and if they're on/off studio potterings never come to a new album, it's how they should be remembered: with Damon rolling around the stage in wild, punk-rock paroxysms, an esqusitely chosen, cereer-spanning setlist, and Alex James with one foot on the monitor and a cigarette drooping from his lips, as though the noughties, cheesemaking and the TV talent show judging had never happened. It was pure nostalgia, obviously, but after six years away, that hardly mattered. A timely reminder that not everything about Britpop was bollocks.



Blur finished Hyde Park on a high note

Wonder who is No. 1 ? And I've decided to postpone the "Caption Contest" postings till later this week, so stay tuned for more blurry news, fun and caption contest excitement. 


March 11, 2011

Aped out?

I did another impression sketch... I don't know what's up with me these days! I'm feeling quite creative with the computer! Perhaps it's the Blur news that just keeps coming that's kicking me off?

It's the face. It's in the eyes...It's...GORILLAZ.

I'm "Aped"!


March 10, 2011

Spur of the moment drawing

I had this little burst of creativity and decided to draw the Blur boys using an online paint software....

Thinking this can be my new logo or something. Do they even look like who they're supposed to be? Can you guys guess who is who ? 

And FIY, the Blur demo tape that's being sold on eBay has closed and reached a crazy price of GBP 217.12! Hope that new song "Us" gets shared soon, I'll post it up if it comes out! 


A new Blur album "in progress" ?

Hooligan from the Blur Forums sends news that:

"I was out drinking with a friend who was accompanied by someone who was intimately involved in the making of NDLTR. We were talking about Fool's Day & its relative merits & he let slip that 'it doesn't sound like anything on the new album.' Obviously we pounced on him for more info to which he furiously back-pedalled but the cat was out the bag. So there is a new album on the way, people. Rejoice."


The other forumers and myself included reacted accordingly.



As damon4president puts it, now all we need is for Alex to say something along the lines of, oh, I dunno, 'it was like putting the A Team back together for one last job. We had to bust Rowntree out of law school' for me to consider it confirmed...


Plus, the Summersonic lineup of 2011 features a special secret guest. Could it be Blur ? Would Blur play a few songs at this year's music festival?




Exciting times! I'm impatient and thirsty for more solid news. How about you ? 


March 7, 2011

BlurBall Caption Contest 3 !

Last Friday night was spent spilling blood and tears over an essay. Now that that's over, I will dedicate this post (a tad late!) to announcing the winners of the BlurBall Caption Contest 2 and to kick start a NEW competition for this week! 

Ladies and Gentlemen (or neither)....time for the Monday morning BLURBLOG CAPTIOCONTEST! 


Thanks to Caitlin from the forums for putting up this hilarious picture. Damon and Jamie, partners in crime, partners in business and partners in goofing around. Can YOU think of something funny that was going on the minds of those two when the picture was taken? How about an awesome one-liner that goes with the monkeying around ? 

Speaking of which, Damon and Jamie kind of look alike here. Maybe it's the hair. Or the suits. Love them. 

The winner for Blurball Caption Contest 2 is NoWhereNoHow  who suggested the caption "With Prestige, there comes a foreboding burden..." with inspiration from the lyrics in Advert (Modern Life is Rubbish)! Congratulations!


Now that's one serious caption there. It's DEEP! You get a milky postcard as a token of extreme gratitude.

Aren't they the sweetest couple?
Dear readers, please leave a comment below on any suggestions/ comments and CAPTIONS for the new picture! Be sure to check out the Gallery for past contest winners. 

What's up with you guys? 


March 1, 2011

Gorillaz news - The Fall to be released in physical CD

Several online retailers, including Amazon.co.uk here and Amazon.com here are now listing a release of The Fall on CD, due out 18th April in the UK, on Parlophone, and 19th April in the USA, on Virgin Records. 


No news on the track listing or any packaging details yet, but I'm looking forward to it! 




Rumors of a vinyl record being released to coincide with Record Store Day is also hot on the news. More on this as more news are out! 


Speaking of which, I still haven't completed my The Fall review (BlurBalls style!)... Will do, I promise. Keep reading! 


Would you buy The Fall when it's out? 


February 27, 2011

Unseen Gorillaz interview

Check this previously unreleased Gorillaz interview. The interview was conducted while they were in France during the tour late last year. Check out the interview on Youtube below.




I love Damon's hat and that Jamie Hewlett is just a laid back, silly cool ape.


February 22, 2011

Phish frontman Trey Anastasio covers Clint Eastwood

After stumbling on the Gorillaz Unofficial forum and reading some posts, I came across a thread that is about Phish frontman Trey Anastasio covers Clint Eastwood from Gorillaz in his concert.

Phish'ing
Not knowing anything about Phish, I did a little search and found out that:

a) They're an American Rock band that broke up and reunited in 2009, and
b) According to Urban Dictionary...

Phish can destroy your phavorite band on stage. 


Phish comprised of phour incredibly talented muscicians

Phish sucks, you say? Phuck you!  

Oh the joys of Urban Dictionary and it's little writers. Here's the Gorillaz cover that frontman/ lead vocalist Trey Anastasio did: 




I like this cover - it's funny. The singer has a really high pitched voice, which is totally different from Damon's deep croon. The song sort of gets higher and higher... which is interesting. It feels like a James Blunt song, but I did enjoy it when the girl sang Del's part.

What do you think of this cover? Any comments?


February 21, 2011

Blur demo tape on eBay - who's got cash?

BLUR FIRST DEMO TAPE SEYMOUR SONGS SENT TO JB"S DUDLEY



THE NEXT TAPE IS ONE FROM A COLLECTION OF A LOCAL CLUB DJ......HE WORKED AT JB"S IN DUDLEY FOR MANY YEARS AND HE HAS THOUSANDS OF TAPES... THESE ARE ALL COMING MY WAY AND I WILL BE LISTING THEM OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS/MONTHS....., HE ACQUIRED MANY RARE DEMO"S, WHICH WERE SENT TO THE CLUB FOR MANY YEARS.... THE TAPES ARE ALL IN VERY GOOD CONDITION HAVING BEEN STORED AWAY FOR MANY YEARS... ,

THIS AUCTION CONSISTS OF ONE OF MY RARE DEMO TAPES ...... BLUR ....... 3 TRACKS , SHES SO HIGH, US, AND FOOL........ TWO OF THE TRACKS APPEAR IN EXACTLY THE SAME VERSIONS AS THE SEYMOUR [PRE BLUR] TAPE..... THE LAST TRACK "US" DOESNT SEEM TO APPEAR ON ANY OTHER RECORDING..... BUT I EMPHASISE, THAT THIS POSSIBLY UNIQUE DEMO TAPE SENT TO THE LEGENDARY JB"s CLUB IN DUDLEY, BY BLUR IN THEIR EARLIEST DAYS, CONTAINS THREE TRACKS IN VERSIONS NEVER RELEASED, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL TAPE AS SENT BY THE BAND, AND NO COPIES HAVE OR WILL BE MADE...... BEST OF LUCK......



I want this tape! It should be genuine as JBs used to go to the Blur studio regularly. Plus look at that NEW SONG "Us"! Apparently it's a never released song that is recorded during the making of Leisure. Oh god! Really pleased if the winner of the bid shares the song "Us"! Then we'll have a new Blur song released to the public!


Previously the new Blur song "Superman" was leaked online from a man who recorded an early gig where it was performed. Listen to Superman on my youtube channel here.




Bid here

(Thanks caitlin from the forums)

  


February 18, 2011

Site Competition: Blur Caption Contest !

Friday afternoon. Library. Work. Procrastinating. BLURBLOG CAPTION CONTEST!

Anyways here's a new thing for the Blog - every Friday afternoon I will post up a picture relating to Blur/Gorillaz and you guys got to make up a caption to go along with it.  Think of the best, wittiest, funniest caption for the picture and submit it in the Comments section at the bottom of the post.

The winner will be selected based on originality and of course creativity. Feel free to leave votes and comments about the captions!

Thought I'd post my current favourite Blur picture.


Blur for thought... Anyone know who that 5th guy is? Any guesses where this picture was taken ? What are all the boys looking at ? Why is Alex shirtless?

Leave a comment and caption below!

Winners announced every week. Stay tuned.


February 17, 2011

Blur are back in the studio and recording new material - Feb 2011

Exciting news for you all.


Graham Coxon has explained that Blur are currently jamming in the studio regularly and is very likely to record new material in the year 2011. Earlier this month the guitarist revealed that Blur were reconvening and could "switch a tape recorder on, and even tweeted about Blur meet-ups with the boys

Now he has told NME Magazine about the recording process. Graham explained that the meet-up was one of many the band regularly undertake (a bonding thing!) and was not really for any specific new release. 

"Every now and then we like to meet up and record a few things," he said. "We just do stuff when we feel like it."

Graham - bringer of good news
He added that the band will "definitely" continue to meet up and play music together in this way, but fans shouldn't hold out for new music being released anytime soon. 

Also, as usual, Graham cracked a line to tease us fans. 

"I suppose it might turn into an LP in six years or something," he said. "Meeting up every now and then… maybe turning the tape recorder on and jamming around a few ideas."

Coxon said that even though Blur hasn't planned any releases yet, he had two solo albums to be released in mind. He also mentioned that these are probably going to be the last 2 solo albums released and that they're more "youth" sounding. 


One of the album is also called "A&E"... I wonder what that stands for ? 

Graham met up with the Boys for sugary tea, coffee and TV )
He's also releasing 'Desire', a collaboration song with Paloma Faith and The Coral's ex-guitarist Bill Ryder-Jones, for the promotional music campaign for shoe company Converse in April 2011. 

Exciting times! I am positive we will hear something from Blur in 2011. Perhaps a surprise single or even a complete album will spring up, but one thing's for sure: Blur are back, older, wiser, better and with much more surprises in line.

Who knows what will happen? 

Read the full article on NME and check out my early coverage of this speculation-turned-truth

What's your reaction to this piece of news? Mine's:


ShareThis