For long-time fans of Blur, we all know that there has been a host of Blur fan sites that have come and go over the last 10-12 years since the Internet began to bloom. Some pages have stayed (like this one!) but most Blur fan sites have disappeared off the internet. We are fortunate to talk to the founders of one of the biggest Blur fan sites in existence- Veikko's Blur Page.
Founded by Veikko, the Blur site is regularly updated with Blur news plus the band's latest musical offerings and discography. The best part of the site is that it hosts a Blur forum where fans can gather and share their love of the band. Some fans may remember that the official Blur website used to contain a discussion forum which was shut down after Blur announced their comeback a few years ago.
Read on for an exclusive interview with Veikko, who talks about his love for Blur and what inspires him to run one of the biggest Blur fan sites out there.
1) How did you get into Blur?
I first saw the videos of "Girls & Boys" and "Country House" on MTV, and a few months later my mum bought me The Great Escape album as a Christmas present. I got hooked to the album's diverse music style and started to explore the band's back catalogue with a wide smile.
2) Name your 3 favourite Blur songs and why!
1. The Universal - a perfect song with a great arrangement.
2. Tender - another beautiful classic.
3. Beetlebum - a magical and brave tune. Love the guitar work!
3) How do you think the Blur fans community has changed over the years?
I don't think it has changed at all, and that's a good thing!
4) What inspires you to keep running VBlurPage?
New releases and live shows from Blur and related artists like Gorillaz, feedback and support from fans, contributions (pictures, setlists etc.) that I can add to my site.
I want to say huge thanks to Moritz, Ewa, Diego and Vítek for providing me with a huge amount of material over the last few years.
5) How do you encourage people to use your forums and what kind of blur fans are there?
I try my best to keep the forums a nice and safe place for discussion. Forums may be out of fashion, but I think they are still the best platform to have discussions. It helps that most of the people on my board are very nice and moderation is very rarely needed.
6) What do you think Blur will do in the future?
My guess is that they will do a few live shows in 2022 or 2023.
7) What do you think Blur fan sites should focus more on?
There are no bosses in this hobby, so just do what you enjoy to do! :)
VBlurpage: http://www.vblurpage.com