5 Facts You Never Knew about Damon Albarn

The Blur frontman has always been a bit mysterious and aloof with his personal stories. But here are 5 fun facts that you probably never knew about the man himself.

1. After his breakup with Justine Frischmann in the late 1990s, there are rumours he dated Melanie C from Spice Girls (Sporty Spice) and Shaznay Lewis from All Saints. He has been seen with them together in house parties hosted by Albarn and Jamie Hewlett in their pad in London during his recovery days. He has always had an open relationship with Justine Frischmann and was caught kissing an Australian DJ back in the days.

2. Blur and the gang used to play a "Punching Game" with each other, where they'd take it in turns to hit each other as hard as they can. Alex James recalls: “There was one tour in America that I had two black eyes,” James claimed. “One from Graham and one from Dave. And Damon broke my nose once. But you know… there was never any question we would split up. We were tighter than ever.” “Dave used to play this game called the Punching Game,” James continued. “We all took it in turns to punch each other. I remember playing it with the bass player from Dinosaur Jr… he was fucking massive. Taller than me. He lumped the shit out of everyone.” In case anyone needs ear infection treatment, heads up to Auris Ear Care a London clinic who does just that and more! 

3. Damon finally admitted to using heroin in his latest autobiographical album Everyday Robots (2015). The song "You and Me", referencing Justine Frischmann and his heroin use, found him admitting his 5-day-a-week regime. He has said that it's a relief that it can all become out in the open, since he was "mysterious" about his heroin usage during the 1990s.

4. Damon has a really close relationship with his daughter Missy Albarn. He always writes songs for her and according to him, she "cries" with embarassment. He also admits that his collaborations in the latest Gorillaz album Humanz is based off Missy's choices and favorites. What a dad!

5. Damon is a perpetual suitor when it comes to collaborations. How he managed to get Lou Reed, the Velvet Underground star on the old Gorillaz album was because he sent in hundreds of songs but were all rejected by Lou Reed. He said the secret to his success is to never give up on pestering the great musicians of his time.

New Gorillaz Track- Strange Timez ft Robert Smith

The latest Gorillaz track on their new album "The Song Machine" is out! Watch below for the full song. 

 

New Gorillaz Album FULL TRACKLISTING revealed - The Song Machine

 Gorillaz has just unveiled their latest "album" (or "Song Machine" as Damon Albarn prefers to call it) and it's very exciting. The online song machine features 17 exclusive new tracks, featuring guests like Beck, Elton John, The Cure’s Robert Smith, Fatoumata Diawara, St. Vincent, ex-New Order bassist Peter Hook, rappers ScHoolboy Q and Slowthai and many more. The tracklist appears below.

Song Machine: Season One – Strange Timez – FULL TRACKLISTING:

1. Strange Timez (ft. Robert Smith)
2. The Valley of The Pagans (ft. Beck)
3. The Lost Chord (ft. Leee John)
4. Pac-Man (ft. ScHoolboy Q)
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (ft. St Vincent)
6. The Pink Phantom (ft. Elton John and 6LACK)
7. Aries (ft. Peter Hook and Georgia)
8. Friday 13 th  (ft. Octavian)
9. Dead Butterflies (ft. Kano and Roxani Arias)
10. Désolé (ft. Fatoumata Diawara) (Extended Version)
11. Momentary Bliss (ft. slowthai and Slaves)

Deluxe – TRACKLISTING:

1. Strange Timez (ft. Robert Smith)
2. The Valley of The Pagans (ft. Beck)
3. The Lost Chord (ft. Leee John)
4. Pac-Man (ft. ScHoolboy Q)
5. Chalk Tablet Towers (ft. St Vincent)
6. The Pink Phantom (ft. Elton John and 6LACK)
7. Aries (feat. Peter Hook and Georgia)
8. Friday 13 th  (ft. Octavian)
9. Dead Butterflies (ft. Kano and Roxani Arias)
10. Désolé (ft. Fatoumata Diawara) (Extended Version)
11. Momentary Bliss (ft. slowthai and Slaves)
12. Opium (ft. EARTHGANG)
13. Simplicity (ft. Joan As Police Woman)
14. Severed Head (ft. Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra)
15. With Love To An Ex (ft. Moonchild Sanelly)
16. MLS (feat. JPEGMAFIA and CHAI)
17. How Far? (ft. Tony Allen and Skepta)

The full album is out on October 23, so stay tuned for more. 

How To Look As Youthful As Damon Albarn when he was Young

For all of you skincare fans out there, today we'd like to introduce to you a great skincare and beauty shop called StrawberryNet, which sells discounted skincare brands at a very affordable rate. Think brands like Shiseido, Estee Lauder, Clarins, Lancome and SKII, and they'll have a lot of products on offer. If you want to look as youthful as Damon Albarn did when he was in his prime (think 1990s Blur- the baby-faced look that all Blur fans adored) then check out our review of StrawberryNet below.

We here at Blurballs got a sample of their skincare products and we are very impressed with their shipping speed and prices. For under USD $100 we managed to snag some Estee Lauder advanced night repair complex as well as some makeup and Shiseido, which originally costs around double the price. 

The quality of these skincare products are pretty great. We've tested the items for about a week now and they're making our skin glow. We all want to stay young forever and look as good as Damon Albarn did in his prime! 

The best thing about the website is that they ship worldwide for free, which means that if you're in the UK or US, or Europe, you can get affordable products shipped directly to your door for free! 

Use the code "10FLORA" for 10% off your order! 

Damon Albarn to throw Tony Allen Tribute

 The year’s AIM Independent Music Awards will close tonight with a tribute to the late, great drummer Tony Allen with a very special performance from long-time friends and collaborators Damon Albarn, Ezra Collective’s Femi Koleoso, Gorillaz’ Seye Adelekan and Remi Kabaka Jr., as well as Allen’s The Good, The Bad & The Queen bandmate Simon Tong.

This very personal tribute performance of the track ‘Go Back’ from Allen’s fifth album Film of Life will see Allen’s former student Femi Koleoso on drums; Simon Tong on guitar; Seye Adelekan on guitar and vocals; Remi Kabaka Jr. on percussion; and Damon Albarn on vocals and Wurlitzer. Tony Allen collaborated closely with Damon Albarn on many projects over the years including The Good, The Bad & The Queen, Rocketjuice & The Moon, as well as the music collective Africa Express.

The performance celebrates Allen posthumously receiving the prestigious Outstanding Contribution to Music award in association with Merlin for his rich and hugely significant creative output. He is also in the running for Best Independent Track in association with Facebook for ‘We’ve Landed’, a collaborative track with the late jazz great Hugh Masekela.

The news comes the day before the first ever virtual AIM Independent Music Awards celebrating its tenth anniversary year, which will be broadcast live on SBTV’s YouTube channel on 12 August from 7pm. Viewers can tune in for free via YouTube here or aimawards.co.uk/watch.

Other artists lined up for the show include UK rap frontrunners AJ Tracey and Little Simz, who are both also receiving awards this year, and rising star Arlo Parks, who is nominated for One To Watch in association with BBC Music Introducing. Other special guests are yet to be revealed.

Leading the way for virtual live events, Little Simz and AJ Tracey’s performances will take place in an ‘extended reality’ studio, creating an exciting hybrid of video and live performance brought to life by 3D graphics, with enormous potential for compelling visual storytelling.

18 awards, from Best Independent Label in association with [PIAS] to the famous Best Independent Album in association with Spotify, will be given away on the night, with the full list of nominees now announced and available to view here. Digga D and Moses Boyd currently lead the way with three nominations each.

Those wishing to get the full AIM Awards experience are invited to download the official app, featuring exclusive content from performers and partners and giving guests the chance to take part in live polls and discussions during the event. To download it, simply search ‘AIM - Official’ in the app store.

Source: Music News 

Reject False Icons- Out Now!

Heads up -the new Gorillaz film "Reject False Icons" is released in the UK and the US on 16 December 2019 and we are very excited for this feature film on the wonderful band. 

After three years working on it, the Gorillaz will at last release their documentary concert film, Gorillaz: Reject False Icons, in less than three weeks.

The 30-second trailer, released on Wednesday (Nov. 27 2019), shows footage of Damon Albarn working with his collaborators onstage and in the studio. Clips of the animated band weave into the show, and the doc will feature appearances by Vince Staples, Pusha T and more.

Watch the trailer below!

The Best London Electricians - SOS Electricals

Every commercial or residential building faces electrical problems at some point in time. If you are looking for a commercial electrician in London, look no further as I want to introduce you to a great company called SOS Electricals.

SOS Electricals is a team of electrical contractors and project managers based in London. They specialise on a huge range of commercial and residential projects around the city, and have done numerous high-scaled projects for big-named clients. The company is trusted by London’s architects, interior designers, estate agents, developers and homeowners to deliver to the highest possible standards.

Their goal is to work with clients closely and meet their demands and needs. As a resuly, SOS Electricals provide a bespoke and customised service for every one of their client. They consult and discuss their work at every stage during the process, and ensures that the client is happy with the results of the works. Undertaking a refurbishment project can be a scary and tough, but this challenging process can be taken care of by their specialised team and experts.

SOS provides a huge range of services for domestic and commercial premises, including:

Some of the services that they offer include:

Domestic 

Fault Finding & Repairs 

Distribution Boards 

Power and Lighting Design 

Home Networking 

Complete Re-wiring 

AV Systems 

Lighting Control Systems 

Home Automation 

Fire Alarm Systems 

Outdoor Lighting 

Security Installations 

Periodic Inspection and Testing 

Commercial 

Maintenance 

Design and Installation of Electrical Systems 

Fault Finding & Repairs 

Access Control 

Lighting Control Systems 

Emergency Lighting 

Fire Alarm Systems 

Lighting Design 

Data Cabling 

Security Lighting 

Outdoor Electrical Work 

Periodic Inspection and Testing

Overall, if you're in need of a trustworthy electrician, look no further than SOS Electricals.

Best Occasions for Popular Blur Songs

Photo by Eric Nopanen / The Unsplash License

Finding the right song for the right activity can really transform your mood and make your day that much better. Below, we’ll pair specific Blur songs with specific activities (sort of like pairing the right wine with the right meal). Here are our picks:

“Girls and Boys”

Looking for the perfect Blur song to dance your heart out to? Then “Girls and Boys” needs to be on your dance party playlist. Whether you’re throwing a party with friends or dancing on your own like Robin, you can’t go wrong with “Girls and Boys.” Its throwback 80s vibes will get you up and grooving like no other. Because of the nature of the song, this would also be a good track to choose if you’re getting ready for a date or a night out.

“Coffee and TV”

Despite what the title suggests, this song isn’t best paired with coffee and TV. Even though it has an upbeat tune, it’s a good choice to listen to if you’re feeling overwhelmed or burned out by various obligations. It’s also a good choice if you need some time to yourself away from everyone and everything. This is because the lyrics discuss feeling “kicked around, bored,” being “virtually brain-dead,” and wanting to get away, perhaps to the country, where it’s calmer. Combining these lyrics with a poppy tune will allow you to relate to the lyrics without the song bringing you down. 

So, when should you listen to “Coffee and TV”? Turn it on when you want to lie down and take a break from the world. Or listen to it when you need to unwind after a particularly long work day. It would also be a good choice for painting if you’re the type who likes to take out your frustrations by making art.

Photo by Jenny Hill / The Unsplash License

“Song 2”

This song is best for when you need to amp yourself up or get yourself motivated for movement. If you want to amp yourself up, “Song 2” is the must-have song for every type of gaming, from long video game sessions to high-stakes poker. When gaming, the music you choose to listen to will greatly affect your performance. It can clear your mind, reduce stress, and help you get in a competitive mood.

“Song 2” is also a great choice if you have to get moving, be that exercise, chores around the house, or getting yourself ready in the morning so you’re not late for work. Its faster pace will literally help you to move faster. This is great for running or pushing yourself during a workout at the gym because you’ll be able to get a more intense workout in.

“There’s No Other Way”

Heading on a long road trip? Make sure “There’s No Other Way” is on your playlist. This is a particularly good option if you’re in the mood to listen to music with a strong 90s vibe, too. And even though it’s not as fast-paced as “Song 2,” it would also be a good option for some mild exercise like hiking or walking. Like most of Blur’s songs, “There’s No Other Way” has some fairly moody lyrics, but focus on the upbeat tune instead for this one and you’ll be on your way to the perfect pace for your low intensity workout.

“Parklife”

This song discusses the basic routines of daily life, like waking up and getting dressed. But it also discusses the narrator’s love of feeding birds (particularly pigeons and sparrows) and how he observes others going about their daily rituals. Whether you choose to interpret the song’s meaning in a positive or negative light doesn’t really matter when it comes to the best time to listen to it. And the best time is any time you’re going about some sort of daily routine. This includes commuting to your 9 to 5, doing chores, paying bills, or running errands. It would also be a good choice to listen to while cooking or baking, because food is another aspect of a daily routine that we all share.

Looking for more Blur to listen to? Good news: There will be a lot more Blur in your future.

Damon Albarn Has A New Project for 2019 and it's Big!

Damon Albarn has announced details of new project ‘The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows’, which he’ll be taking on tour in May 2020.

The Blur and Gorillaz frontman’s new work is inspired by the landscapes of Iceland, and will see him take it on the road with an ensemble and ambitious visuals by Icelandic filmmakers in the Spring. One date at The Barbican in London will Albarn team up with conductor André de Ridder.⁣

“The land of the midnight sun, Iceland is a unique country, filled with an abundance of natural beauty; glaciers, volcanoes, thermal springs, mountains and stunning headlands,” a synopsis reads. “Stretching across two continents; it’s a land where North America and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. What can be more fascinating than the signs of the passage of time and the fragility of nature.

“This new piece from Albarn, a frequent visitor to Iceland for almost three decades, will see the musician perform this new, very personal piece with an ensemble of orchestra instrumentation, electronics, vocals and piano. The title is taken from a John Clare poem entitled Love and Memory.”

Full tour dates are below. Visit here for tickets and more information.

MAY
17-18: Brussels, (Bozar)
20: Budapest, (Mupa)
21: Eindhoven, (Muziekgebouw)
23-24: Paris, (Philharmonie)
25: Lyon, (Auditorium – Orchestre National de Lyon)
26: London, (Barbican)
27: Nantes, (Cité des Congrès)
29: Luxembourg, (Philharmonie)
31 – June 1: Dublin, (National Concert Hall)

This comes after Albarn appeared to announce the end of The Good, The Bad & The Queen this summer. The band, which also features The Clash’s Paul Simonon, The Verve’s Simon Tong, and Afrobeat legend Tony Allen, reunited last year for their second album ‘Merrie Land’. “This is our last gig,” Albarn told the audience at the Netherlands festival. “This is our last gig. After this, poof. Done.”