Old news, but gold news nonetheless. Watch Damon Albarn perform "Aries" in one of his best live performances in a long time.
July 1, 2021
Interview with Veikko from Veikko's Blur Page - vblurpage.com
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
June 18, 2021
Damon Albarn Confirms New Solo Album in 2021
Breaking news- Damon Albarn has announced that he has signed a record deal with Transgressive Records for a second solo album to be released in 2021 or 2022. The last time Damon has made a solo album was in 2014 when he released the critically acclaimed album titled "Everyday Robots".
“Damon has recently put the finishing touches to his much-anticipated, second solo album, full details for which will be released soon,” Transgressive announced recently on their social media outlets.
The indie label was initially founded by Tim Dellow and Toby L in 2004 and produces records for artists such as Arlo Parks, Alvvays, Foals and Johnny Flynn.
According to Transgressive: “We have had the great pleasure of collaborating with Damon over the years via the incredible Africa Express project, which has introduced many gifted artists to the Transgressive world. His voracious passion for music and exploration knows no bounds and repeatedly defies convention or categorisation, whilst always remaining utterly inviting and intoxicating throughout.
“Truly prolific, his latest solo work is amongst the finest of his career. We really couldn’t be more honoured to welcome Damon and his phenomenal team at Eleven Management into the Transgressive family, with an ongoing focus to break new ground and subvert expectations in a way that only he can.”
Damon is also scheduled to play at Edinburgh International Festival alongside the likes of Laura Mvula, Caribou and The Snuts in August 2021.
It looks like this is the beginning of a new era for the musician and undoubtedly, Damon Albarn fans will be looking forward to lots more news to come.
Back in 2012, Damon announced that he was releasing his first solo album of his career. titled Everyday Robots The album was made available via online streaming to the public. You can listen to the album in full below.
Stay tuned for more and do subscribe to Blurball's Facebook page to get the latest news and updates on all things Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Blur and Gorillaz.
June 17, 2021
The Real Reason Why Damon Albarn turned down Prince
Rumour has it, Damon Albarn turned down a meeting with Prince because of his love of cigarettes and drinking. In an interview from 2018, Damon told the interviewer that he was invited to go an play with Prince at the Purple One’s studio at Paisley Park, but he turned down the invitation after being informed that Prince didn’t want people smoking in his studio.
Damon said: “I was having a drink and a fag—I don’t actually smoke anymore, knocked that one on the head—but if you can’t be who you... If I’ve invited someone to my studio, they’re my guest, and there aren’t any conditions like that.”
“Anyway, it’s like, I can have a cigarette outside if I needed it—I’d be fucking excited, right? Why the fuck would I not want to fucking go mad if I’m with Prince? I’d rather not do it and not get pissed off with the whole thing. It’s just one of those ‘could have been’... I’ve got a few of those.”
Damon is set to perform on stage in Glastonbury Festival in England on the 22nd May, as well as in the O2 London for his Gorillaz concert in August of the same year.
Listen to Damon talk about his experience below!