Graham Coxon at Truck Festival 2011

A little about the festival...


Truck Festival is an annual independent music festival in Oxfordshire, England. It was started in 1998 by the Bennett family (including the brothers Robin and Joe of the band Goldrush), who decided that mainstream festivals such as Glastonbury had become too commercial and predictable. It is held in July at Hill Farm in Steventon, near Abingdon. The festival also gave birth to the Truck Records label in 1999.


Truck has grown somewhat since its inception, but with an annual attendance of around 5,000 it is dwarfed by the likes of Glastonbury (around 150,000 people) and Reading/Leeds. 

The festival prides itself on its family atmosphere, with all of the site services being provided by local groups: the food stall is run by the local Rotary Club, and ice cream is sold by the local vicar. All profits from the festival go to charity.

A compilation album is released each year on Truck Records to coincide with the festival, featuring tracks (mainly studio recordings) from various bands playing at the festival.

This means Graham Coxon will be featured in yet another album in 2011, besides his own solo one, which will probably be out some time this year. I can't wait to see clips of him in Truck Festival! 

Any opinions/ thoughts? 

Some news and updates

1) Beady Eye covers Blur for Record Store Day  

Beady Eye have recorded a version of Blur's 'Country House' – the song that once charted ahead of Gallagher's old band Oasis in their infamous 1995 chart battle. 

That year Oasis' 'Roll With It' went in at Number Two behind 'Country House' amidst a war of words between the two bands.

3,000 copies of the new single have been pressed. Half will be available in record stores in Gallagher's hometown of Manchester and the other half in stores in New Cross, London, where Blur formed.

Gallagher said: "The chart battle was only a bit of a fucking laugh and secretly 'Country House' was always my favourite Blur song. Especially the bit in the video when Alex James rides the pig."

Scroll down and click below to watch the video in question.

The Beady Eye mouthpiece added: "I'm saying all this bad blood between us should be put in the past and everyone should come together to help out Record Store Day for the good of music."

The limited-edition singles, already being tipped as the collectors' items of 2011 by music auction experts, will cost £50 each. Proceeds will be split between Beady Eye and Albarn.

2) Rants, moans and actual blogging

So it's time for some actual blogging on Blurballs, since it's called a Blur "blog" - it can't just feature static news about Blur all the time!

I've been hit with a turn in life - I get a chance to spend 2 years in Europe if I study, study hard and get a gpa of around 3.3 and above. That's tough - especially in law school, but I aim to meet that offer and surprise everyone. So that's my explanation for not blogging so much these few weeks, and the next few too, until final exams. 

I want YOU guys to tell me what you have been up to, Blurring or not, these few weeks. Discovered anything? 

Inside Dave Rowntree's head - his blog

Dave's got a blog! Check it out by clicking HERE (and bookmarking it of course...)
He writes about interesting things, and yesterday's post included some information on his Blur days, with the incident where he bullies an interviewer explained.


But first, watch this:


I quote from his entry on the 31st March 2011:

There has been some speculation as to why I accepted a recent blog comment linking to a clip of me bullying the Canadian journalist Nardwuar in 2003.

The reason is, that I can’t take the credit for the things I’ve done that I’m proud of, without taking the blame for the things that I’m ashamed of.

And this is definitely one of the things I’m ashamed of.

There’s no excuse for my bullying, and the reason I did it is perhaps nearly as sordid.

As I’ve written in the past I became addicted to cocaine during the nineties. Now I’ve no idea if it has this effect on anyone else, but for me, the day after a cocaine binge I’d sometimes fly into a murderous rage, and take it out on whoever happened to be around. In this case, it happened to be the journalist.

To be clear, Nardwuar didn’t do anything to provoke me. I sent an apology to him the next day, but I didn’t hear anything back from him, so I assume he didn’t accept it.

These days I keep a clip of the interview on my phone. I don’t drink, smoke or take drugs, and if from time to time I wonder if I’m doing the right thing treading this (sometimes rather lonely) path I play it, and have the answer.

I really admire the guy. He's come a long way, from being a drummer to a politician, lawyer and evolving from the guy behind the scenes in Blur, to a guy worth respecting and admiring for his unique hobbies, talents and speech. 

He's also started writing for The Guardian, check it out by clicking HERE. Interesting, but following Alex Jame's footsteps perhaps? 

What do you think of Dave now and Dave then ? 

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.