Damon Albarn Hints At New Blur Album - 2017

Damon Albarn, the Blur frontman and recently re-launched Gorillaz singer, has hinted that he might release a new Blur album in the future. When asked about whether there will be a new Blur album, Damon was not his usual mysterious self. He told the press he “never said I’d never make another record” with the band. 

Damon Albarn is set to release a new album with Gorillaz called ‘Humanz’ this Friday (April 28th 2017) and has said that he will then work on a new record with The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Blur lasted released their latest surprise album ‘The Magic Whip’ in 2015.

Asked by Rolling Stone where his focus on other projects leaves the Britpop band, Albarn said: “We’re all really good friends. And I feel like I’ve given many of my best years to Blur, so I don’t feel guilty in that sense. I’ve never said I’d never make another record. It’s all the same thing at the end of the day. It’s the nuances that make it different. It’s just more music, to add to the mountain of music there already is.”

Damon Albarn also spoke about Blur’s 2015 gig at Madison Square Garden in New York, saying: “We’d never done the Garden, and I felt bad that I’d done it before with Gorillaz [in 2010]. That was not fair. But in a way, Blur always felt that we terribly underachieved in America. It was hard to understand how bands like Radiohead and Coldplay are so successful here, and we weren’t. Thankfully, I have Gorillaz. Otherwise, I might be a terribly bitter, aging Britpop-er.”

Bitter as he is, he definitely made fans' day by hinting that there might, possibly be a new Blur album coming. Stay tuned for more!

Trump References Cut Out of Humanz- Damon Albarn 2017

Damon Albarn has revealed that he “edited out” any specific references to US President Donald Trump because he didn’t “want to give the most famous man on Earth any more fame.”

Humanz, the fifth album from the virtual band, is due out on 28 April and features guest artists including Popcaan, Kelela, Vince Staples and Danny Brown.

Speaking to Billboard, Albarn revealed that Trump’s ascension was “one of the sources of energy that we meditated on” for Humanz, “when it was like, ‘Ahh, that’s ridiculous, that could never happen’.” 

“There’s no references to [Trump] on the record – in fact, any time when anyone made any reference, I edited it out,” he said.

“I don’t want to give the most famous man on earth any more fame, particularly. He doesn’t need it!”

In the Billboard interview Albarn also explained how some of the collaborators he picked for the new Gorillaz album have his teenage daughter to thank.

His 17-year-old daughter, Missy is apparently a huge fan of Staples and Brown, and “some of the decisions for this record were fuelled by wanting to impress her still”.

Gorillaz are currently letting fans listen to their album in full via their app, at various locations around the world.

On 10 June, the band will host their own festival, Demon Dayz – named after their second record – which will take place in Margate’s very own Dreamland amusement park.

So far, only Gorillaz are on the line-up but expect additions in the near future. Tickets start at £60.00, with Priority Entry available for £70.00. 

Relive One of Blur's Greatest Gigs - Hyde Park 2012

For those of you who are feeling a little bit of Blur nostalgia, here's the full run of Blur's epic, and must we say, extremely passionate gig from Hyde Park 2012. Remember to watch in full screen at 480p!

1. Girls & Boys 00:00

2. London Loves 5:11

3. Tracy Jacks 8:43

4. Jubilee 13:10

5. Beetlebum 15:53

6. Coffee & TV 21:49 

7. Out of Time(with Khyam Allami) 27:24

8. Young & Lovely 32:15

9. Trimm Trabb 36:38

10. Caramel 42:07 

11. Sunday Sunday 47:19

12. Country House 50:47 

13. Parklife (with Phil Daniels) (& Harry Enfield) 55:20

14. Colin Zeal("Bugman" and "Oily Water) 59:12

15. Popscene 1:02:22

16. Advert 1:06:11

17. Song 2 1:10:41

18. No Distance Left to Run 1:13:34

19. Tender 1:17:29

20. This Is a Low 1:26:38 

Encore:

21. Sing 1:31:52

22. Under the Westway 1:38:14

23. Intermission 1:42:12

24. End of a Century 1:44:16

25. For Tomorrow 1:48:00 

26. The Universal 1:54:42

Brett Anderson Moans About Damon Albarn in New Memoir

It's expected in spring 2018 Suede frontman Brett Anderson has signed a deal to publish his memoir. The Britpop singer has sold his autobiography to publishers Little, Brown – who have described the writing as “as sharp as [Anderson’s] cheekbones”.

The Guardian reports that the book will be called Cold Black Mornings, while differing reports suggest that the title is in fact Coal Black Mornings. NME has asked Suede’s PR for clarification on the actual title.

Either way, the title is said to refer to the death of Anderson’s mother as well as the loss of his lover, Elastica‘s Justine Frischmann, to Britpop rival Damon Albarn.

The book is set to look at Anderson’s upbringing, his “eccentric father” and the “choked Britain” of the early 1990s. It’s expected in spring 2018. “This is a memoir which is so very good we would have wanted to publish it, whoever the author,” says publisher Richard Beswick. “The fact that it is by the founder of an internationally successful band of course adds to the attraction.

But fundamentally it is a classic memoir, which can stand alongside books like This Boy’s Life and Alan Johnson’s memoirs, as well as music books such as those by Mark Oliver Everett and Tracey Thorn.”

New Gorillaz Song- Let Me Out - Out Now!

There's a brilliant new song released by Gorillaz today! It's probably the best single out so far, because it sounds like something from their 2nd album (which is arguably their best one). We spot an anti-Donald Trump-theme here.



Lyrics- Let Me Out

[Verse 1: Pusha T]

Mama Mavis, oh

Mama, they tried my patience

Obama is gone, who is left to save us?

So together we mourn, I'm praying for my neighbors

They say the devil's at work and Trump is calling favors

You say I'm dangerous, I speak for the nameless

I fly with the vultures, I be with them bangers

If change don't come, then the change won't come

If the bands make 'em dance, then the rain gon' come

(Woo!)

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?) Look into your eyes

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark, let me out)

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change come to pass

Change come to pass

You'd best be ready for it

[Chorus: 2-D]

Something I've begun to fear is about to change its form

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a shift in time

But I won't get tired at all

[Refrain: 2-D]

Let me out, let me out

Let me out, let me out

[Verse 2: Pusha T]

Look into my eyes, mama, tell me what you see

Tell me there's a chance for me to make it off the streets

Tell me that I won't die at the hands of the police

Promise me I won't outlive my nephew and my niece

Promise me my pastor isn't lyin' as he preach

Tell me that they'll listen if it's lessons that I teach

Tell me there's a heaven in the sky where there is peace

But until then, I keep my piece in arm's reach

(Yeah!)

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?)

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark) Another night

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change coming

You'd best be ready for it

[Chorus: 2-D]

Something I've begun to fear is about to change its form

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a shift in times

But I won't get tired at all

[Pre-Chorus: Mavis Staples]

Am I passin' into the light?

(Am I looking into mercy's eyes?)

All the world is out of your hands

(Then ascending into the dark) Another night

You got to die a little if you wanna live

Change is coming

You'd best be ready

[Outro: Mavis Staples]

Be ready, ready for it

Be ready, be ready

Oooh, oooh oooh

(Let me out)

Damon Albarn on the Inspiration behind Humanz

Excellent interview about the idea behind Gorillaz's Humanz- to be released in April 2017!

Listen to the New Gorillaz Album Humanz Here!

4 new tracks have premiered yesterday by Gorillaz on BBC Radio in England. Listen to them below!

Gorillaz Album Humanz out April 28th 2017!

Damon Albarn is set to go on BBC Radio 1 later today to debut at least two new Gorillaz songs. Earlier today, as Pitchfork points out, four new Gorillaz popped up on TIDAL (they weren’t available to actually stream), though they’ve since been removed.

They are: “Ascension” (featuring Vince Staples), “We Got The Power” (featuring Savages’ Jehnny Beth), “Saturnz Barnz” (featuring Popcaan), and “Andromeda” (featuring D.R.A.M.). Those titles match up with the rumored tracklist that was leaked earlier this week.

So we’ll be getting new Gorillaz music today, that’s for sure — just no telling how much! Albarn will appear on BBC Radio 1 at 3:30PM EST.

UPDATE: Gorillaz have updated their Instagram account with an announcement of the album’s title and release date: It’s called Humanz and will be out on 4/28. More details presumably to come!

Happy Birthday to Graham Coxon !

Happy Birthday to Graham Coxon! Congratulations for reaching the age of 48!

Here are some Graham photos to get you through the week.

Happy 2017 to Blur Fans!

May this year be a Blurry year!

Gorillaz Announce First Live Show of 2017 - June 10th

Gorillaz has finally announced that they're playing a live show - and the date is set for June 10th 2017.

Following the release of new single “Hallelujah Money” in January, Damon Albarn’s Gorillaz have announced their first live show in 7 years. It's called the Demon Dayz festival, which is set to take place at the Dreamland amusement park in Kent, England on June 10th 2017.

No other acts other than the animated hip-hop/electro-pop group have been announced yet.

So far, only Gorillaz are on the line-up but expect additions in the near future. Tickets start at £60.00, with Priority Entry available for £70.00. If you don’t manage to get tickets, Red Bull will be streaming the entire thing via Redbull.TV.

To buy tickets, visit the official website of the Demon Dayz Festival HERE.

New Gorillaz Album is Finished - Release Date and more!

Damon Albarn recently announced that the new Gorillaz album is finished and that rehearsals are currently underway. The mega-successful cartoon band are currently gearing up to release their first full-length record since 2011’s ‘The Fall’, and last month released the first single – ‘Hallelujah Money’, featuring former Mercury Prize-winner Benjamin Clementine – from the as-yet-untitled album.

No official word has been spread about the possible release date. Jack Winstanley (@_JackWinstanley) posted a series of tweets after meeting the Blur frontman outside the gig venue where he works earlier this week, writing that Albarn had told him that the album is ‘finished’ and that tour preparations are underway.

With this in mind, perhaps a spectulative release date would be sometime within the next 2-3 months- perhaps in May or June. We should be expecting a single to be released earlier so this is great news for fans.

Stay tuned for more news.

Gorillaz Album Release Date- New Album To Be Released In July 2017

With Gorillaz releasing their newest single just before President Donald Trump's controversial inauguration, everyone is left wondering- when exactly will Gorillaz release their new album? Empty promises aside (Damon Albarn said it will be released in late 2016 in an interview), the big question is when exactly will the new bomb drop. It's going to happen, but it's just a matter of when. 

Their last album, ‘The Fall’ was released in 2010 – a mere nine months after their third album, the techno and funkly ‘Plastic Beach’. The new album's status is currently a secret- and the band members are not revealing anything conclusive. With that in mind here are some things you should know about their big comeback of 2017.

In an interview in 2015, Damon Albarn said that he would start on the new album in 2015. He said “I’d love to just get back into that routine of being at home and coming to the studio five days a week.”

The Gorillaz has always been a spontaneous and unpredictable band. That is part of the fun. ‘Plastic Beach’ was recorded over a 17-months and their debut album took about a year, but their last album, ‘The Fall‘, was recorded during touring on an iPad. The band’s animator Jamie Hewlett claimed that “2016 is going to be Gorillaz all year.” He also said that Albarn is a workaholic and said, “I don’t think it will be long!”

Recently, in an Instagram post by a fan who met Jamie, it was claimed that the new album is now slated for a 2017 release date, with Hewlett saying the album is “really fuckin special” but “can’t be rushed”.

Albarn gave a further update when speaking to BBC 6 Music in July and all confirmed a release date of 2017. “Later in the year we’ll be starting to get the whole Gorillaz thing together,” he said. Albarn also continued to say, “I’m loving it and it’s getting there. It should be ready fairly soon.”

Damon Albarn- always up to "monkey business"

Following on from the release of ‘Hallelujah Money’, Gorillaz’ manager Michael Smith tweeted “Off we go then to London. Day 1 of @gorillaz prep” indicating that the great cog is turning, and we are indeed getting close to some monkey business.

Smith leaked some news of the possible release date (follow him here)

As Michael Smith's telling tweet was made on February 7th, it seems that we ought to make a reasonable guess of the new Gorillaz release date. Tentatively, it seems that the new Gorillaz will be released sometime in mid to late of 2017, since the music director is still working on his drums and synchronisations.

Give or take, it seems that the new Gorillaz - which will no doubt be the hottest record of the year- should be released in around 4-5 months. That means that fans should expect an album to be available in full at around August 7th 2017. With that in mind, the wait will be perhaps a bit more easier to bear!