The release of his his new solo album Everyday Robots along with unofficial ’20th Anniversary’ of Britpop have conspired to give Blur frontman Damon Albarn a very hefty share of the music media spotlight recently.
Of course, it certainly helps when the prolific 46-year-old has done plenty to draw attention anyway, from explaining the real reason behind Blur’s Big Day Out cancellation to feeding NME consistent headlines with his teasing of new supergroup projects and the joys of heroin abuse to the creative spirit.
The latest from the quote-worthy mouth of Albarn? That Blur’s ‘Country House’ and Oasis’s ‘Roll With It’ – the two singles famously at the centre of the historic Britpop chart rivalry of 1995 – weren’t particularly good.
The re-assessment of his and Oasis’ musical legacy comes from a recent reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) session Albarn conducted to promote Everyday Robots, but as these online Q&As usually go, ended up revealing some very interesting habits of the frontman, along with some inimitable life lessons from the brains behind Gorillaz, The Good, The Bad, And The Queen, Rocket To The Moon, DRC Music (you get the idea).
Here’s 12 of the best of them, starting with that Blur/Oasis dismissal.
1) He Doesn’t Mind You Stealing Blur or Oasis’s music
We wonder what Damon’s new BFF and potential collaborator Noel Gallagher has to say about this.
2) Still, He Does Miss The Glory Days Of Britpop
More specifically, the war of words the mid-90s musical movement provided. It’s too easy these days.
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3) The Blur Frontman Is A Perfectionist At Heart
And he still thinks the band’s 1995 album The Great Escape could have been better.
4) Bobby Womack Made Him A Better Singer
Albarn describes producing the soul veteran’s 2012 comeback, The Bravest Man In The Universe, after working together on ‘Stylo’ as a spiritual experience.
5) Not Everyone Jumps At The Chance To Collaborate
Super side-project Gorillaz has missed out on at least two major opportunities, according to Albarn.
6) His Favourite Musical Collaborator
…is not who you think it is.
7) He’s An Apple Junkie
2010 Gorillaz album The Fall was made entirely on an iPad, and it might not be the last of Albarn’s records to achieve that feat.
8) That One Time He Got Drunk With The Clash
The real question is which British legend collected the tab?
9) Rubbing Shoulders With Famous Musicians Runs In The Family
The Beatles might be more Oasis’ kind of band, but still.
10) He Loves Spaghetti Westerns
Which also explains the Dirty Harry connection.
11) Don’t Give Up Hope On Blur’s Future
Though lightweight, Albarn’s democratic response engenders some optimism, even despite his previous comments that the Big Day Out shows were to be “the end of playing together,” blaming the festival for the cancellation while promoter AJ Maddah claims that in-fighting killed the band’s first Australian visit since 1997.
And after all…
12) Blur Guitarist Graham Coxon Is Easy On The Nose
