Alex James

Top 5: Blur Moments

7 Aug 2008

With Alex James coming to chat about his past life as a Britpop superstar, we reflect on the bits of Blur that we remember ‘There’s No Other Way’ As much of a Madchester rip-off as it was (those guitar lines ride in the slipstream of The Stone…

Blur to headline Olympics closing ceremony concert

Music Gossip

21 Feb 2012

Blur will headline an Olympics Closing Celebration concert in August. The Britpop band have joined a line up including The Specials and New Order for the BT London Live concert in Hyde Park, which will follow the sporting event in the city this…

Blur releasing box set

Music Gossip

19 Apr 2012

Blur are to release 65 previously-unheard songs as part of a new box set. The 'Parklife' hitmakers are to celebrate 21 years since the release of their debut album 'Leisure' with '21', a comprehensive body of work compiled by the band. The box…

Blur singer and guitarist to play charity show ahead of BRIT Awards

Music Gossip

2 Feb 2012

Blur's Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon will play a charity show ahead of this year's BRIT Awards. The singer and the guitarist will appear alongside Dry The River and Ed Sheeran at the concert, held on February 19, to raise money for the War Child…

Damon Albarn stops Blur sessions

Music Gossip

23 May 2012

Damon Albarn has stopped recording sessions for new Blur material. The band had been working with producer William Orbit - who produced their '13' album in 1999 - but the rest of the group were left confused when Damon cryptically halted the…

Paloma Faith and Razorlight to headline Jamie Oliver festival

Music Gossip

18 May 2012

Paloma Faith and Razorlight will headline Jamie Oliver presents The Big Feastival with Alex James. The food and music festival - which raises money for the Jamie Oliver Foundation and this year will be held at Blur bassist Alex James' Oxfordshire…

Blur announce intimate shows ahead of Olympics concert

Music Gossip

14 May 2012

Blur have announced a string of intimate shows before their concert closing the Olympics in Britain. The 'Song 2' band are to play in British towns Margate, Wolverhampton and Plymouth, as well as appearing at festivals in Sweden and Denmark before…

Damon Albarn finds opera hard to explain

Music Gossip

7 May 2012

Damon Albarn worries people think he has "lost it". The Blur frontman is currently focused on his 'Dr. Dee' project - a play and accompanying album of folk opera inspired by Elizabethan mathematician Dr. John Dee - and admit she is "nervous" about…

Damon Albarn thinks new Blur sound would be interesting

Music Gossip

3 May 2012

Damon Albarn thinks a new Blur album would be "interesting". The group - who have been largely defunct since 2003, apart from a series of one-off shows in 2009 - haven't released a record since 2003's 'Think Tank' and so the singer is curious to see…

Damon Albarn: Gorillaz will record again

Music Gossip

25 Apr 2012

Gorillaz will make another record when Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett work out their differences. The cartoon collective has been on hiatus ever since the collaborators had a huge row last year but Damon insists it is not the end for Gorillaz and he…

Damon Albarn to release opera album

Music Gossip

7 Mar 2012

Damon Albarn will release an album from his 'Dr. Dee' opera. The Blur frontman recorded the 18-track record late last year with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and now the soundtrack to the production - inspired by mathematician John Dee - will be…

Graham Coxon hates music videos

Music Gossip

29 Feb 2012

Graham Coxon thinks music videos are "horrible". The guitarist has invited fans to copy dance moves posted on YouTube to create their own routines, with the clips then edited to make the promotional film for his track 'What'll It Take' and says the…

Blur still have issues

Music Gossip

25 Feb 2012

Blur still have the "same issues" as they did 20 years ago. Frontman Damon Albarn admits he now has less tension with guitarist Graham Coxon - who left in the band in 2002 after a dispute with other members before rejoining the group in 2007 - but…

Blur refused to accept BRIT Award in 2010

Music Gossip

23 Feb 2012

Blur refused to accept a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music in 2010. The 'Parklife' group - who have been largely defunct since 2003, apart from a series of one-off shows in 2009 - picked up the prestigious accolade at the BRITs last…

Alex James hints BRIT Awards gig may be Blur's last

Music Gossip

20 Feb 2012

Alex James has hinted Blur's performance at the BRIT Awards could be their last ever show. The bass player for the group - who will be honoured with an Outstanding Contribution to Music Award at the spectacle tomorrow night (21.02.12) - confirmed…

Blur will 'definitely" release new album

Music Gossip

10 Feb 2012

Blur will "definitely" release another album. The 'Song 2' group have reformed to appear at this year's BRIT Awards - where they will receive a lifetime achievement trophy - and guitarist Graham Coxon is sure they will make an eighth album…

Blur to work with William Orbit

Music Gossip

23 Jan 2012

William Orbit has sparked speculation he is working with Blur. The producer - who previously teamed with the Britpop legends on their 2002 LP '13', their last with guitarist Graham Coxon - revealed on his twitter account that he is going into the…

Alex James hints Blur could play in 2012

Music Gossip

19 Dec 2011

Alex James has further hinted Blur will play shows in 2012. The 'Song 2' group are to receive the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize at next year's BRIT Awards in February, and bassist Alex said being honoured with the prize has made them all…

Blur reunion held back by cheese

Music Gossip

23 Aug 2011

Alex James says making cheese and raising his children are holding back a Blur reunion. The band's bassist - who is also a full time cheese farmer - is planning to meet up with bandmates guitarist Graham Coxon, drummer Dave Rowntree and singer Damon…

Alex James' classical saviour

Music Gossip

1 Sep 2010

Alex James says classical music saved him when Blur were "disintegrating". The band's bassist says that after they originally parted ways with guitarist Graham Coxon in 2002 and the band was left in a state of limbo following their last full album…

Alex James' farm festival

Celebrity Gossip

13 Sep 2009

Alex James hosted a rock festival in his sheep shed. The Blur bassist - who became a cheese farmer when the group went on hiatus in 2003 - asked his land agent Paddy to help him arrange a "small" music event from his 200-acre Oxfordshire estate…

Alex James' flying high

Celebrity Gossip

30 Aug 2009

Alex James thinks flying is better than drugs. The Blur bassist loves taking his friends for rides in light aircrafts because it gives them an amazing "natural high". Recalling a recent flight with his farmhand Paddy, the 40-year-old musician…

Happy gardener Alex James

Celebrity Gossip

23 Aug 2009

Alex James is "happiest" in his garden. The Blur bassist - who became a cheese farmer when the group went on hiatus in 2003 - enjoys spending time outdoors so much he splashed out and built an alfresco kitchen on his 200-acre farm to allow him to…

Alex James' confused kids

Celebrity Gossip

4 Jul 2009

Alex James' children think he is a conductor. The musician - who took part in UK TV show 'Maestro' last year, where celebrities had to learn how to conduct an orchestra - admits his four kids have no idea about his success as a bass player. Alex…

Alex James' 'psychedelic' cheese

Celebrity Gossip

29 Jun 2009

Alex James makes "psychedelic" cheese. The Blur bassist became a dairy farmer when the group went on hiatus in 2003 and his newly-reconciled bandmates have been enjoying the fruits of his labour - with unexpected consequences. Guitarist Graham…