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Blur (band)

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Blur is a British rock band, consisting of Damon Albarn (vocals/keyboard), Alex James (bass), Dave Rowntree (drums) and, until 2002, Graham Coxon (guitar).

The band was formed in 1989 under the name of "Seymour", which was later changed to their current name during 1990. They achieved modest success with their first two albums, Leisure (1991) and Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), both of which dealt with a certain idea of comfortable, often bored, suburban England.

The 1994 album Parklife remained resolutely "English", although the songs were notably more "poppy". The album was a breakthrough for the band, especially in their home country, scoring hits with singles such as "Girls and Boys", and "Parklife" which seems to have been influenced by The Small Faces' "Lazy Sunday". This album sparked the sudden popularity of Brit-pop, which reached its height for Blur with the album The Great Escape ("Country House"). The band became involved in a struggle for most popular Brit-pop band in their country, which eventually seemed to be won by Oasis.

Apparently bored with the high-publicity "fights" with Oasis, and pidgeon-holed by the Britpop label, their next album Blur, released in 1997, marked a change in musical direction. With an indie rock sound and lyrics that were more abstract or more personal, it saw an initial decrease in popularity, although the second single from this album, "Song 2", became a big hit.

In 1999, Blur released 13, a still more mature album lyrically dominated by the end of Albarn's relationship with Justine Frischmann of Elastica. The members of Blur also engaged in a variety of side-projects around this time: Coxon made a number of solo albums, Alex James joined actor Keith Allen to form Fat Les, while Albarn contributed to Gorillaz and travelled to Mali on behalf of Oxfam, producing the fundraising album Mali Music.

Tensions between Coxon and the rest of the band escalated during recording sessions in 2002. Coxon was variously reported to have failed to attend recording sessions or to have been shut out of them. He was apparently unhappy at the choice of dance DJ Fatboy Slim as the sessions' producer. After several weeks of rumour and uncertainty, Coxon confirmed that he had been asked to leave the band for reasons connected with his "attitude" at a time when he had given up a heavy alcohol habit. Albarn later told an interviewer that there had been a power struggle between himself and Coxon. The album resulting from the sessions, Think Tank, was released in May 2003 to mostly favourable reviews and was nominated for Best British Album at the 2004 Brit awards along with Daniel Bedingfield – Gotta Get Thru This, Blur –Think Tank, The Coral – Magic and Medicine and Dido - Life For Rent but there were all beaten by Permission to Land - The Darkness.

Blur also composed the call-sign that was to be used by the unsuccessful Mars spaceprobe Beagle 2 in 2003.

Discography

  1. "She's So High" (1990) (single)
  2. "There's No Other Way" (1991) (single)
  3. Leisure (1990) and (1991); debut (album)
  4. "Bang" (1991) (single)
  5. "For Tomorrow" (1993) (single)
  6. Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993) (album)
  7. "Chemical World (1993) (single)
  8. "Sunday Sunday" (1993) (single)
  9. "Girls & Boys" (1994) (single)
  10. Parklife (1994) (album)
  11. "To The End'(1994) (single)
  12. "Parklife" (1994) (single)
  13. "End Of A Century" (1994) (single)
  14. The Special Collectors Edition (1995) (Japan Only B-Side Album)
  15. "Country House" (1995) (single)
  16. The Great Escape (1995) (album)
  17. "The Universal" (1995) (single)
  18. "Stereotypes" (1996) (single)
  19. "Charmless Man" (1996) (single)
  20. Live at Budokan (1996) (Japan Only Live Album)
  21. "Beetlebum" (1997) (single)
  22. Blur (1997) (album)
  23. "Song 2" (1997) (single)
  24. "Middle of the Road" (1997) (single)
  25. "On Your Own" (1997) (single)
  26. Bustin & Dronin (1998) (Live/Remix Album)
  27. "Tender" (1999) (single)
  28. 13 (1999)
  29. "Coffee & TV" (1999) (single)
  30. "No Distance Left To Run" (1999) (single)
  31. Best Of Blur (2000) (Greatest Hits Album)
  32. "Music is My Radar" (2000) (single)
  33. "Out Of Time" (2003) (single)
  34. Think Tank (2003)
  35. "Crazy Beat" (2003) (single)
  36. "Good Song" (2003) (single)
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