........................
.. ..At my primary school there were two sheds in the playground
for storing the P.E. equipment. There was a gap between the sheds big enough
for the kids to get into. Kids weren’t allowed to get in between. This
forbidden gap was where me and my two best friends spent a lot of time. It was
the “base” in our games. It was Danger Mouse’s pillar box and Castle Greyskull
in one and wherever else it needed to be.
It was here that I first discussed a band that would become
the most important band to me until this day. It wasn’t a big discussion
because we were 6 when There’s No Other Way was released.
“Have you heard that song that goes “there’s no other way,
there’s no other way” all the time?” asked Tim.
“Yeah. I like it,” I replied. It’s one of my first musical
memories; the actual first being listening to The Beatles 1967-70 on the way to
the beach in my Dad’s car and “Lady Madonna” conjuring strange images in my
tiny mind.
I missed out on Blur’s difficult-second-album because I was
to busy starting difficult secondary school. But I do remember all of the cool
kids had ripped jeans one term and suddenly Doc Martens were cool the next.
This was the shift toward Britpop from the view of Maiden Beech Middle School.
I insisted
on Doc Martens for my school shoes. It was a battle to get them – they were
expensive. But I took possession of a pair of navy blue (!) DM shoes and became
a little cooler.
In 1994, only “Girls and Boys” and “Parklife” managed to
permeate through to my 10yr old ears. I liked them too – but I was still too
young to like good music. I liked music because I fancied the singers in those
days and didn’t have my own stereo anyway. My brother had Parklife. He didn’t
like it. But then again, he likes Bon Jovi.
Now “Country House” came through the filter of crap music I’d
been getting my mates to tape me (I listened on my sister’s mono tape/radio
from the 70s. (ALL of the selector knobs had come off) and I wanted a CD
player. “The Universal” – I needed a CD player. For Christmas 1995, my Mum and
Sister clubbed together and got me a black Panasonic Boom Box/Ghetto
blaster-type thing. I wanted to buy some CDs with my Christmas money, but Mum
couldn’t (and still can’t) drive.
I was allowed to get the bus into the next town. There was a
Woolworths with a vastly overpriced selection of albums. And no Blur. I made do
with The Best Movies Album Ever… and Now… something or other. It had The Universal
on it.
A few months later and we went shopping in a proper town.
Our Price was like a dream. And the first proper album (comps don’t count,
being the mantra) I bought was The Great Escape… and I got obsessed by it. I bought
one other album that day (or soon after, at least) What’s The Story Morning
Glory. I played that to death too.
I got Blur for my birthday the year it came out. It’s now
one of my favourite albums of all time, but when I was 13 it was odd. I went
back and clung to The Great Escape and occasionally listened to Song 2 and Look
Inside America.
By then I could get the bus to Our Price town and bought
Bustin’ and Dronin’ and Graham Coxon’s The Sky Is Too High. I also filled the
wholes in my Blur collection and started to buy more Britpop albums, most of
which I no longer have. Alongside this credible strain of purchases, I was
still of the belief that if you REALLY fancy a singer, it’s ok to buy their
crap album, hence a bargain basement Louise album and All Saints. (This is like
a confession.)
I got rid of these albums (given to my girlfriend or swapped
with my sister for better albums) when I discovered that Blur (the album) and
The Sky Is Too High were brilliant. I had matured, a little.
I bought 13 on the day of release, as I had with “Tender”
and from then on no Blur release went unbought. (Thanks Microsoft, I know it’s
not a word.)
Gorillaz came along and I decided it wasn’t really for me. But
it caught me unawares at work one night after school and I found I liked that
too. (Chronology be damned – Demon Days is fantastic). I loved Graham’s albums,
though some took more time than others.
I was at ....Art..
..College.... when Graham left
Blur. I worried about the new album. Surely Blur is a guitar band. Blow me if
Think Tank wasn’t great. Very different- how could it not be – but very, very
good.
I saw Blur for the first time on the Think Tank tour. They
were excellent. But there was something missing and I think they knew it.
Graham’s vocals on Tender were handled by backing singers. It was odd. Maybe
they shouldn’t have played it.
After The Universal closed the set, Damon talked of split
rumours. He said that Blur were going nowhere. Huge cheers from the crowd. It
was the last gig of the tour. There was talk of a series of EPs. Graham was
rejoining… Graham emphatically denies reunion. Then … nothing. More great
albums: The Good, The Bad And The Queen – brilliant. Happiness In Magazines
& Love Travels at Illegal Speeds – ACE! I saw Graham a few times and Damon
& co. doing GBQ twice. But I’d never see Blur – Damon, Graham, Alex &
Dave….
.. ..
On Friday 3rd July 2009, I saw Blur. They were
absolutely amazing. I couldn’t get too close. Hyde Park was madness. I could see them on the stage. We were close enough. Graham played
like everyone’s life depended on it. Damon rode an invisible pogo stick a lot
of the time and was in surprisingly fine voice. Alex is still one of the best
bass players and one of the most underrated and Dave has a very heavy right foot
and impeccable timing. The set was hit heavy with one or two for the big fans.
I was chuffed with Oily Water and Death Of A Party.
I don’t know if Blur are back or if they just popped back in
to say goodbye. Whatever happens, I owe a lot of my formative musical choices
to their songs. Country House was the first song I learned on guitar. If I’m
just messing I always end up playing Beetlebum. Tender was the first song my
first band played live…. Debt Collector is a Blur song.
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