In an interview with The Guardian, prolific musician Damon Albarn has pretty much, kinda, maybe sealed the fate of his two most successful bands, 90s Britpop stalwarts Blur and cartoon pop collaboration with Jamie Hewlitt, Gorillaz.
Of Blur’s future, Albarn revealed that he could no longer collaborate with drummer Dave Rowntree and bassist Alex James, saying: “it’s harder for them to reconnect. You know what I mean? It’s fine when we play live – it’s really magical still – but actually recording new stuff, and swapping musical influences… it’s quite difficult.”
When prompted about the prospect of any future Blur records, or the likelihood of playing after the Olympic Closing Ceremony in Hyde Park, Albarn responds:
“No, I don’t think so. No, not really. And I hope that’s the truth: that that’s how we end it. I don’t know: you can write scripts, and they always end up going… [pause]… well, one thing I’ve learned, and I’m sure you’re exactly the same, is that everything I think I’ve got totally sorted out, and I know exactly what’s going to happen – it never works out that way…”
“In all likelihood, I would say. [pause] Oh, God…” which kind of says it all really. ‘Oh God…’
When quizzed on the possibility that we can expect more Gorillaz music, Albarn gives another nonplussed answer in “Er… unlikely,” his uncertainty stemming from a feud between the two following on from the duo’s last record Plastic Beach, on which Albarn felt “The music and the videos weren’t working as well together… It’s a shame.”
