Blur’s bassist Alex James has addressed the bands long-standing rivarly with fellow Britpop icons, Oasis, and he couldn’t be happier for Liam and Noel Gallagher
Alex James, Blur’s once floppy-haired bassist, says he couldn’t be happier for the Britpop legends’ infamous rivals Oasis, amid their recent resurgence – and thinks the world would be a very boring place indeed without the Gallagher brothers in it.
Speaking to the Mirror from a vast wooden barn which serves as an ‘office-come-studio’ on his Cotswolds farm, Alex, 56, has nothing but praise for the Manchester rockers’ hugely successful reunion tour.
“I’m absolutely delighted for them”, he says. “So many bands end up totally hating each other, or dying, or hating what they do. It’s really great to see Noel and Liam finally reconciled – and bloody smashing it.”
Oasis and Blur were regularly pitched as arch rivals at the height of Britpop – but looking back on it all, Alex says, “I just thought it was funny, at the time. I found the whole thing hilarious, to be honest. I have nothing but respect for Oasis. And the world would be a duller place without them, wouldn’t it?”
“But look, Radiohead are back on the road now… it feels like all these bands have suddenly come of age, like a fine wine. And people at the gigs know every single word of every song – but the music of your teenage years never leaves you.”
They’ve done some mighty gigs in the last few years, but asked if Blur would embark on a huge Oasis-style comeback, Alex laughs. adding that he doubts frontman Damon Albarn would have the time.
“I went to see an opera Damon did in the spring, then a few months later a Gorillaz show, and now he’s doing Africa Express. He does make the rest of us look lazy, Damon. But no, I’m quite happy poodling away at Britpop Classical.“
A ten-date tour kicking off next March at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the concerts – which see a host of beloved Britpop hits reimagined with a full symphony orchestra – were first tested out at Alex’s festival, The Big Fesstival last year – and he knew from the 20,000-strong crowd’s euphoric reaction that he’d hit on something huge.
“Those songs still resonate to the people who loved them when they were young, plus you have a whole new audience (including my kids!) who love them, as there’s not a lot of new stuff like it coming through.
“Now, you don’t really need a guitar player or a drummer – you just ask ChatGPT to write you a bassline. But there’s still something really special about a bunch of leery kids with guitars. There’s a magic to it.”
There are a couple of huge Oasis numbers towards the end of the set – one of which is their biggest hit, 1995’s Wonderwall, which Alex once confessed he wished he’d written himself.
The father-of-five says, “I bumped into Oasis’ bassist Andy Bell the other day, actually. I’ve known him for decades and I’m a big fan – I loved his old band, Ride. I was like, mate, that groove on Wonderwall, on the bass is so sexy. I confessed it had taken me a while to get it. He just laughed and said yeah, took me a while too.”
The Britpop Classical shows include stunning orchestral versions of classics like The Verve’s Bittersweet Symphony, and Radiohead’s Creep. Says Alex, ‘When we were rehearsing Radiohead – wow, I realised half way through I was crying. I said to myself yeah, I think this is going to f***ing work, you know.”
And one of the special guests fans can expect to see during the tour is Phil Daniels, whose voiceover on Blur’s 1994 anthem, Parklife is nothing less than iconic.
Alex got to know the Cockney legend back in the 90s, when the bassist lived in the West End. “For a long while, Phil was in a musical in a theatre opposite my house at the top of Endell Street, and we became quite good buddies.
“There was an hour where he didn’t have to do anything in the play, so he’d head to the pub near the theatre and I’d have a pint with him there! It’s so good to have him on board again.”
As for Blur’s frontman, Alex saw Damon recently and says. “He’s great – it was so good to see him. I was like, I don’t need you any more though, I like you, but you can f** off!”
Meanwhile, he’s excited for fans across the country to enjoy Britpop Classical. “it’s a rock band, with a symphony orchestra, a chorus and a vocalist. There’s no Liam or Damon impersonators involved and no, I don’t think we’ll get the real Damon or Liam. But I think it’s going to be incredible.”
Britpop Classical kicks off at London’s Royal Albert Hall on March 11th. For tickets, see https://britpopclassical.com .
Source: Mirror
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