Midlife: A Beginner’s Guide To Blur is the first collection from the band to span every studio album and offers a complete look at Blur’s career – from the post-Seymour beginnings to the magnificent Think Tank, every stop on the journey is here, including the single Popscene which is making its first appearance on a Blur album!

Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blur

Blur are reforming to play a live show at Hyde Park in London, their first show in nine years as a four piece.

Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree will reunite for the concert on July 3rd. It will be the first time the four have played together since their 2000 show at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Graham Coxon left the band in 2002 before the release of their Think Tank album.

Tickets for the gig cost £45 and go on sale at 0900 GMT on Friday 12th December at www.livenation.co.uk.

There are also rumours of a Glastonbury headline slot but that remains unconfirmed.

Head on over to Blur.co.uk for more, including a video interview with the band.

Speaking to the BBC; Damon Albarn has hinted that a Blur reunion could be on the cards after he recently met up with former guitarist Graham Coxon.

The singer said the pair had lunch and he is thinking about returning to his original band.

He said: “It’s very possible I’ll go back to Blur, it really is very possible.

“The truth be known Graham and I have been hanging out together a bit. We had lunch the other day.”

Coxon left the band in 2002 to pursue a solo career while the remaining members went on to record their last release Think Tank, a year later.

Bassist Alex James hinted at a reunion in August 2007.

But when the band met up two months later they revealed on their official site that they “met up for an enjoyable lunch” but there were no “other music plans for Blur”.

Albarn said it was good to see his old band member again.

He added: “He’s great, it’s fantastic to get my old friend back. So it’s good but I can’t really say any more than that.”

Over the last five years, the Blur frontman has become heavily involved with side projects The Good, The Bad And The Queen, Africa Express and his other band Gorillaz who he is currently working with on a new album.

“I’m halfway through the next Gorillaz album at the minute,” he said. “That’s going to be interesting and different again.

“This next time around there will be a lot going on in it.”

Albarn is also in the process of bringing his opera Monkey: Journey To The West back to London after it enjoyed success at the Royal Opera House over the summer.

The show, which is performed entirely in Mandarin, is to be staged in the confines of the 02 Arena from 12 November.

Damon Albarn said: “After we staged it at the Royal Opera House there was the question of what do we do with it next.

“There was definitely the interest and demand to come back to London.

“We needed to find somewhere else and we were approached by the 02. They asked whether we would like to work with them and bring it back to London.

“So we decided to build our own tent and make our own world. For kids it’s a magical other world and for adults they can relax and enjoy themselves.”

The opera is based on ancient Chinese stories which feature the character of Monkey, a monk called Tripitaka, half man-half animal Piggsy and Sandy the water demon.

It was turned into a cult TV show in the 1970s.

via BBC News

Blur have no current plans to record together again, despite confirmed reports of a full band meeting earlier this month.Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree are understood to have held a reunion lunch last week, with estranged guitarist Graham Coxon.

The group have now released a statement confirming the appointment but denying that it will lead to new music from the definitive line-up.

It reads: “In light of recent press speculation, blur.co.uk would like to confirm that Alex, Damon, Dave and Graham met for an enjoyable lunch on Monday, but there are currently no other music plans for Blur.”

The last Blur album, 2003′s “Think Tank“, was the first not to feature Coxon, who left during sessions for the album, choosing to pursue his solo career.

via Yahoo! Music

Damon Albarn has made a rare public reference to his former band Blur, during his indie rock supergroup The Good, The Bad and the Queen’s headlining set at Latitude Festival tonight (July 14).

With the recently reported news that the original line up of Blur are due to reconvene in the studio for the first time since 1999, Damon Albarn took the opportunity to reference their classic single, “Song 2″ while introducing The Good, The Bad & The Queen song, “A Soldier’s Tale“.

“I met a squaddie who’d been in Iraq,” he told the Obelisk arena audience at Latitude.

“He told me that they used to play ‘Song 2‘ before… you know” –the suggestion being before they went into combat — “so I guess this is for him.”

The Good, The Bad & The Queen – featuring Clash member Paul Simonon, played their debut album in its entirety, closing the second night of this year’s sell-out Latitude festival.

via Uncut