THE PROMOTIONAL CD, ENTITLED 15 ON 13, WAS RECORDED AFTER THE MAKING OF 13. THE CD CAN BE FOUND IN THE RARE EPK THAT ACCOMPANIED THE ALBUM'S RELEASE. IT MAY BE FOUND IN OTHER FORMATS. THE INTERVIEW IS VERY LONG, AND THE SPEECHES ARE OFTEN CONFUSING EVEN WITH THE AUDIO. THE FORMAT THAT IS USED TO PRESENT THE INTERVIEW, IS FROM THE LAYOUT ACCOMPANYING THE EPK. I APOLOGISE FOR ANY MISTAKES.
TRANSCRIBED BY AMANDA WALSH
PLEASE DO NOT COPY WITH OUT PERMISSION.
BLUR COMPILATION INTERVIEW CLIPS CUES
IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING THREE COMPILATION CLIPS, THE MEMBERS OF BLUR GIVE THEIR ANSWERS TO VARIOUS QUESTIONS. THOSE ANSWERS ARE TAKEN FROM AN INTERVIEW THEY DID IN LONDON IN DECEMBER 1998.
CUES FOR THE BLUR INTERVIEW CD
THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW CLIPS WERE RECORDED BY BLUR IN LONDON IN DECEMBER 1998. IN THE FIRST FOUR SECTIONS, EACH MEMBER OF THE BAND ANSWERS THE SAME QUESTION, AS PER THE NOTES THAT PRECEDE EACH CLIP. WHERE THE BAND TALK ABOUT FAVOURITE TRACKS, THOSE TRACKS ARE RECOMMENDED AT THE END OF THE CLIP.
SECTION A:
IS THIS ALBUM CONSTRUCTED DIFFERENTLY FROM PREVIOUS BLUR CDS? WAS THE MAKING OF IT MARKEDLY DIFFERENT FROM PREVIOUS EFFORTS?
DAMON #1:
"THE WHOLE THING STARTED IN OUR STUDIO 13, WHICH IS THIS REALLY SMALL PLACE ON A, KIND OF, INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX IN...NEAR WHERE I LIVE. IT'S A BRILLIANT PLACE TO WORK 'CAUSE IT'S SMALL BUSINESSES AND STUDIOS...THERE ARE NO BIG ARTISTS THERE OR ANYTHING. THERE IS A NICE VIBE THERE AND WE JUST, IN THE END OF THE SUMMER, WENT IN THERE WITH WILLIAM AND, JUST REALLY, RECORDED EVERYTHING AND I, SORT OF, PLAYED THE SONGS REALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO EVERYONE, MY DEMOS, AND THEY JUST REACTED OFF THAT. WE HAD D.A.T. PLAYERS RECORDING ALL THE TIME, AND GETTING THINGS INTO WILLIAM'S PRO TOOLS. THERE WAS NO ORDER TO IT, IT WAS COMPLETELY CHAOTIC AND IT WAS WHATEVER ANY DAY. THERE WAS NO 'RIGHT WE'RE GOING TO FINISH THIS OFF', IT WAS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING NEW, LET'S DO THAT'. HE [WILLIAM ORBIT] JUST TOOK BACK HOURS AND HOURS OF HALF-FINISHED SONGS, JAMS, AND IDEAS. WE JUST STARTED TO PUT THE THING TOGETHER IN ANOTHER STUDIO. SO IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. USUALLY WE HAVE ALWAYS, AT LEAST TO A GREATER EXTENT, WORKED OUT A SONG AND THEN GONE IN THERE AND PLAYED IT PRETTY MUCH HOW WE'D WORKED IT OUT. IT SOUNDED A LOT MORE LIKE HOW WE'VE ALWAYS SOUNDED WHEN WE'VE BEEN REHEARSING AND DOING DEMOS." T1.35
ALEX #2:
"THE WAY THAT WE'VE ALWAYS WORKED... YOU KNOW, DAMON WILL ALWAYS COME ALONG WITH A, SORT OF, NOODLE AND A HUM, AND WE'LL ALL TRY AND MAKE IT INTO OUR SONG. THE BEST SONGS, IT'S ALWAYS THE FOUR OF US ALL DOING OUR THING, IN OUR CORNER, AND SOUNDING NICE TOGETHER. I THINK WE DO PLAY WELL TOGETHER AS A BAND. BASICALLY WHAT WE DID, IS EVERYDAY FOR A MONTH WENT INTO THE STUDIO AT LUNCHTIME AND JUST BASHED A SONG OUT. WE DID A SONG A DAY AND THEN IT ALL WENT INTO COMPUTERS. THERE'S BEEN AMAZING DEVELOPMENTS IN RECORDING TECHNOLOGY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO. SYSTEMS LIKE PRO TOOLS COMPLETELY REVOLUTIONISE THE WAY MUSIC IS RECORDED. IT'S RIDICULOUS WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH PIECES OF SOUND. IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO MAKE RECORDS, BASICALLY." T1.04
GRAHAM #3:
"I SAW AN INTERVIEW WITH MADONNA AND SHE EXPRESSED THIS AS WELL: IT'S, KIND OF, LIKE MAKING A FILM AND THERE ARE THESE SCENES. YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY MEAN, YOU JUST KNOW HOW TO DO THE SCENES BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW TO PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT AND YOUR, KIND OF, BOUNCING OFF EACH OTHER MUSICALLY. IT'S ONLY REALLY TOWARDS THE END YOU ACTUALLY GET THE GIST OF THE WHOLE PICTURE. SO IT'S LIKE GOING TO THE PREMIERE IS LIKE THE MIXING AND YOU, SORT OF, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING." T0.29
DAVE #4:
"IT WAS A LOT MORE FUN, REALLY. MAKING RECORDS HAS TENDED TO BE VERY SATISFYING, BUT NOT MUCH FUN FOR ME, BECAUSE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN EXTREMELY STRUCTURED. I SUPPOSE, THERE HASN'T BEEN THAT MUCH ROOM FOR IMPROVISATION. WE'VE TENDED TO KNOW, PRETTY MUCH, WHAT WE WERE DOING BEFORE WE WENT IN. THIS WAS A MUCH LESS STRUCTURED SESSION. WE, KIND OF, WENT IN WITH THE LOOSEST OF IDEAS. WE REALLY KIND OF FIGURED THINGS OUT ON THE FLY. EVEN THEN, THE CREATIVE PROCESS DIDN'T FINISH WHEN WE PUT OUR INSTRUMENTS DOWN. WE STILL ENDED UP WITH A SEQUENCE OF JAMS AND IDEAS THAT NEEDED EDITING INTO PLACE AFTERWARDS. SO YES, IT WAS QUITE A DIFFERENT WAY OF WORKING, REALLY. I PLAYED LESS BUT BETTER, I THINK. I DEFINITELY FELT LESS UNDER PRESSURE. THAT PAID DIVIDENDS FOR ME, SO I DIDN'T SPLURGE EVERYTHING DOWN ON TO TAPE AND WAS MORE SELECTIVE WITH WHAT I DID." T0.54
SECTION B:
YOU HAVE WORKED WITH A NEW PRODUCER THIS TIME, WILLIAM ORBIT. HOW DIFFERENT WAS THIS EXPERIENCE?
GRAHAM #5:
"I'D ALWAYS APPROACHED WORKING WITH A NEW MAN, PRODUCER, OR SOMETHING, WITH SOME TREPIDATION, I GUESS BECAUSE I, KIND OF, BELIEVE IN 'THE BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW', SORT OF THING. WHICH IS PROBABLY A LITTLE UNADVENTUROUS. BUT, ACTUALLY, I WAS VERY EXCITED AS WELL BECAUSE I HAD NO IDEA HOW HE WOULD WORK, BUT I LIKE THE IDEA OF A, KIND OF, CROSS-BREED OF TECHNO AND A, KIND OF, REALLY HEAVY MUSIC LIKE I'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN RECENTLY. SORT OF...KING OF CREATING A DEATH-METAL-TECHNO THING (LAUGHS). I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE QUITE INTERESTING. WITH SOMEONE LIKE WILLIAM ORBIT'S BACKGROUND, I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE ...YOU KNOW, HE'S OBVIOUSLY, KIND OF, CRAZY ABOUT STUFF THAT ROCKS OR STUFF THAT'S EXTREME OR SOMETHING THAT'S KIND OF...I KNEW HE'D HAVE A, KIND OF, PERVERSENESS ABOUT HIS ATTITUDE TO MUSIC, WHICH I THINK I HAVE. ACTUALLY WORKING HIM, IT WAS VERY DIFFERENT FROM STEPHEN STREET. I THINK HE [WILLIAM ORBIT] ONLY TOLD ME TO TUNE MY GUITAR TWICE, WHICH I REALLY LIKED. BECAUSE I ALWAYS USED TO SCARE STEPHEN AND SAY I'M GOING TO TUNE MY GUITAR ONCE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RECORDING AND THAT'S IT. WHATEVER HAPPENS TO IT AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. BUT WITH HIM, HE LEFT IT UP TO ME. SO HE, KIND OF, BEAT ME IN THAT WAY. HE BEAT IN THAT I WOULD TUNE MY GUITAR. BUT I WAS QUITE INVOLVED IN THE MIXING, SO I THINK WILLIAM WANTED ME AROUND QUITE A LOT DURING THE MIXING. HE SEEMS GENUINELY INTERESTED IN YOUR COMMENTS AND VERY SYMPATHETIC. HE SEEMED LESS OF A GROWN-UP. HE SEEMED MORE LIKE AN EIGHT YEAR-OLD IN AN ADULT'S BODY. HE SEEMED VERY EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING, VERY EXCITED ABOUT RIDICULOUS SOUNDS, AND HE JUST HAD FUN, YOU COULD REALLY TELL HE WAS HAVING FUN. WHEN WE DID EARLY SHOWS, YEARS AND YEARS AGO, THE IN-HOUSE ENGINEERS WOULD REALLY HATE ME BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT I WAS A LITTLE UPSTART WHO JUST WANTED TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISE AND BE THE LOUDEST OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT IT'S NOT PARTICULARLY TRUE AND I ACTUALLY DON'T THINK THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT BUT WILLIAM DID BECAUSE HE HAS THE SAME PERVERSE OUTLOOK. I LIKE EXTREMES, ESPECIALLY MUSICALLY." T2.33
DAVE #6:
"I MEAN STEPHEN WAS GREAT, STEPHEN STREET WHO WE'VE DONE MOST OF THE OTHER RECORDS WITH, IS AN ABSOLUTELY GENIUS PRODUCER, BUT HE TEND TO WORK IN A VERY STRUCTURED WAY. THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY WE'VE EVER WORKED IN THE PAST, SO WE HAD NO IDEA HOW TO WORK IN THE OTHER WAY. SO WHEN WILLIAM CAME ALONG 'WE'LL JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT AND IT WILL BE FINE' AND JUST, KIND OF, SET THE TAPE ROLLING AND JUST, KIND OF, MOPED UP IDEAS AS THEY HAPPENED." T0.27
ALEX #7:
"WELL THE BIG THING ABOUT THIS RECORD WAS HAVING A NEW PRODUCER, WHICH MAKES YOU QUITE APPREHENSIVE, I THINK. WE'D HAD A LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH STEPHEN STREET AND DEVELOPED A LOT OF TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING AND THAT, KIND OF...IN A STUDIO, YOU JUST NEED A PRODUCER WHO CAN GET THE BEST OUT OF YOU, OR WHATEVER. LOTS OF WALLS WERE KNOCKED DOWN AND THEN HAVING SOMEBODY NEW THERE MEANT IT WAS LIKE A CLEAN SHEET. IT CAME TOGETHER WITH WILLIAM REALLY WELL. I WAS REALLY SURPRISED GRAHAM WAS UP FOR IT REALLY, BECAUSE BASICALLY, REALLY, HE'S [WILLIAM ORBIT] BEEN MAKING EURO-DISCO MUSIC FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND THAT'S MY BAG BUT I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS GRAHAM'S. BUT HE REALLY UNDERSTANDS GUITARS. THERE'S, KIND OF, SONIC DEPTHS ON THIS RECORD, A SONIC-SANDWICH." T1.05
BLUR 2
WHY HIM[WILLIAM ORBIT]? HOW DID IT COME ABOUT?
DAMON #8:
"IN A COUPLE OF THINGS. HE DID SOME REMIXES FOR US, OFF HIS OWN BACK. HE KNEW ANDY ROSS FROM FOOD RECORDS AND HE TOOK THE INITIATIVE HIMSELF. WHEN WE HEARD THEM, THEY WERE VERY DIFFERENT. THEY PICKED UP ON SOMETHING WHICH WE HADN'T...WHICH WE FELT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF WHAT WE DO, BUT NO ONE REALLY, WHO HAS DONE REMIXES IN THE PAST HADN'T, SORT OF, EVEN GRASPED THAT IDEA. THE SENSE THAT ALL THE RHYTHMS WE HAVE, IF YOU JUST TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF THEM AND LOOP OF THEM UP, THEY TURN INTO VERY LOPSIDED, WEIRD TANGENTS. HE TOOK A LOT OF THE SONGS AND TOOK THOSE ELEMENTS, AND REALLY EXCENTUATED THEM. WE JUST THOUGHT, 'WELL THIS IS THE MAN TO GIVE US THE SPACE WHICH WE SO NEED AND REALLY, REALLY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND. THE SONGS I'D WRITTEN JUST REALLY FELT LIKE NOTHING ELSE I'D EVER WRITTEN BEFORE. IT JUST MADE PERFECT SENSE TO ME, BECAUSE I FELT THERE WAS A BIG CHANGE HAPPENING. TO GO WITH SOMEONE WHO, IN SOME WAYS COULD COMPLETELY SCREW UP WHAT WE'D DONE OR TURN IT SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. IT COULD OF GONE EITHER WAY, REALLY. THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE OF THE FINISHED ARTICLE. THE MORE I SING SOMETHING THE WORST IT GETS. NOT WHEN PLAYING BUT IN THE RECORDING PROCESS BECAUSE YOU LIVE OR DIE BY THE SPONTANEITY OF THE SOUND. HE KEEPS IT VERY SPONTANEOUS." T1.51
SECTION C:
CAN WE SAY WHAT "KIND" OF RECORD THIS IS? IS IT A CHALLENGE?
GRAHAM #9:
"BASICALLY, WE HAD SONGS BUT IT WAS MOSTLY IMPROVISED AND THEN TIDIED UP. SO IT WAS, WE COULD DO ANYTHING. I THINK SOME OF IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE BUT I THINK IT'S SO GREAT TO LISTEN TO . THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING BUT IT'S VERY SELECTIVE AT THE SAME TIME. THERE'S NOTHING THAT ISN'T REALLY NEEDED ON THERE, SOUNDWISE. WHEN IT'S CHAOTIC, IT NEEDS TO BE. THERE ARE SEVERAL MOMENTS OF, JUST, PRETTY HORRIBLE NOISE, BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL STILL. I THINK LISTENING TO IT IS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE. THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET TO DO THAT IS TO LISTEN TO IT THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE. I'VE JUST HAD SOME VISITORS AND I WAS PLAYING THEM IT AND LISTENING TO THEIR REACTIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I CAN'T ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE IT, IN THAT WAY, MYSELF, PROPERLY. IT IS DEFINITELY A BIT OF A HEADPHONES RECORD. IT WOULD BE A CHALLENGE, BUT A NICE ONE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE A STRUGGLE, I DON'T THINK." T1.13
DAVE #10:
"WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE, KIND OF, GOT TO LET THE SONG SPEAK FOR ITSELF. YOU GOT TO FOLLOW WHAT THE SONG WANTS TO DO. IT SOUNDS A BIT WEIRD, EVEN MORE SO IN THIS CASE. THE LESS WE TRIED TO FORCE IT, THE MORE THINGS JUST TENDED TO PREVENT THEMSELVES AND MAKE THEMSELVES OBVIOUS. PEOPLE DO TEND TO FIND OUR RECORDS QUITE DIFFICULT, I THINK. EVEN THE RECORDS THAT ARE NOW SEEM AS RELATIVELY COMMERCIAL, LIKE PARKLIFE, AT THE TIME THEY CAME OUT, THEY WERE EXTREMELY LEFT FIELD, GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN OF WHAT EVERYONE ELSE WAS DOING. IT WOULD BE VERY BORING IF YOU PUT OUT RECORDS AND PEOPLE DIDN'T FIND THEM DIFFICULT, I THINK. WE FOUND THEM DIFFICULT TO MAKE, SO YOU'VE GOT TO FIND THEM DIFFICULT TO LISTEN TO. I THINK IT'S STILL TO EARLY TO SAY WHAT KIND OF RECORD THAT ANY OF OURS ARE. I STILL HAVE TROUBLE LISTENING TO LEISURE AND BEING OBJECTIVE, AT ALL, ABOUT IT. YOU GET TOO EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED IN MUSIC- MAKING, I THINK. I'M SURE IT'S THE SAME WITH PAINTING, SCULPTURE, AND ANYTHING ELSE. YOU INVEST TO MUCH EMOTIONAL ENERGY INTO IT TO EVER BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT IN ANY OBJECTIVITY. THAT'S WHY INTERVIEWING ME IS SUCH A WASTE OF TIME." T1.20
ALEX #11:
"I MEAN WE'RE PROBABLY THE ONLY BAND THAT HAVE BEEN PUTTING RECORDS OUT SINCE 1989, WHO FORMED AROUND THAT TIME, WHO'VE SURVIVED COMPLETELY INTACT. THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF GOOD OVERRIDING CHEMISTRY. WE HAD SIX MONTHS OFF AS WELL, SO WE GOT OUT OF EACH OTHERS HAIR FOR A BIT. BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN SEEING MORE OF EACH OTHER THAN OUR GIRLFRIENDS FOR THE LAST...FOREVER. YOU GO INTO A STUDIO AND YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS, AND THE MORE TIMES YOU SPEND DOING THAT, THE MORE ADEPT AT IT YOU BECOME. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THROUGHOUT THE LAST TEN YEARS WE'VE IMPROVED. IT'S JUST SURPRISING TO ME THAT BANDS DON'T. MOST BANDS SEEM TO GET WORST." T0.53
DAMON #12:
"I MEAN THIS IS NOT MEANT TO, IN ANY WAY, SAY THAT WE'RE IMMOLATING THE BEATLES, BUT IF THEY'D HAD STAYED WHERE THEY HAD, EVEN WITH AN ALBUM LIKE RUBBER SOUL, WHICH WAS UNBELIEVABLE, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE BEATLES. ANY BAND HAS TO REPLICATE BUT ONLY THE KIND OF ESSENCE, EVERYTHING ELSE...HOPEFULLY THE ESSENCE WILL COME OUT, MORE AND MORE. THAT'S CERTAINLY WHAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WITH US. I THINK IT DEFINITELY TRAVELS INTO QUITE DARK RECESSES, BUT IT'S STILL IN ONE PIECE IN THE END AND OPTIMISTIC. IT'S WEATHERED BUT, YOU KNOW. IT'S THE MOST CATHARTIC THING I'VE EVER DONE. IT'S A WHOLE VOYAGE OF NEW THINGS. LIFE CHANGES. MY LIFE'S CHANGED AND I'M MOST DEFINITELY BROADENING MY HORIZONS. SO THIS WAS JUST THE CATALYST FOR ALL THAT HAPPENING. THE ONLY REASON THAT ANYONE WOULD BE MAD ENOUGH TO STAY IN A BAND THIS LONG, AND SUBJECT THEMSELVES TO THE SORT OF THE ROUTINES, THE TIMETABLES, THE SCHEDULES AND EVERYTHING IS IF AT THE END OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING THAT YOU REALLY FEEL YOU CAN CARRY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. IT'S THE ONLY REASON. I MEAN, NONE OF US WOULD PUT UP WITH EACH OTHER IF WE WEREN'T SATISFYING EACH OTHERS DESIRE TO MAKE GOOD WORK." T1.44
SECTION D:
IS THERE A WORD THAT SUMS UP THE MOOD OF THE RECORD?
GRAHAM # 13:
"I LIKE THE IDEA THAT WE DO THAT IN EVERY RECORD, CHANGE PEOPLE'S VIEW, OR SURPRISE SOMEBODY, BECAUSE WE CAN PUSH IT, PROBABLY, MORE THAN PEOPLE IMAGINE WE CAN. MAYBE WE CAN'T, MAYBE IT ALL JUST SOUNDS JUST LIKE BLUR IN THE END AND IT'S ONLY VERY SUBTLE. IT CHANGES, BUT TO US IT'S FAST. I DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE TO ANYONE ELSE HEARING IT AND ME. BUT IT'S DEFINITELY NOT PARKLIFE AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT THE GREAT ESCAPE OR BLUR. IT'S GONE SOMEWHERE, IT'S SLIGHTLY ESCHEW. IT'S A BIT TWISTED." T0.42
DAVE #14:
"EVERY INTERVIEW SESSION OF INTERVIEWS AFTER EVERY ALBUM, PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING 'I THINK IT'S A MUCH DARKER RECORD, THIS ONE'. THEY BEEN SAYING THAT FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS. AS I SAID TO SOMEONE THE OTHER DAY, I STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN THEY SAY IT'S A MUCH DARKER RECORD. I MEAN, THIS ONE MUST BE BLOODY INVISIBLE, IF IT'S DARKER THAN THE OTHER ONES. I THINK ORGANIC'S A GOOD WORD, 'CAUSE IT'S ANOTHER OF THOSE THAT YOU CAN SAY AND THEN WHEN THE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION ARRIVES, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PRETEND THAT IT MEANT WHATEVER THE JOURNALIST TOOK IT AS MEANING. I DON'T KNOW, IT IS DIFFICULT, IT IS DIFFICULT. I THINK IF YOU COULD DESCRIBE ALBUMS IN ONE WORD, THERE WOULD BE NO POINT IN MAKING THEM. I THINK IF WE WERE TO MAKE THE SAME RECORD AGAIN NOW, IT'D WOULD SOUND DIFFERENT AGAIN. IT WAS DEFINITELY A PROCESS, MAKING THE RECORD, RATHER THAN A...WHAT PEOPLE SEE AT THE END OF THE DAY, AND WHAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO, ISN'T ALL THERE IS. FOR THE BAND MAKING THE RECORD, FOR US MAKING THE RECORD, IT'S A PROCESS...THAT'S THE INTERESTING THING. IF YOU PLAYED THE RECORD AT THE END OF IT, I'D BE JUST AS INTERESTING AS IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THE RECORD AT THE END OF IT, CERTAINLY FOR ME. I THINK, YOU NEVER WANT TO REPEAT THE PROCESS. YOU'VE, KIND OF, DONE THAT NOW, SO YOU'D NEVER MAKE THE SAME RECORD AGAIN. IF WE WERE TO DO IT GAIN, EVEN IF WE WERE TO DO THE SAME SONGS, WE'D END UP A VASTLY DIFFERENT RECORD PROBABLY." T1.32
ALEX #15:
"THERE'S BLOOD ON THE TRACKS. YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME DAMON'S REALLY SUNG ABOUT HIMSELF, PROBABLY. I THOUGHT HE'D HAD SINGING LESSONS ACTUALLY. I THINK HE'S SINGING BEAUTIFULLY BUT, PERHAPS, THAT'S BECAUSE HE'S SINGING ABOUT STUFF THAT'S CLOSE TO HIS HEART. I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF RECORD IT IS. IN A YEAR IT WILL BE OBVIOUS, BUT AT THE MOMENT IT'S JUST THIS FRESH, GLISTENING NEW THING, THAT NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT IS. IT'S LIKE A NEW CHEMICAL ELEMENT, OR SOMETHING. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT IT IS YET OR WHAT IT CAN DO. IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE TAKING A BIG RISK, IT JUST FEELS A NICE, BIG, ELEGANT PIECE OF WORK." T0.51
BLUR 3
WHAT ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE TRACKS?
DAMON #16:
"THE SONGS I LIKE THE MOST ARE PROBABLY THE MOST SUBCONSCIOUS ONES, THE ONES WHICH EVOLVED THROUGH VARIOUS, SORT OF, CROSS PURPOSES. THAT WERE NEVER MEANT TO BE LIKE THE WAY THEY ARE. A SONG LIKE BATTLE AND CARAMEL, THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME WHEN I HEARD THEM FINISHED." T0.21
CD: BATTLE OR CARAMEL
ALEX #17:
"YEAH, ALWAYS CHANGING. MELLOW SONG IS BEAUTIFUL." T0.04
CD: MELLOW SONG
DAVE #18:
"CARAMEL I REALLY LIKE, ACTUALLY. BUT IT'S DIFFICULT AGAIN, I MEAN, THESE THINGS CHANGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE START PLAYING THINGS LIVE, THE SONGS CHANGE SO MUCH FROM WHEN WE RECORDED THEM. THIS IS ANOTHER, KIND OF, UNIQUE ALBUM, IN A WAY THAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY PLAYED ANY OF THESE SONGS LIVE BEFORE THE RECORDING SESSIONS. AND PLAYING SONGS LIVE DOES DRASTICALLY CHANGE THEM OVER TIME. ESPECIALLY OVER THE LENGTH OF THE TOURS WE DO KNOW, A COUPLE OF YEARS. YOU COULD IMAGINE THAT THE SONGS CHANGE INCREMENTALLY EVERY NIGHT. OVER THE SPACE OF A COUPLE OF YEARS, THAT MAKES THE SONG END UP AS, ALMOST, A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SONG. SO IN THE PAST WE'VE BEEN, KIND OF, TOURING PRETTY CONSTANTLY AND ADDING NEW SONGS TO THE SET AS THEY GET WRITTEN AND WORKED OUT." T0.51
GRAHAM #19:
"I LIKE 1992. I LIKE THE IDEA OF A SONG THAT'S KIND OF MELANCHOLY. IT'S KIND OF DARK AND MELANCHOLY. AND THEN I LIKE THIS AUTO-DESTRUCT THAT SONG SORT OF HAS. IT'S KIND OF LIKE ALIENS ARRIVE IN A SPACESHIP HALFWAY THROUGH IT. THEN FOR THE NEXT FOUR MINUTES, PRECEDE TO, KIND OF, SLOWLY DESTROY THE WHOLE SONG. WHICH IS KIND OF NICE. AND JUST BECAUSE OF THE MEMORY OF ACTUALLY ACHIEVING THAT WAS SO GREAT BECAUSE IT WAS ACHIEVED JUST BY LOTS OF REVERB AND ECHO FEEDING BACK ON ITSELF, ON THE MIXING DESK. IT WAS SORT OF LIKE WILLIAM DRIVING THE MIXING DESK LIKE IT WAS A SPACESHIP OR SOMETHING, FORCING THESE HORRIBLE SOUNDS OUT OF IT. IT WAS BRILLIANT TO SEE. HIS FACE WAS A PICTURE 'CAUSE HE WAS REALLY GETTING OFF ON THIS CRAZY...IT'S LIKE BUILDING A BEAUTIFUL DOMINO BRIDGE OR BUILDING-BLOCK HOUSE AND JUST, KIND OF, DESTROYING IT. MISCHIEVOUS. IT WAS JUST THAT KIND OF THING." T1.11
CD:1992
ALEX, DO YOU PLAY ANYTHING ELSE ON THE CD?
ALEX #20:
"NO JUST THE BASS. I'M THE BASS PLAYER. A BASS GUITAR IS LIKE A BIRO. YOU DON'T HAVE TO KNOW A LOT OF WORDS TO WRITE A GOOD STORY. HAVING A GOOD VOCABULARY DOESN'T MAKE YOU A GREAT WRITER. TRUMAN CAPOTE DIDN'T KNOW HIS ALPHABET, ALLEGEDLY. BUT IF YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING GOOD TO SAY, AND SOME, KIND OF, MEANS OF EXPRESSING IT, WHETHER IT'S WITH GUITARS OR A PAINTBRUSH OR A TYPEWRITER. THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTS. YOU TRY AND GET SOMETHING THAT'S INSIDE OF YOU OUTSIDE." T0.45
ALEX #21:
"YEAH IT'S ALMOST TEN YEARS TO THE DAY THAT WE HAD OUR FIRST REHEARSAL AND DID SHE'S SO HIGH. IT FEELS LIKE A HUNDRED SOMETIMES, AND SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE TEN MINUTES. IT'S ALWAYS LIKE THAT, ISN'T IT?" T0.12
GRAHAM #22:
"IT FELT VERY HEALTHY FOR ME, DOING THAT, BECAUSE IT, KIND OF, CLOSED THE DOOR ON A PERIOD OF LIFE AND GOT IT AWAY AND GAVE IT TO SOMEONE ELSE, MADE IT PUBLIC PROPERTY. WHETHER ANYBODY WANTED IT, PARTICULARLY, OR NOT, IT WASN'T MY CHIP ON MY SHOULDER ANY MORE. SO I GOT RID OF THAT. SO THAT LEFT ME PRETTY MUCH FREE, RELAXED, AND READY TO GO. I DIDN'T WANT IT INTERFERING AND I MADE IT QUITE CLEAR TO DAMON THAT ANYTHING HE THOUGHT ON THE RECORD COULD BE USED WITH BLUR, THEN IT COULD BE USED. BUT HE JUST SEEM...JUST WANTED TO LET ME GET ON WITH IT. DIDN'T LIKE ANY OF THE STUFF. I THINK HE KIND OF LIKES A COUPLE OF THE THINGS BUT I THINK HE WAS JUST LEAVING ME TO DO SOMETHING, TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. AND I THINK HE WAS QUITE INTERESTED IN WHAT I CAME UP WITH." T0.50
DAVE, TEN YEARS HAVE PASSED. DOES IT FEEL DIFFERENT?
DAVE #23:
"YEAH, I DEFINITELY FEEL COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THEN I DID TEN YEARS AGO. I LOOK BACK AT TEN YEARS AGO AND THINK 'WHAT AN IDIOT'. 'WHAT KIND OF IDIOT WAS THAT'? PROBABLY, IN ANOTHER TEN YEARS, I'LL BE LOOKING BACK AT TODAY AND GOING 'WHAT THE HELL WAS I ON ABOUT'? 'WHAT AN IDIOT'. MY GRANNY, ON HER DEATH-BED, SAID SHE STILL FELT THE SAME PERSON AS SHE DID WHEN SHE WAS 16. TODAY I DON'T FEEL THAT, NO. I FEEL LIKE I'VE WASTED MY YOUTH IN A POP GROUP." T0.32
WHY NO SOLO RECORDING PROJECTS, DAVE?
DAVE #24:
"THERE'S A BILLION THINGS I WANT TO DO AND I CAN'T. WITH 24 HOURS IN A DAY, I CAN'T BEGIN TO SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF THEM. APART FROM BEING IN BLUR, I FLY PLANES, AS YOU KNOW. I ANIMATE. I DO TAE KWON DO. AS MANY OTHER THINGS AS I CAN FIT IN A DAY, I DO. I'VE MANAGED TO DO THREE OR FOUR OF THOSE THINGS QUITE WELL, WHICH I THINK IS A PRETTY GOOD AVERAGE, REALLY. FOR THE MOMENT, I'M STICKING WITH THAT. PLAYING PONTOON, I'VE GOT 18, WHICH IS all right, SO I'M GOING TO STICK. WE, KIND OF, HAD A FEW MONTHS OFF, WELL PROBABLY THE BEST PART OF SIX MONTHS THIS YEAR.. I WROTE OUT A LIST OF EVERYTHING I WANTED TO DO AND I ENDED UP WITH TWO SIDES OF A4. MY WIFE SAID, I HATED TO BREAK THIS TO YOU, BUT YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ALL THIS. WHAT, SIX MONTHS IS FOREVER! OF COURSE I WILL! I WANT TO PLAY JAZZ. I SPENT MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD PLAYING JAZZ. I'VE GOT TO DO IT AGAIN. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I DEFINITELY WILL BE DOING, BUT IF YOU COULD HAVE A WORD WITH GOD AND ADD AN EXTRA SIX HOURS INTO EVERYDAY." T1.23
DAMON, ARE BLUR FANS TOLERANT OF CHANGE?
DAMON #25:
"WELL, THEY HAVE TO BE IF THEY ARE GOING TO STICK WITH US. THEY HAVE TO BE PRETTY, AS YOU SAY, OPEN-MINDED. PEOPLE GENERALLY ARE, I THINK. I THINK IT'S SUCH A FALLACY THAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO ONE KIND OF MUSIC. IT'S REALLY STRANGE THE WAY MUSIC IS BROUGHT ACROSS TO PEOPLE, IS SEGREGATED STILL." T0.23
DAMON, WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO AT THE MOMENT?
DAMON #26:
"WELL, I'M LISTENING TO A LOT OF LATIN MUSIC, AT THE MOMENT, AND A BIT OF JAZZ. I'VE GOT A GREAT DOUBLE CD CALLED THE LYRICIST'S LOUNGE, WHICH IS REALLY NICE, SPOKEN HIP-HOP. YEAH, AND CLASSICAL MUSIC BECAUSE OF FILM. I'M INTO CHARLES IVES." T0.18
GRAHAM, IS IT RIGHT THAT BLUR WON'T TOUR AGAIN?
GRAHAM #27:
"YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO TOUR ANYMORE AND THAT'S IT, REALLY. I DON'T WANT TO GO ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN THAT. I WANT TO PLAY SHOWS BUT I DON'T WANT TO GO ON THE ROAD. THIS IS SO RIDICULOUS BECAUSE I ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS SOUTHBANK SHOW WITH PETE TOWNSEND. HE WAS SAYING QUITE SIMILAR THINGS AND THEN HE WROTE THIS NEW BATCH OF STUFF AROUND WHITE CITY. THEN HE'S OFF ON THE ROAD AGAIN AND ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE OF IT. BUT, RIGHT NOW, NO. I LIKE PLAYING. I DON'T LIKE BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO AND BEING FORCED INTO SITUATIONS I DON'T LIKE, LIKE ANYBODY, I GUESS. I LIKE PLAYING TO FEEL GOOD, NOT LIKE A JOB. I THINK THAT MAKES SENSE REALLY." T0.47
DAVE'S VIEW OF TOURING
DAVE #28:
"YEAH, WE'LL STILL DO SOME BITS AND PIECES, I SHOULD THINK, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO DO THE SAME KIND OF SLOB AROUND THE WORLD AS WE'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS. WHEN STAR TREK BECOMES A REALITY AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY BEAM YOURSELF TO PLACES, APPEAR IN LITTLE SPARKLES OF LIGHT, AND WALK ON STAGE...THEN IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT MATTER. THE MECHANICS OF TOURING, SPENDING YOUR LIFE IN AN AIRPORT, THAT KIND OF THING STARTS TO FEEL LIKE A SLOB AFTER TEN YEARS. THE GIGS STILL FEEL ABSOLUTELY AMAZING." T0.40
I.D.'S
ALEX #29:
"HELLO, I'M ALEX, FROM OUT OF BLUR AND I PLAY THE BASS GUITAR, ALL THE DO-DA- DAY. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. CHEERS." T0.09
ALEX #30:
"HELLO, MY NAME'S ALEX AND I CAN PLAY THE BASS GUITAR, BASS GUITAR, BASS GUITAR, ALL THE DO-DA-DAY. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. CHEERS." T0.10
DAVE #31:
"HI, THIS IS DAVE FROM BLUR. THANKS FOR LISTENING. GOOD-BYE." T0.02
GRAHAM #32:
"HELLO, YEAH, THIS IS GRAHAM COXON FROM BLUR. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. CHEERS. BYE." T0.07
DAMON #33:
"HELLO, THIS IS DAMON ALBARN, FROM THE BAND BLUR, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING. GOOD-BYE." T0.07
THE END.