The return of RE:tail for the most comfortable shoes EVER

It's been a bit quiet here at Victorian Horror Towers as of late. The winding down of Blur Blitz '09 has given me a slight break from my (already dubious) blogging responsibilities. I've been sitting here trying to remember a time before Victorian Horror was solely occupied by Blur-bytes. Hmm...what the heck else can I write about?

Shoes.

That's it.

I got the most comfortable shoes ever today. They're a yellow pair of those Tom's shoes that were in all the shops (read: Urban Outfitters) last year. I originally derided them, but now that I've stomped about in them a bit though, they're pretty darn cute.

I'd like to say that I bought them due to the fact that Tom's gives away a pair to a needy child when you buy them...

In reality it was mostly due to the prospect of being able to wear what basically amounts to a pair of slippers in my everyday life.

Alarm Cord- Eslam Jawaad ft Damon Albarn

I'm so addicted to this song lately. It's been repeating on my ipod for a while now.

Now Graham wants to do a new Blur album?

Oh, it's an emotional roller coaster. In a recent interview, Graham had this to say about the prospects of a new Blur album:

"I'm up for it, doing another one - it would be a really interesting thing to do. I don't want it to be like 'Modern Life Is Rubbish' or nostalgic b******s. I want it to be a development. There's nothing saying there's a great big 'No'. My gut feeling is, 'Why not?' Since we got into '13' we just went 'bang', creatively. So I'm not worried about it. Think Tank' was another kind of animal as well. It's almost like we can start wherever we want, do whatever we want."

The current tally:
Damon and Alex are saying no on a reunion
Graham is saying yes
Dave has yet to weigh in.

Honestly, I kind of just want the Gorillaz album ASAP, so maybe hold off on the Blur if it's going to happen? I know that's blasphemous, but I'm super excited about Plastic Beach (if that's still what it's called).

Via Contact Music.

Damon confirms the end of Blur- I'm surprisingly O.K. with it.

Damon, in an interview with Q Magazine:

"With touring, the repetition will come back and I just always need to do new stuff. What I wanted to do was heal to the point where I know I can always ring Graham up in the future and it will be fine. That's all I wanted to do and we've done that, definitely.”

"But if we carried on, the same problems would rear their head because of the status quo in the band. I've generally always written everything. Graham's contributed great extra bits, he does the work as well. But it has to come from somewhere to start off with and that is a big, big part of it, getting the whole idea together."

I am actually in agreement with Damon on this. It did seem as if they were doing something "special" and to overstay their welcome would lead to a backlash. Graham's probably happier this way, and Damon gets to do his more experimental (dare I say edgier) stuff.

I'm a bit sad that I didn't get over to the U.K. to see them live, but hey, I got the t-shirt- and maybe one day my Hyde Park live CD's will arrive!

Damon better get working on that Gorillaz album, and I fully expect an extensive U.S. tour to follow.

So That's It? Blur have no plans to record, or to play any more shows.

I guess we all expected it, it just took Royal Cheesemaker Alex James to confirm it. Via BBC News:

"Despite the rumours, bassist Alex James said they have not talked about "doing anything else whatsoever".

Over the summer, Blur played a series of concerts including ones at London's Hyde Park and Glastonbury Festival.

"That was what we said we'd do and we did it and it was great. It hasn't been mentioned the idea of doing anything else but hey, it was great," he said.

'Best gig we've ever done'

James said the band were surprised by the reaction they received from audiences, saying it was "too much" for them to cope with.

"I've spent the last week staring at a bonfire muttering to myself. I haven't been able to contain the joy that it brought to all of us. It was very, very emotional. Everything we hoped it would be and more."

He said playing Glastonbury was a punt as it was "kind of like doing an away gig, you're not playing to your own crowd".

"The weather was perfect, the crowd were up for it, we were up for it and between us we smashed it to bits.

"What was amazing was the band's and the audiences' connection. Best gig we've ever done. Amazing."

Mercury prize nominees announced

The nominees for the 2009 Mercury Music Prize were announced today. If you remember, last year's prize went to Elbow. A long overdue bit of recognition for a wonderful band.

This years nominees are heavy on the ladies (Bat For Lashes, Florence And The Machine, La Roux, Lisa Hannigan, etc.), but I'm really pulling for The Horrors. Primary Colours is still the best album of 2009 so far.

The full list:

Bat For Lashes – 'Two Suns'
Florence And The Machine – 'Lungs'
Friendly Fires – 'Friendly Fires'
Glasvegas – 'Glasvegas'
The Horrors – 'Primary Colours'
La Roux – 'La Roux'
Led Bib – 'Sensible Shoes'
The Invisible - 'The Invisible'
Lisa Hannigan – 'Sea Sew'
Kasabian – 'West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum'
Speech Debelle – 'Speech Therapy'
Sweet Billy Pilgrim – 'Twice Born Men'

Barclaycard Mercury Music Prize
Via NME.

Pitchfork on Sunday was The Very Best

The Flaming Lips, Pitchfork Music Festival. 7/19/09

I was only able to got to Pitchfork on Sunday this year, however, it seems I picked the best day. I got to see old Victorian Horror favorites, M83 - as well as Grizzly Bear (who were amazing), DJ Rupture, The Walkmen, The Flaming Lips, and The Very Best.
The Very Best were the surprise of the evening, those of us who left The Flaming Lips to go check them out were duly rewarded with a fantastic show.
I couldn't do a festival post without my award-winning shaky video...so here's a mash up of all the stuff I saw yesterday:

What now?

So the Blur reunion is over*. Still no word on any other dates, so for now it looks as if this was it. I'm obviously still hoping for a last minute announcement of a one-off American show...you never know.

So now what? Well I'm pretty sure Victorian Horror might switch over into full on Plastic Beach hysteria. The announcements about the new Gorillaz album are becoming more and more hype-worthy. I mean The Horrors? On a Gorillaz album? It's like my fantasy band come to life.
Another upcoming topic will be the Pitchfork festival, which is this weekend. I'm only going on Sunday (due to other commitments), but I'm really excited to see M83 again...and Grizzly Bear!

So, all is not lost. The Blur reunion has made me realize that, while Blur are, and always will be, my favorite band; I'm actually more excited about the new things that Damon's doing. Now in a perfect world that would include a new Blur album.

*Maybe.

The Universal at T In The Park 2009

Want to know what it's like at the very back of a Blur show?


Thanks to john18722 for the video.

Blur's T In The Park show to be canceled? went on as scheduled.

UPDATE: Blur went on a little late...but Graham made it to their final gig.


The NME is reporting that Graham's in hospital, and that Blur might need to postpone or cancel their headlining slot at T In The Park.

Could the hospital stay be due to Graham's lunch? Six hours ago he tweeted this: "oysters and mackeral at the fishers, lieth. super place!!"

Uh oh. I'm sure the oysters and mackerel are great...and yep Leith is a really cool place, but maybe lay off the shellfish on the day of a big show.

Anyway, I guess check NME for updates since they've apparently got the details.

Get well soon Graham!

Punchdrunk's "It Felt Like A Kiss" sounds terrifying

The Manchester International Festival should be pretty familiar to Victorian Horror readers (and/or Damon Albarn fans). It is, of course the birthplace of his, and Jamie Hewlett's, Monkey: Journey To The West. This year, Damon's contribution is even more oblique than a Chinese opera. His score accompanies Punchdrunk and Adam Curtis' It Felt Like A Kiss.

Punchdrunk is a performance art theatre troupe (if I'm understanding it correctly). They've created a sort of haunted house in an abandoned Manchester building. It's not your normal haunted house though, instead of ghosts and monsters, you're haunted by the spectre of America's rise as a superpower...and the dark secrets hidden behind the happy pop culture.

I've read several reviews, and, well, it sounds terrifying. At one point I briefly flirted with the idea of flying to Manchester to see the Blur show, then staying on until July to catch this. After reading the reviews, I'm sort of glad I didn't get myself into that position! Not that I don't think it'll be amazing, it would be cool to hear Damon's score performed by the Kronos Quartet, but I'm not a fan of enclosed spaces...or being chased by a maniac with a chainsaw!

The Times' Review: It Felt Like a Kiss at the Quay House, Spinningfields, Manchester

The Guardian: Theatre reviews: It Felt Like a Kiss, Forbidden Broadway, Apologia

It Felt Like a Kiss

The Untied States of America
It Felt Like a Kiss scared me to death

Blur @ Oxegen festival

Here's the first Youtube upload of the night, from cno10018. It's blurry, it's grainy, it's Beetlebum.

THIS is what I feared most about the Blur reunion: The NME resurrects the Oasis/Blur feud.

Oh, The NME. Why must you try so hard to capture a time (now long gone) in which you were relevant?

I'm actually amazed it took this long for the Blur-Oasis feud-mill to start up again. The NME basically invented the feud, and now they're trying to cash in on the Blur reunion themselves by instigating the rivalry all over again.

It seems slightly ridiculous. Yes, Oasis were the more popular band in the long run, they sold more records. But using that criteria is useless in actually gauging which band is better. It's sort of like saying Celine Dion is better than Bjork. If you're saying "better" to mean broader in their appeal, then yes, Oasis are "better".

If you're basing better on talent, innovation, musicianship, or critical acclaim...then it's obviously Blur who come out on top.

The end.

I know which one I'd rather be.

Blur Vs Oasis- It's Back On. [NME]

Washington Post's David Malitz requests that Blur come to America. Lets make this a movement!

Ha, validation! It's not just pasty ex-pats that want Blur to come here.
I think we should fill the comment section on his piece with our support? No?

Read it here: The Stars Will Be Out For MJ; Panic in Panic at the Disco Land; Please Come to America, Blur.

Blur likely to record new music (says Graham in weeks-old interview that's been made to look current by The Mirror)

Of course it seems likely that Blur will make new music together again. Do we really think Damon's going to give up the Blur glory that easily?
The Mirror has a new article announcing that Graham has confirmed a new album, it's a shame they use interviews from weeks ago as evidence.

The Horrors to be on new Gorillaz album

Crazy, brilliant news via Gorillaz_Unofficial on Livejournal. Victorian Horror favorites, The Horrors, have recorded a track with Damon for Plastic Beach (the tentative title for 2010's new Gorillaz album).
Yes, that popping sound was my brain exploding!

The Horrors make the announcement themselves in this video:


[youtube]

Blur's French fans...a little less punchy

The first photos and video from Blur's Lyon gig tonight seem to show it as a bit tamer than the Hyde Park shows. French fans seem slightly less violent.

There's No Other Way in Lyon VIDEO [youtube]

Blur in Lyon PHOTOS [flickr]

The Independent's review of Blur's Hyde Park Shows: Somebody needs to work on their brand awareness.

The Independent has a pretty decent Hyde Park review...until it gets to this point:

"It's little wonder that Albarn cried at Glastonbury; he looked a little weepy here, too, in-between the manic, vigorous po-going in his classic black Adidas T-shirt and jeans. Albarn's never been so loved. This is his moment – and he's in fine voice."

I'm pretty sure that the classic t-shirt is a Fred Perry polo...I mean that's all I've seen him in for this whole reunion.

Obviously, it's really bastardy of me to be so nit-picky but if you're going to proclaim something a classic, you'd better get it right.

BBC's Blur @ Glastonbury slideshow

I just saw this over at the BBC's Glastonbury site. It's a cracking slideshow of Blur's headlining set last Sunday at Glastonbury.
Here's a preview, visit the site for nine more.

Demand Blur In Chicago

If you're of the Midwestern persuasion and love a bit of Blur, please take a little time to fill out this Eventful thing. Of course I'm not entirely positive it'll be seen by anyone of consequence...but it can't hurt eh?

View all Chicago events on Eventful

Favorite Tweets from tonight's Blur show

There are some funny folk out there on Park Lane:





ACCRINGTON STANLEY!

Blur @ Hyde Park videos

Some videos of yesterday's show. How scary does that crowd look? It's a like tsunami of people. [Youtube]

Blur at Hyde Park: day two.

So it's day two of Blur's Hyde Park shows, and tonight should be even better than yesterday. The Friday tickets went on sale first, before the Thursday show was announced, so expect the hardcore Blurophiles to be out tonight!
I'll update again today with any news I get hold of. In the meantime, here's the Flickr pool of last nights show:

Blur Hyde Park on Flickr.

Blur at Hyde Park (Photo)

via metro.co.uk

Blur at Hyde Park TONIGHT

It's here! The first of two epic Hyde Park shows is tonight. I'll be keeping a running ticker of the latest news coming from Park Lane.
To start with, perennial source for soundbites, the NME.

Blur to put 'heart and soul' into tonight's (Jul 2,3) Hyde Park(life) gigs [NME]

Blur Braced For Start Of London Hyde Park Residency...It gets under way tonight [Festival Wise]



Watch the announcement video again:

• Remember, Absolute Radio will be replaying an entire show starting at 5pm GMT, on July 5th HERE.

• Remember, you can pre-order the live album recorded at the Hyde Park shows. Get a four disc set for both nights, or just a single night. Also available- Mp3's.

• From Parlophone's twitter, a real-time photo from Hyde Park:

• From Eddiecurry's twitter, opening band Foals on the stage. I love them:

The stage design seems to be very Anglocentric. Map of London one side, map of Britain the other. Hmm. Doesn't seem to bode well for future American shows.

Record Store Gems...

I just walked to my local record store and found these gems. I must, however, stop spending money. I purchased the Blur Hyde Park greyhound t-shirt online this morning, and now these....hmph!



Open Strings
Early Virtuoso Recordings From The Middle East, And New Responses. (Honest Jon's).
I found one of the latest releases from the Honest Jon's label. Yay. I pretty much snap these up whenever I see them. The releases from the EMI archives would've probably never been heard again if it was not for these albums. This one is 20's Middle Eastern music on one disc, and modern takes on the other..



Sensurround + B-Sides
Cornelius.
I found this in their used DVD section. It' s Cornelius' videos from Sensuous and some B-side tracks. I saw Cornelius on this tour last year, and it was amazing. When I saw the drippy paint sleeve from the corrner of my eye, I knew it was Cornelius, and I knew I had to buy it.

Blur reunion: A look at the MERCH TABLE!

Tomorrow and Friday are the huge Hyde Park gigs, and Blur's website has rolled out the merchandise just in time. A look at what you'll find there (or online). I've converted the prices to dollars for those of us across the pond.

Blur Hoodie:

For about $82.00 you can have your own Blur hoodie.
The logo is reminiscent of a The Great Escape era ringer t-shirt.









Parklife T-Shirt:

I had this t-shirt in 1994 (mine was white). Relive your awkward teenage years for only $25.00!












Ugly sparkly Blur logo T-shirt:

Um, someone got a beadazzler. Take a pass on this babydoll t-shirt with rhinestones. It's cheesy, and costs $42.00











Cult of Milky babydoll T-shirt:

I hate the idea of a babydoll t-shirt. I'll just get a men's small thanks. At least it'll be long enough. This Milky t-shirt is, however, pretty awesome. The star is, of course, Milky the milk carton from Coffee and TV. Yours for only $33.00!









Awesome Greyhound Babydoll t-shirt:

Argh. Another babydoll. Why can't this be in men's sizes. Yes, I am a girl, but unless my torso suddenly gets shorter this isn't going to cut it. Probably my fav. t-shirt too.
Try it out for $37.00.








There's no Modern Life Is Rubbish steam train t-shirts, which is a shame. Fill the void with a keychain ($16.50), or a tote bag ($25.00).









Blur McNormal T-shirt:

In 1995 I got this Blur catalog of merchandise from somewhere or other. I wanted this t-shirt sooo bad. I was 13, and had no money so I didn't get it. I might have to buy it now...it even says "McNuffin' and chips" on the back. $41.00.





See the rest of the merchandise at Blur's web-store. There's the Julian Opie portraits on a t-shirt, a funny Parklife hat, and a stupid "Vote Dave" t-shirt that looks like it was made using the same "Obamacon" application that I used for my Facebook profile pic six months ago.

Blur web store.

UPDATE: I just got the greyhound t-shirt. The shipping to the US was five pounds. Lets hope the sizing is correct. This Blur reunion has already cost me $100, and I haven't even seen them!