1 00:00:15,476 --> 00:00:22,476 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Over the course of a thirty five year career, 2 00:00:22,716 --> 00:00:27,636 Speaker 1: Damon Auburn has reached international fame with two very different groups. 3 00:00:28,596 --> 00:00:31,476 Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty eight, Damon created the rock band Blur 4 00:00:31,716 --> 00:00:35,396 Speaker 1: with four friends in his native London. Blur started out 5 00:00:35,396 --> 00:00:38,556 Speaker 1: as what Damon calls a classic art school band, but 6 00:00:38,596 --> 00:00:41,396 Speaker 1: they quickly morphed into one of the seminal groups of 7 00:00:41,436 --> 00:00:46,196 Speaker 1: the nineties britpop explosion, along with their former rivals Oasis. 8 00:00:47,396 --> 00:00:50,516 Speaker 1: After a series of successful albums with Blur, Damon started 9 00:00:50,556 --> 00:00:55,476 Speaker 1: Gorillas in nineteen ninety eight with cartoonist Jamie Hewlett. Dubbed 10 00:00:55,516 --> 00:00:58,716 Speaker 1: is the world's first virtual group, the Gorilla's rotating lineup 11 00:00:58,756 --> 00:01:02,916 Speaker 1: includes collaborations with De La Soul, Stevie Nicks, Bobby Womack, 12 00:01:03,036 --> 00:01:06,476 Speaker 1: and Lou Reed. The band's influences are as diverse as 13 00:01:06,476 --> 00:01:09,636 Speaker 1: electronic music, hip hop, and world music, and over the 14 00:01:09,716 --> 00:01:13,516 Speaker 1: last twenty five years, Gorillas has been wildly successful, selling 15 00:01:13,516 --> 00:01:18,836 Speaker 1: over thirty million albums worldwide. Despite having found such success, 16 00:01:19,076 --> 00:01:22,756 Speaker 1: Damon's never stopped exploring his artistic potential. He's written in 17 00:01:22,756 --> 00:01:26,116 Speaker 1: an opera, released solo and side projects, and recently he 18 00:01:26,196 --> 00:01:29,596 Speaker 1: reunited with Blur to release the band's latest album, called 19 00:01:29,756 --> 00:01:33,516 Speaker 1: The Ballad of Darren. On today's episode, Lea Rose talks 20 00:01:33,516 --> 00:01:36,076 Speaker 1: to Damon Albarn about what it's like for Blur to 21 00:01:36,156 --> 00:01:40,396 Speaker 1: headline music festivals in twenty twenty three. Damon also reveals 22 00:01:40,396 --> 00:01:43,636 Speaker 1: how Gorillas are about to undergo a major paradigm shift, 23 00:01:44,036 --> 00:01:46,916 Speaker 1: and he explains how, according to family lore, John Lennon 24 00:01:46,996 --> 00:01:49,556 Speaker 1: and Yoko Ono first met at his dad's art gallery 25 00:01:49,956 --> 00:01:55,836 Speaker 1: in London. This is broken record liner notes for the 26 00:01:55,876 --> 00:01:56,636 Speaker 1: digital age. 27 00:01:56,796 --> 00:01:57,716 Speaker 2: I'm justin Mitchman. 28 00:01:58,636 --> 00:02:00,676 Speaker 1: Here's Lea Rose with Damon Albarn. 29 00:02:01,636 --> 00:02:04,556 Speaker 3: Let's talk Blur. Okay, so it looks like you've been 30 00:02:04,556 --> 00:02:06,796 Speaker 3: on a you all have been doing a little run 31 00:02:06,836 --> 00:02:11,116 Speaker 3: of shows in Europe. How has it been being back 32 00:02:11,156 --> 00:02:12,356 Speaker 3: on stage with everybody? 33 00:02:12,716 --> 00:02:16,076 Speaker 2: Oh, it's great. Yeah. We did three four small gigs 34 00:02:16,156 --> 00:02:19,676 Speaker 2: in England and then we went over to Spain and 35 00:02:19,756 --> 00:02:24,796 Speaker 2: did the Primavera gigs. First one was Pastime. I mean, 36 00:02:25,476 --> 00:02:28,796 Speaker 2: the only problem problematic thing is that if you're headlining 37 00:02:28,836 --> 00:02:33,116 Speaker 2: you go on at two am, which are our age 38 00:02:33,156 --> 00:02:38,476 Speaker 2: is almost unthinkable, but we can just about do it. Yeah, 39 00:02:38,516 --> 00:02:40,596 Speaker 2: And then the next date was in Madrid and it 40 00:02:40,636 --> 00:02:42,396 Speaker 2: was the first time they were ever doing it and 41 00:02:42,676 --> 00:02:45,236 Speaker 2: the weather was so bad that they had to cancel 42 00:02:46,156 --> 00:02:49,356 Speaker 2: our concert at two am, so we managed to find 43 00:02:50,436 --> 00:02:55,036 Speaker 2: a smallish club called labry Vieira about two thousand people 44 00:02:55,356 --> 00:02:59,436 Speaker 2: and two thousand of the forty thousand managed to see us. 45 00:02:59,716 --> 00:03:03,636 Speaker 2: So it was quite quite a magical evening really, considering 46 00:03:04,436 --> 00:03:07,356 Speaker 2: what a tumultuous afternoon it had been. 47 00:03:07,716 --> 00:03:09,636 Speaker 3: You know, what was the energy like in the club? 48 00:03:09,836 --> 00:03:14,196 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was fantastic. Threw myself around with Wild Abandon. 49 00:03:14,596 --> 00:03:16,436 Speaker 3: Very nice. How has it been for the other guys 50 00:03:16,436 --> 00:03:19,196 Speaker 3: in the bank? So, I know, you've been consistently touring 51 00:03:19,236 --> 00:03:22,516 Speaker 3: for the most part since the last Blur album, has it? 52 00:03:23,156 --> 00:03:25,036 Speaker 2: I thought you were going to say, you've been consistently 53 00:03:25,156 --> 00:03:26,116 Speaker 2: tearing it up. 54 00:03:28,436 --> 00:03:30,756 Speaker 3: Been thrashing, tearing the club up. 55 00:03:31,156 --> 00:03:36,396 Speaker 2: Yeah, consistently yeah, yeah, Well, I mean everyone's been doing 56 00:03:36,836 --> 00:03:39,636 Speaker 2: their own thing. Grahamson and lot of concerts, but not 57 00:03:39,756 --> 00:03:43,996 Speaker 2: maybe of that size. Alex has his own festival, so 58 00:03:44,076 --> 00:03:47,796 Speaker 2: he even he knows everything about about what a festival is, 59 00:03:47,956 --> 00:03:51,636 Speaker 2: you know, the complete DNA of a festival. Dave's been 60 00:03:51,676 --> 00:03:57,796 Speaker 2: doing everything humanly possible and also got his own little 61 00:03:57,836 --> 00:04:01,836 Speaker 2: band out as well, So everyone's been super busy that's great. Yeah, 62 00:04:01,876 --> 00:04:05,636 Speaker 2: But it's necessary, isn't it. Otherwise it just feels like, 63 00:04:06,436 --> 00:04:08,916 Speaker 2: I don't know this. This is supposed to be old 64 00:04:08,956 --> 00:04:15,236 Speaker 2: for ends sort of finding each other latterly and trying 65 00:04:15,276 --> 00:04:19,436 Speaker 2: to express that in a sort of, you know, vibrant 66 00:04:19,476 --> 00:04:22,396 Speaker 2: and honest way. 67 00:04:22,436 --> 00:04:25,396 Speaker 3: Have you learned anything new about the old friends and 68 00:04:25,436 --> 00:04:27,716 Speaker 3: the process of recording the new album? 69 00:04:29,116 --> 00:04:31,196 Speaker 2: Well, they're a lot more grown up, all of them, 70 00:04:31,556 --> 00:04:37,156 Speaker 2: a lot more maybe resilient than maybe they were twenty 71 00:04:37,236 --> 00:04:42,676 Speaker 2: years ago emotionally and physically. Yeah, I think there's a 72 00:04:42,756 --> 00:04:46,036 Speaker 2: huge amount of necessary growing up that's gone on for 73 00:04:46,116 --> 00:04:46,596 Speaker 2: all of us. 74 00:04:47,236 --> 00:04:50,116 Speaker 3: Are the band dynamics? Do they feel exactly the same 75 00:04:50,156 --> 00:04:53,356 Speaker 3: as they used to, you know, way back when, or 76 00:04:53,716 --> 00:04:56,716 Speaker 3: have things sort of changed just like on a more 77 00:04:56,796 --> 00:04:59,316 Speaker 3: like interpersonal level, things. 78 00:04:59,076 --> 00:05:05,876 Speaker 2: Have changed a bit, but essentially so exactly the same dynamic. 79 00:05:06,556 --> 00:05:08,316 Speaker 3: That's so cool. It's so nice to have that. 80 00:05:08,876 --> 00:05:11,836 Speaker 2: Yeah, really, it is really nice. It is really nice. 81 00:05:12,116 --> 00:05:16,076 Speaker 2: But but I suppose the fact that we haven't kind 82 00:05:16,116 --> 00:05:20,276 Speaker 2: of chased it much in the last twenty years means that, 83 00:05:20,796 --> 00:05:24,796 Speaker 2: you know, there's there's still that possibility for something to 84 00:05:24,836 --> 00:05:28,836 Speaker 2: surprise us, you know, And I mean this whole thing 85 00:05:28,876 --> 00:05:32,636 Speaker 2: initially started off with a conversation about Okay, it's probably 86 00:05:32,676 --> 00:05:36,956 Speaker 2: time we sang those songs again, with no real destination. 87 00:05:37,196 --> 00:05:42,356 Speaker 2: And then when I was in the States in the autumn, 88 00:05:42,796 --> 00:05:45,196 Speaker 2: I mean, I always take a studio on tour anyway, 89 00:05:45,236 --> 00:05:47,276 Speaker 2: and I just thought, well, I'm just going to write songs. 90 00:05:47,996 --> 00:05:52,836 Speaker 2: It's kind of interesting being here in all these mad 91 00:05:52,916 --> 00:05:56,716 Speaker 2: cities and everything that you know that you carry on 92 00:05:56,756 --> 00:06:00,236 Speaker 2: the road with you and the experiences you have, and 93 00:06:00,276 --> 00:06:02,916 Speaker 2: I thought, maybe that's quite a nice sometimes it's quite 94 00:06:02,916 --> 00:06:06,076 Speaker 2: a nice place to write about something else, you know, 95 00:06:07,356 --> 00:06:10,756 Speaker 2: And so I just wrote lost songs. I didn't tell anyone. 96 00:06:11,956 --> 00:06:15,996 Speaker 2: Then in the new year, I said to all of them, 97 00:06:16,076 --> 00:06:18,556 Speaker 2: I said, just can I invite you down to the studio, 98 00:06:18,556 --> 00:06:21,716 Speaker 2: I just like play some stuff suit you think And 99 00:06:22,636 --> 00:06:25,476 Speaker 2: I said, look, I think I've written an album. There's 100 00:06:25,516 --> 00:06:27,756 Speaker 2: twenty songs. You choose the ones you want to record, 101 00:06:28,076 --> 00:06:31,156 Speaker 2: and that's really It was as simple as that. They 102 00:06:31,156 --> 00:06:34,276 Speaker 2: were like into it, and it felt, I suppose of 103 00:06:34,356 --> 00:06:36,476 Speaker 2: that moment, I was kind of, you know, I was 104 00:06:36,476 --> 00:06:39,596 Speaker 2: still kind of a bit nervous about letting all that 105 00:06:39,636 --> 00:06:43,556 Speaker 2: material go without knowing where it was going to go. 106 00:06:44,196 --> 00:06:47,676 Speaker 2: But it went pretty much exactly where I hoped it would, 107 00:06:47,916 --> 00:06:52,316 Speaker 2: and yeah, I didn't take us more than six weeks 108 00:06:52,356 --> 00:06:53,196 Speaker 2: to do the whole thing. 109 00:06:53,836 --> 00:06:54,516 Speaker 3: It's amazing. 110 00:06:55,356 --> 00:06:58,956 Speaker 2: But the most amazing thing about that was that that 111 00:06:59,116 --> 00:07:02,836 Speaker 2: seemed to sort of inform the momentum of everything and 112 00:07:02,836 --> 00:07:06,436 Speaker 2: the fact that we already had this sort of totemic 113 00:07:07,316 --> 00:07:10,956 Speaker 2: Wembley gig. It's sort of everyone was like, oh, well, 114 00:07:11,036 --> 00:07:12,836 Speaker 2: where we should get the record out in time for 115 00:07:12,916 --> 00:07:16,476 Speaker 2: that as well, or at least least proximity to it. 116 00:07:16,556 --> 00:07:20,956 Speaker 2: So something a process that that latterly, to be honest, 117 00:07:21,036 --> 00:07:24,116 Speaker 2: has just become so sort of slow for me, you know, 118 00:07:24,276 --> 00:07:27,716 Speaker 2: like having to wait a year sometimes to put a 119 00:07:27,756 --> 00:07:30,116 Speaker 2: record out. She's just so that's happened a few times. 120 00:07:31,076 --> 00:07:33,796 Speaker 2: So this was literally we we finished it and then 121 00:07:33,836 --> 00:07:35,396 Speaker 2: it was like, oh shit, we need to rehearse for 122 00:07:35,436 --> 00:07:38,996 Speaker 2: these concerts, and now we're here and I haven't and 123 00:07:39,236 --> 00:07:42,356 Speaker 2: we're putting another single out next week and then an album, 124 00:07:42,396 --> 00:07:45,316 Speaker 2: and that's it's just nice to know that that nothing 125 00:07:45,436 --> 00:07:49,236 Speaker 2: existed in January apart from the songs I suppose, so. 126 00:07:49,196 --> 00:07:52,476 Speaker 3: The gig existed first and then the album came yes, 127 00:07:53,036 --> 00:07:56,636 Speaker 3: So it's sort of like a Beatles, get back, let 128 00:07:56,676 --> 00:07:57,476 Speaker 3: it be situation. 129 00:07:57,996 --> 00:08:00,156 Speaker 2: It's exactly like that, and it's. 130 00:07:59,956 --> 00:08:01,996 Speaker 3: Just why did you get back right now? 131 00:08:02,396 --> 00:08:04,716 Speaker 2: I mean, this is inevitable, isn't it. That's sort of 132 00:08:04,756 --> 00:08:08,276 Speaker 2: for some reason because we come from this island. We're 133 00:08:08,316 --> 00:08:10,596 Speaker 2: always going. But but I mean, this is the annoying 134 00:08:10,596 --> 00:08:12,556 Speaker 2: thing about the Beasts is that they kind of sort 135 00:08:12,596 --> 00:08:17,596 Speaker 2: of they created every kind of sort of trope that 136 00:08:17,676 --> 00:08:20,836 Speaker 2: you throw up pop music really you know, not invented, 137 00:08:20,916 --> 00:08:23,756 Speaker 2: but they seem to embody so many and you know, 138 00:08:23,836 --> 00:08:28,196 Speaker 2: the the idea of mass hysteria, although it happened previously 139 00:08:28,276 --> 00:08:30,916 Speaker 2: with Elvis, I don't think it ever happened for a band. 140 00:08:31,036 --> 00:08:35,236 Speaker 2: The idea of the independence that are banned when it's 141 00:08:35,236 --> 00:08:39,396 Speaker 2: a good one kind of offers its its audience. You know. 142 00:08:39,476 --> 00:08:43,156 Speaker 2: They know that these these individuals have come up together 143 00:08:43,316 --> 00:08:47,796 Speaker 2: and that they share very similar kind of sort of beliefs, 144 00:08:48,116 --> 00:08:51,276 Speaker 2: you know, and passions, and that like you know, there's 145 00:08:51,276 --> 00:08:53,276 Speaker 2: no need to have since they were kids. So it's 146 00:08:53,316 --> 00:08:56,956 Speaker 2: just it's so important really that bands exist. And I 147 00:08:56,956 --> 00:08:59,676 Speaker 2: suppose I feel like, I don't know, I feel like 148 00:08:59,716 --> 00:09:02,236 Speaker 2: it was a bit more excitement about guitar music again 149 00:09:02,596 --> 00:09:05,716 Speaker 2: at the moment, and that can't be a bad thing 150 00:09:05,796 --> 00:09:09,516 Speaker 2: because it got so sterile. I mean, you know, for me, 151 00:09:09,676 --> 00:09:13,996 Speaker 2: really the last great guitar band would have been the 152 00:09:14,116 --> 00:09:18,796 Speaker 2: Artic Monkeys. I don't really know if there's anything as 153 00:09:18,836 --> 00:09:22,036 Speaker 2: good as that since. I mean, but but now there's 154 00:09:22,076 --> 00:09:24,436 Speaker 2: bands who look got a huge amount of potential, and 155 00:09:24,756 --> 00:09:28,196 Speaker 2: it's really it's kind of dismantled itself guitar music, and 156 00:09:28,236 --> 00:09:30,276 Speaker 2: it's kind of putting itself back together again in a 157 00:09:30,316 --> 00:09:33,396 Speaker 2: different form, you know, you get you've got some fantastic 158 00:09:33,476 --> 00:09:38,476 Speaker 2: new kind of sort of mutations of the the genus 159 00:09:38,516 --> 00:09:38,796 Speaker 2: of it. 160 00:09:39,716 --> 00:09:41,396 Speaker 3: Yeah, what are some that you're thinking of when you 161 00:09:41,436 --> 00:09:43,796 Speaker 3: say there's new there's some new bands out there that 162 00:09:43,876 --> 00:09:45,516 Speaker 3: are bringing back aut our music. 163 00:09:45,676 --> 00:09:48,156 Speaker 2: Well, I really, I really like I really like a 164 00:09:48,196 --> 00:09:52,236 Speaker 2: band like Wooloo. They seem to be really cool. There's 165 00:09:52,276 --> 00:09:57,796 Speaker 2: one that I picked up on somewhere in the American countryside, 166 00:09:58,236 --> 00:10:02,036 Speaker 2: but I like, I can't remember his name. That's narrowing 167 00:10:02,076 --> 00:10:02,916 Speaker 2: it down, isn't it. 168 00:10:04,236 --> 00:10:05,676 Speaker 3: American countryside? Okay? 169 00:10:05,876 --> 00:10:08,676 Speaker 2: Yeah, in the American countryside, the great the great American 170 00:10:08,716 --> 00:10:13,116 Speaker 2: country side. Yeah, it's a collective of I don't know, 171 00:10:13,156 --> 00:10:15,876 Speaker 2: it's sort of just felt like exactly what a young 172 00:10:15,956 --> 00:10:18,076 Speaker 2: band should sound like. Lots of there are lots of them, 173 00:10:18,476 --> 00:10:20,916 Speaker 2: and you've got bands like Yard Acts who are here. 174 00:10:21,276 --> 00:10:23,876 Speaker 2: It seemed to be getting better and better, and obviously 175 00:10:25,116 --> 00:10:27,916 Speaker 2: not that they're new, but I still see them as 176 00:10:27,996 --> 00:10:32,036 Speaker 2: kind of emerging bands like Sleaford Mods, you know, brilliant. 177 00:10:32,436 --> 00:10:35,276 Speaker 2: So it's and lots of great language being used again, 178 00:10:35,636 --> 00:10:38,996 Speaker 2: you know, not the generic rock shit. I hate that. Yeah, 179 00:10:39,076 --> 00:10:42,276 Speaker 2: I hate that. I like I like poets and guitars, 180 00:10:42,316 --> 00:10:46,116 Speaker 2: you know, it's like that's what always inspired inspired me. 181 00:10:46,916 --> 00:10:49,436 Speaker 3: I was curious about your relationship to the Beatles because 182 00:10:49,476 --> 00:10:52,396 Speaker 3: you came up you were sort of the generation after 183 00:10:52,476 --> 00:10:55,396 Speaker 3: the Beatles, and we've had a lot of artists on 184 00:10:55,436 --> 00:10:58,476 Speaker 3: this show who talk about, you know, someone like Ozzy 185 00:10:58,556 --> 00:11:00,836 Speaker 3: Osbourne when he heard the Beatles, it was like it 186 00:11:00,876 --> 00:11:03,756 Speaker 3: went from black and white to color, so you. 187 00:11:03,756 --> 00:11:08,436 Speaker 2: Being and then back and then back to black permanently. 188 00:11:09,276 --> 00:11:10,116 Speaker 3: He brought it back to book. 189 00:11:10,196 --> 00:11:11,876 Speaker 2: Yeah. I'm not sure where the color comes in really 190 00:11:11,876 --> 00:11:14,356 Speaker 2: with Ozzy Osborne, but I mean, yeah, you know. 191 00:11:14,796 --> 00:11:17,916 Speaker 3: So they still put out albums while you were alive young, 192 00:11:17,996 --> 00:11:18,396 Speaker 3: but you. 193 00:11:18,356 --> 00:11:21,036 Speaker 2: Were alive well yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 194 00:11:20,836 --> 00:11:23,956 Speaker 3: Growing up when you were finding your own music. What 195 00:11:24,116 --> 00:11:27,036 Speaker 3: role did the Beatles play with you and your friends? Like, 196 00:11:27,076 --> 00:11:28,356 Speaker 3: were you guys into the Beatles? 197 00:11:28,596 --> 00:11:30,596 Speaker 2: Well, the first thing I knew about the Beatles really 198 00:11:30,716 --> 00:11:33,796 Speaker 2: was that my parents lived in the same mansion block 199 00:11:33,956 --> 00:11:38,596 Speaker 2: in Emperor's Gate back in the very early sixties as them. 200 00:11:39,116 --> 00:11:42,916 Speaker 2: And then what's my next connection and the other thing 201 00:11:42,996 --> 00:11:47,116 Speaker 2: within my family kind of sort of folklore, is that 202 00:11:47,196 --> 00:11:50,876 Speaker 2: my dad had a gallery in just off Carnoby Street 203 00:11:51,436 --> 00:11:56,116 Speaker 2: and he put on the exhibition where Yoko Ono had 204 00:11:56,156 --> 00:11:59,876 Speaker 2: the ladder and John Lennon climbed up a ladder to 205 00:12:00,276 --> 00:12:03,716 Speaker 2: read the word yes or whatever. It was, so kind 206 00:12:03,716 --> 00:12:05,956 Speaker 2: of he kind of got them together. That was their 207 00:12:05,996 --> 00:12:10,796 Speaker 2: first meeting, really, yeah, I mean office, it's it's not. 208 00:12:11,396 --> 00:12:13,636 Speaker 3: I've been dying to know how those two met watching 209 00:12:13,716 --> 00:12:14,276 Speaker 3: Get Back. 210 00:12:14,716 --> 00:12:18,356 Speaker 2: Yeah, they met in he came to see her art 211 00:12:18,396 --> 00:12:19,836 Speaker 2: show at my dad's gallery. 212 00:12:20,516 --> 00:12:22,676 Speaker 3: Was she like a popular artist at the time. 213 00:12:22,516 --> 00:12:27,596 Speaker 2: I mean underground, yeah, but very cool cool yeah, so 214 00:12:27,596 --> 00:12:29,556 Speaker 2: so so that was I kind of knew more about that. 215 00:12:29,596 --> 00:12:31,956 Speaker 2: And I also I used to love lucim the Sky 216 00:12:31,996 --> 00:12:35,876 Speaker 2: of Diamonds because I got given it, but I didn't 217 00:12:35,916 --> 00:12:37,316 Speaker 2: know that it was a Beatles song. I thought it 218 00:12:37,356 --> 00:12:41,356 Speaker 2: was Elson John's song. Oh, but then and then I did, 219 00:12:41,396 --> 00:12:44,596 Speaker 2: and obviously I did discover the Beatles, and like, you know, 220 00:12:44,956 --> 00:12:48,396 Speaker 2: then then it becomes an obsession until you've kind of 221 00:12:48,596 --> 00:12:52,996 Speaker 2: you've listened to everything and kind of assimilated the whole thing. 222 00:12:53,396 --> 00:12:58,396 Speaker 2: But then you know, like other amazing things came into 223 00:12:58,396 --> 00:13:00,076 Speaker 2: my life, you know. But I mean, it was one 224 00:13:00,116 --> 00:13:03,476 Speaker 2: of the very early influences. Obviously very cool. 225 00:13:03,756 --> 00:13:07,276 Speaker 3: I've seen your your house describe the house you grew 226 00:13:07,356 --> 00:13:10,756 Speaker 3: up in described as bohemia, and I know what that 227 00:13:10,796 --> 00:13:13,796 Speaker 3: means in America, but what does that mean in London? 228 00:13:14,516 --> 00:13:17,156 Speaker 2: I did till I was nine. I lived in London 229 00:13:17,196 --> 00:13:19,636 Speaker 2: when I moved to the to the Essex countryside. But 230 00:13:19,756 --> 00:13:21,916 Speaker 2: he mean, I suppose in the sense that my dad's 231 00:13:21,956 --> 00:13:27,836 Speaker 2: and my dad was like very into latterly into art education. 232 00:13:27,996 --> 00:13:32,676 Speaker 2: My mum's always been an artist, painter and creates installations 233 00:13:32,756 --> 00:13:36,956 Speaker 2: and everything really just everything is and yeah, I've got lots, 234 00:13:37,076 --> 00:13:40,116 Speaker 2: just lots of artists in my family, which is pretty normal. 235 00:13:41,196 --> 00:13:43,116 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it wasn't. I mean, I don't know. I 236 00:13:43,156 --> 00:13:46,076 Speaker 3: guess I picture sort of just like people sitting around 237 00:13:46,076 --> 00:13:48,956 Speaker 3: on pillows and smoking hookahs and yeah, that. 238 00:13:49,036 --> 00:13:50,596 Speaker 2: Sort of thing. I mean, it was a bit like 239 00:13:50,636 --> 00:13:53,396 Speaker 2: that in the late sixties, me and my dad's. Amongst 240 00:13:53,396 --> 00:13:58,196 Speaker 2: the many things he did, he created happenings and psychedelic 241 00:13:58,236 --> 00:14:02,276 Speaker 2: buildings in weird places. In fact, once he kind of 242 00:14:02,316 --> 00:14:05,356 Speaker 2: worked with a soft machine and they did a concert 243 00:14:05,396 --> 00:14:09,716 Speaker 2: in the south of France and be a really good 244 00:14:09,716 --> 00:14:13,156 Speaker 2: idea to go out the night before because it was 245 00:14:13,396 --> 00:14:15,876 Speaker 2: on a beach. He went out into the bay and 246 00:14:15,916 --> 00:14:21,116 Speaker 2: it doused the whole bay in Petrol, and then when 247 00:14:21,156 --> 00:14:24,316 Speaker 2: they came on that evening, he lit it. So they 248 00:14:24,316 --> 00:14:26,996 Speaker 2: had this amazing, very dangerous but no one would ever 249 00:14:27,076 --> 00:14:29,556 Speaker 2: let you do that now, but that Hey, it was 250 00:14:29,596 --> 00:14:32,356 Speaker 2: the sixties. I mean, but you know, I just heard 251 00:14:32,396 --> 00:14:36,716 Speaker 2: all of this through, you know, just the thing that 252 00:14:36,756 --> 00:14:39,196 Speaker 2: all families have, which are like these stories you know 253 00:14:39,516 --> 00:14:41,516 Speaker 2: that you want to hear again and again and again. 254 00:14:42,156 --> 00:14:43,316 Speaker 3: Totally the family law. 255 00:14:43,516 --> 00:14:45,316 Speaker 2: Yeah, he's at the family law exactly. 256 00:14:46,036 --> 00:14:47,716 Speaker 3: I don't know if you went through like an early 257 00:14:47,996 --> 00:14:52,316 Speaker 3: experimentation drug phase when you're a teenager or whatever, But 258 00:14:52,356 --> 00:14:54,356 Speaker 3: were they cool with that, like, could you talk to 259 00:14:54,396 --> 00:14:55,716 Speaker 3: them about Oh. 260 00:14:55,596 --> 00:14:59,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, my parents were always very good with all my yeah, 261 00:14:59,716 --> 00:15:03,036 Speaker 2: my dalliances, you know, I didn't necessarily think I was 262 00:15:03,076 --> 00:15:06,836 Speaker 2: being very responsible sometimes, but I mean they were never 263 00:15:06,916 --> 00:15:07,876 Speaker 2: judgmental ever. 264 00:15:08,796 --> 00:15:12,716 Speaker 3: Yeah, I read that your primary school burnt down like 265 00:15:12,796 --> 00:15:13,876 Speaker 3: seven or eight times. 266 00:15:14,156 --> 00:15:15,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's true. 267 00:15:15,756 --> 00:15:17,356 Speaker 3: Why what is that about. 268 00:15:17,516 --> 00:15:20,316 Speaker 2: Well, it turned out that our form teacher was a 269 00:15:20,316 --> 00:15:24,396 Speaker 2: complete psychopath. But the sad thing is that the school 270 00:15:24,396 --> 00:15:28,116 Speaker 2: care segue, the school caretaker was blamed initially, and he 271 00:15:28,196 --> 00:15:31,356 Speaker 2: had a heart stack because he was so distressed that 272 00:15:32,076 --> 00:15:34,596 Speaker 2: anyone could think he'd do anything like that. But it 273 00:15:34,676 --> 00:15:37,316 Speaker 2: kept happening and it really disrupted two years of my 274 00:15:37,436 --> 00:15:41,236 Speaker 2: education like terribly. And then in the end it turned 275 00:15:41,236 --> 00:15:44,516 Speaker 2: out it was our teacher who'd been burning the school down. Yeah. 276 00:15:45,196 --> 00:15:47,996 Speaker 3: Was it big fires or was it just like little yeah? 277 00:15:48,076 --> 00:15:52,516 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, like classrooms and stuff on them. Once we'd 278 00:15:52,556 --> 00:15:55,716 Speaker 2: done his whole projects of raising all these hamsters, and 279 00:15:55,756 --> 00:15:57,836 Speaker 2: then he burnt the hamsters as well, which you know, 280 00:15:59,236 --> 00:16:00,476 Speaker 2: it was not nice. 281 00:16:00,596 --> 00:16:02,236 Speaker 3: It's like serial killer stuff. 282 00:16:02,036 --> 00:16:04,836 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean yeah, I mean sort of. Essex in 283 00:16:04,836 --> 00:16:08,636 Speaker 2: the nineteen eighties was a fairly errant place, to be fair. 284 00:16:10,116 --> 00:16:12,396 Speaker 1: We're taking a quick break and then coming back with 285 00:16:12,436 --> 00:16:19,756 Speaker 1: more from Leo Rose and Damon Albarn. We're back with 286 00:16:19,836 --> 00:16:22,436 Speaker 1: more from Damon Albarne and Lio Rose. 287 00:16:23,036 --> 00:16:25,116 Speaker 3: As a kid, like what was how did you find music? 288 00:16:25,156 --> 00:16:26,956 Speaker 3: What was the first music that you felt was like 289 00:16:27,676 --> 00:16:28,556 Speaker 3: really spoke to you. 290 00:16:28,956 --> 00:16:33,796 Speaker 2: Oh, I was more family law. I had a harmonic 291 00:16:33,836 --> 00:16:37,276 Speaker 2: hererap that was in my cot which I used to play. 292 00:16:38,316 --> 00:16:41,796 Speaker 2: I've always always been interested in music. Yeah. I went 293 00:16:41,876 --> 00:16:47,836 Speaker 2: through quite conventional musical education, classical, and then I just 294 00:16:47,876 --> 00:16:52,636 Speaker 2: sort of with Graham, discovered other kinds of ways of 295 00:16:52,676 --> 00:16:55,436 Speaker 2: playing music, you know, and here I am. 296 00:16:55,476 --> 00:16:59,036 Speaker 3: Now what were you guys into music wise? Were you 297 00:16:59,036 --> 00:17:01,676 Speaker 3: into punk or were you like what was a new wave? 298 00:17:01,756 --> 00:17:02,196 Speaker 3: What was there? 299 00:17:02,316 --> 00:17:06,316 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean a lot of our early stuff 300 00:17:06,396 --> 00:17:10,036 Speaker 2: is comes directly from Thursday Night on Top of the Pops. No, 301 00:17:10,196 --> 00:17:14,796 Speaker 2: it's a national obsession with the youth. Really, it felt 302 00:17:14,836 --> 00:17:19,116 Speaker 2: like that where I lived. That was my connection with everything, 303 00:17:19,196 --> 00:17:23,316 Speaker 2: you know, Top of the Pops, clothes, music, hairstyles. 304 00:17:23,956 --> 00:17:25,756 Speaker 3: How much did you guys think about the way that 305 00:17:25,796 --> 00:17:28,356 Speaker 3: you looked, like the aesthetic look of Blur when you 306 00:17:28,396 --> 00:17:30,996 Speaker 3: first started. Was there are a lot of thought put into 307 00:17:31,036 --> 00:17:33,156 Speaker 3: the haircuts and the clothes. 308 00:17:34,516 --> 00:17:36,756 Speaker 2: It was a lot of thought put into making it 309 00:17:36,756 --> 00:17:39,956 Speaker 2: not look like there's a lot of thought put into it. Yeah, 310 00:17:40,516 --> 00:17:44,316 Speaker 2: it was just a classic art school band really yeah, 311 00:17:44,756 --> 00:17:52,916 Speaker 2: slightly foppish, slightly foppish, slightly disheveled, but kind of you know, cool. Yeah. 312 00:17:52,916 --> 00:17:54,076 Speaker 3: But the hair was always good. 313 00:17:54,236 --> 00:17:55,836 Speaker 2: Yeah, we had good hair. We had good hair. 314 00:17:56,156 --> 00:17:58,356 Speaker 3: Like it looks dishovel, but yeah, yeah. 315 00:17:58,156 --> 00:18:01,076 Speaker 2: I mean remarkably, we've still pretty much all got our hair, 316 00:18:01,396 --> 00:18:07,796 Speaker 2: which is honestly, that's quite the thing. Fifty five is 317 00:18:07,876 --> 00:18:12,676 Speaker 2: definitely not something to take for granted. For sure, you 318 00:18:12,716 --> 00:18:13,756 Speaker 2: know it's true. 319 00:18:14,316 --> 00:18:16,476 Speaker 3: But yeah, I've always wondered that because you always look cool, 320 00:18:16,596 --> 00:18:18,636 Speaker 3: and it's like, how much thought, I'm just curious, how 321 00:18:18,796 --> 00:18:21,596 Speaker 3: still you look cool your cool outfits. You obviously make 322 00:18:21,636 --> 00:18:23,116 Speaker 3: cool choices with what you wear. 323 00:18:23,516 --> 00:18:25,916 Speaker 2: Oh, I mean, I mean you know, we we were 324 00:18:25,996 --> 00:18:28,876 Speaker 2: in second hand shops from day one. I mean it's 325 00:18:29,396 --> 00:18:32,396 Speaker 2: it's one of our great joy especially Graham and I 326 00:18:32,476 --> 00:18:34,716 Speaker 2: you know, we just love shopping for old clothes. 327 00:18:35,516 --> 00:18:37,436 Speaker 3: Yeah, but still you have to be good at it, 328 00:18:37,476 --> 00:18:40,316 Speaker 3: like someone on you two three thousand, like always looks cool. 329 00:18:40,356 --> 00:18:42,956 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, you could walk into the same shop and no, of. 330 00:18:42,876 --> 00:18:45,876 Speaker 2: Course, but it's like it's like everything practice makes perfect, 331 00:18:45,956 --> 00:18:48,956 Speaker 2: you know, It's like all those things that you tried 332 00:18:48,996 --> 00:18:51,796 Speaker 2: on that really didn't work, but you put down and 333 00:18:51,876 --> 00:18:53,796 Speaker 2: I bought a lot of stuff that I was convinced 334 00:18:53,996 --> 00:18:58,756 Speaker 2: was a major statement in fashion that when I got home, 335 00:18:58,796 --> 00:19:02,076 Speaker 2: it's like, and these days I have I mean my 336 00:19:02,196 --> 00:19:06,236 Speaker 2: daughter because she's at London School of Fashion, very serious, 337 00:19:06,596 --> 00:19:10,996 Speaker 2: very very serious about everything. To that, I mean, I 338 00:19:10,996 --> 00:19:13,036 Speaker 2: can't get with anything anymore, you know what I mean. 339 00:19:14,636 --> 00:19:17,556 Speaker 2: I have to really be my top a game every 340 00:19:17,636 --> 00:19:21,196 Speaker 2: day otherwise she will call me out. 341 00:19:22,236 --> 00:19:23,436 Speaker 3: So does she like your style? 342 00:19:24,076 --> 00:19:25,836 Speaker 2: Well? I think, I mean I'm a dad, do you 343 00:19:25,836 --> 00:19:27,596 Speaker 2: know what I mean? I can't. Yeah, I mean, I'm 344 00:19:27,636 --> 00:19:31,036 Speaker 2: never going to be have as much trip as other people, 345 00:19:31,156 --> 00:19:34,636 Speaker 2: but you know, yeah. 346 00:19:34,956 --> 00:19:37,236 Speaker 3: Do you remember I was reading about your first Blurs 347 00:19:37,316 --> 00:19:39,956 Speaker 3: first tour in America and it sounds like it was 348 00:19:40,396 --> 00:19:42,916 Speaker 3: a bit of a disaster. I don't know if that's accurate, 349 00:19:42,996 --> 00:19:45,356 Speaker 3: but do you remember first going on the road and 350 00:19:45,756 --> 00:19:47,356 Speaker 3: playing shows in the States. 351 00:19:47,676 --> 00:19:50,596 Speaker 2: They weren't all a disaster, but we did play quite 352 00:19:50,596 --> 00:19:54,836 Speaker 2: a lot of kind of sort of Midwest towns where 353 00:19:55,356 --> 00:19:57,756 Speaker 2: no one had an idea who we were at all, 354 00:19:58,716 --> 00:20:02,796 Speaker 2: you know, which is part of I mean, looking back, 355 00:20:02,836 --> 00:20:06,356 Speaker 2: it's an incredibly important part of our development, and I 356 00:20:06,396 --> 00:20:08,556 Speaker 2: mean of recently, especially with Grid, as I spent so 357 00:20:08,636 --> 00:20:11,196 Speaker 2: much time in America. I've done a lot of playing 358 00:20:11,236 --> 00:20:14,676 Speaker 2: in America, so I feel I feel very comfortable and 359 00:20:14,676 --> 00:20:18,396 Speaker 2: at home in America these days. Yeah, ironically, I feel 360 00:20:18,476 --> 00:20:21,076 Speaker 2: very home in America these days. I've even got my 361 00:20:21,116 --> 00:20:21,876 Speaker 2: Hala hat on. 362 00:20:22,596 --> 00:20:24,796 Speaker 3: I know it seems like you like that hat. 363 00:20:24,836 --> 00:20:29,236 Speaker 2: I'm I know it right, I've literally I can't get 364 00:20:29,316 --> 00:20:31,956 Speaker 2: rid of the fucking hat. I love it? 365 00:20:31,996 --> 00:20:34,116 Speaker 3: Is it just the same hat every time, the. 366 00:20:34,036 --> 00:20:37,156 Speaker 2: Same hat I dropped. I've bought so many hats since 367 00:20:37,196 --> 00:20:40,996 Speaker 2: I got this hat, and nothing, nothing kicks like this hat. 368 00:20:41,116 --> 00:20:43,596 Speaker 2: But it's totally the wrong hat for Blurd. I shouldn't 369 00:20:43,596 --> 00:20:45,796 Speaker 2: be wearing a hat like this. I should be wearing 370 00:20:45,956 --> 00:20:47,516 Speaker 2: I shouldn't be wearing a hat. I mean, I don't 371 00:20:47,516 --> 00:20:49,756 Speaker 2: wear a hat on stage obviously, but and all the 372 00:20:49,756 --> 00:20:52,276 Speaker 2: clothes that I kind of sort of you know, the 373 00:20:52,316 --> 00:20:55,596 Speaker 2: whole look that I've got. Yeah, but I've thought about anything. 374 00:20:55,796 --> 00:20:57,876 Speaker 2: It's just ruined when I put this hat on. So 375 00:20:57,916 --> 00:21:00,316 Speaker 2: I can't really wear the hat. I shouldn't really be 376 00:21:00,316 --> 00:21:03,676 Speaker 2: wearing the hats in this podcast, But I just I 377 00:21:03,716 --> 00:21:06,916 Speaker 2: can't help it. But you but you're right, I literally, 378 00:21:07,276 --> 00:21:09,516 Speaker 2: I mean, I haven't washed it either since I've had it, 379 00:21:09,556 --> 00:21:12,996 Speaker 2: and it was about thirty years old when I bought it. Really, 380 00:21:13,356 --> 00:21:15,836 Speaker 2: this is a truly loved hat. 381 00:21:16,436 --> 00:21:18,516 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a cool hat. It's gotten broken in over 382 00:21:18,556 --> 00:21:21,036 Speaker 3: the years. I've watched a lot of your videos. Yeah, 383 00:21:21,076 --> 00:21:24,116 Speaker 3: and in the beginning it was a little bit more stiff. Yeah, 384 00:21:24,236 --> 00:21:25,556 Speaker 3: I saw you had it at Coachella. 385 00:21:25,756 --> 00:21:27,356 Speaker 2: What you're trying to say about my hat? 386 00:21:28,916 --> 00:21:30,716 Speaker 3: It's a good thing. It's like a nice pair of 387 00:21:30,756 --> 00:21:31,356 Speaker 3: leather shoes. 388 00:21:31,476 --> 00:21:34,436 Speaker 2: It is. It is. But I mean, the only other 389 00:21:34,516 --> 00:21:36,516 Speaker 2: kind of hats that I really feel comfortable and have 390 00:21:36,636 --> 00:21:40,756 Speaker 2: been like old Fisherman's beanie hats, you know, like those 391 00:21:40,756 --> 00:21:42,756 Speaker 2: are cool. Yeah, but I can't wear them in the summer. 392 00:21:43,076 --> 00:21:46,756 Speaker 2: Too hot, too hot. Nothing else I've got. I found 393 00:21:46,796 --> 00:21:49,196 Speaker 2: some nice old deer stalkers that I might be able 394 00:21:49,236 --> 00:21:51,796 Speaker 2: to get away with, but it's been so hot. Really, 395 00:21:51,836 --> 00:21:53,236 Speaker 2: this is the only hat I can wear. 396 00:21:53,236 --> 00:21:56,716 Speaker 3: It seems like I don't know if this is true, 397 00:21:56,836 --> 00:22:02,436 Speaker 3: But was Gorilla's the first project where the music really 398 00:22:02,476 --> 00:22:05,076 Speaker 3: super resonated with Americans? 399 00:22:05,636 --> 00:22:08,716 Speaker 2: Well, no song Too was, but no one knew who 400 00:22:08,756 --> 00:22:13,516 Speaker 2: made too. It's just that you be just woo who song. Yeah, 401 00:22:13,676 --> 00:22:16,836 Speaker 2: they're probably probably people who listened to Bisco. No, they 402 00:22:16,836 --> 00:22:18,596 Speaker 2: didn't do that, did they. You know what I mean? 403 00:22:18,676 --> 00:22:24,036 Speaker 2: It's so sort of detached from us. Yeah, but yes, 404 00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:25,756 Speaker 2: that's our biggest song by far. 405 00:22:26,276 --> 00:22:29,836 Speaker 3: Obviously, after you make a song, too, do you want 406 00:22:29,876 --> 00:22:33,596 Speaker 3: to incorporate a little woohoo or something similar in every you. 407 00:22:33,596 --> 00:22:35,676 Speaker 2: Want to make You definitely want to make a song free. 408 00:22:35,916 --> 00:22:38,236 Speaker 2: But it's quite it's hard. It's harder than you think. 409 00:22:40,156 --> 00:22:43,116 Speaker 3: It seems very difficult. But I don't know. I just 410 00:22:43,156 --> 00:22:45,036 Speaker 3: feel like I would be tempted if you get something 411 00:22:45,076 --> 00:22:46,076 Speaker 3: that really sticks. 412 00:22:46,316 --> 00:22:49,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, well I've had a few, but you know, but then, 413 00:22:49,876 --> 00:22:53,916 Speaker 2: as Frank Sinatra said, I've had too few to mention. Yeah, 414 00:22:54,996 --> 00:22:57,836 Speaker 2: that's really poor. It's a really really really really poor Joe. 415 00:22:57,836 --> 00:23:02,796 Speaker 2: It's poor Joe. Apologize. It always goes wrong when I 416 00:23:02,836 --> 00:23:03,716 Speaker 2: try and be amusing. 417 00:23:05,356 --> 00:23:08,596 Speaker 3: Have you ever tried to analyze what works in America 418 00:23:08,676 --> 00:23:12,116 Speaker 3: versus it works in the UK or in Europe? Is 419 00:23:12,156 --> 00:23:14,356 Speaker 3: that something that you even think of when you're making music? 420 00:23:14,476 --> 00:23:16,196 Speaker 2: Or you just oh, I don't I don't think about 421 00:23:16,316 --> 00:23:19,116 Speaker 2: I don't think about it. I just you know, you 422 00:23:19,236 --> 00:23:21,956 Speaker 2: make and then you just wait. 423 00:23:22,676 --> 00:23:25,236 Speaker 3: Do you care or are you just making to make? 424 00:23:26,596 --> 00:23:28,676 Speaker 2: I'm existing to make. 425 00:23:29,476 --> 00:23:32,076 Speaker 3: It must be so nice to have such a clear passion. 426 00:23:32,796 --> 00:23:36,436 Speaker 2: Yes, I mean it's I mean, it's a condition, isn't it. 427 00:23:36,996 --> 00:23:39,396 Speaker 2: You know I've got I have some these days. It 428 00:23:39,436 --> 00:23:43,436 Speaker 2: would be be on a spectrum somewhere. You know, he's 429 00:23:43,476 --> 00:23:46,076 Speaker 2: got a name. I'm sure, I just haven't chosen to 430 00:23:46,076 --> 00:23:49,396 Speaker 2: go down that path to be analyzed. 431 00:23:50,516 --> 00:23:53,556 Speaker 3: Is it near constant? Is it something you can always 432 00:23:53,636 --> 00:23:56,236 Speaker 3: rely on or does it ever leave you the ability 433 00:23:56,276 --> 00:23:57,156 Speaker 3: to make new songs? 434 00:23:57,236 --> 00:24:00,636 Speaker 2: Well, it's like yoga. I do try and do yoga 435 00:24:00,676 --> 00:24:03,036 Speaker 2: every day, and I try to write every day. I 436 00:24:03,516 --> 00:24:07,196 Speaker 2: get up basically in the morning unless you can be 437 00:24:07,316 --> 00:24:09,996 Speaker 2: disciplined enough to do it in the evening, which I can't. 438 00:24:10,596 --> 00:24:13,676 Speaker 3: Are you working on any new Gorilla's music. 439 00:24:14,316 --> 00:24:16,636 Speaker 2: I've done a few tunes. I'm doing an opera at 440 00:24:16,636 --> 00:24:22,756 Speaker 2: the moment about using Geta's fragment. He wrote of the 441 00:24:22,796 --> 00:24:27,116 Speaker 2: Magic Flute, Part two, which is fascinating, very cool. You've 442 00:24:27,116 --> 00:24:30,916 Speaker 2: heard of the Magic Flute, Mozart's Magic Well, Gertzer, who's 443 00:24:30,916 --> 00:24:34,316 Speaker 2: the contemporary of Mozart, wrote part two of that, like 444 00:24:34,556 --> 00:24:38,756 Speaker 2: you know the sequel, but it never got put to music. Okay, 445 00:24:38,956 --> 00:24:45,316 Speaker 2: so it's this this legendary lost thing. Yeah, it's really interesting. 446 00:24:45,316 --> 00:24:47,196 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know very cool what I'm doing. 447 00:24:47,276 --> 00:24:49,236 Speaker 2: I've never really known what I'm doing in that world 448 00:24:49,276 --> 00:24:51,916 Speaker 2: at all. I'm a complete and that's a idiot. 449 00:24:52,596 --> 00:24:55,036 Speaker 3: But you were trained with in music theory and everything. 450 00:24:55,116 --> 00:24:58,156 Speaker 2: Yeah, I can, Yeah, I mean, I you know, I can. 451 00:24:58,876 --> 00:25:00,716 Speaker 2: I don't know whether it's any good put it that way, 452 00:25:01,356 --> 00:25:05,036 Speaker 2: you know, whereas with songs I'm kind of more confident about. 453 00:25:05,676 --> 00:25:08,756 Speaker 3: Yeah. Okay, so New Gorillas. You're working on New Gorillas 454 00:25:08,796 --> 00:25:09,076 Speaker 3: a bit. 455 00:25:09,196 --> 00:25:11,156 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're going to do We're going to do something. 456 00:25:11,636 --> 00:25:14,876 Speaker 2: It's going to be a not as dramatic as a 457 00:25:14,956 --> 00:25:19,916 Speaker 2: quantum ship, a paradigm be a paradigm shift would just 458 00:25:19,956 --> 00:25:25,916 Speaker 2: be very different. No cartoons, yeah, but just an entirely 459 00:25:25,916 --> 00:25:30,036 Speaker 2: different approach to everything, to the to the band, to everything. 460 00:25:30,156 --> 00:25:32,956 Speaker 2: We're just a point where we're going to change. 461 00:25:33,636 --> 00:25:36,356 Speaker 3: Why. Why does it feel like it's. 462 00:25:36,236 --> 00:25:39,196 Speaker 2: Time because it was always just Jamie and I. So 463 00:25:39,476 --> 00:25:43,236 Speaker 2: you know, really, although it's a very big thing now, 464 00:25:43,916 --> 00:25:48,236 Speaker 2: it's still in essences to people. So if we decide 465 00:25:48,836 --> 00:25:52,876 Speaker 2: between us that we want to do something unrecognizable then 466 00:25:52,996 --> 00:25:53,396 Speaker 2: we will. 467 00:25:54,796 --> 00:25:55,476 Speaker 3: That's exciting. 468 00:25:55,676 --> 00:25:59,116 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean you need that, don't you two, Yeah, 469 00:25:59,196 --> 00:26:01,116 Speaker 2: for it to keep to stay alive. 470 00:26:01,756 --> 00:26:05,316 Speaker 3: Really definitely, that's cool. So when abouts do you think 471 00:26:05,396 --> 00:26:06,956 Speaker 3: that will start surfacing? 472 00:26:07,596 --> 00:26:11,556 Speaker 2: Well, I will keep writing, but until I've kind of 473 00:26:11,556 --> 00:26:15,316 Speaker 2: written the opera, I can't really do anything much else 474 00:26:15,356 --> 00:26:18,076 Speaker 2: of than that. But you know, you know, I might 475 00:26:18,076 --> 00:26:21,516 Speaker 2: write it really quickly. It's got to be next autumn anyway, 476 00:26:21,596 --> 00:26:24,876 Speaker 2: So before that, I'll be working on Guerrillas. 477 00:26:26,156 --> 00:26:28,516 Speaker 1: We're gonna pause for one last quick break and then 478 00:26:28,556 --> 00:26:35,756 Speaker 1: come back with Leo Rose and Damon Albarn. We're back 479 00:26:35,756 --> 00:26:37,956 Speaker 1: with Leo Rose and Damon Albarn. 480 00:26:38,956 --> 00:26:42,396 Speaker 3: What's the significance of the album title. 481 00:26:42,916 --> 00:26:47,116 Speaker 2: Ballads of Darren. Well, Darren's a very very old friend 482 00:26:47,156 --> 00:26:50,076 Speaker 2: of everyone in the band. He's been kind of sort 483 00:26:50,116 --> 00:26:56,356 Speaker 2: of there in various reincarnations since almost day one. And 484 00:26:56,396 --> 00:26:59,356 Speaker 2: we have this group of very close friends who work 485 00:26:59,436 --> 00:27:03,356 Speaker 2: with us, and I've always worked with us, and he's 486 00:27:03,396 --> 00:27:06,116 Speaker 2: one of them, so therefore he represents all of us. 487 00:27:06,156 --> 00:27:10,596 Speaker 2: So the ballot of Darren is Darren is this moment 488 00:27:10,996 --> 00:27:12,316 Speaker 2: the every man? You know? 489 00:27:13,276 --> 00:27:16,196 Speaker 3: Did he go through something significant recently? 490 00:27:16,596 --> 00:27:19,236 Speaker 2: Well, I mean we've all been through significant things, you know. 491 00:27:20,436 --> 00:27:24,276 Speaker 2: I mean obviously, as I write with songs, it's probably 492 00:27:24,716 --> 00:27:27,316 Speaker 2: I've probably been through some significant things as well. But 493 00:27:27,836 --> 00:27:30,956 Speaker 2: you know, I mean, I am a I am a 494 00:27:30,996 --> 00:27:33,236 Speaker 2: certified sad fifty five year old. 495 00:27:33,996 --> 00:27:35,476 Speaker 3: I hear you. I feel sad too. 496 00:27:35,716 --> 00:27:38,836 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's fine, it happens. I mean, I'm not I'm 497 00:27:38,876 --> 00:27:40,196 Speaker 2: not afraid of sadness, you know. 498 00:27:40,996 --> 00:27:44,556 Speaker 3: Yeah, but you're productive. You're a productive fifty five year old. 499 00:27:45,076 --> 00:27:47,556 Speaker 2: I'm a very productive saddow. 500 00:27:47,796 --> 00:27:52,116 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that's right. So this album, when I first 501 00:27:52,156 --> 00:27:54,436 Speaker 3: started listening to it, it feels like it needs like, 502 00:27:54,716 --> 00:27:56,676 Speaker 3: you know, like a pair of shoes. Sometimes you need 503 00:27:57,196 --> 00:28:00,316 Speaker 3: a break in period. Yeah, this album just there's no 504 00:28:00,436 --> 00:28:03,636 Speaker 3: break in period. It immediately sounds good. 505 00:28:03,876 --> 00:28:04,356 Speaker 2: Oh good. 506 00:28:04,676 --> 00:28:08,116 Speaker 3: I got in there really easy. I woke up yesterday 507 00:28:08,156 --> 00:28:10,756 Speaker 3: singing the Narcissist. It was just it was there. It's 508 00:28:10,796 --> 00:28:15,596 Speaker 3: in my consciousness. Do you have any sort of tricks 509 00:28:16,276 --> 00:28:18,676 Speaker 3: or little formulas that you've developed at this point for 510 00:28:18,796 --> 00:28:21,036 Speaker 3: making something just go down easy? 511 00:28:22,196 --> 00:28:25,796 Speaker 2: Well? What was the song in My Fair Lady, A 512 00:28:25,796 --> 00:28:27,916 Speaker 2: little bit of Sugar helps the Medicine go down? 513 00:28:28,396 --> 00:28:29,916 Speaker 3: Would the sugar come in the melody? 514 00:28:30,916 --> 00:28:33,916 Speaker 2: I don't know I mean, it's certainly not in the lyrics. 515 00:28:34,636 --> 00:28:37,956 Speaker 2: The lyrics are rarely uplifting. But I suppose it's that 516 00:28:38,036 --> 00:28:42,476 Speaker 2: juxtaposition with the music that creates you know, it's the 517 00:28:42,516 --> 00:28:46,716 Speaker 2: classic ram It's the end of the world kind of thing, 518 00:28:46,836 --> 00:28:49,196 Speaker 2: isn't it? You know what I mean? Where you are singing, 519 00:28:50,516 --> 00:28:54,436 Speaker 2: it's like Spike Milligan. You're probably not familiar with him. 520 00:28:54,436 --> 00:28:58,996 Speaker 2: He's a brilliant comedian writer. And on his gravestone he 521 00:28:59,076 --> 00:29:02,316 Speaker 2: had inscribed he had inscribed, I told you I wasn't 522 00:29:02,316 --> 00:29:03,396 Speaker 2: feeling well. 523 00:29:05,036 --> 00:29:05,556 Speaker 3: That's good. 524 00:29:08,156 --> 00:29:10,436 Speaker 2: You know. What I mean is that that is in 525 00:29:10,676 --> 00:29:13,436 Speaker 2: the joy and sadness of life. It's kind of, you know, 526 00:29:14,236 --> 00:29:18,556 Speaker 2: that final victory that makes people laugh. And yet I 527 00:29:18,596 --> 00:29:20,276 Speaker 2: suppose in a way that's kind of sort of the 528 00:29:20,396 --> 00:29:24,596 Speaker 2: essence of melancholy, you know, it's that sort of realization 529 00:29:24,876 --> 00:29:27,876 Speaker 2: that you are both living and living your best and 530 00:29:27,996 --> 00:29:29,196 Speaker 2: dying your best life. 531 00:29:30,716 --> 00:29:34,276 Speaker 3: Is there like an overall emotional framework to the album 532 00:29:34,796 --> 00:29:36,236 Speaker 3: or how would you describe the vibe? 533 00:29:36,676 --> 00:29:39,996 Speaker 2: I think once they catch you, certain songs will play 534 00:29:40,036 --> 00:29:43,116 Speaker 2: with your emotions quite heavily, you know, songs like the 535 00:29:43,116 --> 00:29:47,156 Speaker 2: Everglades I think will smap people around the face at 536 00:29:47,156 --> 00:29:48,076 Speaker 2: one point. 537 00:29:48,676 --> 00:29:48,956 Speaker 3: M h. 538 00:29:49,556 --> 00:29:51,196 Speaker 2: I mean, so it's got that it's in there, but 539 00:29:51,236 --> 00:29:54,036 Speaker 2: it doesn't it's not going to scare anyone away, you 540 00:29:54,076 --> 00:29:56,236 Speaker 2: know what I mean. I don't think, but I mean, 541 00:29:56,556 --> 00:29:58,276 Speaker 2: I can't talk about me at work. I just all 542 00:29:58,316 --> 00:30:00,236 Speaker 2: I can do is make it and then sing it. 543 00:30:01,436 --> 00:30:04,436 Speaker 3: Do you ever have any trepidation about putting about writing 544 00:30:04,516 --> 00:30:08,596 Speaker 3: vulnerable lyrics or exposing a part of your experience? 545 00:30:09,356 --> 00:30:11,716 Speaker 2: I suppose, I mean, I suppose in many ways this 546 00:30:11,876 --> 00:30:17,396 Speaker 2: is my vulnerable. But I think vulnerability is by singing 547 00:30:17,436 --> 00:30:22,876 Speaker 2: about it, You're you're somehow kind of easing it. You know, 548 00:30:22,956 --> 00:30:29,196 Speaker 2: You're the vulnerability is diminished by your ability to express. 549 00:30:28,756 --> 00:30:34,276 Speaker 3: It through writing songs. Does it help you understand your 550 00:30:34,316 --> 00:30:38,796 Speaker 3: emotions or is it just a way to talk about 551 00:30:38,796 --> 00:30:40,396 Speaker 3: it and share emotions? 552 00:30:40,796 --> 00:30:44,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, but I don't make it all about myself strictly. 553 00:30:44,756 --> 00:30:47,676 Speaker 2: It's kind of use. I use where where I'm at 554 00:30:47,676 --> 00:30:49,596 Speaker 2: in my life and how I feel as a kind 555 00:30:49,636 --> 00:30:53,556 Speaker 2: of tool to talk about other things. Sometimes. You know, 556 00:30:53,676 --> 00:30:55,916 Speaker 2: it's that, you know, there's quite a lot of politics 557 00:30:55,956 --> 00:31:00,276 Speaker 2: on the record as well. I mean politics, not affiliated, 558 00:31:00,356 --> 00:31:03,396 Speaker 2: not not not pastes and politics. But you know what 559 00:31:03,436 --> 00:31:08,236 Speaker 2: I mean, So I can Russian strings, say that there's 560 00:31:08,876 --> 00:31:11,876 Speaker 2: the strings attached to all of us. You know that 561 00:31:11,916 --> 00:31:16,916 Speaker 2: we're all complicit, and therefore, you know, what are we doing? 562 00:31:17,916 --> 00:31:21,356 Speaker 3: How did the narcissists come about? How did that song 563 00:31:21,796 --> 00:31:22,276 Speaker 3: come to be? 564 00:31:22,916 --> 00:31:24,876 Speaker 2: Well? I think I think it's kind of sort of 565 00:31:25,556 --> 00:31:32,276 Speaker 2: maybe is kind of came about from my belief that 566 00:31:32,316 --> 00:31:36,276 Speaker 2: we're living in the most narcissistic age of epoch of 567 00:31:36,356 --> 00:31:40,316 Speaker 2: man's man. Basically, I don't know if you can get 568 00:31:40,316 --> 00:31:45,316 Speaker 2: any more narcissistic than the years now, m M, they 569 00:31:45,356 --> 00:31:49,396 Speaker 2: are now or whatever we are, you know, collectively, we're 570 00:31:50,116 --> 00:31:50,916 Speaker 2: living through this. 571 00:31:51,956 --> 00:31:54,516 Speaker 3: Do you talk about that with your daughter, since she's, 572 00:31:54,956 --> 00:31:57,316 Speaker 3: you know, at a young age where this just feels normal. 573 00:31:57,396 --> 00:32:01,996 Speaker 2: Yeah, she's she thinks, you know, like understandably that. I mean, 574 00:32:02,036 --> 00:32:04,316 Speaker 2: she's called me a boomer on a couple of occasions, 575 00:32:04,316 --> 00:32:05,836 Speaker 2: which I'm sure is not a good thing. 576 00:32:06,356 --> 00:32:07,116 Speaker 3: Are you a boomer? 577 00:32:07,396 --> 00:32:10,756 Speaker 2: I don't think so, aren't you just I really have 578 00:32:10,836 --> 00:32:14,236 Speaker 2: no idea what I am, but boomer is surely before me. 579 00:32:14,316 --> 00:32:15,276 Speaker 2: I can't be a boomer. 580 00:32:15,956 --> 00:32:17,436 Speaker 3: No, I don't think you're a boomer. I think you're 581 00:32:17,476 --> 00:32:17,916 Speaker 3: gen X. 582 00:32:18,436 --> 00:32:20,636 Speaker 2: But I think she's been doubly rude by calling me 583 00:32:20,676 --> 00:32:24,836 Speaker 2: a boomer. I think it's intentionally. I mean I deserve it, 584 00:32:24,916 --> 00:32:30,316 Speaker 2: so it's fine. No, No, I just think by the 585 00:32:30,396 --> 00:32:32,716 Speaker 2: very nature of the way we go about our business 586 00:32:32,756 --> 00:32:35,076 Speaker 2: and where we communicate with each other, and our ability 587 00:32:35,116 --> 00:32:38,596 Speaker 2: to send pictures of ourselves, and our ability to distort 588 00:32:38,636 --> 00:32:44,956 Speaker 2: those pictures, to filter those pictures, to create narrative through 589 00:32:44,996 --> 00:32:48,756 Speaker 2: those pictures of ourselves and our expressions, we are in 590 00:32:48,796 --> 00:32:51,076 Speaker 2: love with the image of ourselves, which is in the 591 00:32:51,196 --> 00:32:55,236 Speaker 2: essence of the original story of Narcissus. And we do 592 00:32:55,316 --> 00:32:58,796 Speaker 2: live in an echo chamber, which is another key component 593 00:32:58,876 --> 00:33:02,516 Speaker 2: of the original, not the echo chamber, but echo being 594 00:33:03,076 --> 00:33:07,316 Speaker 2: the counterpoint to Narcissus that he couldn't hear, he couldn't see, 595 00:33:07,396 --> 00:33:13,516 Speaker 2: he couldn't kind of externalize any empathy for anyone who's 596 00:33:13,636 --> 00:33:15,836 Speaker 2: just about himself and his image. 597 00:33:16,836 --> 00:33:20,116 Speaker 3: Do you feel that when you're playing in you know, 598 00:33:20,156 --> 00:33:22,196 Speaker 3: in different countries all over the world, like if you're 599 00:33:22,236 --> 00:33:24,636 Speaker 3: going over to Molly or you're playing somewhere in Africa, 600 00:33:24,716 --> 00:33:27,836 Speaker 3: do you feel that same force there? Or is that 601 00:33:27,916 --> 00:33:30,396 Speaker 3: a total eskill? 602 00:33:31,076 --> 00:33:33,356 Speaker 2: I mean, not as much as it used to be, 603 00:33:33,356 --> 00:33:37,716 Speaker 2: because the world's changed and everyone is everyone everywhere anyone's 604 00:33:37,756 --> 00:33:41,756 Speaker 2: got phone is in on it, aren't they in one 605 00:33:41,796 --> 00:33:45,876 Speaker 2: form or another. So that reason I don't have a phone. 606 00:33:46,316 --> 00:33:47,556 Speaker 3: You have an iPad, right. 607 00:33:47,676 --> 00:33:49,836 Speaker 2: I do have an iPad, but you know it's just 608 00:33:49,916 --> 00:33:52,396 Speaker 2: not the same thing. You can't whip out the iPad, 609 00:33:52,476 --> 00:33:54,036 Speaker 2: you know, it's quite it's a sort of it's an 610 00:33:54,036 --> 00:33:57,436 Speaker 2: event getting an iPad to take a photograph. It's not 611 00:33:57,676 --> 00:34:01,676 Speaker 2: very boome exactly. You can't do it one hand. It's impossible. 612 00:34:01,716 --> 00:34:04,036 Speaker 2: You have to have two hands. And the whole point 613 00:34:04,316 --> 00:34:08,076 Speaker 2: is this mediacy A boom they go. That was where 614 00:34:08,116 --> 00:34:10,476 Speaker 2: I started. But really the song is about a story 615 00:34:10,636 --> 00:34:14,596 Speaker 2: of my own kind of you know, from being a 616 00:34:14,676 --> 00:34:19,836 Speaker 2: kid in my bedroom looking in the mirror and using 617 00:34:19,876 --> 00:34:24,356 Speaker 2: an old Strobe light that my dad had given me, 618 00:34:24,476 --> 00:34:29,636 Speaker 2: which he'd used in the Ufo Club with Pink Floyd 619 00:34:29,716 --> 00:34:30,956 Speaker 2: back in the early sixties. 620 00:34:31,796 --> 00:34:32,956 Speaker 3: What's the Ufo Club. 621 00:34:33,276 --> 00:34:37,836 Speaker 2: It was a very famous club where Pink Floyd started. 622 00:34:38,236 --> 00:34:40,956 Speaker 2: It's like a cool place in the early sixties where 623 00:34:40,956 --> 00:34:44,036 Speaker 2: people played. And he had the strobe light and he 624 00:34:44,116 --> 00:34:46,756 Speaker 2: gave me this strobe light. So I had my sympthesizer 625 00:34:47,396 --> 00:34:51,356 Speaker 2: a mirror strobe light, and I'd switched off my bedroom light, 626 00:34:51,676 --> 00:34:54,076 Speaker 2: so I'd be in the dark just with the stroke flickering. 627 00:34:54,436 --> 00:34:59,476 Speaker 2: I put on whatever record I wanted to transport myself to, 628 00:35:00,156 --> 00:35:05,316 Speaker 2: and you know, so that was my kind of weird narcissism, 629 00:35:06,436 --> 00:35:10,076 Speaker 2: and then I'd just sort of trace the the journey 630 00:35:10,076 --> 00:35:12,476 Speaker 2: really of the band during that song. 631 00:35:13,196 --> 00:35:15,436 Speaker 3: That's so cool. So would you kind of just like 632 00:35:15,476 --> 00:35:18,636 Speaker 3: watch yourself in the mirror and practice, yeah, dance moves 633 00:35:18,636 --> 00:35:19,236 Speaker 3: and things like that. 634 00:35:19,316 --> 00:35:22,236 Speaker 2: Yeah, but in strobe all the time. I don't know 635 00:35:22,236 --> 00:35:24,476 Speaker 2: if anyone would ever be allowed to have something quite 636 00:35:24,516 --> 00:35:27,756 Speaker 2: so mind my I mean, you know, I really didn't 637 00:35:27,796 --> 00:35:30,916 Speaker 2: need any any other drugs when having a strobe like that. 638 00:35:31,836 --> 00:35:34,236 Speaker 2: I had. It had a dial, so you could go 639 00:35:34,276 --> 00:35:36,716 Speaker 2: from very slow to very fast. 640 00:35:37,596 --> 00:35:40,596 Speaker 3: Very cool. Do you feel when you write songs that 641 00:35:40,716 --> 00:35:42,956 Speaker 3: a lot of it is inspired from when you were 642 00:35:42,956 --> 00:35:44,716 Speaker 3: a kid and when you were a teenager, Like, does 643 00:35:44,796 --> 00:35:46,716 Speaker 3: everything feel like it comes from that? Well? 644 00:35:47,316 --> 00:35:49,796 Speaker 2: No, not really, I mean it just comes it comes 645 00:35:49,836 --> 00:35:54,316 Speaker 2: from the portable well I carry around with myself. 646 00:35:55,116 --> 00:35:57,636 Speaker 3: So there's still things today that are inspiring. Oh yeah, 647 00:35:57,636 --> 00:35:58,356 Speaker 3: I mean new music. 648 00:35:58,356 --> 00:36:01,596 Speaker 2: It's not oh, one hundred percent. This whole record is 649 00:36:01,716 --> 00:36:05,676 Speaker 2: completely kind of informed by how I feel about what's 650 00:36:05,676 --> 00:36:08,356 Speaker 2: happening now in my life, in everyone's lives. 651 00:36:08,276 --> 00:36:09,996 Speaker 3: Have you ever thought about it if you didn't do this, 652 00:36:10,156 --> 00:36:12,396 Speaker 3: what you would be interested in doing? What you feel 653 00:36:12,396 --> 00:36:13,436 Speaker 3: like you'd be really good at. 654 00:36:14,196 --> 00:36:16,396 Speaker 2: I honestly don't think I'll be good at anything else. 655 00:36:17,036 --> 00:36:19,116 Speaker 2: I mean I do sometimes think it's like, how would 656 00:36:19,156 --> 00:36:21,756 Speaker 2: I have been? How would I have fared in like 657 00:36:22,476 --> 00:36:28,516 Speaker 2: an early Viking community? Yeah, because I went once to 658 00:36:29,036 --> 00:36:33,036 Speaker 2: a beach where they have five stones outside of Rekavik 659 00:36:34,276 --> 00:36:37,356 Speaker 2: in Iceland, and these stones have been this for a 660 00:36:37,476 --> 00:36:41,996 Speaker 2: thousand years and basically depending on which stone you could 661 00:36:42,036 --> 00:36:46,036 Speaker 2: lift and take to the shoreline, you were allocated a 662 00:36:46,156 --> 00:36:48,036 Speaker 2: job within the community. 663 00:36:48,596 --> 00:36:48,956 Speaker 3: Wow. 664 00:36:49,356 --> 00:36:52,676 Speaker 2: And I couldn't lift the heaviest stone, which was the 665 00:36:52,676 --> 00:36:56,396 Speaker 2: one reserved for people who traveled, so I wasn't going 666 00:36:56,436 --> 00:36:59,996 Speaker 2: to be doing any traveling. People who rode basically you know, 667 00:37:00,076 --> 00:37:02,956 Speaker 2: they had this, But I was able to pick up 668 00:37:02,956 --> 00:37:05,196 Speaker 2: the one before that, So I suppose i'd have been 669 00:37:06,076 --> 00:37:08,276 Speaker 2: I would have worked and worked the land maybe and 670 00:37:08,476 --> 00:37:13,476 Speaker 2: hopefully you know, being able to write and play music 671 00:37:13,516 --> 00:37:13,996 Speaker 2: and sing. 672 00:37:14,956 --> 00:37:17,556 Speaker 3: When you sit down to play with somebody new, do 673 00:37:17,556 --> 00:37:19,756 Speaker 3: you ever feel that you have to impress that person? 674 00:37:20,076 --> 00:37:22,196 Speaker 3: Are you nervous, Like, what's the feeling in you? 675 00:37:22,756 --> 00:37:25,516 Speaker 2: Ah? I mean you want them to feel comfortable and 676 00:37:25,556 --> 00:37:28,956 Speaker 2: have a sense that you know, you're not completely incompetent. Yeah, 677 00:37:28,996 --> 00:37:32,236 Speaker 2: but I mean really it's about it's about a shared 678 00:37:32,636 --> 00:37:35,356 Speaker 2: sort of experience, isn't it. And you know, I think 679 00:37:35,876 --> 00:37:40,756 Speaker 2: all writers and singers in my world, the good ones 680 00:37:40,916 --> 00:37:45,716 Speaker 2: understand the sort of the aspect of connecting with the spirit, 681 00:37:47,116 --> 00:37:49,716 Speaker 2: and so that's that's the main objective. Really, if you 682 00:37:49,756 --> 00:37:53,876 Speaker 2: can call on the spirit, then whatever you make will 683 00:37:53,956 --> 00:37:57,516 Speaker 2: have some kind of value to it. 684 00:37:57,556 --> 00:38:00,556 Speaker 3: Is there any way to encourage the spirit? 685 00:38:01,276 --> 00:38:05,636 Speaker 2: Yeah? Many ways, many ways really. I mean sometimes people 686 00:38:05,716 --> 00:38:08,396 Speaker 2: like to have a drink. Sometimes like people like smoke weed. 687 00:38:09,236 --> 00:38:12,516 Speaker 2: Sometimes people just like a cup of tea. But I 688 00:38:12,516 --> 00:38:16,076 Speaker 2: think it's just about that being sensed and sensitive enough 689 00:38:16,116 --> 00:38:18,996 Speaker 2: to each other that you can kind of pick up 690 00:38:18,996 --> 00:38:21,756 Speaker 2: on them whatever vibration is being made. 691 00:38:22,516 --> 00:38:25,156 Speaker 3: Yeah, Speaking of people you've worked with, is there anybody 692 00:38:25,516 --> 00:38:29,076 Speaker 3: who's just collaboration wise you've started to play with where 693 00:38:29,116 --> 00:38:31,156 Speaker 3: it's just an instant click. 694 00:38:31,676 --> 00:38:36,996 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean luckily, Well, I mean, okay, someone like 695 00:38:37,036 --> 00:38:38,996 Speaker 2: Bobby Woman. As soon as you sit down with a 696 00:38:38,996 --> 00:38:42,236 Speaker 2: piano with Bobby Womak. He just has to sing one note, 697 00:38:42,276 --> 00:38:44,356 Speaker 2: and yeah, it's incredible. 698 00:38:45,436 --> 00:38:51,436 Speaker 3: I saw that some of your fans on Instagram or commenting, 699 00:38:51,476 --> 00:38:53,556 Speaker 3: and they're saying they wanted you to slow down and 700 00:38:53,556 --> 00:38:55,996 Speaker 3: take care of yourself and get some rest. 701 00:38:56,196 --> 00:38:59,036 Speaker 2: Well, I've just had four days off, So there you go. 702 00:39:01,076 --> 00:39:03,556 Speaker 3: Are you? Are you in constant perpetual motion? 703 00:39:04,636 --> 00:39:08,436 Speaker 2: Yes, you know I say about rolling stones, but I'm 704 00:39:08,436 --> 00:39:11,756 Speaker 2: happy at some I understand by the sheer law law 705 00:39:11,836 --> 00:39:16,556 Speaker 2: of physics and gravity. I will I will eventually stop, 706 00:39:16,996 --> 00:39:19,796 Speaker 2: and you know, and I'll be more than happy to 707 00:39:19,916 --> 00:39:24,476 Speaker 2: be completely disappear in the moss. 708 00:39:25,156 --> 00:39:27,396 Speaker 3: Is that what you want to do? Disappear in the mass. 709 00:39:27,356 --> 00:39:31,516 Speaker 2: Life sounds like quite a nice environment to sleep. 710 00:39:31,636 --> 00:39:35,236 Speaker 3: Eternally, it seems like the album is a bit of 711 00:39:35,316 --> 00:39:38,716 Speaker 3: a maybe a comment on morality. 712 00:39:39,276 --> 00:39:42,156 Speaker 2: Yeah, I suppose that's there. It's kind of as a 713 00:39:42,156 --> 00:39:45,876 Speaker 2: lot of questions post within the record. Yeah, I don't 714 00:39:45,876 --> 00:39:48,596 Speaker 2: think it's judgmental. I really am really not in a 715 00:39:48,596 --> 00:39:51,396 Speaker 2: position to judge anyone. As I say, instant Charles Square, 716 00:39:51,436 --> 00:39:54,196 Speaker 2: it's how fucked up. But I'm not the first to 717 00:39:54,236 --> 00:39:57,196 Speaker 2: do it. So that's my kind of my one of 718 00:39:57,236 --> 00:40:00,196 Speaker 2: my opening gambits really, do you. 719 00:40:00,156 --> 00:40:03,396 Speaker 3: Pay attention to reviews about what critics are writing about 720 00:40:03,436 --> 00:40:03,916 Speaker 3: the work? 721 00:40:05,156 --> 00:40:09,596 Speaker 2: Well, if I was disingenuous, i'd say no, of course, 722 00:40:09,956 --> 00:40:12,076 Speaker 2: of course I do. I mean I'm always interested. But 723 00:40:12,156 --> 00:40:15,516 Speaker 2: I mean there's a kind of sort of there's like 724 00:40:15,556 --> 00:40:20,676 Speaker 2: a slightly mad moment when the record is out there 725 00:40:21,556 --> 00:40:23,596 Speaker 2: and you sort of get some start to get some 726 00:40:23,636 --> 00:40:26,676 Speaker 2: feedback where you know, I mean I pick up on 727 00:40:26,756 --> 00:40:29,316 Speaker 2: it a bit, I'm not obsessed by it. And then 728 00:40:29,356 --> 00:40:31,516 Speaker 2: it's and then and then that's it. It's finished as 729 00:40:31,676 --> 00:40:34,596 Speaker 2: I don't care anymore. You know, it usually lasts a 730 00:40:34,636 --> 00:40:37,196 Speaker 2: few days, but it's definitely a madness. 731 00:40:38,196 --> 00:40:39,716 Speaker 3: Does it bring you down or. 732 00:40:40,236 --> 00:40:44,156 Speaker 2: What when people don't like it? I suppose if everyone 733 00:40:44,276 --> 00:40:46,516 Speaker 2: didn't like something that I put a lot of work into, 734 00:40:46,596 --> 00:40:49,516 Speaker 2: it might be a bit sort of I might, I 735 00:40:49,596 --> 00:40:52,996 Speaker 2: might kind of feel a bit low. But I mean 736 00:40:53,156 --> 00:40:54,876 Speaker 2: it's never like that, really, But. 737 00:40:54,796 --> 00:40:56,996 Speaker 3: It's so nice that you have the experience of going 738 00:40:56,996 --> 00:40:59,036 Speaker 3: out and playing for people because you get to see 739 00:40:59,076 --> 00:41:00,236 Speaker 3: the effect on people. 740 00:41:00,476 --> 00:41:02,836 Speaker 2: Well we see that, and that's the wonderful thing about 741 00:41:03,196 --> 00:41:07,996 Speaker 2: finishing something and playing it almost simultaneously. You really, you know, 742 00:41:08,076 --> 00:41:11,676 Speaker 2: while you're still and the sort of under its spell. 743 00:41:11,876 --> 00:41:13,396 Speaker 2: You can cast that on other people. 744 00:41:13,996 --> 00:41:17,236 Speaker 3: Yeah, it must just be so great. It feels so good. Exhilarius, 745 00:41:17,236 --> 00:41:17,636 Speaker 3: it's great. 746 00:41:17,796 --> 00:41:20,636 Speaker 2: So it's a good feeling for sure. 747 00:41:20,956 --> 00:41:23,156 Speaker 3: Has your crowds changed a lot. 748 00:41:23,916 --> 00:41:26,996 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean there's sort of there's people from our 749 00:41:27,076 --> 00:41:29,556 Speaker 2: generation and people from this generation there. 750 00:41:30,476 --> 00:41:32,476 Speaker 3: But the Gorilla's audience is really young. 751 00:41:33,076 --> 00:41:35,716 Speaker 2: Yeah, really young. I mean sometime, I mean it's just crazy. 752 00:41:35,756 --> 00:41:37,676 Speaker 2: Sometimes I kind of go into the audience and I 753 00:41:37,716 --> 00:41:40,276 Speaker 2: go quite deep into the audience and sort of in 754 00:41:40,316 --> 00:41:42,836 Speaker 2: the middle of the moshpit almost it's like a five 755 00:41:42,916 --> 00:41:47,556 Speaker 2: year old with headphones on. It's amazing. It's wonderful. I mean, 756 00:41:48,116 --> 00:41:51,156 Speaker 2: just just the most wonderful audiences. Yeah. I've had some 757 00:41:51,356 --> 00:41:54,676 Speaker 2: most beautiful experiences playing live in America with Griers. 758 00:41:54,956 --> 00:41:57,396 Speaker 3: Yeah, you're The Coachella set was so good. I streamed 759 00:41:57,436 --> 00:41:58,116 Speaker 3: it this year. 760 00:41:59,036 --> 00:42:01,356 Speaker 2: Yeah. It's a wonderful band. 761 00:42:01,476 --> 00:42:03,796 Speaker 3: So you know, it felt very joyous. 762 00:42:04,316 --> 00:42:06,676 Speaker 2: Yeah, it is. It generally is. 763 00:42:07,316 --> 00:42:08,716 Speaker 3: Yeah, thank you so much for doing this. 764 00:42:09,636 --> 00:42:12,036 Speaker 2: Thank you very much, Tiers. Thanks for taking the sign 765 00:42:12,116 --> 00:42:12,676 Speaker 2: to talk to me. 766 00:42:15,756 --> 00:42:19,036 Speaker 1: Thanks Damon Auburn for talking to Leah Rose about Blur's 767 00:42:19,076 --> 00:42:23,076 Speaker 1: new album, The Ballad of Daring You can hear that record, 768 00:42:23,196 --> 00:42:25,996 Speaker 1: along with all of your favorite songs from Blur, Gorillas, 769 00:42:26,036 --> 00:42:29,236 Speaker 1: and Damon Auburn's various solo works on the playlist at 770 00:42:29,236 --> 00:42:32,796 Speaker 1: broken record podcast dot com. You can subscribe to our 771 00:42:32,836 --> 00:42:36,796 Speaker 1: YouTube channel at YouTube dot com slash broken Record Podcast, 772 00:42:36,916 --> 00:42:40,356 Speaker 1: where you can find all of our new episodes. Broken 773 00:42:40,396 --> 00:42:43,556 Speaker 1: Record is produced with help from Lea Rose, Jason Gambrel, 774 00:42:43,876 --> 00:42:48,956 Speaker 1: Vent Taliday, Nisha Venkat, Jordan McMillan, and Eric Sandler. Our 775 00:42:49,076 --> 00:42:53,316 Speaker 1: editor is Sophie Crane. Broken Record is a production of 776 00:42:53,396 --> 00:42:56,556 Speaker 1: Pushkin Industries. If you love this show and others from Pushkin, 777 00:42:56,716 --> 00:43:01,316 Speaker 1: consider subscribing to Pushkin Plus. Pushkin Plus is a podcast 778 00:43:01,356 --> 00:43:05,316 Speaker 1: subscription service that offers bonus content and uninterrupted ad free 779 00:43:05,356 --> 00:43:08,836 Speaker 1: listening for only four ninety nine a month. Look for 780 00:43:08,836 --> 00:43:12,876 Speaker 1: push and Plus on Apple podcast subscriptions, and if you 781 00:43:12,996 --> 00:43:15,396 Speaker 1: like the show, remember to share, rate, and review us 782 00:43:15,476 --> 00:43:18,596 Speaker 1: on your podcast staff. Our theme is Expecting the Beats. 783 00:43:19,156 --> 00:43:20,116 Speaker 2: I'm justin Richmond.