Damon Albarn: Blur “In All Likelihood” To End This Summer

Blur look set to make their Hyde Park show this summer their last, according to Damon Albarn.

Speaking to The Guardian, Albarn claims to intend new song ‘Under The Westway’ to be a final release, with the huge London show set for 12th August to mark an end to live performances.

The piece claims the new song, debuted earlier this year by Albarn and Graham Coxon at a Warchild charity show, is to be released as a one-off single. ‘We recorded it live,’ Damon told the news paper. ‘One take. It’s the first Blur song where it’s been one take, because previously I never finished the lyrics before we recorded. This time, I’d done that, so we were actually able to perform it.

‘Which is quite nice,’ he continued, ‘because I don’t really see any more recordings after this. So it’s nice to have finally done one song where we did it properly.’

Elsewhere in the interview Albarn responds to questions about more Blur records (‘No, I don’t think so’), playing live after this summer’s shows (‘No, not really’), and responds to the statement that ‘this is the end of Blur’ with: ‘in all likelihood.’

Speaking about recording with the band, Damon reveals: ‘I find it very easy to record with Graham. He’s a daily musician. With the other two, it’s harder for them to reconnect.

‘It’s fine when we play live – it’s really magical still – but actually recording new stuff, and swapping musical influences… it’s quite difficult.’

Albarn also casts doubt on the future of Gorillaz, claiming another record is unlikely due to creative differences during the making of 2010’s Plastic Beach’.

You can read the full interview here.