The Rise of Blur: Britpop Anthems and Artistic Experimentation
Formed in London in 1988 by Damon (vocals), Graham (guitar), Alex (bass), and Dave (drums), Blur released their first albums Leisure (1991) and Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993).
Both albums charted respectably at 7 and 15 in the U.K. but had no major singles. However, they laid the groundwork for what was to come.
In 1994, Blur released Parklife, with singles like the title track and Girls & Boys propelling the band into the mainstream.
Fuelled by a highly publicised rivalry with Oasis—often likened to the Beatles vs. Stones debate of the ’60s—it boosted sales for both bands, gave the press something to argue about, and encouraged fans to pick sides. This rivalry also helped propel the Britpop movement, alongside bands like Suede, Pulp, and The Verve.
As a testament to its cultural impact, the Parklife album cover was turned into a U.K. postage stamp in 2010.
Next came The Great Escape (1995), featuring the brilliant single Country House, whose music video was directed by controversial artist Damien Hirst.
In 1997, Blur released their fifth album, simply titled Blur, which included the massive hit Song 2. Two years later, their sixth album 13 brought us the band’s final two big singles: Tender and Coffee & TV.
Their 2003 release Think Tank was followed by a four-year break. The final album came in 2015, though neither release quite captured the magic of their mid-to-late ’90s heyday.
After Blur, Damon went on to form Gorillaz, Graham launched a solo career playing all instruments himself, Alex joined various bands, and Dave became a politician.
Blur Tunes | Related Pages
Parklife | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Parklife by Blur using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| E | E Dmaj7sus2 Asus2 |
Confidence is a preference for the habitual voyeur of…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Parklife (Blur) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Song 2 | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Song 2 by Blur using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| F#5 E5 | A5 B5 C#5 | F#5 E5 | A5 B5 C#5 |
I got my head checked, by a jumbo jet…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Song 2 (Blur) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
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