In a chemical world... it's very very very cheap

Matt's post about Damon Albarn's apparent lack of interest in the next Blur album sent me away to relisten to a couple of blur records this week; and sent me back to the Starshaped film which received some pretty heavy promotion last year.

It's amazing to watch: they're all so young. Especially Alex. Who's not just young. But also thin. No Fat Les there, anyway. Chronicling 1992, Blur's year of Hell (Damon: "the question was what do you think about 1992. Note the silence" - and the track from 13). These were the lean years: when people refused to buy (in my opinion, still Blur's best record) Modern Life is Rubbish in droves, and Popscene only made it to 32 in the charts. Madness!

"I mean, the whole thing about pop music is that you're, you know, you're ripping off as many people as you possibly can, you know, and the trick is just to listen to the right people".

To be honest, Blur don't come off very well at all in Starshaped; but it's a refreshingly honest look at a band (and a major pop figure such as Damon) who've matured into something special. And lots of special moments, such as Damon throwing up, Damon riding (again and again) in Postman Pat's little red van, and the band's visit to Stonehenge.

There is at least one sweet irony - the late, great John Peel claiming that Blur are
too melodic for his taste, just after Popscene had come out; the definitive version of Popscene, of course, being that recorded at Peel Acres and released on the Bustin' & Dronin' album in '97.

Blur - Popscene (Live at Peel Acres)

Modern life, well it's rubbish: I'm holding on for tomorrow.