Blur at Wembley Stadium 2023 by Steve Bell
Our round-up of the main stories we featured during the past seven days the live return of Blur and a new album from Shame.
When Blur announced their live return last week they had more than the initial gig at Wembley Stadium on July 8th in mind.
News of an appearance at Beauregard Festival in France on July 6th swiftly followed, and now a second night in London has been added for July 9th.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with my Blur brothers again and revisiting all those great songs,” Graham Coxon has said.
The XX‘s Romy Madley Croft has shared her second solo track, this one entitled Strong.
There are similar credits here as to the into-lockdown released solo debut Lifetime as Romy reflects on shared loss:
“Whilst writing the lyrics, I was thinking about my cousin Luis; we both have the shared experience of our mums passing away when we were young.”
Kendrick Lamar is very much himself this time on the video for his latest single Rich Spirit.
Lamar has been out on the road with his new record since the summer, and will head to Australasia in December after concluding his UK leg in Manchester last night.
“I spend most of my days with fleeting thoughts,” the introductory notes to Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers read. “Writing. Listening. And collecting old Beach cruisers. The morning rides keep me on a hill of silence.”
Shame by Pooneh Ghana
Shame will release their third studio album Food For Worms on February 24th next year.
Flood was invited to produce sessions which focused on a move away from the post-punk sound which dominated 2018 debut Songs Of Praise and its 2021 follow-up Drunk Tank Pink as the band also cast their lyrical net further afield.
“I don’t think you can be in your own head forever,” frontman Charlie Steen believes. “It’s weird, isn’t it? Popular music is always about love, heartbreak, or yourself. There isn’t much about your mates.”
Baddiel, Skinner & Lightning Seeds have unveiled a new version of their enduringly popular England football anthem Three Lions.
Thanks to the…unique World Cup which is about to kick-off in Qatar, the track has been reimagined for 2022 as a Christmas single.
“At last it’s between me and Mariah Carey for who really is the voice of Christmas,” David Baddiel said.
Iggy Pop, Blondie and punk rock vets supergroup Generation Sex have all been confirmed on the bill for an outdoor London concert at Crystal Palace Park next summer.
“Blondie and Iggy Pop,” Debbie Harry responded. “We are excited to reunite with our friend, the one and only Prince of Punk, Iggy, for this special show in Crystal Palace Park next summer. Once more, with feeling!”
Billy Idol and Tony James of Generation X, and Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols, meanwhile, will be making their UK live debut that day as Generation Sex.