Covers for different versions

Released: 5 May 2003

All release dates

Highest UK Chart Position: 1

Chart History | Intl Chart Positions | Sales

Formats:

UK
CD Cat. No. 582 9972
Ltd CD 582 9970
Double Vinyl 582 9971 (£15*)
CD Promo THINK 1 (£12)

US
US CD 724358424201
Clean/Edited US CD 724358424300
Ltd US CD 724358424409

Asian Countries
Japanese CD TOCP-66153
Japanese Cassette Promo unknown
Chinese CD HDCD-050
Korean CD EKPD-1055
Taiwanese CD 724358343427
Malaysian Cassette 583434-4
Asian CD HL-1627

Other Countries & Formats
CD 07243 583434 2 7
Cassette 07243 583434 4 1
Double CD "2CD Originals - Limited Edition" unknown
Digital Download (from 2005)

*Approx. value
 

 

Record labels: UK: Parlophone/EMI Records US: Virgin Records Japan: Toshiba/EMI Records Japan China: Universal Korea: EMI Records Korea Taiwan: unknown Malaysia: EMI Records Malaysia Asia: Universal International: Capitol/EMI Records

Artwork for the album was done by the controversial graffiti artist Banksy.

Extra track in the Japanese release is "The Outsider".

Limited edition contains an enhanced section featuring live footage from the MTV show ("Ambulance", "Out Of Time", "Crazy Beat" and "Good Song"), plus a booklet with song ideas and lyrics.

The US release includes exclusive video clips of the recording of the album.

Chinese version includes all "Leisure" tracks (except "Wear Me Down") in MP3 format. Comes in cardboard slipcase.

Korean version has four Blur/"Think Tank" buttons.

Taiwanese release comes with grey shopping bag with the Banksy designed petrol pump logo and a mini poster.

Asian version (Cat. No. HL-1627) features seven random "Best Of" tracks.

Hidden track "Me, White Noise" on UK CD Promo is Damon's vocal version and it's a bit shorter than the version released as a "Good Song" B-side.

In the UK, HMV released its own version of the regular album with a white card in front. Virgin Megastores issued a set of four badges with initial purchases.

Double CD ("2CD Originals - Limited Edition") is packaged with "13" album.

Bootleg releases: There is an Asian version (Cat. No. VK-1045) that features eight first "Best Of" tracks. All tracks are the leaked MP3 versions. Also, another weird Asian CD  contains seven tracks from the boyband Blue (!) as a bonus. Also, the CD labeled as Virgin Records and made in the the UK includes nine random "Best Of" tracks.
 

Liner notes:

All tracks written by Blur (Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree). Except track 5 written by Blur/James Dring, track 11 written by Blur/Mike Smith and track 13 written by Blur/Graham Coxon.

All tracks produced by Blur/Ben Hillier for 140dB. Except tracks 3 & 12 produced by Blur/Ben Hillier/Norman Cook and track 10 produced by Blur/Ben Hillier/William Orbit.

Production Assistance by Jason Cox.

Engineered by Ben Hillier/Jason Cox.

Additional engineering/programming by James Dring.

Mixed by Ben Hillier.

Mastered by Howie Weinberg at Masterdisk, New York.

Original artwork by Banksy.

Art Direction and layout by Beeny Roy Wainman at Real Curious.

Lyric sheet artwork provided by Damon Albarn.

Photography by Steve Lazrides.
 

Trivia:

• The album was started in November 2001 at 13 studio in London and was finished a year later in a barn on National Trust land in Devon. Recording also took place in Morocco where the band equipped an old barn with a studio.
• The sessions in Morocco produced: "Crazy Beat", "Gene By Gene" and "Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary Bowls Club".
• "Battery In Your Leg" is the only track on the album where Graham plays (excluding the bonus track "The Outsider" on the Japanese version). "It’s the only thing that when Graham did come back to the studio briefly worked," Damon has said.
• "Jets" is credited to Blur/Mike Smith for his saxophone solo. "On The Way To The Club" is credited to Blur/James Dring who is one of engineers and Damon's cousin.
• Actor Phil Daniels appears on "Me, White Noise". The vocals were recorded in Devon late one night when Damon and Phil were both very drunk. The track is hidden strangely before the opening track, "Ambulance".
• Dave Rowntree plays guitar on "On The Way To The Club".
• Total running time (UK ver. minus hidden track): 49:13

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