New release: Live at the BBC

[Mark72]

Bought the 10" vinyl and a tote tshirt. I still have my beer may tee from 25 years!! God i feel old...

[dparrott]

Well this explains it all, dunnit? Huh.

[Liese]

One more thing to love this guy for, imho.

Ordered the vinyl and a red parklife tote (as if I needed another tote, I am such a merchandise victim) and am still getting my hopes up there will be something going on around the release, even if not celebrating Parklife/Britishness in general...

I bought Parklife back in 1994 when I was 19, there was no issue with it been too British etc, it celebrated Britain, from Bank Holidays to the dogs to the pub to the cheap 18-30 holiday etc. Only now is it an issue, even if you voted remain does that mean you cant celebrate Britain? self hating leftists are the problem.

I think the album is actually a lot more balanced and nuanced than you give it credit for, although by all means please enjoy it as feels right to you.

Via my self-hating leftist eyes, Tracy Jacks explores a mental breakdown, Jubilee a disenfranchised tweenager, End of a Century a very British style fuss about nothing, To The End is a song about a relationship that doesn't yet know it's dead and that's before we get on to the unbridled love Damon shows for call centre workers to TIAL.

I'm not for a moment trying to suggest the album is depressing or that you shouldn't enjoy it or have fun, just saying there's more to it than a Chas & Dave singalong.

As ever so often, Doug, you managed to put my thoughts and feelings about this into some very balanced words. Thanks!

[Liese]

FWIW (and don't forget I've already been wrong about this anniversary already) I don't think there will be much, if anything, else going on the actual anniversary was back in the spring.

I am with you on that too... Nevertheless, wishful rather than rational thinking makes me remember they did see each other for a bit this year (before and during the Circus gig), so it's not entirely impossible they did rehearse a bit more and are prepared for a one-off something.

[dougharrison]

I am with you on that too... Nevertheless, wishful rather than rational thinking makes me remember they did see each other for a bit this year (before and during the Circus gig), so it's not entirely impossible they did rehearse a bit more and are prepared for a one-off something.

I wouldn't rule out them doing something (perhaps even this year) just that if it happened I think it would be something new, maybe an ep or a Fools Day type thing (I won't dare mention anything bigger) rather than something on a blatant nostalgia angle.

[__must__]

a little EP containing some of the Parklife demos (also previously released, but only through leaks for most of them) would've been neater, but this is still a neat little release! just a little odd that they claim the sessions are previously unreleased, when they've had at least two releases in the past (both in full or just separate tracks from it)

[vitekm]

I am with you on that too... Nevertheless, wishful rather than rational thinking makes me remember they did see each other for a bit this year (before and during the Circus gig), so it's not entirely impossible they did rehearse a bit more and are prepared for a one-off something.

I wouldn't rule out them doing something (perhaps even this year) just that if it happened I think it would be something new, maybe an ep or a Fools Day type thing (I won't dare mention anything bigger) rather than something on a blatant nostalgia angle.

Don't worry. Next year they'll do 25th Anniversary Great Escape World Tour instead.

[TracyJosh]

I would be sooo down for that. I know Parklife is the definitive, focused masterpiece out of the 2, but I actually find TGE much more intriguing and the one I go back to more.

Parklife is more consistent but I prefer TGE'S best moments over parklife's.

[aldamasta]

I would be sooo down for that. I know Parklife is the definitive, focused masterpiece out of the 2, but I actually find TGE much more intriguing and the one I go back to more.

Parklife is more consistent but I prefer TGE'S best moments over parklife's.

Yeah, that's actually a really cool thought. Since 2009 we've had pretty much every Parklife song played live, right? Since we got TITMC in 2015 and Clover Over Dover this year. So many TGE tunes never made it on setlists past 96, and seeing how the current blur would handle those tunes would be terribly interesting.

FWIW (and don't forget I've already been wrong about this anniversary already) I don't think there will be much, if anything, else going on the actual anniversary was back in the spring.

I am with you on that too... Nevertheless, wishful rather than rational thinking makes me remember they did see each other for a bit this year (before and during the Circus gig), so it's not entirely impossible they did rehearse a bit more and are prepared for a one-off something.

I always stay optimistic with blur... even when it's killer to do so but that's a good point you make. The lil reunion at the Circus was a big surprise, and with TGTBTQ's touring seeming to end after this summer, it's always possible for a surprise. And with October 31st coming up in the UK... that could be another spur for blur in the same way March 29 was

[davidsutter]

you know i was thinking

damon's new album, the stream thing

the title makes me think it's probably another folky thing

graham's been doing those one-man shows

what if they did a tour of just them, damon on piano and graham on guitar

[Liese]

you know i was thinking

damon's new album, the stream thing

the title makes me think it's probably another folky thing

graham's been doing those one-man shows

what if they did a tour of just them, damon on piano and graham on guitar

i think it's very wishful thinking, but gawd i would love that!

[Veikko]

I just purchased this from Juno Download and it sounds really quiet (around -8dB). Hopefully the physical copies are fine.

[__must__]

A visual comparison between the 1994 release 'BET BET BET' and the new release.



Both: Trouble In The Message Centre
Top: BET BET BET, 1994
Bottom: Live At The BBC, 2019

[dparrott]

Better than being brickwalled imo.

[northernmonkey]

My t-shirt and vinyl arrived Saturday, haven't listened to the vinyl as I have the download too, but nice recordings of the 4 songs, especially 'Trouble in the Message Centre', a little quiet but good to hear the songs sound so fresh as obviously this was pre-parklife release. I was thinking the band must have been feeling pretty good about these new songs at that stage, but to have songs such as End of a Century, TIAL, Badhead, Parklife, Tracey Jacks, To the End etc left out the sessions, its amazing to think none of us had an idea at that stage of what was to come.

It is always great to add new Blur items to the ever expanding collection, but I do think we could have recieved more for the anniversary, a full recording of a concert at the time in maybe a boxset or something, the band wouldn't have even needed to be involved, I am sure the record company would have had something to put out.