September 28, 2005 - NME (typed up by 2-J at Gorillaz-Unofficial):

Blur to become 'stupid punk rock band'

Blur are to record their "basic" new album as a three-piece after Graham Coxon decided to continue as a solo artist. Singer Damon Albarn has revealed that Blur will record the follow-up to 2003's 'Think Tank' without an additional guitarist. As a result, the sound will be completely different. "There is a Blur record at the moment but it's very basic", explained Albarn of the album, which could be out next year. "the reason why it's so basic is we decided that if we're going to make another record it's just go to be the three of us and I've got to play guitar. And because I'm such a rudimentary guitarist it has to be really stupid and basic punk rock.

© 2005 NME


Update added October 12, 2005 from BBC:

Damon on Blur's new sound

The style will be stripped back on the new EP they hope to release by the end of the year: "It'll come out and you probably won't know it's us. We can't really make another Blur record that's another big landscape thing... I want to sing and play so it has to be like three chords because I can only do three chords and not look". There's an album to follow in 2007.

© 2005 BBC

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