Alex James has shared his delight over the news that former Britpop rivals Liam and Noel Gallagher are reuniting for a major stadium tour this summer.
The Blur bassist, 56, welcomed the announcement of the brothers’ reconciliation, marking their first shows together in 16 years.
The news comes decades after Blur and Oasis famously clashed during the height of the Britpop chart battles.
Speaking about the Oasis reunion, Alex told The Sun: ‘It’s wonderful. It’s awful that most bands end up hating each other.
‘From Blur’s point of view, huge parts of how I feel every day… the fact there was a reconciliation and we’re all on good terms again… because when something is such a big defining part of your life you don’t want to be exiled from it.
‘It was great for Blur and I’m delighted for the Gallaghers.’
Alex James has shared his delight over the news that former Britpop rivals Liam and Noel Gallagher are reuniting for a major stadium tour this summer (pictured April 3)
The Blur bassist, 56, welcomed the announcement of the brothers’ reconciliation, marking their first shows together in 16 years. The news comes decades after Blur and Oasis famously clashed during the height of the Britpop chart battles
Blur famously went through struggles inside the band in the early 2000s, leading to guitarist Graham Coxon’s temporary departure.
However, the group made a triumphant return in 2008, reuniting with their original line-up.
They went on to perform a sold-out reunion show in Hyde Park and headlined Glastonbury Festival the following year.
Blur’s recent albums, The Magic Whip and The Ballad of Darren, were both critical and commercial successes.
After their classic Britpop trilogy – Modern Life is Rubbish, Parklife, and The Great Escape – the band ventured into more experimental sounds, drawing comparisons to Radiohead.
In contrast, Oasis stuck to their roots, delivering anthemic, Beatles-inspired singalongs throughout their active years.
This August, Alex will be revisiting his musical roots at his Big Feastival on his Cotswold farm, alongside the works of his Britpop contemporaries.
He’s unveiling Britpop Classical, a special project with the London Concert Orchestra, where classic anthems will be given a new twist with performances from well-known artists on vocals.
Blur became widely famous in the UK during the mid-1990s (pictured L-R Alex, Dave Rowntree, Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn)
The group headlined Glastonbury festival in 2009
Alex explained that the performance will feature a ‘legacy section,’ highlighting the influences that shaped the bands of the Britpop era.
They will likely include nods to iconic bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, as well as a focus on the great Manchester bands of the early ’90s.
He went on to mention that while the team is deep into arrangements and orchestration, he is ‘really excited’ to deliver something ‘f***ing unique’.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Oasis for comment.
It comes after Alex admitted that being in a band is ‘supposed to f***’ you up as he likened Blur’s reunion to ‘rehab’.
He recalled ‘cacking it’ when he met back up with bandmates Graham, Damon Albarn and Dave Rowntree to record their latest album and shared his doubts over their success.
It comes after Alex that being in a band is ‘supposed to f***’ you up as he likened Blur’s reunion to ‘rehab’
Speaking in an interview with Loaded, Alex explained: ‘Being in a band is supposed to fuck you up. It’s what sends most people into the muppet ward. The Blur reunion was the opposite. It was like f****** rehab.’
The musician was forced to get fit before their Wembley shows and took up boxing in a bid to shed some pounds.
Recalling his doubts, he added: ‘I was cacking it on the M40 on the way to the studio on the first day. I mean, what band even likes each other thirty-five years in, never mind ends up making a decent record again?’
Alex continued: ‘It did seem this time around that the audience was much younger. There were a lot of 18-32-year-olds buying the tickets. A whole new audience. There was so much to be surprised, joyous, and even frightened about. ‘
Blur released a new feature-length film that documented their recent reunion in July.
‘Blur: To The End’ was directed by Toby L, the film goes behind the scenes as the iconic English rock band came back together after almost 10 years for their 2023 album The Ballad of Darren.
