#damon-albarn

#damon-albarn

I developed the book's grid and typographic style in collaboration with designer David Carroll, then laid out the book myself, focusing on clean design that allows the imagery to breathe. The aim was to create something that feels timeless and functional, rather than overly stylised.

"I licensed some ICE footage to show at the very, very end of that song. If we showed it for the whole song, it would be kind of sad, depressing, but we show it at the very end and we start off with some footage that I saw of what looked like a delivery guy on a bike being chased by the ICE guys, and he gets away! It was in Chicago."

"At 2 a.m., sitting up and contemplating our loss during my child's wake, I found myself reflecting on all the major news events that had left their mark on me through the years and the helplessness I sometimes felt to change anything. Writing the last verse was the most difficult and personal thing I've done."

I'm not really a musician. I'm more a sound man. I was once described derogatorily as a fan who'd got his hands on a mixing desk, and I think I'm more that than a musician.

Wolf Alice brought their songs 'White Horses' and 'Leaning Against the Wall' to the small screen during their performance on Saturday Night Live UK.

I've done more books now, I think, than Shakespeare, sort of. I had a right laugh writing my first book, and people liked it, so when the chance to write another came up, I thought why not? I've got even more mad tales to tell.

Neville might not dig up any new revelations or eyebrow-raising moments, but it does elevate the voice of McCartney and relates how some naysayers have discounted his post-Beatles work while others—including John Lennon's son, Julian—consider some of his so-called misfires to be ingenious.

Music and art should not be easy. Once it becomes easy, it's meaningless. In a way, it's the things you don't see or hear that make it art. You know what I mean, in a way. It's a weird intuition that the listener has that picks up on the journey that the artist has been through to make that particular thing with the tone of the voice, etc. You can't replace that.

At this point, it's Israel/Palestine. Rangers/Celtic. No one remembers how it got started. All they know is, I like this team and I don't like that team.' The whole country's gone fucking mad. It's what happens in a civil war—everyone starts thinking with the blood.

Vernon's upbringing in Surrey was typical of many children born in the mid-1940s: he sang in his church choir, listened to the jazz and show tune LPs his parents owned and was bowled over by the arrival of rock'n'roll, responding most strongly to the likes of Little Richard, Fats Domino and Larry Williams.

01 Antony Genn, Carlos O'Connell, & Martin Slattery: "Opening Scene / The Currency" 02 Antony Genn, Carlos O'Connell, & Martin Slattery: "The Immortal Man" 03 Antony Genn, Martin Slattery, & Grian Chatten: "Ruby's Scarf" 04 Amy Taylor, Tom Coll, Antony Genn, & Martin Slattery: "Nobody's Son" 05 Antony Genn & Martin Slattery: "No Heaven No Hell for Duke Shelby" 06 Andrew Falkous, Jack Eggleston, & Damien Sayell: "People Person"

We did feel at Coachella, when we came over with Blur, that maybe it was a slight mismatch, us being at that festival,

After seven solo albums, Tempest had begun thinking about working with others, and so the night before the recording session, he and Chatten repaired to Albarn's studio and wrote their verses together, responding to each other. It seemed to work really well, he says: A true collaboration. Nevertheless, he concedes, the actual recording of Flags proved to be quite the baptism of fire.

The best song to play at a party It depends what stage of the party you are at. Early doors it would probably be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the night wears on, I'd work through Prince, the Stones and Bowie, and when it really kicks off, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by Underworld, and Ascension [Nic Fanciulli remix] by Gorillaz featuring Vince Staples, which is an absolute banger.

Two years after parting ways with Republic Records, James Blake will release Trying Times, his first independent studio album, on March 13 via Good Boy Records. "Death Of Love," the lead single with the London Welsh Male Voice Choir, is out now. Listen to it below. The 12-track LP features contributions from UK rapper Dave and Los Angeles-based vocalist Monica Martin. Blake first teased Trying Times to fans three days ago, through the website tryingtimes.info.