ok so i might be tired of Blur
9/6/2024another british band related blog... whoever comes across these entries probably thinking im some brit-aboo (not really but without british people i wouldn't like music at all). anyways, on topic, recently i've started realizing that britpop fans aren't the greatest thinkers when it comes to their favorite band/band members, and this is fully directed towards Blur fans. so full on shade.
i have archived the blurchella entries below for specific reasons; #1 this may be unreasonable, but the fandom is sort of making me detach myself from Blur, and it kinda sucks since i liked their music way back in middle school. #2 the biggest elephant in the room, the members.
ill start with the first to get it aside. i feel like Blur fans are a little delusional. while i love their music, lets not act like its above anything else that exploded from 3rd(?) british invasion era (the 90s). yes they were the defining bands of the britpop era along with Oasis, Pulp, Suede, Elastica, etc but i have a feeling thats all they will be remembered for. and thats completely okay! you don't have to advocate them to being one of the most influential bands out of the 90s. while you can THINK that, im not sure what album they released that has impacted that decade. besides maybe Parklife, but that was only served platinum in the UK. you can like something without trying to put them on a faulty pedestal.
they didn't really explode much in America like Oasis did since their songs didn't resonate with the American middle class like it does in the UK. as silly as yall might think, it was culturial differences as well as their odd-pop British sound that didn't find much success in the states. though im sure songs like "Tender" or maybe their sixth album 13 would've got on the right foot, maybe just a little. but that was at the end of the 90s where the supposed "death of rock music" was starting. even then, things were changing.
thats why when i look back at my blurchella rants i start laughing my ass off because not only are they not really popular in the US, but they were refered as a one hit wonder just because of that one song that killed britpop as a whole (Song 2). even then, it was mostly me being fed up with people reading Blur wrong and me antagonizing Coachella idgaf abt drychella anyways.
and i love Damon Albarn and all, but him complaining about other acts like Oasis and Radiohead doing well is a bit funny- because these are diffrent levels of talents you're talking about. and dont get me STARTED about Radiohead (im getting started). like him saying its cause his "looks that made people dismiss Blur's music" in relations to Radiohead's Ok Computer being regarded as one the most influental albums to come out of the 90s is ridiculous in my opinion . it was because of the subject matter, the production, experinces, and MONTHS of thought put into that album for it to claim that title.
it was an album that pratically predicted the future regarding technology, over consumerism, social alienation, etc. the minds behind it helped shape that album as a whole as well. without Thom literally going through tech paranoia, i don't think Ok Computer would be as solid as it is now. i say this not to be dramatic, but its a wonder why people say its like The Dark Side of the Moon of the 90s.
not to dismiss Blur's talent, because they have put out fairly good albums after the decline of britpop (13, and Think Tank imo). but again, they were only popular around the britpop scene, and maybe just the UK in general.
and on Oasis, ive seen people say that their songs "all sound the same", while that is apparent at an extent, you don't have go full on Beach Boys Pet Sounds to have your music capture people. Oasis had a string of hits in the US like "Wonderwall", "Don’t Look Back In Anger" and "Champagne Supernova" that were all massive successes in America, and they still play on radio till this day. They were more traditional rock too, with lyrics that could resonate with anyone.
on the topic of Blur vs Oasis (in terms with success i guess) it was Oasis that won LMFAO, like the Oasis reunion tour announcement alone PROVED it (ticketmaster servers turned to shit). so while Damon is complaing about his "looks" being at fault, im sorry but looks don't mean shit when Beethoven/Mozart jr helped create Ok Computer (Jonny Greenwood).
sigh.
aside from all that, the other problem i have with Britpop fans- or just BLUR fans in general at this point is their over coddling of the members. and this can go for ALL bandoms too.
i literally can't stand seeing Graham fans baby him as if he's not someone whos done some weird shit. i've heard some controversies on him before but everyone was acting like it's been debunked or out of context. not until me and my sibling looked into it more.
while yall are tweeting dumb shit like "hes so teenage girl", "he understands me", "hes like me if i was 50" etc. he was out there messaging fans around the same age as his young daughter, went to hotels with them, brought them gifts, got them drunk, guilt tripping them to keep them quiet- this man is fucking weird while Blur fandom as a whole is acting like this shit never existed, when this has been happening since the late 90s till QUARANTINE. its terrifying because there were kids mad at him for only following back "attractive girls", instead of wondering why this nearly late 50 year old man is finding children attractive and following them so he can get in their dms.
its sad because he was worst towards his wife, literally left her and his child to wallow in his sadness and fool around with kids. and blur fans are harrasing her for it and i don't understand- like this "teenage girl inside of a 50 year old man" persona yall love to play fun at is not what you think at all. all those selfies of him on pinterest i see most of the time are the ones he sent to fans in their dms that apparently got leaked is insane, this shit was right under people's noses but the majority chooses to brush it under the rug.
this is why things like online grooming/predators aren't taken seriously at times, especially when it comes to bandoms/musician fandoms because god forbid your favorite band member you claim to parasocially relate to does something harmful.
its not even just about the grooming too, he was just an asshole in general through out the Blur era. him and Alex even. starting arguments, attacking interviewers, he even got into an altercation with the lead singer of Lush, Miki Berenyi, and shoved her down a flight of stairs. and you know i dont PLAY about Lush holy shit- don't even get me started on Alex who sexually assaulted her. but yall only hop on ALEX and not GRAHAM, two who both equally done fucked up shit its so annoying.
i don't know at this point. i still love blur's music, they were one of the real bands i started listening to ever since i was a teen. but if i see another "Graham is a teenage girl" tweet/post/whisper/pin im going to shoot between my eyes istg. please stop acting like these 50 - 70 year old musicians can do no wrong, shit makes you look like a fool.
past me would've looked crazy at me saying this now but thank the LORD Blur has disbanded, and i hope and pray it stays that way. Damon is way better in Gorillaz and has made way better music than Blur has ever achieved.