Critical popcorn

It’s terrifying to realise I’ve been listening to blur for some 30 years now but this could be a good documentary for any fan, especially from a band who’ve tried to reinvent (just a little) over their existence of being a 4-piece.

From Altitude, directed by Toby L and produced by Josh Connolly, this new feature-length documentary, blur: To The End, comes to cinemas in the UK and Ireland from 19 July. They tell us that it’ll depict the most recent chapter in the band’s story, captured during the period in which they made a surprise return with their first record in 8 years, ‘The Ballad of Darren’.

blur: To The End follows friends and bandmates, Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree when they got together in early 2023 to record new songs ahead of the sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium in July last summer. The documentary promises to offer us “an intimate moment in time with this most enduring of English bands, who have been at the heart of British cultural life and influence for over three decades.”

Have a watch of the trailer here, and scroll down for a few band quotes!

Speaking in the film, Alex James said:

“We’ve barely communicated for the last 10 years… I mean even when we really split up, it didn’t take this long to make a record, but what’s wonderful is as soon as the four of us get in a room together, it’s just exactly the same as it was when we were all 19….”

With Graham Coxon regarding:

“With each other… In the nineties, it was a very intense time. On the same sort of level as a relationship, or marriages and things like that. I think it’s okay to say that time apart was taken up with other friendships and just sort of recuperating or doing other things.”

Dave Rowntree said:

“The fact that we haven’t always got on, that is one of the chemistry points that has led to us being able to make the music we do. I’m absolutely convinced of it.”

Damon Albarn commented: 

“I don’t think any of us thought we’d make another record, especially not a record like this. I suppose that’s why I wanted to try and make it as good as possible.” Speaking later in the film, he added – “We all have hugely involving and complicated lives and we’re so lucky that we get to spend this time together, just the four of us. And that’s the beauty of it…”

Tickets are on sale now with more cinemas being added through to release. Details of international cinema release coming soon. 

blur: To The End IS RELEASED IN UK AND IRISH CINEMAS FROM 19 JULY: BLUR.CO.UK