Blur‘s Alex James has said the Oasis reunion is “wonderful”, adding that it was “awful that most bands end up hating each other”.
- READ MORE: Blur and Oasis’ big Britpop chart battle – the definitive story of what really happened
The two groups went head-to-head in a legendary rivalry that ran throughout the height of Britpop in the 1990s, and has remained so infamous that last year it was revealed that a West End play based on the turbulent time was on the way.
The announcement of the theatre production came on the heels of both bands dominating headlines in 2024, with Blur sharing To The End – a documentary that followed their reunion and 2023 comeback album ‘The Ballad Of Darren’ – as well as their huge shows at London’s Wembley Stadium last summer.
Oasis, meanwhile, shocked fans by announcing their long-awaited reconciliation and subsequent 2025 reunion tour dates, and, despite previous tensions, James has said it was “wonderful” news Noel and Liam are back together after spending years at loggerheads.
Reflecting on previous infighting within Blur – with guitarist Graham Coxon temporarily leaving the band and later reuniting with them in 2008 – he told The Sun: “It was great for Blur and I’m delighted for the Gallaghers.”
“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,” he added.
Although he’d previously said the reunion was good for the Gallagher’s as well as fans, he won’t be among the gig-goers, after revealing last year he “genuinely won’t be going“.
Elsewhere in his Sun interview, the bassist touched on the enduring popularity of both bands. “It’s a generation ago,” he said of their hits. “The songs that kind of still live and breathe from those days, maybe they’ve kind of achieved classic status.”
James is set to play anthems from both Blur and Oasis, as well as the likes of Pulp, Supergrass and many more at a Britpop Classical concert at this year’s Big Festival. Combining live music with food attractions, the vent is due to take place at James’ Cotswolds farm near Kingham, Oxfordshire, from August 22-24.
Much like the Ministry Of Sound Classical concerts – which reimagine classic dance tracks with an orchestra and guest singers – the musician and cheesemaker will lead a Britpop classical set, with a live band alongside a full orchestra, on the closing night (August 24) at his three day festival.
As a taster to the concert, a Britpop Classical string quartet performed a host of classics at an event earlier this month, including Blur’s hits ‘Song 2’, ‘Parklife’ and ‘The Universal’ alongside the like of The Verve‘s ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’, Oasis’ ‘Wonderwall’ and ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ and Radiohead‘s ‘Creep’.
James also played a DJ set of Britpop classics including a remix of Blur’s ‘Song 2’ mashed up with Nirvana‘s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, The Boo Radleys‘ ‘Wake Up Boo!’ along with older classics like The La‘s ‘There She Goes’ and The Charlatans‘ ‘The Only One I Know’.
Noel recently responded to the immense rush for tickets, which promptly sold out following multi-hour-long queues.
In a new interview with former NME photographer Kevin Cummins for his new book Oasis: The Masterplan – available here – the musician said he was surprised by the scale of demand.
“I thought it’d be a big deal, but I was a bit taken aback by just how much of a big deal it was,” he said.
He may have also provided a hint as to what songs will make it onto the setlist, when Cummins quizzed him on his favourite Oasis song. “Can I have more than one? ‘Supersonic’, ‘Some Might Say’, ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Rock’n’Roll Star,” he said.
In an interview with NME in 2023, Noel revealed the tracks he likes the least, and outlined what he saw as the “flaws” in Oasis’s discography.
“Well I don’t like the sound of ‘Morning Glory’ at all,” he said. “The only album that is perfect would be ‘Definitely Maybe’. ‘Be Here Now’, the songs are too long. ‘Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants’, not enough good songs and a lot of filler on that.
The post Blur’s Alex James on “wonderful” Oasis reunion: “It’s awful that most bands end up hating each other” appeared first on NME.