English Britpop band is the subject of an upcoming documentary titled blur: To The End. According to Stereogum, this project will focus on the band’s recent dissolution and recording of their 2023 album, The Ballad of Darren. It will be released in select theaters in the United Kingdom and Ireland on July 19, 2024.
Per its official synopsis, this project will chronicle the journey of band members Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Alex James, and Dave Rowntree. The four friends began making music in 1988 and never looked back. Later, they went on a hiatus in 2003 but reformed in 2009 and remained active till 2015. Within these years, they released hit albums such as Modern Life Is Rubbish, Blur, The Great Escape, Parklife, The Magic Whip, and more.
The band has won five Brit Awards and has also been nominated twice for the Mercury Prize. Simultaneously, fans have credited them with leading the Britpop movement.
Blur went inactive in 2015. Nevertheless, they made a comeback last year. Damon, Graham, Alex, and Dave reunited to record their ninth album, The Ballad of Darren. In July 2023, the band performed in a sold-out Wembley Stadium in London. After stepping on stage at Coachella 2024, they again decided to go on hiatus.
blur: To The End: “Same as it was when we were all 19” described Alex James on recording The Ballad of Darren
According to NME, Blur’s Alex James revealed in the documentary that the members hardly communicated with each other during hiatus.
However, once they gathered in a room, they realized they still shared the same passion for recording music. 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.”
blur: To The End has been directed by Toby L. The documentary has been produced by Josh Connolly, with Katie Cooper as Assistant Producer and Danny Abel as Lead Editor.