Alex James: Blur reunion?

At least they're talking about it...

28 Jan 2008 - Alex James has been speaking about the rumoured Blur reunion.

As previously reported here on 6 Music News, a new album could be on the cards for our favourite Brit-poppers.

James says it's all getting very political: "We all have to sort of take it in turns to not want to do it, I think it's Damon who doesn't want to do it at the moment, I think it's my turn next... March onwards I can't do it cos I am in a bad mood."

He went on to say that at least the band are talking about it: "We are all talking... you know it's great, we have all gone on to do other things, it would  be a disaster to think there would never be another Blur record."

The band have not recorded together since Graham Coxon walked out of the Think Tank sessions in Marrakesh in 2002.

"It would be a disaster to think there would never be another Blur record" - Alex James

Alex James on the cocaine trail in Colombia

Alex James fronts a special Panorama on BBC 1 tonight about how the cocaine trade is destroying Colombia.

James is a self-professed ex-cocaine user and he detailed his enthusiastic embrace of the rock 'n roll lifestyle in his autobiography A Bit Of A Blur. No doubt why the BBC thought him a suitable presenter for tonight's programme.

James says that his visit showed that it's not just the drug user who is at risk from using cocaine, he says the impact on the environment is also frightening: "You  might aswell eat endangered monkeys while wearing a blindfold and firing an AK47 than take cocaine. It's so destructive to the environment, they hack down rainforest, they have to spray it, they have to spray weed killer on rainforests."

James was affected by the experiences of the coca farmers, who were so unlike him in that he has options as a farmer, they don't: "It's not as sexy as making cheese, making cocaine... It just grows so virulently in that climate, it's not indigenous in Colombia, but there is no market for their bananas, or their coffee or their chocolates. I was only there for two weeks, and I haven't come back with all the answers but it would definitely help if the farmers had options."
 
One of the things Alex hopes to change is people's attitudes to the drug saying: "All you can do is just show people what's happening there. There's no point in moralising about it. It's part of an education process that's going to take years."

Although he admitted it's difficult to get people to re-think their opinion of cocaine: "It is implicit in a celebrity rock and roll lifestyle. It's kind of almost acceptable, It's seen as a victimless crime I suppose taking drugs, but if you follow the trail of dots back to Colombia it's pretty horrible."


Ruth Barnes