New Blur collection

Britpop band plan re-release of their best tracks before reunion

20 May 2009 - Brit-pop heroes Blur are set to release a re-vamped ‘best of’ double album featuring a mix of tracks from their prolific career.

Midlife: A Beginner's Guide To Blurwill pull 25 tracks from the band’s seven studio albums including Girls & Boys, Sing and Beetlebum.

It’ll also include a re-release of Popscene, not available since it first came out in 1992.

Midlifeis set for release on 15 June so show-goers can prepare to sing along just in time for the band’s planned comeback gigs this summer.

Blur opener



One of the bands hand-picked to support Blur’s much anticipated tour is St. Albans trio Friendly Fires.

“I was an Oasis kid when I was younger.”Ed MacFarlane

They’ll be sharing the stage with them at the Hyde Park gigs and while lead singer Ed MacFarlane is excited, he confessed to 6 Music: “I was an Oasis kid when I was younger.”

McFarlane said Blur asked them directly after seeing them perform: “I think the first time they saw us play live was at the NME awards.

“We had our Brazilian troupe with us and maybe they thought it could work well as a support act so I’m very flattered to be playing with them.”

Oasis vs Blur

McFarlane told 6 Music that his memories of the band usually bring up the Oasis-Blur rivalry of the Brit-pop era.

“I think my favourite Blur track is Coffee and TV,” he explained.  “I don’t know why, I just really like the hook and it’s got a laid back atmosphere about it.

“But I think the thing that sticks out in my head the most is Country House and just Oasis not liking them, and me really liking Oasis.”

The reunited band are gearing up for a series of intimate shows in June, before their huge shows in Manchester, London and festival appearances at Glastonbury, T In The park and Oxygen.It’s also rumoured that the quintet are looking to add European and US dates to their reunion tour.Emily Wither