Damon Albarn's Songwriting Addiction

Blur frontman and producer James Ford discuss Damon's insatiable hunger for making music and shine a light on how Blur's latest album 'The Ballad of Darren was written & produced.
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[@TapeNotesPodcast]

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[@CristobalArenas-qq1tn]

Damn man this content is truly amazing, having chats with damon, what a genius. You are truly leaving a dream brother.

[@TapeNotesPodcast]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Ukedc259]

Pure creativity. Never question it is the lesson Damon teaches. Just do it. Couldn’t agree more. Love the St Charles Sq demo. Future Ballad of Darren release with these demos included??

[@judegraham463]

I've not really heard blurs songs before but they must write incredibly sophisticated songs after what 40 years of writing daily, assuming they'e been writing since their late teens. Wow, they must have passed their 10,000 hours decades ago.

[@13StJimmy]

Bro go listen to the Parklife album as soon as possible

[@prismonthethehorizon5793]

1:58 I love that! That's a true creative at work! ❤ Wow, I love this vibe of St Charles Square, feels magical! Like you can float away all day, it's ethereal! Lovely xx

[@lukemacducci]

Damon Alburn

[@Daniel-nh3qr]

Yes, Album!!!

[@akalui007]

what beat is damon feeling with those clicks lmao

[@SolarMumuns]

Latency probably explains that

[@mohawksixx]

Genius at work fantastic interview 👏 🙌

[@TapeNotesPodcast]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@massimilianoventurini8042]

Fantastico Albarn

[@Droxcy]

I freaking love this man

[@angephilp1274]

I like playing the game Tooth, no tooth, or gold tooth? When I see damon

[@SlimShadysShades]

or silver tooth !! haha

[@latenightlogic]

It has unfortunately lead to lack of scarcity and a drop in impact on some projects. A Gorillaz album was once an event. Now it’s an album that’s dropped and it’s forgotten a couple months later… in fact, a Blur album can now be released that same year.

[@J.Poldervaart]

No Gorillaz album will be forgotten here. ☝🏼

[@latenightlogic]

Cracker Island case in point. Once a Gorillaz album would not only outsell blur in the uk but would outsell all of blurs previous American releases in the US. The low selling the ballad of darren outsold Gorillaz and made Rolling Stones best albums of the year list… cracker island for no accredations anywhere and didn’t feature on any end year list. It’s actually really depressing to see. Albarn had another critical and commercial darling and squandered it. They’re just band now. Look I don’t want to be too harsh, the music is fine but the revolutionary period ended 15 years ago.

[@J.Poldervaart]

You should leave that aspect out of it. Just enjoy the music

[@DougieL]

@@latenightlogic Are you sure that Ballad of Darren outsold CRacker Island? Where can we view that data $ wise please? When you say 'cracker island for no accredations anywhere and didn’t feature on any end year list', what does that mean please? I send this in a friendly tone and certainly not in an accusationary way. I want to know where to look to view these stats as it really interests me. (I love Gorillaz and Blur...) Many thanks!

[@latenightlogic]

@@DougieL Their discography pages on Wikipedia is my source. Rolling Stone had Blur but no Gorillaz on their year end list.

[@hamacaboy]

Love his advice❤

[@TheHugsGoWild]

legends of britain

[@justmadeit2]

Is Damon generally the main songwriter in Blur or do the other guys have albums where they contribute more?

[@benfoster1018]

Go listen to 'Alex's Song' by Blur. You'll find answers in it

[@waynepinnock5874]

I believe in quality over quantity.

[@thomasoconnor246]

You're right and Damon has both quantity and quality. Pretty crazy right?

[@Britpop-Tribute-Band]

Here's a link to the bossanova version of Song 2 kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHbSgGpsrK6ZqNU

[@imonlydancingsal1509]

Listen up kids. Creativity, not prefab loops plus autotune vocals.

[@steveelshoff3353]

Alburn?

[@andrew6978]

The demo of St Charles Sq sounds like elevator music.

[@manfredearl4092]

Pls take the noise gate of the audio, would rather hear a bit of hiss than half peoples words

[@Spidermansthirdcousin]

damon album

[@javierisaac2955]

Damon Allbrain

[@Azwel]

so its more of a damon album performed by blur?

[@IceCubesBurning]

This is the case with most blur albums (except magic whip, which is only mostly Damon)

[@jB..33b854]

The spine of the songs, perhaps

[@TheMirrorballMan]

@@IceCubesBurning Which is why he doesn't see it as a real Blur album

[@twinkpeaks9993]

@@IceCubesBurning This is just not true, sure the backbone of the music is Damon because he's the songwriter, but the rest of the band's contributions are just as important in building the vibe of the final product

[@valdotc8559]

Damon is the songwriter, it has been like that since day 1. Graham even said he didnt bother doing the songwriting because Damon did it. The Magic Whip is the only album that came from a jam, and then was put togheter by Graham. As Damon considers TBOD the sucessor to 13, I guess we wont have another TMW.

[@Beetlebummer]

He’s so cute lol

[@hellakooked]

the demo is better !

[@MODERNDAYROCKERS]

Songwriting Addiction big difference for a singer to write a song oh I've a pen and ideas ... I've got more respect for artists that make there own music start to finish and can mix and master there own stuff . if your a person who relies on others your not there are you .

[@GregorBarclay]

Huh? Are you saying Albarn couldn’t mix his own stuff? I’m pretty sure he could and has done before, but he probably appreciates not having to do it. I’d argue most people who do the whole thing from beginning to end aren’t doing it by choice but because of budgetary restrictions.

[@ReyMolleja]

Man doing it all alone kinda sucks, I'd be like 10 times more productive if I had the budget to pay mixing engineers lol

[@Arkansya]

or the art Can be better and convey more of the artists vision if you Can collaborate with ppl doing what they are good at...

[@johnf.r6658]

I have done an album 100% by myself in my room 11 original songs... I don't recommend it, almost went crazy, next one I'm going to get a producer/ engineer or at least one human being to help me in some way or another

[@jacobjuarez9950]

@@ReyMolleja idk, Kevin Parker from tame impala does it all. Writes all his lyrics, composes, mixes, and masters. I’m sure he could afford to pay other people to speed the process along, but he wants complete control of the entire process and final product, which I respect

[@_theyojimbo]

Alburn?