Blur's Alex James admits being in a band is 'supposed to f***' you up as he compares reunion to 'rehab'

Alex James admitted that being in a band is 'supposed to f***' you up as he likened Blur's reunion to 'rehab' on Monday. 

The bassist, 56, recalled 'cacking it' when he met back up with bandmates Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn and Dave Rowntree to record their latest album, The Ballad of Darren, and shared his doubts over their success. 

The band went on hiatus in 2015 and then announced their reunion news in November 2022 before performing a string of gigs at Wembley for the first time ever.

Speaking in an interview with Loaded, Alex explained: 'Being in a band is supposed to fuck you up. It’s what sends most people into the muppet ward. The Blur reunion was the opposite. It was like f****** rehab.' 

The musician, who recently launched Britpop Rosé and Britpop Elderflower Wine Spritz, was forced to get fit before their Wembley shows and took up boxing in a bid to shed some pounds. 

Recalling his doubts, he added: 'I was cacking it on the M40 on the way to the studio on the first day. I mean, what band even likes each other thirty-five years in, never mind ends up making a decent record again?' 

Alex continued: 'It did seem this time around that the audience was much younger. There were a lot of 18-32-year-olds buying the tickets. A whole new audience. There was so much to be surprised, joyous, and even frightened about. ' 

Blur released a new feature-length film that documented their recent reunion in July. 

'Blur: To The End' was directed by Toby L, the film goes behind the scenes as the iconic English rock band came back together after almost 10 years for their 2023 album The Ballad of Darren. 

Speaking in the film, Alex 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.'

Graham lead guitarist and secondary vocalist for the band, chimed in with: 'In the '90s, it was a very intense time. On the same sort of level as a relationship, or marriages and things like that. 

Frontman Damon added: 'I think it's okay to say that time apart was taken up with other friendships and just sort of recuperating or doing other things.'

'I don't think any of us thought we'd make another record, especially not a record like this. I suppose that's why I wanted to try and make it as good as possible.' 

He continued: 'We all have hugely involving and complicated lives and we're so lucky that we get to spend this time together, just the four of us. And that's the beauty of it.'

Toby L, who directed the highly-anticipated film, told Rolling Stone: 'To The End is an intimate glimpse into relationships, motivation and mortality, the sights and sounds of longterm friendship unearthing a fresh new conquest to overcome together. 

'On the subject of capturing a band that has been so well documented, we sat down at the start of the project and agreed that the film had to tell a new story, be shot entirely on location, and crucially, be honest. 

'In To The End, that's what I hope people can see, and most importantly, feel.'