Alex James has admitted that Radiohead reduce him to tears and that revisiting Blur’s biggest hits has left him feeling emotional as he launches his new Britpop Classical tour.
The bassist – now also known for his cheese and wine ventures – is touring his orchestral celebration of ’90s Britpop this month. The show debuted at his Big Feastival last summer, and he said the reaction was so strong that Live Nation immediately urged him to take it on the road.
The production sees a full orchestra, rock band and chorus reworking some of the decade’s most iconic anthems, with guest appearances from Parklife legend Phil Daniels, Republica’s Saffron, Reef’s Gary Stringer and more surprise names.
Alex said the songs have taken on new emotional weight as he’s studied them in detail.
He told NME: “The songs mean more to people now than they did when they came out. They’ve matured like fine wine. Singing any of them in the shower would give you goosebumps… so when you add all the majesty of a symphony orchestra, it’s overwhelming.”
He revealed that the moment he realised the project would work came during a rehearsal of Radiohead’s Creep.
He recalled: “I noticed I was crying halfway through.
“It’s so emotive.”
The set also includes Blur favourites such as Country House, Girls and Boys, Song 2 and The Universal. Alex said performing them again reminded him “how much I love the boys” and how special their 2023 reunion shows felt. He added that the band ended their last run on unusually good terms, joking that it was the first time they’d wrapped a cycle without someone storming off.
As for whether Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon or Dave Rowntree might show up at the Britpop Classical shows, he said they’re “all invited to everything I do”, noting that Graham and Dave attended the Feastival debut.
Alex also reflected on Blur’s headline sets at Coachella 2024, which made headlines after frontman Damon Albarn criticised the crowd.
Despite the drama, he insisted he holds no grudges, calling Coachella “the biggest festival in the world” and praising its scale.
The 57-year-old rocker admitted that most new music doesn’t hit him the way his teenage favourites did, and said he still worships the bands that shaped him – naming The Stone Roses’ 1989 debut as his favourite album of all time.
He said: “They were the ultimate band.
“They opened the door for everything that happened after.”
