The on-air set was a nostalgic trip through the ’90s, featuring orchestral renditions of classic tracks. The performance included Ocean Colour Scene’s ‘The Riverboat Song,’ Republica’s ‘Ready To Go,’ Supergrass’s ‘Alright,’ and EMF’s ‘Unbelievable.’ A highlight for many was a dynamic mashup of Blur’s iconic ‘Song 2’ with Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ a creative fusion that captured the spirit of the era’s musical rivalry. The set concluded with a beautiful performance of Blur’s timeless hit, ‘The Universal.’
Beyond the performance, James offered the Radio X team a tour of his home studio, revealing it’s not just a personal workspace but a recording hub for music legends. James shared that artists including Florence and the Machine, New Order, and KT Tunstall have all recorded material there. He also spoke about the evolution of recording technology, joking that modern studios now only require a laptop, a couple of microphones, and a good haircut.
Despite his state-of-the-art home setup, James revealed that when it comes to recording new material with Blur, the band still prefers to gather at frontman Damon Albarn’s house, proving that even for pioneers, some traditions are hard to break.
