Alex James: My kids nearly revealed details of the Blur reunion

17 November 2022, 17:50 | Updated: 17 November 2022, 18:29

Alex James on trying to keep the Blur reunion a secret!

The bassist has told Radio X's Johnny Vaughan that his kids are excited about the band's Wembley Stadium reunion show.

By Radio X

@RadioX

Alex James has revealed that his children almost spoiled Blur's surprise reunion announcement... by telling their friends.

Earlier this week, the Britpop legends announced that they would be playing Wembley Stadium on 8th July next year - but Alex's kids got a bit overexcited.

He told Radio X's Johnny Vaughan: "Keeping it in the bag has been tricky because one of the kids found out and started telling all the others, then they started telling their friends... I was like, No no! You could totally ruin it!

"But they're really excited! I was taking one of them to see one of his friend's bands play the other week, and he was saying 'Dad, dad, they do two Blur songs! And only one Oasis song!"

Alex added: "It's eight years since the last time we got back together, so my eldest, who's now smoking my fags, he was in short trousers then."

The band - made up of Damon Albarn, Alex James, Graham Coxon and Dave Rowntree - are to perform their first full shows since 2015 and will play Wembley Stadium on Saturday 8th July 2023 with special guests including Slowthai and Self Esteem. This date will mark their only UK gig of the year, while an appearance at the Beauregard Festival in France has also been confirmed.

The musician explained that the decision to announce the show had been confirmed very late in the day - and his bandmate, drummer Dave Rowntree, still didn't have much confidence.

"Two weeks ago, I really didn't think it would happen.. and the drummer was like, 'I don't think it's gonna happen'..." said Alex. "But we announced Wembley on Monday and I can't believe it, it's gone crazy. You never quite know whether people have forgotten you or not. But we did get back in a room together a couple of weeks ago and just bashed through it all."

James did, however, explain that while the relationships between the four members was excellent, organising a reunion was much more difficult.

"The playing together, that's effortless, it's the getting us all together that's impossible. I'm always the last to know. It's like, come on, get your bass!"

And, Alex added: "It's a lovely thing to dip back into, but it does take me two years to recover."

Tickets for Blur's Wembley Stadium show go on sale at 10am on Friday 18th November.