The Independent reports that the Blur/Gorillaz frontman is a leading contender to become the artistic director of the 2012 Olympic Games. Albarn collaborated with artist Jamie Hewlett on the music and animation for the BBC’s coverage of the Bejing games. The decision process could take months. Regardless, the idea that the opening ceremonies could look a bit more like the “Clint Eastwood” music video is a sufficiently worthwhile one. Albarn, dudes: he just doesn’t cease to explore and excite. (via The Daily Swarm via The Independent)

British new wave giants New Order are teaming up with Blur bassist Alex James under the title Bad Lieutenant, and the group have recorded an album which is due this fall, reports SPIN. Despite the fact that Blur seems to be in the middle of a come-back, James has expressed great enthusiasm about this new project, saying “I’m very proud of it, it’s a very good album.” New Order’s collaboration with James seems to be the result of a messy blow-out with former bassist Peter Hook, about which Sumner is reluctant to spill details. Keep an eye out for Bad Lieutenant tour dates for later this year, as dance parties are sure to ensue.

—Nikki Turner

The BBC was in the mix Saturday night as a recently reunited Blur played their first show together in nine years. A crowd of roughly 150 people huddled into a “goods shed” at the East Anglian Railway Museum, the exact spot where the Brit pop heavyweights’ very first gig took place waaaaay back in 1988. Shuffling through staples like “Parklife,” “Coffee and TV,” and the above “This Is A Low,” dudes played for a whopping 130 minutes. Damon Albarn even enjoyed some crowd surfing, something he might not be able to do so handily when the band take the headlining throne at Glastonbury later this month.

We’ve been scrambling to keep you up-to-date as Glastonbury’s slowly leaked megaconfirmation after megaconfirmation in the past few months. But today’s full lineup announcement is something to behold, the headlining package of Neil Young, the Boss and a reunited Blur now propped up by a roster so behemoth and iron-clad, it’s equal parts intimidating and enticing. Also playing: Bloc Party, Lady Gaga, Jarvis Cocker, Regina Spektor, Maximo Park, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Lily Allen, Tom Jones, Pete Doherty, Q-Tip, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Streets, Ray Davies and and and and…
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The hype surrounding Blur’s reunion shows has been rising since it was first announced, and now they are looking to add U.S. and European tours to their plans, which was originally only slated for U.K. dates. 
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