I'm Still Here, But I'm Not *HERE*

Hi everyone,

As you've noticed, there hasn't been much activity on this site as of late. The reason for that is mainly due to the fact that life has been very busy for me, but the other huge reason is that there just hasn't been much (or much interesting) in the way of Blur activity. I was not a big fan of their Greatest Hits reunion tour in 2014 and for me a lot of enthusiasm for the band waned. I'm still a massive fan and still a collector, but the spark just wasn't there for me. That doesn't mean that I am abandoning this site or going to stop updating it...I could never do that! But it means that things will be a bit slow here for the foreseeable future (of course that could always change). 

I'm going to try to update more regularly, in the short term regarding Damon's forthcoming solo album and tour that look to take up most of his 2014. I also have been receiving numerous requests for re-uploads of shows due to all of the dead links. Please know that I've been keeping track of what needs to be updated and I really do want to get those back in working order for all of you. I've been so busy that I either don't have the time to do it or it slips my mind and I forget, but I am going to try and make the effort to be better about this.

I still update the Facebook page with news snippets and my Twitter account as well, so please continue to follow me on those.

I still have some ideas of how to make the experience on this site even better but again, free time is in short supply!

I've also been concentrating on my writing and blogging on my personal website much more, as it's allowed me to really flourish creatively and as a writer and has begun to open up a lot of opportunities for me that go beyond Blur. I invite you to please visit that site and follow it because I think there will be quite a lot that readers of this Blur site will enjoy over there, including music book reviews, write-ups, and article on various other topics of interest to me (and, I hope, you!). The website is HERE and I hope to see many of you there as well!

That's all for now, so keep checking in because I *will* update when I can find the time, you just never know when!

Thanks,

Drew

Coming Soon: My Review of "The Life of Blur"

I just got in the mail today my free copy of the new Blur biography, "The Life of Blur" by Martin Power (thank you, Omnibus Press!). They sent it to me complimentary because I promised to read it and write up a thorough review and post it here on my website as well as on the Blur forums. So, that being said, I intend to start the book tomorrow and as soon as I finish, I'll write up my review and share it with all of you. So stay tuned!

Black Book 2 is now available at Amazon

Black Book 2 is now available HERE on Amazon.com and, very shortly, on Amazon sites worldwide.

Black Book 2 is now available!

The book is done and now live for purchase! It will be available on Amazon worldwide in about a week, but if you can't wait, it is available directly from the publisher RIGHT NOW at https://www.createspace.com/4036877.

Also, I am awaiting a box full of copies for you pre-order folks, and I am currently burning the compilation CDRs. As soon as I get the books delivered, I will be signing them, packaging them with the compilation, and shipping! As always, I'll keep you updated every step of the way :-)

Black Book Pre-Order Bonus Compilation Track Listing!

Below is the final tracklisting for the bonus compilation the pre-order customers will be getting! I think it sounds fantastic overall and my friend Tom did a great job mastering and cleaning up the audio. I think those of you who have this coming to you will really enjoy it.

CD1:

1) Beetlebum (Melbourne 11/1/97)
2) She's So High (London 12/9/97)
3) Stereotypes (Dublin 6/22/96)
4) Bad Day (Reading 8/24/91)
5) Explain (Camden 3/30/90)
6) Colin Zeal (Melbourne 11/1/97)
7) Country Sad Ballad Man (Stockholm 4/7/97)
8) London Loves (Sheffield 5/21/94)
9) Movin' On (Toronto 3/13/97)
10) Chemical World (Glasgow 9/3/93)
11) Girls and Boys (Nyon 7/22/94)
12) It Could Be You (Amsterdam 3/22/96)
13) Luminous (Glastonbury 6/28/92)
14) Nite Klub (w/Terry Hall) (Dublin 6/22/96)
15) Topman (London 9/7/95)
16) Far Out (Mile End 6/17/95)
17) Repetition (Glastonbury 6/2798)
18) I'm Just a Killer For Your Love (Glastonbury 6/27/98)
19) Music is My Radar (Dublin 12/8/03)
20) This is a Low (London 12/12/97)

CD2:

1) Ambluance (Milan 5/15/03)
2) Tender (T in the Park 7/12/09)
3) Trailerpark (London 3/15/99)
4) Entertain Me (Hamburg 10/23/95)
5) Battle (London 3/15/99)
6) Colours (Dublin 12/8/03)
7) Fade Away (Hamburg 10/23/95)
8) He Thought of Cars (Boston 2/11/96)
9) Chinese Bombs (Hultsfred 6/15/96)
10) Song 2 (Dublin 6/22/96)
11) Globe Alone (Zurich 3/8/96)
12) Coping (Zurich 3/8/96)
13) Essex Dogs (Glastonbury 6/27/98)
14) You're So Great (Osaka 5/27/97)
15) Look Inside America (Amsterdam 4/29/97)
16) Strange New From Another Star (Tokyo 6/3/97)
17) Black Book (London 7/2/00)
18) The Universal (London 12/12/97)

BOOK UPDATE: At the Proofing Stage

The manuscript was approved for proofing! I've got digital and print copies of the proof on their way to me now for review. Very exciting! I'll be reviewing them over the next week or so and finalizing the physical book in preparation for publication and release.

BOOK UPDATE

Sorry for the radio silence!  A quick update...manuscript is nearly done and will be sent off for proof copies later this week. I've finished compiling the bonus compilation for the pre-order customers and a friend of mine is mastering it. I'll post the tracklist very soon.

Stay tuned!

Preorder Closed

The Black Book preorder is now closed! Thanks to everyone who participated...I'm humbled that you're so interested in the book, and I'm working really hard to make sure I meet those expectations. I think (hope!) that you'll all be pleased and excited by the finished product. As always, I'll keep you updated on the entire process as we march on to the targeted release in December.

Thanks again!

Submission Deadline

ATTENTION: Today is the day I had set as the deadline for anything to be included in the book. So if you have anything (recordings, ticket stubs) you'd like to be added to the book, please contact me/send it in by the end of today. In all honesty, if there's something anyone has after today, I'll still accept submissions but I'd prefer today be the cut-off day in order to give me enough time to finish the editing and formats.

Thanks!

Black Book Pre-Order: IT IS HERE!

WHAT'S NEW IN BLACK BOOK 2nd EDITION: > Newly rearranged format and sections, breaking the live history into touring "eras" instead of years to better track their onstage progression alongside their musical evolution in the studio > Nearly 100 new concerts reviewed and written up, fleshing out their live history even more than the first book from 2009 > Corrections and revisions to many entires from the first book as further research has brought new information to light > Updated, corrected, and expanded tour date history > Updated, corrected, and expanded song live performance list > A collection of scans/photos of Blur concert ticket stubs throughout their history, from 1990 to 2012 > A "thank you" section acknowledging and thanking everyone who kindly helped out with this project (whether sending in recordings or scans of their tickets) > The FIRST EVER review of B-Roads, the lost Great Escape film from 1995/96, detailed and reviewed for the first time ANYWHERE If you can't wait until December to order the book, I'm running a pre-order special that will run from October 15 to November 15, 2012 PRE-ORDER SPECIAL: BLACK BOOKS 1&2 > Both editions of Black Book together for US $30 BLACK BOOK 2 > The new 2012 2nd Edition of Black Book for US $20 Everyone who pre-orders either one of these between October 15 and November 15 will get their copies of the book signed by me, as well as a live compilation I'm putting together (I haven't decided if it will be on CDR or download yet, I'll announced that as the release date gets closer). After November 15, 2012, I will not accept any more pre-orders...sorry, but since this is 100% a one-man operation (ie, I'm doing everything by myself!), I just can't handle it. TO PRE-ORDER: I'm accepting payment through PayPal (this way I can keep track of the orders): PLEASE ORDER USING THE BUTTONS BELOW AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: -Your name -Your mailing address -Your email address -Which book package you're ordering Please allow 3-5 days for orders to arrive after December 19 for US orders, and 1-2 weeks for the rest (give or take a few days since it will be close to the Christmas holiday season, which always delays the post). If you have any additional questions about the book, the pre-order, or anything else, please feel free to contact me at dkathans@comcast.net IF YOU HAVE ANY RECORDINGS OR TICKET SCANS YOU'D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BOOK, PLEASE HAVE THEM IN TO ME NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31, 2012!! Thanks in advance for your patience with me! :)

Black Book 2 Pre-Order Announcement

Black Book 2 Pre-Order Announcement

BLACK BOOK 2nd Edition PRE-ORDER ANNOUNCEMENT

I’m planning on the book being published and available for general purchase worldwide with a provisional release date of December 19. It will be available from Amazon sites worldwide (print and Kindle versions), as well as iBooks (for you fellow iPad readers). The price will be the same as the first book, US$20, which is a bargain considering there are nearly 100 new shows that have been added, as well as expanded sections and loads more info packed in the book, making it nearly twice the size of the first book (pagewise)!

WHAT’S NEW IN BLACK BOOK 2nd EDITION:

> Newly rearranged format and sections, breaking the live history into touring “eras” instead of years to better track their onstage progression alongside their musical evolution in the studio

> Nearly 100 new concerts reviewed and written up, fleshing out their live history even more than the first book from 2009

> Corrections and revisions to many entires from the first book as further research has brought new information to light

> Updated, corrected, and expanded tour date history

> Updated, corrected, and expanded song live performance list

> A collection of scans/photos of Blur concert ticket stubs throughout their history, from 1990 to 2012

> A “thank you” section acknowledging and thanking everyone who kindly helped out with this project (whether sending in recordings or scans of their tickets)

> The FIRST EVER review of B-Roads, the lost Great Escape film from 1995/96, detailed and reviewed for the first time ANYWHERE

If you can’t wait until December to order the book, I’m running a pre-order special that will run from October 15 to November 15, 2012

PRE-ORDER SPECIAL:

BLACK BOOKS 1&2
> Both editions of Black Book together for US $30

BLACK BOOK 2
> The new 2012 2nd Edition of Black Book for US $20

Everyone who pre-orders either one of these between October 15 and November 15 will get their copies of the book signed by me, as well as a live compilation I’m putting together (I haven’t decided if it will be on CDR or download yet, I’ll announced that as the release date gets closer).

After November 15, 2012, I will not accept any more pre-orders…sorry, but since this is 100% a one-man operation (ie, I’m doing everything by myself!), I just can’t handle it.

If you have any additional questions about the book, the pre-order, or anything else, please feel free to contact me at dkathans@comcast.net

IF YOU HAVE ANY RECORDINGS OR TICKET SCANS YOU’D LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE BOOK, PLEASE HAVE THEM IN TO ME NO LATER THAN OCTOBER 31, 2012!!

Black Book 2 preorder is almost here…

I've got the pre-order announcement all written up and just about ready to share. I just need to sort out a few more details and then I'll post it for all of you to see!