Blur’s debut album, Leisure turns 30 this year and to celebrate we are revisiting the singles live at the band’s massive Wembley Arena show in 1999.
Leisure arrived in 1991 – a game-changing year when it comes to music. In the US, grunge and alt-rock bands were taking over the charts and in the UK, from the ashes of the Manchester scene, Britpop was born.
Blur’s early career may be marked by their infamous rivalry with Oasis, however, in 1991, Oasis had only just formed and, fresh from a UK tour opening for the Cramps, Blur was already in the studio with ubiquitous British producer Stephen Street (of The Smiths fame) laying down their debut album. Drawing from the burgeoning shoegaze scene and the acid-drenched haze of the fading Manchester scene, one could argue that Blur’s Leisure is an entirely underrated gem, a tapestry of early 90s sounds that would dominate the airwaves on both sides of the pond for the better part of the next decade.
Contributing massively to this is the untapped brilliance of guitarist Graham Coxon. His iconic, melodic guitar riffs elevate and define the sound of the band, in the same way Johnny Marr’s intricate playing defined the Smiths. Perhaps the perfect example is the ripping fuzz-drenched guitar riff that kicks off the album’s second single, There’s No Other Way, setting a soaring pace that draws you in from the first bar.
Watch Blur tear through There’s No Other Way to a packed Wembley Arena in 1999 below.
Blur | There's No Other Way [Live at Wembley Arena, 1999]
The album’s lead single, the quasi-psychedelic She’s So High, once again features the intricate riffing of Coxon’s guitar intertwined with bassist, Alex James’ melodic bass line, giving the song a kaleidoscopic push and pull that would make the Stone Roses jealous. Watch the band deliver an eloquent rendition at the same show below.
Blur | She's So High [Live at Wembley, 1999]
Blur’s debut album may stick out as a lighter entry amongst the band’s now-massive catalogue of hits, however, the albums ability to bridge two eras of music while predicting the next, make it a massively underrated treasure! Revisit Leisure below and let us know what you think.
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