Blur bassist Alex James has said he was "absolutely delighted" when Oasis announced their reunion, decades after the two bands' bitter Britpop rivalry. James, who hosts his annual Big Feastival on his farm in Kingham, Oxfordshire, this August Bank Holiday weekend, spoke about the comeback and his own festival, which combines music, food and family.
Rivalry Buried, New Generation of Fans
In the 1990s, Oasis and Blur dominated the charts, with their rivalry reaching a peak in August 1995 when they released singles on the same day. Oasis' "Roll With It" was forced to No.2 behind Blur's "Country House." Now, James is happy to see the Gallagher brothers back together, joking about their new album: "They've got a couple of great songs on that album."
James even plays Oasis tracks like "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger" in his Britpop Classicals show, where he performs with a full orchestra. However, he noted with a laugh that if Oasis tour next year, "Maybe we won't do quite as many Oasis songs."
The Britpop revival has seen Blur reunite for two headline shows in 2023, followed by Oasis' tour two years later. James expressed surprise at the age range of fans: "It shocked me that when Blur got back together in 2023 how many of my kids' mates bought tickets. It was actually 18 to 32-year-olds buying the tickets for those shows. It's crazy!" He added, "I think it was the same for Oasis as well. Their music has found a whole new generation of fans."
Concerns for New Music and Festival Platform
Despite his enthusiasm for the revival, James worries about the future of new music. "There's not as much new music breaking through, not because it's not there but because it's difficult for record companies to break bands," he said. "You can still be massive, like Taylor Swift's gigs measured on the Richter scale, but being medium or small, it just doesn't work, it doesn't make sense business-wise."
The Big Feastival, featuring headliners like Basement Jaxx, The Streets, and Bastille, also provides a platform for emerging talent. James noted that festivals have become crucial for new artists, as many pubs where bands like Blur used to play have closed. "We have a lot of up-and-coming DJs. There is a whole network of festivals throughout Britain every summer and they are a brilliant showcase for up and coming bands," he said.
Music, Food, and Family
Alongside music and comedy acts like Joel Dommett, Shappi Khorsandi, and Justin Fletcher, the festival features food inspired by James' cheesemaking. He now has six cheeses, including his signature Blue Monday, named after the New Order song. "I've made five children, six cheeses, nine albums. It's just food and music and family and it just sits really well together," he said.
Reflecting on his life, James said, "When I look back on my life, I think probably of the 10 best days of my life, probably five of them were spent at festivals - initially as a punter, like seeing The Pixies at Reading in 1990." He added, "Performing with Blur, a couple of good ones there. But actually hosting a festival, I've never felt more of a sense of magic. Lifelong memories are made on those crazy weekends."
The Big Feastival takes place on Alex James' Farm from 28-30 August. Camping, weekend and day tickets are on sale now via bigfeastival.com.
