Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has dismissed nostalgia for the Britpop era, insisting that the best music is being made today. In an interview, Rowntree said: “People always think music was better in the old days, to which I say: ‘Bollocks!’ That’s simply part of the ageing process.” He recalled being “blown away” by contemporary music while hosting a radio show for XFM.
Rowntree also downplayed the long-standing rivalry with Oasis, saying the bands have “got on quite well” since the 1990s. He laughed off the idea of nemeses, noting: “To have an effective nemesis you really have to be an effective superhero, don’t you?” He added that journalists often leave Oasis questions until the end of interviews, fearing he might storm off.
The musician, who stood as a Labour candidate in 2010, expressed relief at not winning a seat. “If I contested a seat I could actually win, I’d have to give up being in Blur and I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to do that,” he said. He noted that being “hated by 50% of the people you represent” would not sit well with him.
Rowntree, who is studying for an astronomy degree, revealed his “secret superpower” is maths, which he struggled with at school. He credited a mathematician friend with the insight that “there is no such thing as hard maths, only badly taught maths,” enabling him to conquer the subject. When asked if he would rather die in space or at the bottom of the ocean, he chose space, noting his experience as a scuba diver.
