I’ve just watched Blur’s documentary ‘No Distance Left To Run’ on BBC iPlayer, I’ll admit it, I got goosebumps. I’ve always been more of a Blur than Oasis fan, but this just sealed the deal. The difference in characters between the bands are so contrasting, and the documentary just left me thinking of Blur as a band who anyone could be friends with. Damon Albarn is a loyal, committed character who from the off threw himself into the band, and when towards the end of the film it showed Blur’s Glastonbury 2009 performance during ‘Tender’, with everyone singing the words back to them, you could tell that that was the moment he was waiting for throughout their career. With him sitting on the edge of the stage with his head in his hands and the camera zooming in as he finally let the emotion hit him, tears came to my eyes as tears came to his.

To me, Damon is the perfect frontman who knows exactly what he wants, but without acting like a pretentious douchebag who thinks the world owes him everything. It seems as if Graham Coxon, Alex James and Dave Rowntree all had a say in the band, naturally, and the friendship bond between them was apparent throughout the film, even though Graham admitted that he didn’t realise that Alex felt so highly of him as he described in his book. Modest men who all battled problems, and didn’t let the problems get the better of them.

I can’t remember exactly how old I was, I think at the age of around 6 or 7, I was given an opportunity that if I was given today, I don’t even know how I would react to it. My dad plays football for a charity ‘ex-professional and celebrity’ football team, who played a tournament at the now defunct Phoenix Festival the year that Blur were playing. Phil Daniels, of film ‘Quadrophenia’, singer on ‘Parklife’ and Eastenders actor (you can’t forget that bit) is a good friend of Damon Albarn, plays for the team. I vaguely remember being introduced to Damon, with my dad telling me that he was famous and in a band. Somehow (I’d like to think that I had the balls to pipe up and ask myself) the conversation turned to me going on stage with Damon later on in the evening, and I didn’t quite realise the situation (being 6 or 7) until i was standing in front of thousands of people, holding Damon’s hand and listening to loud screams. I had to be rushed off stage when people started throwing bottles (I didn’t take it personally), but Damon made sure I was ok and got me back to my parents. If only I knew I’d be watching a documentary 14 years later on one of the biggest British bands with ‘that man’ in who was holding my little hand that day as my colourful dress flowed in the wind.

On a side note, watching ‘No Distance Left To Run’ has made me so excited for Glastonbury this year, that I might go and buy my tent now. Stevie Wonder closing the festival on the Sunday with the likes of ‘Superstition’, ‘Sir Duke’ and ‘Uptight (Everythings Alright)’? Give me my wellington boots now.