Blur have shelved a new single, recorded this summer with poet Michael Horovitz. The unnamed spoken-word track, intended as part of a campaign to save the Notting Hill carnival, was set aside after officials agreed that the 2011 event could go ahead.
"[The track] was relevant for about 12 hours," Damon Albarn explained to the NME. Following the riots in London in August, there were briefly fears that this year's carnival would be called off; it eventually went ahead, with police doubling their presence in the streets. "[The song] had its moment," Albarn said. "It was a perfect plea to reinstate the carnival … If they'd have cancelled the carnival – and thank God they didn't – maybe we'd have put it out."
The collaboration with Horovitz would have marked Blur's first single since Fools Day, issued for Record Store Day 2010, and only their second single since 2003. Although there have been reports of new recording sessions, no one had guessed the involvement of Horovitz, a celebrated Beat poet and founder of the journal New Departures. Albarn has previously performed at the Poetry Olympics, organised by Horovitz, and quoted one of the septuagenarian's poems as part of the Gorillaz song Stylo.
While Albarn remained mum on further Blur releases, he did suggest that the group may tour the US next year. "We think there might be an audience over there for us," he said. "[But] I just don't know if anyone would want to see [Blur in the UK] again – they've seen it already, haven't they? … We've got nothing new."
In the meantime, Albarn is busy with Rocketjuice and the Moon, his new project with Tony Allen and Flea, and his opera Doctor Dee (tickets for the London premiere, at English National Opera next June, go on sale on 4 November).
Albarn also said he would "love to record again" with the Good, the Bad and the Queen, who play a one-off show in London on 10 November to celebrate 40 years of Greenpeace.
As for Gorillaz: they're on hiatus. Sort of. "I'm not closing the book on it – I'm putting a bookmark in the book," Albarn said. "I've put the book down. And I'm probably reading another one at the moment."
