NORTHERN STAR FOR BLUR?

BLUR have been auditioning replacement guitarists for founder member GRAHAM COXON who quit last autumn - with frontman DAMON ALBARN claiming "a guitarist from a well-known band from the North of England" has "fitted in really well".

Rumours on who the man in question could be have already started up, with former The Verve man Nick McCabe topping the list. However, ex-Stone Roses
star John Squire and

founder Mark Day, Shed Seven's Paul Banks and [a][/a]'s Richard McNamara.

Albarn was coy when speaking to NME.COM about the appointment last week.

He said: "We're currently auditioning for a new guitarist. Not for the band but someone to work with on live stuff. We've been trying out a few people and one person has already fitted in really well. He's a guitarist from a well-known band from the North of England."

However, bassist Alex James was a little more expansive in a web posting to fans. Explaining that the band were billeting themselves in a rehearsal studio in north London, near Pentonville Prison, he added that not just one but TWO new guitarists were likely to enter the Blur
fold.

He revealed: "We’re going to need quite a big band to play this album. Probably two guitarists. The search is on. It’s actually easier to learn to play the guitar yourself than to find a guitar player, but there you go."

Blur
have ruled out major, grandstanding venues on any upcoming tour with smaller capacity shows in their sights. However, they are also set for at least one major UK summer festival. The band's comeback single will be called ‘Out Of Time’. It will be released in late April. Their Coxon-less album will follow shortly afterwards.