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Alex James: 'I'd be surprised if Amy Winehouse lives beyond 2010'

Bassist gives his views on drugs

December 30, 2008 | 37 Comments
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Blur's Alex James has admitted that he would be "surprised" if Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty live beyond 2010.

The bassist, who made a documentary for the BBC about the South American drugs trade earlier this year, said both musicians would need the help of people around them.

"I'd be surprised if Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse both live to see the decade out. You know, it’s not funny," he told the The Mirror.

"I've been in situations where my best friends have been killing themselves (with drugs) and they won't listen."

He added: "At least there’s an infrastructure for getting better now. If that had existed in Elvis's day then maybe he'd still be alive. It is scary."

Blur tickets:

Date / Time	Artist	Venue	Town/City	Buy
Nov 11, 2009 19:30	Blur	Rncm (bruntwood Theatre)	Manchester	Buy Blur tickets from Seetickets

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Comments (37)

Add a comment

Tommy D.

Dec 30, 2008

I'd be surprised if blur live beyond 2010.

markiechops

Dec 30, 2008

When he says 2010 do you think he means the year, or ten past eight? Either sounds perfectly feasible. There's something about Doherty that tells me he'll grow up, move on and survive, but Amy?She's walking wormfood...

maffyou1

Dec 30, 2008

Wow, a bass player, cheese maker and now a doctor too, is there anything this man can't do?!

Jknuckles

Dec 30, 2008

Now now Mr " I spent a million quid on Cocaine & Alcohol " - Get back to those sexual basslines and let the kids have their fun awright ?

stu14789

Dec 30, 2008

whose he trying to be.. noel gallagher?I dont see the hype about blur. The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be.

MrDaveS1986

Dec 30, 2008

"The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be."Ha ha ha

batesy89

Dec 31, 2008

the libertines were a better band than blur band oasis put together

Misleading

Dec 31, 2008

"The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be."Spot on that.

Stardumb

Dec 31, 2008

They were MrDave unless you like boys who like boys who dig men....I like Death on the stairs

gloria77

Dec 31, 2008

IÂ´m so sick and tired of those "little-known music player" they are rats when they use Amy Winehouse to be written about in the whole word. To use her name they been written about moore in a couple of days than they have been in there whole music life before. I have never never heard about this man and needer Gallagher and now they are became written about like big celebrities. How can they sink that low????And there are a lot of this rats who use Amy for just this things, they are disgusting

gloria77

Dec 31, 2008

IÂ´m so sick and tired of those "little known music player" they are rats when they use Amy Winehouse to be written about in the whole word. To use her name they been written about moore in a couple of days than they have been in there whole music life before. I have never never heard about this man and needs Gallagher and now they are became written about like big celebrities. How can they sink that low????And there are a lot of this rats who use Amy for just this things, they are disgusting

nosurprises

Dec 31, 2008

He diddnt say ''The Libertines were better than Blur'', you must be reading the wrong article.

ed2005

Dec 31, 2008

'The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be.' Well, I guess everyone's entitled to their own personal opinion...as for Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty I wish they'd sort themselves out. There is nothing cool about destroying yourself through drugs.

jaygill

Jan 1, 2009

oh how i miss 'S damn drugs taking him away from us!R.I.P S

Beatle_Matt

Jan 1, 2009

That's like saying "I'll be surprised if the sky turn purple tomorrow".

Superhans4

Jan 1, 2009

Theres clearly nothing wrong with drugs!

animal_machine

Jan 1, 2009

Hopefully Amy Winehouse won't.It would be a pitty if Doherty doesnt make it, I think he is a good artist after all.Blur dont need to live beyond 2010, they have a legacy and wont be forgotten.

birdy128

Jan 1, 2009

The Libertines are a terrible band. Their only famous because of the drug pictures that were taken by the tabliods. All the members of blur are lovely people and they make amazing music (:

D. Conka

Jan 1, 2009

The Libertines were better than Blur? Blur made a few pretty good albums, the Libertines only had one good album, the other had a couple of good tracks and that's being complimentary, most teenage followers only picked up on the Lib's when they started seeing that junkie wee shit of a singer's face plastered over tabloid newsopapers.

horehound

Jan 1, 2009

Alex james seems to have an oponion on everything and everyboby, it's a shame he ain'

S_Cooper

Jan 1, 2009

Blur are the best band ever. my opinion. The Libertines are fantastic as are Babyshambles. I would say i don't care much for amy winehouse, but i do hope she can overcome the addictions she has. I love Doherty's music and the musical world would have a huge hole in it if this was true. Alex James, best bass player in britain, should have really kept this opinion to himself although there is no denying that he makes a good point. Sort it out you two!

jamie552

Jan 1, 2009

Last time i checked Alex James wasn't saying that blur were better than the libertines. Neither was he talking about cheese. So lets keep to the point of the story please.

arcadia2albion

Jan 1, 2009

Or maybe,just maybe she will.Does this guy even no her?Jst coz he has friends that fecked up,theres still a light at the end of the tunnel for other ppl!An from the looks of it Pete's already lookin back on track.Jst give her time man!!!

oldmanbarrington

Jan 1, 2009

He doesnt know what he is talking about...............they are both fudging their lives up right proper but its a pretty unfounded sensational thing to say.Stick to the cheese rich boy !!!

rebeccaclementine

Jan 1, 2009

I swear pete's trying to get clean right now? And the same with Amy.I think Pete will make it, i dunno about her. Blur were a shit band and still are

Dave0

Jan 1, 2009

alex james has gotten a degree and owns a cheese farm....mildy more productive that taking a fuck load of drugs and attacking papparazi i'd say...

pickleweasel

Jan 1, 2009

They were MrDave unless you like boys who like boys who dig men....I like Death on the stairs..... HAHAHAHA!!!

daveyboysykes

Jan 1, 2009

"The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be" - posted by a 'username' above by someone calling themselves 'Misleading' - Perfect!!!! .

Cretin_Hop

Jan 1, 2009

HAHAHAHAHAHA f**kin aye

markiechops

Jan 1, 2009

I don't know what you've been taking, Gloria77, but I bet Amy Whitehouse would kill for some. Your comment clearly shows the dangers of using the Babelfish translator while under the influence of illegal substances.

vekkuli

Jan 1, 2009

Stu14789: "The libertines were a better band than blur will ever be." You can't compare Blur and The Libertines together - The Libertines were more about the attitude/lifestyle, while Blur had more variable and inventive music and....a good-looking Damon Albarn that helped their success.

tselce1

Jan 1, 2009

get fucked.blur are a far more accomplished band and have the benefit of a crack/smack free lead singer.

ed2005

Jan 2, 2009

'Theres clearly nothing wrong with drugs!' Superhans4 get a grip. I work as a secondary school teacher. I have seen so many kids' lives destroyed because they have a parent, or worse, both parents, who are so strung out on drugs that they cannot raise their kids properly. These parents aren't in the position of being able to going through expensive rehab programmes like Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty, nor are drugs helping them be creative. Do grow up.

hysteresisland

Jan 3, 2009

Hopefully,this comment will be fit to print: I hope it's not too controversial to say that Kenickie were a better band than Blur will ever be.ed2005: You are spot on. Couldn't agree more.