September 6, 2002 9:52

BLUR HEAD BACK TO AFRICA!

The follow-up to '13' is now almost complete...

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BLUR have have packed up their studio - and they're taking FATBOY SLIM out to Morocco with them.

Blur have been writing and recording their new album in a London studio. The group, without guitarist Graham Coxon recently flew out to Marrakesh to look for a recording space. They have now found one, and will spend September out there putting the finishing touches to the follow-up to '13'.
Writing to fans on the band's website, bassist Alex James revealed that producer Fatboy Slim, who is working on some of the songs, will fly out with them.

He said: "The studio is being taken to bits and put on a lorry bound for Morocco. The desk we’re using is too big to fit in a 737 hold, so we’re having to haul everything down there along the road. This means we go there three days later. There is a lot of activity in the office. They need to organise bribes and backhanders. I miss going into the studio; we want to finish the record now. Norm is on board and is coming out to Morocco."
Blur are also set to work with William Orbit on some songs, with a view to releasing the record early in 2003.

He continued: "William Orbit has loaded us into his computer. I've been listening to 'Water From A Vine Leaf' off 'Strange Cargo' quite a lot. It’s a good September song.

"Operation sub-Sahara is taking quite a lot of organising. Apart from the jabs, which played havoc with my bridge, we have to make sure we’ve got spares for the aeroplane, charts, jungle survival kits, visa’s, overflight permits, flight plans, customs declarations, packed lunches blahdy blah but it’s all good."