Blur’s Damon Albarn Making A New Solo Album, Releases English Opera “Dr. Dee”

Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz (although that might be ending sooon) has been busy gearing up for the “too corporate” London Summer Olympics, working with Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea on Rocket Juice and the Moon, releasing his “strange pastoral folk” English opera Dr Dee on Tuesday (May 8), and inviting former Oasis songwriter and arch-nemesis Noel Gallagher to write music with him.

But that hasn’t stopped the extremely busy musician from working on a new solo album.

In an interview with BBC Radio 4′s Front Row, Albarn told the British radio program that he’s in the midst of a solo album “under his own name.”

“This week we’re mucking around with these Russian synthesizers in a very loose mind of doing some kind of record under my name,” said Albarn when asked what he’s working on. “I suppose you could call it a solo record, but I don’t like that word. It sounds very lonely – solo. I don’t really want to be solo in my life. But yeah, I’m making another record.”

And broaching the topic of the Olympics, which Albarn previously dubbed as “too corporate,” Albarn said Blur was playing the show for London.

“The corporate side I find a bit depressing,” explained Albarn. “There’s too much of it [sponsorship]. A lot of people see it differently. We’re putting on another celebration for the official closure of the Olympic Games…But we’re putting it on for London and people who hopefully want to sing their hearts out in a park.”

“I’m signed up to the idea of regeneration in London and putting on a good account of ourselves; definitely.”

Albarn’s English opera Dr Dee, which was recorded with the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and inspired by John Dee-a mathematician and adviser to Queen Elizabeth the first–was released on Tuesday, May 8th and is available on iTunes and Amazon.

–Nadia Noir, CBS Radio Los Angeles