Some time ago I decided it might be useful and fun to put together some mixtapes of artists I really love, some of which readers may have been aware of (or not?) but just never found the time to give them a listen. As I’m off to London for a few days, there’s no better time to get this show on the, eh, road.

I mulled over how to start but there was only ever one option, Blur, the band who kick started my love affair with music. They were one of the most prominent, important and popular British bands to emerge in the ’90s who produced the era defining albums, Parklife and The Great Escape. While they will always be associated with the so-called ‘Britpop’ era they made two good, often overlooked albums Leisure and Modern Life Is Rubbish prior to the britpop circus. Notably unlike many of bands from this time they managed to transcend the genre, casting aside this mantle to produce arguably two of the best records of the late ’90s Blur and 13.

People are pretty well aware of the Blur back story especially with all the furore surrounding their re-union tour, the release of ‘Fool’s Day’ for Record Store Day last year and all the Albarn/Coxon projects of Gorillaz, The Good The Bad & The Queen etc.. So rather than rake over old ground, something a wee bit different was decided on. Take some of my favourite b-sides and well, make a mix from them. They were one of the few bands who recorded great b-sides, not just fillers and worth buying overpriced singles (and certainly worth a mixtape).

Blur remain by far my favourite band in the world, while others like The Clash, Super Furry Animals and Billy Bragg come close, there is just something special about Blur. This bug began when I was 11/12 and continues till today and has seen me attempt to acquire everything they’ve got, be it bootlegs, albums, singles, EPs, imports on CD cassette or vinyl. It was well worth the time, effort and money.

I would like to do a similar thing with other bands in the future, if you think is worth it that is. Last but not least a huge thanks and mucho respect for Stevie Moon who has outdone himself with the artwork this time, amazing!

So, without further ado I will leave you in the capable hands of Damon, Graham, Alex and Dave. The tracklisting is after the jump.

Download: The Otherside of Blur

Tracklisting:

01 Ludwig (Stereotypes, 1996)

02 Shimmer (Sunday Sunday, 1993)

03 Badgerman Brown (Popscene, 1992)

04 Es Scmecht (Chemical World, Cd2, 1993)

05 Swallows In A Heatwave (M.O.R, Cd2, 1997)

06 Bustin’ + Dronin’ (Song 2, Cd2, 1997)

07 I’m All Over (There’s No Other Way, 1991)

08 All Your Life (Beetlebum, 1997)

09 Mace (Popscene, 1992)

10 Peter Panic (Girls & Boys, 1995)

11 No Monster In Me (The Universal, 1996)

12 Money Makes Me Crazy (Marrakech Mix) (Out of Time, 2003)

13 French Song (Tender, 1999)

14 People In Europer (Girls & Boys, 1995)

15 Supa Shoppa (Parklife, 1995)