UPDATE: |Blur fans are only just realising band had a different name 35 years ago News

Blur underwent a number of changes in their early years – including completely overhauling the band’s name. So did you know about this bit of Britpop trivia?

Fans of the iconic band Blur are just now discovering that the group had a different name prior to signing their first record deal.

The band, made up of Damon Albarn, Graham Coxon, Dave Rowntree, and Alex James, was formed in London. It played a significant role in shaping the Britpop music scene of the 1990s – alongside other notable bands such as Pulp, Oasis, and Suede.

However, before releasing their debut album, Leisure, under the Food Records label, they were known by a different name. The decision to make the change came just before they signed with the label.

The creators of hits like ‘Parklife’ and ‘Coffee and TV’ underwent several changes in their early years, initially going by The Circus, before switching to Seymour.

The name Seymour was inspired by J.D. Salinger’s Seymour: An Introduction, but it didn’t resonate with the label. Despite achieving some success under this name, they were advised to change it by Andy Ross, the Artist and Repertoire representative at Food Records.

The record company provided a list of potential names, from which Blur was chosen. A post on the r/Blur subreddit revealed some of the alternative names that were proposed to the band at the time of their contract signing.

They penned: “The band’s original name was Seymour though this was changed when the group signed with Food Records as they believed it was not marketable enough.

“The label drew up a list of replacement names (which included ‘The Shining Path’, ‘Whirlpool, ‘The Government’ and ‘Sensitize’). The band settled on the name Blur.”

Blur’s music spans a range of styles, incorporating elements of indie rock, punk, electronic, and experimental music. Early in their career, Blur embraced the “Madchester” and shoegaze scenes, but they quickly transitioned to become leaders of Britpop, characterised by catchy melodies, clever lyricism, and themes of British identity and pop culture.

Blur moved away from their early sound with their second album, Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), which debuted a stronger Britpop influence but underperformed commercially at first.

Their third album, Parklife (1994), was a major breakthrough. It became a cultural touchstone, solidifying Blur’s status as Britpop icons. Songs like “Girls & Boys”, “Parklife”, and “End of a Century” became massive hits.

The Great Escape (1995) showcased their continued dominance, with singles like “Country House”, which famously won a chart battle against Oasis’ “Roll with It” during a highly publicised Britpop rivalry.

The band continues to work together to this very day. The performed at Coachella festival in 2024 and also released a documentary called To the End.