Blur talk on forthcoming reunion

Blur say watching old clips of their shows convinced them to get back together.

The band, who announced yesterday (09.12.08) they will perform in London's Hyde Park next year, credit video sharing website YouTube for sparking the reunion.

Guitarist Graham Coxon said: "What happened was that I encountered that magic of Blur performances again through sites like YouTube."

Frontman Damon Albarn added: "I went online and watched a load of our old stuff just to remind myself what we were like. It just felt it was right again."

The band haven't recorded together since 2002 - when Graham Coxon quit the group before the recording of their 'Think Tank' album - and have all pursued different career paths.

Graham went on to a solo career, while Damon formed groups Gorillaz and The Good the Bad and the Queen and also wrote the opera 'Monkey: Journey to the West'.

Bassist Alex James gave up music to become a cheese farmer and drummer Dave Rowntree has been studying to become a lawyer to aid his burgeoning political career.

Alex said: "It was like putting the A-Team back together for one last job. We had to bust Rowntree out of law school.

"I was beginning to think that it might never happen again and then all of a sudden bang, go, go, go and it's very exciting."

Blur will play London's Hyde Park on July 3 and are expected to headline one night of the Glastonbury music festival in the UK next summer.