Blur’s bassist Alex James gets real about Oasis' reunion after 16 years: "It's awful that most bands end up hating each other"

Britpop rivalries were iconic, but for Blur’s Alex James, band life came with more than just chart-topping hits: it also came with emotional weight.

The bassist recently sat down for an interview with The Sun, where he weighed in on Oasis’ reunion and expressed he was “delighted” by news of Noel and Liam Gallagher reuniting the band.

"It's wonderful. It's awful that most bands end up hating each other.”

James also didn’t sugarcoat how messy things get when it comes to bands falling out, recalling Blur’s own struggles when their guitarist Graham Coxon quit the team for a time in the 2000s because of personal differences.

"From Blur’s point of view, huge parts of how I feel every day... the fact there was a reconciliation and we’re all on good terms again.”

Coxon re-joined the band in 2008, and from that experience, James confessed that being part of a band like Blur shapes your entire identity.

“When something is such a big defining part of your life, you don’t want to be exiled from it.”

Now that Blur is back on good terms, James says he feels better every day because of it. Seeing the same thing possibly happen for Liam and Noel Gallagher makes him hopeful.

“It was great for Blur, and I’m delighted for the Gallaghers.”

OASIS LIVE 2025: Britpop legends return to stadiums

In August 2024, Britpop legends Oasis sent fans into a frenzy after announcing their massive UK and Ireland stadium tour for 2025. The long-awaited reunion was officially confirmed by Liam Gallagher himself during his headlining set at Reading Festival, leaving the crowd going wild.

Named OASIS LIVE 2025, the legendary Britpop band’s world tour will hit UK cities Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Dublin, and London. Fans can also look forward to a European leg in 2025, with a press release hinting at more exciting news:

“Plans are underway for OASIS LIVE 25 to go to other continents outside of Europe later next year.”

To add fuel to the reunion talks, the Gallagher brothers dropped a photo of themselves together, accompanied by a verse that seems to confirm they've buried the hatchet.

“The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The great wait is over. Come see. It will not be televised.”

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Tickets for OASIS LIVE 2025 UK and Ireland went on sale on August 31, 2024, and sold out by September. However, the ticket sales sparked controversy as the prices skyrocketed by three times or more because of high demand.

In response to the backlash, the band released a statement to reassure their fans that they’re working on making things right.

"As a small step towards making amends for the situation. a special invitation only ballot ticket sale strategy has been devised. Applications to join the ballot will be opened first to the many fans who were unsuccessful in the initial on sale with Ticketmaster."

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Edited by Sohini Biswas