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Over the Rainbow

Tales from an Unexpected Year
By Alex James
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Brief Description
A raucous, behind-the-scenes account of the year Blur got back together, told in hilarious and heartfelt stories by their ever-cheerful, epicurean bassist. There is nothing that can touch the sound made by a close-knit group of people who have been playing together for years and years... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3000
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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A raucous, behind-the-scenes account of the year Blur got back together, told in hilarious and heartfelt stories by their ever-cheerful, epicurean bassist.

There is nothing that can touch the sound made by a close-knit group of people who have been playing together for years and years and years, playing as though their lives depended on it. For many years, all our lives did, and actually, I'd suddenly realised, they did still.

One winter's night, Alex James received an unexpected call. Blur had been invited to play their biggest gig everβ€”Wembley Stadium. The only trouble was, he and his bandmates hadn't spoken toβ€”or even shouted atβ€”each other for years. And he now had five children, an out-of-control menagerie of cats, and a sprawling farm to run.

This is the story of what happened next. Taking us behind the scenes of a raucous, rollercoaster year, Alex describes how the band made a surpriseβ€”and emotionalβ€”return, recording an acclaimed album and playing sold-out shows around the world, from Colchester to Colombia and beyond. Plus, how he went on a crash diet to fit back into his 'Britpop Trousers,' somehow organised an entire festival of his own, and tried to perfect the recipe for a giant Frazzle.

Over the Rainbow is a heartfelt and hilarious account of what it feels like to be catapulted back into the limelight with one of the world's biggest bands. It is a love letter to Blur, to friendship and to music. And it shows us all that, however oldβ€”or hungoverβ€”we might feel, nothing's ever truly overβ€”it's always just the start of the next thing.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781802067156

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 04 December 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 10.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 150g

Pages: 192

Collections

Alex James Arts & Culture Biography & Memoir Education & Reference Engineering, Technology & Agriculture Health & Wellness Music & Musicians Musicians, Movie Stars & Creative Biographies Non-Fiction Penguin Books Self-Help & Personal Development

About the Author

Alex James is a writer, farmer, and the bass player with Blur. He lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and five children.

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  • Over the Rainbow
    A raucous, behind-the-scenes account of the year Blur got back together, told in hilarious and heartfelt stories by their ever-cheerful, epicurean bassist. There is nothing that can touch the sound made by a close-knit group of people who have been playing together for years and years and years, playing as though their lives depended on it. For many years, all...
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