Editing Damon Albarn (section)

====Formation and ''Leisure''====
[[File:Blur Newcastle 2009 Coxon Albarn.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Albarn (right) and [[Graham Coxon]] (left) performing with [[Blur (band)|Blur]] at Newcastle Academy in June 2009]]
Albarn enrolled on a part-time music course at London's [[Goldsmiths College]] in 1988, claiming that his sole intention was to gain access to the student union bar.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/AkNvk2MgiCc Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20100805092955/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkNvk2MgiCc Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkNvk2MgiCc |title=Nardwuar vs. Blur |date=12 May 2007 |via=YouTube |access-date=30 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Albarn was in a group named Circus alongside Coxon and drummer [[Dave Rowntree]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Harris |first=John |author-link=John Harris (critic) |date=2004 |title=Britpop!: Cool Britannia and the Spectacular Demise of English Rock |publisher=Da Capo |isbn=9780306813672}}</ref><ref name="Thompson209">Thompson, pg. 209</ref> [[Alex James (musician)|Alex James]], a fellow student at Goldsmiths, eventually joined as the group's bassist. They changed their name to Seymour in December 1988, inspired by [[J.D. Salinger]]'s ''[[Seymour: An Introduction]].''<ref name="Thompson209" /><ref>Harris 2004, pg. 46</ref> In March 1990, after changing their name to Blur, they signed to [[Food Records]].<ref>Harris 2004, pg. 49–50</ref>

In October 1990, Blur released their first single, "[[She's So High (Blur song)|She's So High]]", which reached number 48 in the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref name="Strong" /> The band had trouble creating a follow-up single, but made progress when paired with producer [[Stephen Street]]. The resulting single, "[[There's No Other Way]]", became a hit, peaking at number eight.<ref>Harris 2004, pg. 53–55</ref> As a result of the single's success, Blur became pop stars and were accepted into a clique of bands who frequented the Syndrome club in London dubbed the "[[The Scene That Celebrates Itself|Scene That Celebrates Itself]]".<ref>Harris 2004, pg. 56–57</ref> The recording of the group's debut album was hindered by Albarn having to write his lyrics in the studio. Although the resulting album ''[[Leisure (album)|Leisure]]'' (1991) peaked at number seven on the [[UK Albums Chart]], it received mixed reviews,<ref name="Strong" /> and according to journalist [[John Harris (critic)|John Harris]], "could not shake off the odour of anti-climax".<ref>Harris 2004, pg. 59</ref> Albarn has since referred to ''Leisure'' as "awful".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a46469/damon-albarn-criticises-blur-albums.html|title=Damon Albarn cusses Blur albums|last=Kilkelly|first=Daniel|website=[[Digital Spy]]|date=12 May 2007|access-date=2 December 2012|archive-date=16 June 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616163650/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a46469/damon-albarn-criticises-blur-albums.html?|url-status=live}}</ref>