Blur is an immensely popular band made up of four members, Damon, Graham, Alex, and Dave, and have been around for about 10 years. They started out playing with a few friends in Colchester, in a group called Circus. However, after some members dropped out, the group reformed and called itself Seymour. Graham knew Alex, and asked if he would join, and of course he did. Damon and Graham have known each other for a long time and are best childhood friends. After some time, Seymour finally got signed up by a record label, Food Records, in 1989 on the basis that they changed their name to the more marketable Blur. Their first release was the single She's so high, and later the complete album Leisure. The albums Parklife and The Great Escape were very successful releases, and The Great Escape went straight up to number 1 in the album charts. In 1995 the band walked away with a record four BRIT awards. In 1997 the self entitled album Blur topped the charts in the UK and around world for best selling album, and also best single (song2). Song2 is probably their most well know song and brought the band immense financial succes ("I am rich. I fucking am. There's no point denying it."-Damon), allowing them the creative freedom which they have always sought. The band is credited with practically inventing brit pop and also ending it, moving away from it with the release of Blur and onward. The release of Blur marked a distinct change in music style, and was more fitting for the US market. And then, finally in 1999, Blur came out with their best album to date, 13, and with songs like Tender (voted 'best single' in NME) and Coffee & TV (best video at the MTV music awards), its a brilliant collection of songs. Tender strikes a brave new direction and gives a breath of fresh air to the industry, as it features a gospel choir and is completely different from anything ever done before, as remarked by Alex it's "one of the best things we've ever done, the one that's going to fucking knock people out" .