“We haven’t planned the rehearsals yet, but there will definitely be another Blur album.”

– It’s been a good year or so since our last vague, detail-less update on the state of Blur’s long-awaited follow-up to 2003′s Think Tank. So with the band set to perform live for the first time in three years at the Brit Awards later this month, guitarist Graham Coxon dished out the above quote in a new interview with The Daily Mail. 

When we all heard that Blur was “trying to put something in place,” we took it as pretty exciting news. With Damon Albarn‘s commitment to Gorillaz done for now, it only made sense that his first band would be the next project underway. Sadly, guitarist Graham Coxen has expressed that while there is material being written, we may not see it for a long, long time.

In an interview with NME, Coxen stated that the band are reuniting in the studio every so often to write together, but also  said, “it might turn into an LP in six years or something.” He also denied the rumor that Blur is working on a series of 7-inch singles.

While the slow march towards a new record is disappointing news, the fact that Coxen has two solo albums in the works and bassist Alex James is preparing a music and food festival on his farm helps to explain the long wait.

Well, it looks like guitarist Graham Coxon didn’t get the memo. He not only wants to keep the reunion going, but hopes to hit the studio for a brand new album. “I’m up for it, doing another one — it would be a really interesting thing to do,” he told Metro.co.uk. In fact, Coxon already has it all planned out: “It’s almost like we can start wherever we want, do whatever we want.”

Well, everything except that part about band cohesion…

“I wanted to show how exciting acoustic instruments can be, how dynamic and rich and heart-thumpingly raw they can sound at a time when acoustic music seems either too cute or too soppy.”

Recorded in London with Stephen Street (Blur, Babyshambles) The Spinning Top will also feature its share of guest contributions; Robyn Hitchcock, Jas Singh, Danny Thompson, and Graham Fox are among the names who lent their talents. The album will be proceeded by its first single, Sorrow’s Army, along with a track entitled “In The Morning”, which will be released on limited edition 10-inch etched vinyl on April 18 as part of Record Store Day.

In related Blur news, drummer Dave Rowntree new found legal career apparently won’t affect the band’s upcoming reunion – or in other words, we can still hold out for an All Points West appearance…

Graham Coxon 2009 Tour Dates:
03/18 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Fader Day Party)
03/19 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Transgressive Day Party)
03/20 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Billboard Showcase)
03/21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Mojo Magazine Day Party)
03/21 – Austin, TX @ SXSW (Q Magazine Day Party)
03/23 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy *
03/24 – Grimsby, UK @ Grimsby Auditorium *
03/25 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy *
03/26 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 Academy *
03/27 – Edinburgh, UK @ HMV Picture Horse *

* = w/ Pete Doherty

Blur 2009 Tour Dates:
06/26 – Manchester, UK @ MEN Arena
06/28 -  Pilton, UK @ Glastonbury Festival
07/02 – London, UK @ Hyde Park
07/03 – London, UK @ Hyde Park
07/10 – Eadestown, IE @ Oxegen
07/12 – Kinross, IE @ T in the Park

Ok, so the title may be a bit of over the line, and to be fair, aside from some tabloid scuttle about how Pete misses Kate, the former Libertines/current Babyshambles frontman has remained relatively out of the headlines over the last few months. Instead, Pete Doherty has apparently been spending much of his recent time busy working on his upcoming solo album, a fact which we first discovered back in October when a cryptic 45 second video featuring the 29-year-old with fellow tabloid magnet Graham Coxon hit the web.

As we learned today, compliments of NME, the album is about done and will officially see release on March 10th. Produced by Stephen Street, best known for his work with The Smiths, Blur, and Kaiser Chiefs and recorded at London’s Olympic Studios, the effort will feature 12 tracks, all but one which will include the guitar work of Coxon. Scottish singer/songwriter Dot Allison and Doherty’s Babyshambles bandmates Mik Whitnall, Adam Ficek, and Drew McConnell also make appearances on the album. The release will be headed by the single #1, a track entitled “Last of the English Roses”, one week prior. The only detail still unconfirmed? It’s title, which is apparently still undecided.

Of course, NME already has a full track-by-track guide of the album as well as a number teaser clips. Of them an acoustic demo of “1993 Returning” most tickles our fancy…

Until then, fans can look forward to such the debut of his new MTV reality program, Doherty in 24 Hours, on January 25th. I don’t think any real explanation is needed for that…

Grace/Wasteland Tracklist:
01. Arcadie
02. Last Of The English Roses
03. 1939 Returning
04. A Little Death Around The Eyes
05. Salome
06. Through The Looking Glass
07. Sweet By And By
08. Palace Of Bone
09. Sheepskin Tearaway
10. Broken Love Song
11. New Love Grows On Trees
12. Lady, Don’t Fall Backwards