Damon Albarn, the frontman of Blur, admired his dad, Keith Albarn, for many years. Recently, he said that he had become so settled in his life that he felt he had turned into the quiet, reliable person his father was, but Liam Gallagher insulted Blur recently.
Sadly, Damon is now “devastated” because his father passed away at the age of 85. Keith’s death was announced in a short obituary in The Times, which mentioned that he was an artist, architect, and father of Damon. The obituary highlighted his work creating fun sensory playgrounds in cities and his impact as a teacher.
Damon’s father inspired him a lot, both personally and creatively. A source shared that Keith’s work influenced Damon’s stage shows. Damon viewed him as a stable and honest father figure, often saying that his dad helped him be the best father he could be.
Damon has a 24-year-old daughter named Missy. In 2013, he mentioned that after quitting alcohol and drugs, he felt more like his dad than ever before. He enjoyed taking care of his family and doing household chores. He told Esquire magazine that his father already knew he had become like him.
Keith Albarn studied architecture at Nottingham School of Art, where he met Hazel Dring, whom he married in 1963. They had two children: Damon and Jessica, who is 53 and also an artist. Keith was a course leader for fine art at North East London Polytechnic from 1977 to 1981 and headed the Colchester School of Art from 1981 to 1997. He was known for designing modular structures and for his work in TV arts programs, as well as for his art exhibitions featuring Islamic patterns.
The Albarn family lived in Colchester, where Damon got his first record deal. Keith and Hazel later moved to London but kept a home in the West Country. Keith’s death comes just months after Blur finished their reunion shows at Coachella in April.
Blur recently announced they would release a live album from their two concerts at Wembley Stadium last summer. Drummer Dave Rowntree mentioned that the band is always tempted to take on more projects. He recalled how excited they were to perform at important events like the British Summer Time festival at Hyde Park and the closing party for the 2012 Olympics.
Dave also said that the band, which includes guitarist Graham Coxon and bassist Alex James, had a great time touring to promote their album The Ballad of Darren. While there are no current plans for future shows, Dave said they would consider interesting opportunities if they come up.
