Blur superstar Damon Albarn burst into the Black Country to repay a debt to the club which helped launch his career.
See also: Blur legend thrills fans, Damon Albarn’s electric show
And he raised his gold and black flag in the great Black Country soccer debate by warning that Baggies fans were outlawed from his crew - in case they upset his Wolves-supporting mates.
Damon gave the Midlands a preview of his new band The Good, The Bad and The Queen with a performance at JB’s in Dudley which helped him on the road to stardom 17 years ago.
Two of his crew Darren Evans and Stuart Lowbridge - Smoggy and Stu - are big Wolves fans and Damon warned that meant West Brom fans were ruled out of the circle.
The former Blur frontman sat down to talk to the Express & Star wearing a pinstripe suit and grey shirt, looking a lot younger than his 38 years.
He shook hands warmly and was keen to tell his Black Country mates that he was talking to their local paper.
He said: “It’s a place where we have a big fan base and we wanted to pick smaller venues. Also two of my men Smoggy and Stu are both from Wolves and I’ve known them a long time. They know a lot of people. They are Wolves fans so we don’t have any West Brom fans with us.
“Heh Stu, this is your local paper.”
His face lit up as he spoke about his return to Dudley and the gig at JB’s, then in King Street, when Blur were relatively unknown in 1990. He said: “Yes, it was an amazing gig. JB’s was in a different place then, I remember that.
“It was was one of the first places where we made any money. I think we got £300 each that night.”
“On the drive home we all ate Ginsters pasties from all the motorway service stations.”
But he said he would not be able to stay behind after last night’s gig to check out the local pubs because his tour bus was due to head down to London.
Talking about this music, he said he was keen to do something different, which included the choice of the perhaps, unexpected, pinstripe suit.
He said: “Yeah we thought we’d smarten up.
“The tour’s been good so far, it’s gone down really well.”
By Rebecca Jones
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