James Blunt opens up on his life in one-night cinema film and reveals why he pours emotions into his songs
MOCKED as a “posh boy” when starting out, James Blunt was repeatedly turned down by record labels because of his privileged background.
But just like cream, he rose to the top, becoming one of our most successful artists.
The You’re Beautiful singer has now told of his life — and some of his most grounding experiences — in the film One Brit Wonder.
As the title suggests, James, one of the funniest and most self-deprecating blokes in the business, sends himself up a lot during the 90-minute documentary.
He also enlists his parents to give some of their anecdotes. And the results are eye-opening.
James talks about being packed off to boarding school aged eight, saying: “It is a weird experience being dropped off. I was given a Nintendo and three days later I asked, ‘When are my parents coming back?’, and I was told ‘at Christmas’. It was September.”
Mum Jane says: “He makes it sound like it was too early. Well, he was eight, so it probably was.”
She later adds: “He is a loner and he is short. He was bullied but he is funny, so he made friends.”
Let’s be clear though, James is clearly the apple of his parents’ eye and they supported his career as a captain in the Army as well as when he turned to music.
Dad Charles, an ex-Army colonel, explains: “I used to do the merchandise. I’d cycle to the post office and post them around the world.”
James uses the anecdotes to help fans understand why he chooses to put his emotions down in his songs.
No Bravery, for example, was written about his time serving in Kosovo, and Monsters was a song he wrote for his dad when he was told he needed a kidney transplant.
James says of that one, “It’s the only way I can express those things to him,” before admitting his upbringing made him “emotionally stunted”.
He adds: “I am very close to my family but we don’t discuss feelings.”
Moving home-movie footage shows James’s video diary from his time in Kosovo during its 1999 war, where he was tasked with helping families identify bodies of their loved ones.
He explains: “The two smells from Kosovo were death and asparagus, because we’d have asparagus soup in our lunches.
“It would be very easy to be swamped by the great sadness that is inhumanity.
“We looked after each other and we made light of the scenario in the privacy of our own troop.”
The film, which will be shown in cinemas for one night only, is also littered with what James does best — making people laugh.
Ed Sheeran appears and says he became a superfan when James opened for Sir Elton John in Ipswich in 2005. Ed says: “I took his Corona from the stage and took it home. I was a big fan.
“He jokes his album is a ‘greatest hit’, but he has this incredible catalogue of music which has been influential to me and to other people.
“He’s become a national treasure where people are proud of him.”
Ed couldn’t be more correct. Fans of James would be mad to miss this.
- One Brit Wonder is in cinemas on Wednesday and will be followed by a live concert. Tickets from jamesblunt.film.
NEW NOEL IN NEW YEAR
NOEL GALLAGHER is gearing up to return to the studio to record his next chart-topping album.
He narrowly missed the number one spot with Council Skies back in June, but perhaps this next one will be a winner.
The former Oasis frontman said he’s going to start recording in the New Year after writing enough tunes for two albums.
Noel said: “I’ve had to stop writing because I need to get these songs recorded and get them out there so I can write some more.
“In the pandemic there was nothing to do all day so I just wrote songs. There’s another two albums worth of material there.
“I think I’m going to be back in the studio in Jan-uary, so we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Noel, 56, says his next record has a lot to live up to because he thinks his last release is the best collection of songs he has released on one album.
The High Flying Birds frontman is the songwriter behind anthems including Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back In Anger and Champagne Supernova, and he admitted that even two decades on he is still learning about the impact of his tracks on an audience.
He said: “I wouldn’t still be doing it after 30 years if I didn’t love it.
“You tend to find out more about the songs when you play them live than when you’re just listening to them at home. It’s a special thing.
“The live experience although the songs are the same it’s a little bit different.”
THAT’S THE SPIRIT, LEIGH-ANNE
POP star Leigh-Anne was up on stage in a shot at an event in London.
The former Little Mix singer performed to a celeb-studded crowd including Girls Aloud band members Kimberley Walsh, Nadine Coyle and Nicola Roberts.
Radio 1 presenter Vick Hope was also at the party, which celebrated Smirnoff Vodka’s global We Do Us campaign with Tilting The Lens, supporting the disabled community in clubs, pubs and bars.
Leigh-Anne wore this handkerchief top and matching flares at the bash, where she performed along with Mae Muller and the Spice Girls’ Melanie C.
Guests enjoyed a free bar flowing with Smirnoff tipples including mango and passionfruit martinis, raspberry crush spritz and No.21 espresso martinis. The hangover was hell, but worth it.
Keane to hear new Love song
IT’S one of the most popular Christmas films of all time and now Keane have dropped a previously unheard song to coincide with us all watching Love Actually.
The band, fronted by Tom Chaplin, wrote a single of the same name which was put forward for the 2003 film.
Director Richard Curtis ended up turning it down but the group have revealed he regretted the decision.
Now the track, out today, has launched as part of their 20th anniversary for their debut album Hopes And Fears.
Keyboardist Tim Oxley-Rice said: “Richard always very graciously said he loved the song and wished he’d put it in the film. We all loved the song too, but having called it Love Actually, it was very hard to do anything with it.”
Admitting his error, filmmaker Richard said: “I realised what a dreadful mistake that had been when, six months later, Hopes & Fears was No1 in the charts. It is so wonderful that the song is now being released for everyone to hear.”
DUA JOINS THE FLASH PACK
DUA LIPA is taking a bite out of the Big Apple as she spends time in New York promoting new single Houdini.
The track, which narrowly missed the top spot, is from her upcoming third album.
Dua, who flashed her midriff in baggy jeans and a leather jacket, but covered up on a night out said: “The album was intimately in diary form, so I wrote about things when they happened.
“When you look back on (an incident) a month later your perspective changes. It’s important to take a breather.”
Friends in need-le
IN what is becoming an ABBA Voyage Christmas tradition, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Sir Ian McKellen have joined forces again to knit their famous pals festive jumpers.
In a new video the pair, who have been busying making knits for Kylie Minogue and her dancers, are seen musing over who they can enlist for their team next time.
Ian told Bjorn: “It’s hard to find a knitting partner. Tom Jones knits. He knits Tom Jones merch whereas I like to restrict myself to Abba.
“Does Madonna knit? I think she has people who knit for her. Adele has a few tricks which she does.”
If anyone can needle her into joining, I’m sure it will be Ian.