DAMON ALBARN - ALBARN INSPIRED BY RACIAL MIX

DAMON ALBARN's new album was inspired by the rich racial mix in his London neighbourhood and his hatred of racist stereotypes promoted by politicians. Albarn teamed with former THE CLASH bassist PAUL SIMONON to form new band THE GOOD, THE BAD + THE QUEEN - and the pair quickly found a mutual interest in the diverse cultures surrounding them both in west London's Ladbroke Grove. Albarn says, "We love this melting pot idea. The belief that all conceivable cultures and ideologies can live side by side here, in large part peacefully. "It makes me physically sick the way the attempt has been made recently to play Muslims out against non-Muslims, the way politicians are continually fuelling this latent aggression. "We don't have any clash of cultures. We need each other. Over the last four years, every time I saw (British Prime Minister) TONY BLAIR I just wanted to grab him by the throat."