Drummer and founder member of Blur Dave Rowntree talks to Miranda Sawyer about his book of early Blur photos, featured in an exclusive Foyles exhibition this September.
The photographs collected in No One You Know, published by Hero Press, capture intimate, never-before-seen, insider moments of Blur’s first adventures. No One You Know is a unique visual insight into the first few years of one of Britain’s most successful and well-loved bands, from one of the only four people who knows what it was really like.
A selection of the images from No One You Know will be on display at the Gallery at Foyles in an exclusive exhibition this September. To coincide with the exhibition, Rowntree will be in conversation at Foyles with writer Miranda Sawyer about the formative years of the band.
Dave Rowntree was a member of Blur before they were Blur, joining up as drummer with singer Damon Albarn and guitarist Graham Coxon when they were in various bands in Colchester in the late 1980s. After Alex James stepped in as bassist, Blur went on to become one of the most innovative and successful UK bands of all time: both creating Britpop and then moving up and on from it in a way that no other band has achieved. Aside from his career with Blur, Dave has also been a Labour candidate and county councillor and writes soundtracks for film and TV. He released his solo album Radio Songs on Cooking Vinyl in 2023.
Miranda Sawyer has written about pop music since 1988, beginning on Smash Hits before moving to Select, The Face and the Observer. She is the author of Park and Ride, Out of Time and Uncommon People. She lives in London.
The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. Your ticket includes a complimentary glass of wine.
