Dave Rowntree: No On You Know

For the first time ever, Dave Rowntree shares the stories behind Blur’s formative years- from early friendships in Colchester, to embarking on a world tour, and famously going head-to-head with Oasis, their Britpop rivals. Through unheard stories alongside candid photos from his new book ‘No One You Know’, he offers a rare insight into the moments that shaped Blur, one of the defining bands of 1990s Britpop.

Bio

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.

The band’s exceptional creative musical talent, their unique ability to create art-rock anthems as well as solid pop bangers, has won them devoted fans across the world, and in 2023, after a hiatus, they sold out Wembley Stadium twice over. Blur have released nine studio albums, won five BRIT Awards, and sold 70 million across the world.

Aside from his career with Blur, Dave has also been hugely successful in other fields. His computer animation company Nanomation created influential work for MTV and Channel 4. In the mid-2000s, he trained to be a solicitor, and worked for Kingsley Napley. He has been a Labour candidate and county councillor and is active in the
Labour Party. His life-long interest in space led to him being heavily involved in the Beagle 2 Mars mission. He writes soundtracks for film and TV, including music for the BBC’s The Capture and Netflix’s The One, and he released his solo album Radio Songs on Cooking Vinyl in 2023.