Damon’s Lily collaboration fails? - Feb 1 2008
Damon Albarn has apparently failed to make sweet music with Lily Allen.

The former Blur frontman reportedly spent a day in the studio with the Smile singer in an attempt to come up with new material - but insists the pair weren’t a match.

"The record label thought it would be a good idea," he told The Sun.

"She came down to my studio and she said normally she would just sit around and listen to a musician and come up with some ideas.

"I jumped on the piano and played some mad stuff and she just looked at me - it didn’t exactly go well.

"She’s a really talented kid but it was a bad idea."

The musician also revealed there were no plans for a Blur reunion.

"I had dinner with the guys recently and it was a laugh but there’s no way they want to work with me again - they all hate me," he added. "A reunion is not going to happen.

"The only reason people would do it is for the money - but I don’t need the money.

He continued: "Alex is writing books and making cheese and Dave’s moving into politics. I’ve always said if you want to be a musician you have to dedicate yourself to it and do it every day."

Damon to edit Today programme - Nov 27 2007
Blur and Gorillaz star Damon Albarn will guest edit the Today programme, it has been announced.

Guest editors are responsible for between a third and a half of their programme’s output.

Previous Today programme guest editors include Bono, Professor Stephen Hawking, Anthony Minghella, Yoko Ono and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.

Former head of MI5 Dame Stella Rimington, historian Professor Peter Hennessy and Nobel Prize-winning scientist Sir Martin Evans have also been asked to shape the flagship Radio 4 show between Christmas and New Year.

Dame Stella was the Director General of MI5, and its first female boss, from 1992 to 1996.

Her guest slot on Today comes after Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, a more recent Director General of the internal security service, gave her first broadcast interview to Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs at the weekend.

Dame Stella said: "I couldn’t resist the opportunity to take the agenda out of the hands of those who usually set it - namely the politicians - and instead have some of the issues that I think are important aired and debated."

A group from Dyfed Powys police in Wales will also edit a programme.

Today editor Ceri Thomas said: "Guest editors never fail to surprise us with the breadth of their interests and the quality of their ideas and we’ve got a fantastic line-up this year."

Damon’s Monkey opera opens - June 27 2007
Damon Albarn’s first opera, based on the Chinese legend of the Monkey King, is due to premiere in Manchester.

The multi-talented Gorillaz star apparently wrote Monkey: Journey To The West after seeing just one opera in his life, The Independent reports.

The opera, which launches the inaugural Manchester International Festival, is due to tour around a number of international cities but Manchester will be its only UK venue.

Damon’s opera builds on the story made famous by the 80s cult TV show Monkey in which the enlightened hero sets out on a pilgrimage to India to fetch holy scriptures with priest friend Tripitaka.

The show, billed as a ’cultural spectacular’, is the centrepiece of the biennal festival, which features all new work. It will premiere at Manchester’s Palace Theatre tomorrow (Thursday).