It’s well known that James Blunt and the late Carrie Fisher were great friends, with Carrie offering James her home while he recorded his first, smash hit album Back To Bedlam and chattign with Elizabeth Day on her How To Fail podcast he describes Carrie’s home, a unique abode that appeared to be the physical embodiment of Carrie’s mind and spirit.
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If you’re in the mood for more from Blunty McBluntface, listen to the full episode below.
You’ll probably have heard of James Blunt. And if you haven’t, you’ve almost definitely heard his most famous song, You’re Beautiful. There was a time in the early 2000s that it was EVERYWHERE. And that’s because James Blunt was absolutely huge. His debut 2004 album, Back To Bedlam, was the biggest-selling album of the decade in the UK, shifting over 12 million copies. I know!! TWELVE MILLION.
He has released another six albums since then, every one of them a top 10 hit, winning two Brit Awards and two Ivor Novellos along the way.
But Blunt faced an astonishing cultural backlash for his ubiquity – eventually choosing to fight back in his own words on Twitter, where he rapidly became known for his acerbic put-downs and self-deprecating humour.
He joins me to talk about the ‘honour’ of being a ‘one-hit wonder’, his rejection by every single major record label and his failure to win any Grammys, despite being nominated for five in one night. We also talk about his friendship with the late Carrie Fisher, whether he bears a grudge against any of the musicians who slagged him off (looking at you, Damon Albarn and Noel Gallagher), the absurdity of fame and – in a moving exchange – the male experience of miscarriage.
At points, his humour was so dry it took me a couple of seconds to realise he’d made a joke. Listening back, I can confirm I find him utterly hilarious.
