Not content with being Blur's bassist, responsible for the football anthem Vindaloo with his own festival and farm, Alex James has another major hit on his hands - and he's bringing it to Southampton this weekend.
The ground-breaking live show Britpop Classical is to open an outdoor series at Southampton Summer Sessions on Saturday (June 13) and the 57-year-old musician is brimming with excitement.
It brings the biggest hits of the Britpop era to life with a full live orchestra, performing the best songs from a golden age of British music in powerful symphonic form alongside guest vocalists. Think Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass, The Verve and, of course, Blur.
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He said: "It's 90 minutes of total bangers to jump up and down and throw your beer around to!
"There's a rock band with me on bass, a full symphony orchestra, a chorus of session singers, and then a few special guests because you've got to have a bit of star power.
"There's an embarrassment of riches from the era. I mean these songs, they give you goosebumps even when you sing them in the shower, let alone backed by a full orchestra. It's going to be a rollercoaster ride!"
It came about almost by accident. A headliner had pulled out of Alex's Big Feastival in Oxfordshire with just weeks to spare and he was persuaded to replace them with Ministry of Sound Classical, leading to an epiphany and the beginnings of Britpop Classical, which is fast becoming a worldwide success.
Alex puts that down to a lack of new music, nostalgia and the fact that the songs are now available for old and new fans to stream. There is also a huge appetite for live music in the UK and abroad, next stop on the tour being Australia.
But first, he's looking forward to a return to an old stomping ground. Growing up in Bournemouth, Alex often played Southampton's pubs and intimate live music venues and recalls the Guildhall was where his parents realised he might actually have a future in music while performing with his high school band.
A football fan, he also recalls watching the 1976 cup final on TV before performing his own Micky Channon windmill celebrations in the playground.
Alex will be joined on stage by a guest line-up including Phil Daniels, of Parklife fame, Republica's Saffron and Gary Stringer of Reef.
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