Blur‘s Alex James has spoken out about the band’s release of two new tracks, ‘The Puritan’ and ‘Under The Westway’, both of which debuted last night (July 2) via a live rooftop video streamed performance.

Speaking on Steve Lamacq’s show on BBC 6 Music, the band’s bassist said that he was sure fans would have baulked had they released 10 new songs, but that two was the perfect number. Of their future plans, he added: “I’ve got no idea what happens next, or if it ever happens again.”

He went on to explain that since the band’s formation and despite musical hiatuses, never has more than half a year gone by in which they haven’t made music together. He revealed: “There’s never been a period where more than six months have gone by and [we haven’t] stuck our heads in and had a bish-bash… It’s just really, really good fun.”

James said that when they make music together “we click back into it like a family at Christmas” though added that things have changed since their Britpop heyday: “We’re not having fist fights any more, but I sort of miss that!”

He revealed that the band only finished recording ‘The Puritan’ last week, after starting the recording process three weeks ago, and then explained added that the song ‘Under The Westway’ is a “baroque, Bach chord-y thing”.

Blur will embark on an intimate UK tour next month. The band will play four shows, beginning at Margate’s Winter Gardens on August 1. They will then play two shows at Wolverhampton’s Civic Hall on August 5 and 6, before finishing off at Plymouth’s Pavilions on August 7.

The shows will act as a warm-up for the band’s huge outdoor gig at London’s Hyde Park on August 12, which sees Blur topping a bill that also includes New Order and The Specials. The gig has been put on to coincide with the closing ceremony of the Olympic games.