Brit-pop group Blur was at the helm of British guitar pop in the early nineties.The group, originally named Seymour, was formed in London in 1989. Consisting of vocalist/keyboardist Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxan, bassist Alex James, and drummer Dave Rowntree, Blur performed at a few gigs before recording a demo tape and signing with Food Records. The record label suggested changing their name, and handed Seymour a list to choose from, Blur being the winner.Their first few singles topped the charts, part of their debut, Stephen Street produced album, Leisure. After seeing only a scattering of rave reviews, Blur attempted to separate themselves from the all too familiar Manchester pop sound. The next two years left them struggling to find a new sound, with 1992's single "Pop Scene" a first attempt at a more spiteful, punk sound. The group started work on their second effort, Modern Life is Rubbish. Studio time lasted more than a year and a half, and after all their work the group's first presentation to the record label produced a sour result - Food rejected the album, wanting a hit single. Back into the studio, Blur created "For Tomorrow," making British charts and proving that Blur still had it in them to create a hit.It wasn't long before the group finally hit the jackpot. The 1994 album Parklife entered the charts at number one and made Blur British stars. New wave dance-pop single "Boys and Girls" spent 15 weeks on the U.S. charts, and debuted at number five with the home scene. Their overall success, Parklife now triple platinum, led the way for other British pop culture groups, like Oasis, Pulp and Menswear. The group recorded their fourth album The Great Escape, but fell behind Oasis' shadow. An almost-breakup in 1996 led Blur to their fifth, self-titled album that got stronger reviews in the U.S. than at home, and they continued with 13 in 1999.