Britpop legend Alex James of Blur fame has expressed his love for Bournemouth - and cheese! - in accepting an Honorary Doctorate from Bournemouth University today (Friday, 5 November, 2010).
James joined hundreds of graduates from BU's Media School at the Bournemouth International Centre. In accepting his Honorary Doctor of Arts degree, Alex recalled his fond memories of Bournemouth, where he grew up and where he bought his first guitar.
He then gave some advice to the graduates receiving their degrees: 'Follow your heart is the thing, whenever you find anything that you love, even if people think it's ridiculous. So when I say 'cheese' people laugh. But I don't care cos I love the stuff. If you find something you love just go after it with all guns blazing. Go on you beauties. Go get 'em! I'm absolutely chuffed to bits but not as chuffed as my Mum who's doing somersaults in the corner somewhere. It feels hugely flattering. It's a great honour and what's really nice is coming back to Bournemouth, which holds a very dear place in my heart. It's just so nice to see the place thrumming and full of young people smiling. It's rocking! It's happening.'
He went on to express the importance of Higher Education for young people today: 'Blur formed in an art college, very much the product of an arts education system. I really don't think it matter what you do. You just have to follow your heart and do the thing you love the most. I think arts education is absolutely vital. It's one of the things we're absolutely brilliant at.'
Born and raised in Bournemouth, James is now a journalist, broadcaster, musician and farmer who originally achieved international success as the bassist with Blur. A prolific writer, he contributes to a number of daily papers and magazines and has a regular food column in The Sun.
His first book 'Bit of A Blur' was published in 2007 and he is currently working on a new book. James is also a farmer, producing award-winning cheeses from his Oxfordshire farm.
'Alex James has achieved a great deal of success through his music, his writing, his media work and his entrepreneurial activities,' said BU Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Vinney. 'All of those achievements, coupled with the fact that he is also a Bournemouth native, makes it more than fitting that Bournemouth University awards him an Honorary Doctorate.'
