Blur drummer Dave Rowntree has said the band will never tour again – but has confirmed they want to record with Graham Coxon again.

Rowntree told Blur bassist Alex James whilst he was guest presenting on BBC Six Music, that, because of family concerns, the long-running group won’t go back on the road again, but hope to record a follow up to 2003’s Think Tank soon.

He said, “The days of Blur doing a tour will not happen. Most of the band have kids now, and when you’re a touring band you have to make a choice, so there will never be a return to that, but we have been talking about doing an album next year, we have even set a date for it.”

Whilst Rowntree confirmed James’ comments earlier this month that they hope to do the record with Coxon – who left the band during the recording of Think Tank due to clashes with lead singer and songwriter Damon Albarn – he admitted persuading him may be no easy task.

He explained, “I think we'd all like to make another record. We'd all like to do it with Graham, We may have to beg him a bit though.”