Alex James
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Alex James, bass guitarist of legendary Brit-pop band Blur, was awarded an honorary fellowship from Goldsmiths in 2008.
James joined Blur in 1989 after meeting fellow student Graham Coxon on his first day studying French at Goldsmiths, later befriending Dave Rowntree and Damon Albarn.
Together, the group went on to release classic albums such as Parklife and The Great Escape, and achieved great commercial success and critical acclaim – including numerous best band and best album awards, and an Ivor Novello Award for best songwriting.
Currently a farmer with a passion for cheesemaking, James regularly writes for The Independent and The Observer, and pursues a keen interest in space as Visiting Scientist at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Europe’s largest space research facility.
His autobiography, ‘Bit of a Blur’, charted the heady days of life as a rock star and was called "the definitive guide to Britpop" by the Observer.