Damon Albarn severed his finger while making pesto

12 November 2021, 11:28 | Updated: 12 November 2021, 11:55

Damon Albarn in November 2020, shortly before the finger-severing incident
Damon Albarn in November 2020, shortly before the finger-severing incident. Picture: REUTERS/Dylan Martinez/Alamy

The Blur and Gorillaz star had a nasty accident while cooking last Christmas.

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Damon Albarn has revealed he "completely severed" one of his fingers last year.

The Blur and Gorillaz star sliced off his digit while making the pasta sauce in a hand blender on Christmas Eve 2020.

Speaking on Apple Music 1, he recalled: "I actually cut my finger off last Christmas Eve. I was making a pesto, and I had a hand blender and I just made it. I thought, 'Hmm, that looks good.'

"But instead of just tasting a bit from the bowl, I decided to stick my finger into the blender, pick it up, and press the button.

"I put it in, pressed the button. Then I had to pull it out, and it completely severed. This was on Christmas Eve.

"So I went to Paddington A&E and they said, 'There's nothing we can do for you. We'll clean it up, but it's going to be at least 10 days.'"

The Britpop icon was devastated when he was told he wouldn't be able to play his beloved piano for 10 days but managed to get his finger sewn back much sooner.

The musician - who releases his new solo project, The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows today (12th November) - added: "I said, 'I'm a pianist. I need my finger back.' Anyway, a fantastic surgeon... was found on Christmas Day, and on Boxing Day, I got it sewed back on."

Gorillaz - Strange Timez ft. Robert Smith (Episode Six)

Albarn also teased an upcoming Gorillaz film for Netflix - but he's remaining tight-lipped about the contents the time being.

He said: "I'm at Netflix because we're making a full-length Gorillaz film with Netflix. Yeah, we're having a writing session in Malibu this afternoon.

"It's really exciting to do that. It's something we've been wanting to do for a very long time. It's been through so many incarnations.

"Gorillaz doing a movie. Honestly. But Netflix, I don't know. I mean, apart from them kind of running this city now, I mean - It's just extraordinary to see how ubiquitous they are now.

"They just seem like they're a good creative team, you know? But I can't say anything more about it, obviously, because... No, no, no."

The animated band - which Damon founded with comic book artist Jamie Hewlett - released the first part of their Song Machine project in October 2020, which featured guest appearances from Robert Smith of The Cure, Sir Elton John, Peter Hook of Joy Division/New Order and Beck.