Simon collects Blunt

Welcome back to the podcast where I celebrate the music and collectables of James Blunt.In Episode 3, I take a deep dive into Wisemen — focusing on the original 2004 release, before the song returned to the charts the following year.We rewind to late 2004, when Back to Bedlam was only just beginning to find its audience and James was still a relatively unknown artist. I explore how Wisemen first appeared in the world, looking at the earliest promotional and commercial CD releases that introduced the track before its later success.Along the way, I walk through the different early pressings from the UK, the promo editions sent to radio, and the production details that collectors love to examine — catalogue numbers, variations, and the small design touches that make these first editions so fascinating.I also talk about the creative team behind the song and how Wisemen fits into the early story of Back to Bedlam, during the period before the album — and James himself — became a global phenomenon.As always, I share a few personal stories from over 20 years of collecting James Blunt and the small details that make these original releases so special.If you enjoy music history, physical media, and the joy (and occasional madness!) of record collecting, this episode is for you.Follow along:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simoncollectsbluntInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/simoncollectsbluntX: https://x.com/BluntCollectorSee you in Episode 4.

Welcome back to the podcast where I celebrate the music and collectables of James Blunt.In Episode 2, I take a deep dive into High — the very first single released from Back to Bedlam. We rewind to October 2004, when James was a newly signed and largely unknown artist, and explore how High quietly entered the world with little chart impact — but left behind some fascinating and highly collectable releases.I walk through the original UK promo CD (PRO15197), the Australian promo editions (including the elusive Radio Edit, WCDB944), and the first commercial CD singles released across the UK, Europe, and Australia. Along the way, we look at the creative team behind the single — from producer Tom Rothrock to co-writer Ricky Ross — and the artwork design and production details that make these early pressings so special to collectors.As always, I share personal stories from over 20 years of collecting — including the thrill of recently tracking down one of the rarest Australian promo CDs I’ve ever seen for sale.If you enjoy music history, physical media, and the joy (and occasional madness!) of record collecting, this one’s for you.Follow along:Instagram: @SimonCollectsBluntX: @bluntcollectorSee you in Episode 3.

A podcast about collecting James Blunt — hosted by the least likely person you’d expect.Episode 1 — Introduction to Simon Collects BluntPeople assume a hardcore James Blunt fan looks a certain way.They are… wrong.In this opening episode, Simon introduces Simon Collects Blunt — a new podcast about collecting every single, album, pressing, promo, and emotional ambush ever released by James Blunt.Simon is fifty, bald, heavily tattooed, sporting a long grey beard, and currently recovering from a serious motorcycle accident that ended a 34-year life on two wheels. While learning exciting new things about pain, suffering, and the NHS, he decided it was finally time to turn a 20-plus-year obsession into a podcast.This is a fortnightly show (unless hospital appointments intervene) where Simon irresponsibly analyses:every James Blunt single and albumpressings and releases from around the worldartwork, lyrics, heartbreak, and feelingsand why owning hundreds of versions of the same songs somehow makes senseAll delivered by a man who looks like he should be reviewing death metal — not standing in the front rows of a James Blunt concert.Simon has been a fan since seeing James Blunt live in 2004, before Back to Bedlam was even released, and has spent years collecting releases, memorabilia, and some genuinely questionable amounts of plastic and cardboard. He’s even been called a “sucker” by James Blunt himself on Twitter — a career highlight.This podcast isn’t ironic.It’s sincere.Which makes it worse.If you love James Blunt — welcome.If you don’t — give it time.We’ll take it slowly.Next episode: an unashamedly detailed deep dive into High — the single that started everything.