Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I had a breakthrough, I think my life just became calmer, I gave up drinking. My priorities changed as I had a young daughter. The group didn't want me to record for the Think Tank album... so I took it as a sign to leave.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

With my daughter, who at the time was one, my domestic life needed to take more precedent and really with my own self I needed to develop quite a bit more. So that put Blur down the list of priorities quite a lot by the time I came to thinking about it.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

There were some extremely good teachers there that were great artists really in their own right. It was actually very hard to concentrate on getting down to going any work being an art student especially when it's a flighty thing at best.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I love the magic of the studio.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

It's mostly Mars Bars and peanuts and cheese and you go to the fridge and there's Red Bull and Beer. It's not like people are holding me down and pouring beer in my face.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I suppose my little Martin acoustic guitar is quickly becoming a prize possession. It's a lovely guitar. I bought it at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2001 before I had cleaned up.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I liked Germany; I'm not into Berlin, it's too huge and empty and imposing, but Munich was good.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

The other guys drink, but they don't drink anywhere near what I used to. And I think they're slightly respectful of the fact that I'm off it, so it's not a problem.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

It's a bit loose and the people in my group have got other groups. They don't have to have a total allegiance to me. I think that's really a bit weird and showing some weird insecurity.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

Playing and singing at the same time is pretty cool, but sometimes it's difficult to know when you can just really let go a bit because you've got to get back to bloody microphone and sing some stuff.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

There are a lot of people who can do it on the guitar and sing at the same time, but I think what is harder is bass players that can play the bass and sing.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I'm a bit of lunatic with shoes and jackets and jeans. It's just how I am.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I think now, more than anytime I can remember, bands are sounding pretty similar whether they're English or American, from Manchester or London... or Leeds or Welsh or Irish.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

You know Manchester is always a bit of a hard place for people coming from London, just with all the history. Manchester has this immensely huge and healthy history musically.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

When Blur first started and we were playing Manchester the Hacienda was the place to go. That was where a lot of exciting stuff was happening and London was pretty dead.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

Manchester has it's own pride and London has it's sort of pride and sometimes we can be a bit mean to each other, but I think if we dig the music we can get on really well.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I'm not going to pretend that I am the best thing in their life and they have to be totally loyal.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

It was quite nice meeting up because we went through a lot together and we haven't really seen each much other to communicate one to one for quite a long time.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

There's a focus that hasn't been there for ages and ages and some American bands are sounding quite English like they did in the late 70s and early 80s.

Graham Coxon
Graham Coxon

I think a lot of cynicism has dropped away from my shoulders since I stopped drinking.