Graham Coxon

Graham Coxon (born 12.3.1969)

Graham Coxon is an English singer, songwriter and musician, as well as a painter.

Graham Coxon: Childhood

Graham Coxon was born in West Germany and later moved to England. As a child, he met Damon Albarn at school in Colchester. Coxon appeared twice on the children's TV show Blue Peter, playing the clarinet.

Graham Coxon: Music

Graham Coxon met Alex James at Goldsmiths College in London, where he was studying Fine Arts (a number of his contemporary students, such as Damien Hirst and Sam Taylor-Wood went on to become prominent British artists). They formed Blur (originally called Seymour) with Dave Rowntree and Damon Albarn. Blur went on to find huge success in the 1990s with the Britpop movement, which included bands such as Suede, Elastica, Menswear and Oasis.

Graham's lo-fi sound became more prominent towards the end of Blur's original career and he even provided vocals to the single 'Coffee and TV' as well as the chorus of 'Tender'.

In 2002, Coxon had a major fall-out with the other members of Blur and he left the band. In December 2008, though, Damon Albarn announced that Blur would be reuniting with Coxon. The band went on to play at Glastonbury Festival 2009.

Graham Coxon released three solo albums whilst still a member of Blur. The Sky Is Too High was his debut solo release, on his own label Transcopic. The lo-fi garage rock sound was reportedly influenced by Billy Childish. His next release was The Golden D, followed by an album more akin to the music of Bob Dylan and Nick Drake, entitled Crow Sit On Blood Tree. After leaving Blur, he released The Kiss of Morning. Coxon enlisted the help of Blur's producer Stephen Street for his fifth album Happiness in Magazines. Street and Coxon then worked together once more for Love Travels at Illegal Speeds.

In July 2007, Graham Coxon and Paul Weller collaborated on a single entitled 'This Old Town'.

Following the reunion of Blur in late 2008, Graham Coxon released his seventh solo album, The Spinning Top, in May 2009. The album features a number of guest musicians, including Robyn Hitchcock, Jas Singh, Danny Thompson, Gurjit Sembhi and Jaskase Singh.

Graham Coxon was also involved in Peter Doherty's 2009 album Grace/Wasteland.

Noel Gallagher has named Graham Coxon as one of the most talented guitarists of his generation, despite the animosity between Blur and Gallagher's band, Oasis.

Graham Coxon: Personal Life

Graham Coxon has a daughter, by his ex girlfriend Anna Norlander. Pepper Coxon was born in 2000.