DAMON ALBARN - ALBARN: 'BLUR DIED WITHOUT COXON'

DAMON ALBARN turned his back on rockers BLUR because he hated performing without guitarist GRAHAM COXON, who left to pursue a solo career.

The rocker, who now plays with animated band GORILLAZ, struggled through Blur's tour for 2003 album THINK TANK - but was saddened by playing songs the pair had collaborated on, because they sounded hollow without Coxon.

Albarn says, "I got sick of the ritual of performing. I never really liked the last Blur tour. I hated playing the old material. I just found that really depressing without Graham.

"It was a painful experience to play songs that belonged to a band where one member was missing."