Celebrity profile
Graham Coxon
Pop star Graham Coxon started his musical career as the guitarist with the Britpop band Blur, who he left four years ago to concentrate on his solo career. He has had success with six solo albums – most recently Love Travels at Illegal Speeds – and has recently released a new single, a double A-side including the tracks ‘What Ya Gonna Do Now?' and ‘Bloody Annoying'. He is also an accomplished artist, having designed album covers for Blur and many of his own records, and is one of the musicians who has been involved in the Tate Tracks exhibition (see page 40) at the Tate Britain art gallery. A former art student who studied at Essex School of Art and Goldsmith's College, University of London (where he met the other members of Blur), he was awarded an honorary fellowship by Goldsmith's in 2006. Claire Colley met up with him to talk about his current musical and artistic projects.
How has the recent tour gone?
It's been alright, nice shows… lots of
energy and goofing around. I finished
by playing shows in Bournemouth and
then in London.
Did you have any time to relax in
Bournemouth and eat ice cream?
Oh no…. most of the time, I just slept.
Do you find that being on tour
gets your adrenaline going?
No I don't… In my advanced years
(36), it's more like I have to help
myself to get up. I tend to sleep all
day and read. Then, about half an
hour before a show, I drink a couple
of cans of the energy drink Red
Bull and then I'm ready. I don't get
hideously nervous any more.
Do you find it hard to cope with
being away from home so much?
I drink loads of coffee and that makes
me feel better. Then I read a book
and lie in bed and watch the news. At
home, there's always stuff to do – with
my daughter, or I go and ride my bike.
On tour there's nowhere familiar to go
to. Normally, I'll find a Café Nero and
go shopping for walking boots, nice
chunky leather boots that you can
walk around places like Derbyshire
in. I'm very fond of Derbyshire.
Are you always happy to get home
at the end of an international tour?
Oh, I love the UK. I think it has the best
countryside in the world.
Is there anywhere that you'd say
is your favourite place in the UK?
I love Kent, I have a real fondness
for it, and also the countryside in the
north of England, the Peak District and
the countryside in Wales. I don't know
why I'm living in London!
You recently got an Honorary
Fellowship from Goldsmith's. That
must have been quite thrilling.
Yes, it was. It's where I first met Damon
Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree
from Blur, so it was a nice honour.
Were you encouraged to do art when you were a child?
I didn't really get encouraged with art, it was just something
that was part of my way of communicating when I was
younger. I was encouraged with music … but I was never
discouraged from anything, really. I guess I was always
going into areas that people immediately around me didn't
necessarily understand or were able to advise me on.
Do you ever think about returning to college?
It would be nice but I don't have much spare time and I
don't like to go away for so long these days, as I have a
little girl and I'd rather be with her. You have to prioritise.
Are you happier with life now you're in your thirties?
Yes, I think so. There's always something to moan about
but I do think I've reached a point where I'm quite happy!
Are you excited about your new single?
It's good that it's not on the album, I'd already put out enough
singles from it. I'm putting a single out for the fun of it really,
rather than to promote anything… just like the old days.
Web Links
Graham Coxon
www.grahamcoxon.co.uk
Graham Coxon Art
www.grahamcoxonart.com
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