Graham Coxon biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Singer-songwriter Graham Coxon (Graham Leslie Coxon) was born in Rinteln, West Germany on May 12, 1969. His talent in the arts stemmed from his father, Bob, a clarinet player in the army band and mother, Pauline, a language educator. Coxon and older sister Haley lived with their parents in Germany until 1975 when the family moved to an U.K. army camp in Colchester, Essex.

By the time he was 12, Coxon could play the fife, drums, saxophone, and guitar. In 1977 at the Stanway Comprehensive School, he met Damon Albarn who would eventually become the lead vocalist in their future band Blur. Both went on to attend Colchester Sixth Form College, though Coxon only stayed for a year. The then 17 year old next enrolled into the North Essex School of Art and Design and proceeded to Goldsmiths College to pursue the arts.

During these early years, Coxon and Alban formed several short-lived bands such as The Aftermath and Real Lives. Other Coxon bands included Hazel Dean and The Carp Eaters From Hell, The Curious Band, Idle Vice, Circus and Seymour.

When Seymour sent their demo to Food Records, the company signed them on one major condition: They had to change their name. The band presented a list of options, and in 1989, Blur was born.

Commercial Success: Blur

Coxon was halfway through his Goldsmith College art degree when Blur started to take off. Coxon provided all guitars and backup vocals for the band. Blur's genre of alternative rock, indie rock and Britpop put them in good company with Oasis and The Verve, other U.K. bands emerging at that time.

In the early '90s, Blur released its debut album Leisure (1991) and followed up with Modern Life is Rubbish (1992). The band toured the U.S., but at that time grunge ruled the airwaves so Americans didn’t take to Blur.

Notoriety came in 1994 with the band's breakout (third) album, Parklife. Blur catapulted to become one of England's most renowned bands, and it was this popularity that contributed to the rivalry between Blur and Oasis. Blur won the fight versus Oasis in the so-called "Battle of Britpop" when both released singles on the same day. In a newspaper interview, Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher said he hoped Blur's lead singer, Damon Albarn, "would catch AIDS and die" (he later apologized).

In 1995, Blur released The Great Escape, and the sudden celebrity status that followed seemed to coax out Coxon's demons. Hard partying filled with excessive booze took its toll on his relationship with his fellow bandmates, especially with Albarn.