20th December 2004 - www.rockfeedback.com
Graham Coxon, The Pipettes, 10,000 Things, Maximo Park, The Subways, The Rakes and Simon Bookish amassing for an all-nighter in a King’s Cross warehouse for the Queens Of Noize ‘Gilded Music Hall Of Sin’. Cue musical-themed costumes (our Sam Hall turning up bravely as Serena from ‘Fame’), balloons, rockfeedback arriving too late to provide its DJ-set (eek), and a headline-set from Coxon (pictured) so sensational, we’re left still in disbelief.
His set-list: a rendition of Sonic Youth’s‘Eliminator Junior’, ‘Right to Pop’, ‘Spectacular’, ‘Escape Song’, ‘Ain’t No Lie’, ‘Girl Done Gone’, ‘All Over Me’ The Libertines’ ‘Tell The King’, ‘Feel Right’, ‘Life It Sucks’, ‘You're So Great’, ‘Gimme Some Love’, ‘Freakin Out’, The Who’s ‘A Quick One’, and ‘Who The F**k?’.
And, whoa. Appearing as a two-piece with regular drummer, Stephen Gilchrist – and founding-member of Stuffy & The Fuses – our Graham hammered through a showing that we’d probably have to concede was one of our highlights of the year: ramshackle-raw, blisteringly intense, and mildly perverse given that the pair were dressed up as ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney cleaners. Coupled with a decent dosage of covers (inclusive of a surreally poignant ‘Tell The King’), as well as ‘Blur’ classic ‘You’re So Great’, we were enthralled.
Dan Silver at the Forum, NW5
WHEN, some two years ago now, Graham Coxon and his then bandmates in Blur succumbed to a terminal case of creative differences, few held out much hope for his continuing career. While the guitarist generated a great deal of goodwill over the years just by being the urbane foil to the flippant foppery of Damon Albarn and Alex James, the quirky quartet of solo albums steeped in the somewhat inaccessible aesthetic of the US hardcore scene that he recorded along the way didn’t bode well.
All of which made Coxon’s creative renaissance with this year’s heart-warming album Happiness in Magazines the more surprising. Seemingly freed of the need to exorcise his extreme tendencies, the guitarist reintroduced pop and melody into his musical mix and created one of the year’s best albums in the process. In hindsight, it shouldn’t have been such a shock: this was, after all, the man who co-wrote many of Blur’s biggest hits.
Onstage at the Forum there were still instances, most notably in the awkward silences between song breaks, when it seemed that Coxon would have been more comfortable nearer the stage’s wings rather than at its centre. But with Happiness in Magazines providing just under half of the set’s two dozen songs, there was ample opportunity to let the music do the talking — and in a remarkable range of voices, too. From the Kinks-y retro pop of Bottom Bunk to the proto-metal stomp of Fags & Failure, the guitarist flaunted his full gamut of moods and milieux.
Highlights came fast and often: the beautiful All Over Me brought the Beatles to mind, while the convivial post-pub rock stomp Don’t be a Stranger sounded like Fugazi frolicking with the Faces. Just in case he was creating the wrong impression, Coxon’s cover version of Mission of Burma’s That’s When I Reach for my Revolver was a riotous reminder of his punk rock credentials.
And if the guitarist’s instrumental ability occasionally outstripped that of his voice — Girl Done Gone proved that while he can play the blues, he certainly can’t sing them — there was ample evidence to suggest that, lyrically at least, he had learnt a thing or two from working with Damon Albarn. The leftfield love song Bittersweet Bundle of Misery delivered a delightful dissection of long-term relationships: “I love the way we fight, right through the night/And the way we used to kiss was way out of sight”.
The biggest surprise was saved for last, though. Half way through his first encore, Coxon brought on his friend Pete Doherty for a thrilling take on the Libertines’ Time for Heroes. Remarkably, he then managed to top that with the febrile Freakin’ Out, a fizzing fuzz-rock masterpiece that boasted a squalling riff every bit as bold, brash and bouncy as the one he wrote for Blur’s Song 2. Clearly even underdogs have their day, eventually. The Times Online.
Graham Coxon, The Forum - Xfm Review by Julian Marszalek, November 27 2004
Graham Coxon, for so long the reluctant frontman, is on the offensive. No longer the awkward geek who’d shuffle through his own gigs with a mixed air of detachment, bemusement and embarrassment, this is a man who has come to regard the art of performance with the same level of importance that he affords his beloved overdrive pedal.
Blending his love of hardcorepunk with an innate sensibility for infectious pop, Coxon is – whisper it - on the verge of expunging from the mind any memory of the fact that he used to belong to Blur. You’d better believe it; a strong association with a band is enough to kill off most solo careers – ask Richard Ashcroft – but here, it’s as if Coxon’s old muckers were simply a springboard to greater things. Scissor kicking his way across the stage or momentarily suspended in mid-air, his kness curled tightly under his chest with his Gibson SG silhouetted against the glare of the lights, Coxon is once again becoming the iconic figure that formed one quarter of the band that fought hard for Britpop pole position. This time, however, he’s doing things on his own terms and winning.
Ranting “…your world is crap/you ain’t even on the universe map” with venomous intent, ‘People Of The Earth’ explodes with the spite-filled ferocity of Mark E. Smith playing heavy metal. Indeed, it’s the more obtuse moments from ‘Happiness In Magazines’ that provide some of the more notable highlights. Witness ‘Girl Done Gone’ which transcends its blues origins into something far more feral as it twists and bends with a satisfying petulance. But for all of his wigged out plank spanking, Coxon can’t resist a hook-laden tune and so it is that ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’ and ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’ induce a serious case of happy feet.
If sobriety has allowed Coxon to accept himself and what he does, it’s something that tonight’s unexpected guest might take on board. Having already caused a stir in the balcony by his mere arrival, former Libertine Pete Doherty takes the stage to a hero’s welcome as Coxon and co tear into a blistering ‘Time For Heroes’. Along with the massed voices, the love and devotion that eminates from the audience threatens to tear the roof clean off. It’s a moment of symbolic juxtoposition and one that you can only hope may point the troubled troubadour in the right direction.
But this is Coxon’s night. The scuzzed pop-punk of ‘Freakin’ Out’ simply underlines the sheer excitement and check-yer-pants thrills that have characterized tonight whilst proving conclusively that attack really is the best form of defence. Xfm
Doherty Joins Coxon Live Onstage...Fans at Graham Coxon’s concert at the Forum in London this weekend got a surprise when Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty joined the former Blur guitarist onstage to play a Libertines track.
Doherty made the shock appearance on stage with Coxon at his gig at the Kentish Town Forum in North London on Saturday (November 27). Nineteen songs into his set Coxon told the crowd, “I’d just like to welcome my friend on for the next song,” before Doherty appeared dressed in a white vest and leather jacket and the pair gave each other a hug, reports the NME.
The pair then gave a blistering rendition of The Libertines’ track 'Time For Heroes' (which Coxon had recently covered on a radio session) while Doherty jumped around the stage and climbed up onto the speaker stacks.
Coxon’s twenty-three song set drew from his entire five album solo career, including tracks from 2002’s ‘The Kiss Of Morning’, 2000’s ‘Golden D’ and 1998’s ‘Sky Is Too High’ but the majority(including the hits ‘Freakin’ Out’ and ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’) were from his most recent album ‘Happiness In Magazines’.
The full set list of the concert was:
‘Spectacular’
‘No Good Time’
‘Escape Song’
‘Ain’t No Lie’
‘I Wish’
‘Bottom Bunk’
‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’
‘Girl Done Gone’
‘All Over Me’
‘Hopeless Friend’
‘Don’t Be A Stranger’
‘Life It Sucks’
‘Right To Pop’
‘Gimme Some Love’
‘Fags And Failure’
‘Revolver’
‘Bitter Tears’
‘Big Bird’
‘Feel Right’
‘Time For Heroes’
‘Freakin’ Out’
‘Jamie Thomas’
‘P.O.T.E.
By Tom Hannan - www.rockfeedback.com Written on 10/06/2004
The prize for T-shirt of the night undoubtedly goes to the fella walking around with the slogan ‘Blur’s new guitarist is shit’ emblazoned across his back. Whoever you were, whilst it’s sadly unlikely it will be taken up as a piece of official Coxon merchandise, well done to you all the same. For whilst Simon Tong may be competent enough, the lad has a point – he’s sure as hell no Coxon. Tonight’s the proper return of a real English guitar hero.
First, however, it’s Cathy Davey’s turn to provoke some intrigue. Whilst her quaint, both dark and quirky takes on guitar pop would be adequately listenable in anyone’s hands, it’s the voice that helps them resonate. While there’s something slightly unnatural about it, the feeling that if you were to engage in a conversation with her she’d sound nothing like the sweet husk of her stage tones, it’s certainly an instrument more than worthy of our ears, always effortlessly hitting the peaks you at first think she just might not be capable of. The day will arrive when it isn’t tempting to compare all female indie songwriters to a certain era of PJ Harvey, but it sure ain’t here yet - Davey is ‘Stories…’ with some added sunshine. This surely isn’t a bad thing.
These Futureheads though, another influence springs to mind with every awkward jitter and spiky riff they throw our way. At first, you think you’ve got it pinned – somewhere between the swagger of The Clash, the tunes of The Jam and the thorny avant-garde nature of Gang of Four, but then they remind you that occasionally, they can even go all Adam & The Ants on us if they want. It’s invigorating to watch, enthralling to hear, and an honour to witness this foursome hammering great tunes (often involving some wonderful, four vocal-harmonised ‘whoa-oh-ohs’ for good measure) without any regard for whether the average listener can consistently sing along or even tap their feet to them. Believe us, these beats are barmy.
More straight-up, but no less eccentric or vital, is the man Coxon himself. Somewhere along the line, he became a frontman - a proper guitar-abusing, joke-telling, stage-ruling one at that. What’s most heartening is how much it suits him, this new found persona as the centre of attention hasn’t turned him arrogant, just made him an absolute pleasure to observe. He jests about his prior introspective nature too, wryly introducing a jaw-dropping rendition of ‘That’s All I Wanna Do’ as ‘the first song on the first record that I recorded all by myself…’
The old stuff has been beefed up by Graham’s superb backing-band, ‘I Wish’ another example of how he’s actually been writing top tunes all the way through his solo career, but it’s the brand spanking new material with which he really shines. He’s been known to refer to ‘Happiness in Magazines’ as his first ‘proper’ record, which is debatable, but what is for certain is it’s by far his best. Tonight it’s here in all it’s glory, from an early airing for the cocky swagger of ‘Spectacular’ to the inclusion of a frantically paced, brilliantly received ‘Freakin’ Out’ in the encore.
In between, he visits a large part of the solo-career (nobody shouts for ‘Coffee & TV’, praise be), dropping in on the ludicrous fastness of ‘Fags and Failure’ (‘this is about insecurity, and, well, cigarettes’) seminal punk covers (Mission of Burma themselves do only a slightly better version of their own ‘That’s When I Reach For My Revolver’) and fittingly ‘Ain’t No Lie’, what with it being about Camden Town, our suitably grimy host for the evening. Strangely, only material from the well-received ‘Crow Sit On Blood Tree’ LP is omitted, but few people notice, as the new stuff is going down so well; the lad now writes ‘hits’, and whilst the crowd reaction isn’t the punk-rock mosh-fest we may have predicted, it’s still a rapturous, distinctly homely one, where words are sung along to and adoration is thrown at their author so blatantly, he couldn’t fail to notice.
It doesn’t feel like we’ve got Graham back; it’s as if he’s just starting, finally comfortable with every aspect of his playing, writing and performing. All that considered, this really is some debut.
Interview by Claire Craig - Rare FM
First up, I feel like I need to establish the boundaries here. A little later, may I be so bold as to ask you a bit about Blur?
Of course. I might not answer, but you can ask.
Grand. I'll have a go then. But now, for people who live in a cave as 90% of our listeners do, who exactly are you Mr Coxon?
That's a very good question. Who am I? I'm an ex-art school musician who used to be in a famous band called Blur and am now making solo records, or continuing to make them. It's very different now. I just have to remember to ask for help.
And what is going on for you at the moment?
Well, I've just been touring for the last three weeks, all over Europe. I liked Germany; I'm not into Berlin, it's too huge and empty and imposing, but Munich was good. I was in Spain too. I had to come back for three days to sign some art prints, but that was it. The rest of the time I was touring.
Yes, I was going to ask you about that because I found myself in Barcelona at the same time as you, so I popped along to see you. You did? That was a really funny gig.
I had noticed you were having lots of giggles on stage.
Well, it was just a bit weird, wasn't it?
Everything was remarkably fast. I thought you were going to combust during Freakin' Out.
Yeah, we like to play stuff fast. This set-list is strange because there's a big bit in the middle where we really have to concentrate, and then we just go a bit mad. But those audiences in Spain, they were just so stoned. I don't like playing to audiences like that because they just don't do anything. I'm up here with my band and we're working really hard and they are just stoned. So, we just think fuck 'em, and we do what we like.
I was with a friend who had never heard any of your solo stuff other than Freakin' Out and she was really surprised and impressed by your solo sound.
Solo sound? What's that mean?
Your direction, your general approach. It seems that leaving Blur has unleashed an inner punk beast from within. Is that symptomatic of circumstances or is it just you?
Well, I think it's me. I think that's what happens. Damon wrote a lot of the fast stuff in Blur for me really. It's the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam. But do you know what, it's the clothes I wear. It's the clothes that influence the music I'm going to play. Right now I'm wearing my shoes that I had at Goldsmiths. They still have the paint on them. I?m going to keep them forever - they're lucky shoes. I've also got this school type jumper thing of mine on and I've been wearing a black tie recently but I'll start phasing that out at the end of the week. It's for John Peel.
Have any tributes that you have seen or things you have heard written about John Peel stood out from the others?
I think just the things that have been said about the way he talked. He would talk to everyone in the same way, whether it was the milkman or the prime minister. He was just really genuine.
Going back to the show in Barcelona quickly; that was one hell of a line-up. If you could put on a gig and headline it, who would you put underneath you on the bill and where would it be?
I love the Forum actually, so can it be here? And ... ... [really long pause]... ...er [still thinking] ... ...who would I have with me?... ...[maybe this is a crap question? I thought it was okay, but...] er ... ... that's cool [phew] but I don't know, can we come back to that so I can think of someone?
Of course... Now for the quick fire questions. I like to call this the QuickFireFour because it sounds snappy. So...
1) What was the last band that blew you away, or the last CD that didn't come out of your CD player?
That would be 'Up the Bracket.' When I finally heard the Libertines, I had never heard anything before with that kind of spirit.
Er, okay, bonus question time: Why did I see Pete Doherty at the door and why were you soundchecking with 'Time for Heroes'?
Because Pete's coming onstage tonight to play it with us. He wants to play all the time and you just can't stop him. We share the same birthday, me and him. So we have a psychic connection.
Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone before and ruin the surprise.
2) Ever bought anything from Ebay?
Oh yeah. I bought these old Gringo boots but when they came they had to go to the charity shop. They were just a bit big and not quite right. But I got a belt-buckle once. It was from a whole bundle of belt-buckles that were confiscated by the US government because of their drug references. This one said LSD and had mad patterns behind it. It's great.
3) What's your most prized possession?
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. I was really pissed and I didn't know what I was doing. Well, I must have known what I was doing really because it's turned out to be such a great guitar and now its my favourite. These shoes too; they're lucky shoes. And my yellow cravat that I sometimes wear, I suppose that's a prized possession now too.
4) Do you talk to your neighbours?
Yes, I have two ace neighbours. I live down this lovely little street and yes, we talk. When I got back from being away they had all the parcels that people had tried to deliver for me. There was a reversible waistcoat; one side moleskin, one side tweed. Lovely. And a jacket. No, we all have Halloween parties and stuff like that when the kids are in bed.
So, here it comes. The Blur part of the interview. What was the highlight of your time in Blur? Here at Rare FM we like to concentrate on the positives.
Er... [really long pause - was that a pin dropping?]. I was moaning so much the whole time I forgot that anything might actually be a highlight. I suppose 'Star Shaped', when you forget all the pretentious bollocks in that, that's a really good rockumentary. That was our first time on the festival circuit and it was all pretty new. Overwrought. That's what it was. Yeah, as a highlight, I'd say 'Star Shaped'.
And at Rare FM, we don?t like confrontation. We like conflict resolution.
Conflict resolution, you say?
Yes. We have recently been heartened to hear gossip, rumours, grape-vine murmurings that you got together to talk about recording again.
That wasn't about recording, but we were talking. It was about legalities, and just to talk really, and to sort out those relationships a bit.
And have you sorted them out?
Yes. No. You know, I don't know. It was only a couple of months ago, so we'll just have to see.
Well, thank you very much for letting us pry.
Conversation then turned, as it does so frequently, to funny second-hand cameras, strange coffee shops in Barcelona, and how digital cameras are the biggest con of all time. Stay tuned whilst we wait for the photos to be developed...
An Interview with Graham Coxon by Coke Machine Glow's Peter Hepburn (CMG): Introduce yourself. Graham Coxon (GC): This here is Graham Coxon, here to play a show at the Black Cat.
CMG: What kind of music do you play?
GC: Give me anything that is pretty much influenced from the mid- to late-‘60s and mid- to late-‘70s. I miss out on some of the ‘80s. A bit of ealy-‘80s weirdo stuff and I kinda like American ‘90s music. The ‘60s and ‘70s includes British and American.
CMG: Big influences?
GC: I like The Who. The Saints, stuff like that. I also have my moments enjoying some country rock. Some CCR. Also a bit of Pink Floyd, Beatles, all the classics. Not really much for the Stones though.
CMG: What were your favorite albums growing up?
GC: Growing up? Rubber Soul. Setting Sons by the Jam was always one that I liked. And All Mod Cons. Umm. When does growing up include? Teenage?
CMG: Yeah, sure.
GC: I was into the Van Der Graaf Generator.
CMG: What were you listening to in college?
GC: My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr. I suppose that was like the late ’80s. But I was always listening to old stuff ‘cause I was learning the guitar. I was listening to a lot of Who really.
CMG: What was the last album that really blew you away?
GC: I love the Deerhoof stuff. Which one was it that made me go bananas? The one with the light-blue, really pretty cover. Kinda hand-drawn but looks posh. [We’re thinking he probably meant Reveille]. The Libertines’ first album. Thought the spirit of that record was amazing.
CMG: What’d you the think of the second one?
GC: It was alright. Seems a little unfinished to me. Which is fine, but I just think…eh.
CMG: What did you think of the Petra Haden cover of The Who Sell Out?
GC: I think it’s great. Pete Townsend actually gave me my copy of that. He quite likes it too.
CMG: You’re best-known for your work with your last band, which was Blur, and you were one of the big figures of Britpop. In your opinion, what is the best Britpop song of all time?
GC: Well I think “Pop Scene” probably was. Because it was a Blur song, but it was in ’92 and was our immediate, knee-jerk reaction to grunge and the Britpop phenomena came just after that, so to us I think that was the first. I don’t really subscribe to calling anything Britpop, but I suppose that was probably the first single of Britpop-ness. Really, the exaggeration of Englishness among the Britpop bands was a bit grotesque to me, to be honest. I didn’t enjoy it.
CMG: Just how the press portrayed you?
GC: Just the fact that to counteract the American thing we exaggerated the Englishness of ourselves, caricatured it. I wasn’t really listening to English groups then anyways.
CMG: Just to give an idea of what your contributions in Blur were, what’s an example of one of your songs from Parklife?
GC: They’re Damon’s songs really, that I’d arrange.
CMG: So you did all the arranging?
GC: Yeah, and like, backing vocals. I was like a director. I would sort of listen to Damon’s demo and then I’d have a fairly good idea of how I wanted to take it. That’s sort of how it would be.
CMG: You still talk with him at all?
GC: I haven’t seen him for ages.
CMG: Which was your favorite Blur record?
GC: I like Modern Life is Rubbish. And the Blur one. “Essex Dogs” is on that is on that, which I thought was kind of interesting.
CMG: Yeah, and “I’m Just a Killer for Your Love.”
GC: Yeah, that was a good song. Just me and Damon did that. I did the drums and the bass on that. That was nice. It wasn’t going to be on the record.
CMG: What do you think of touring? Would you rather be recording?
GC: Don’t like it much. I’m just not very good at traveling.
CMG: Is that true especially being here in America?
GC: It could be anywhere. Europe’s the same—long drives, lot of boredom, feeling ill and tired. No safety blankets.
CMG: How have the crowds been?
GC: Great, really nice. I feel really good because it’s my first tour doing my own stuff and the reaction has been really nice from people.
CMG: This last record [Happiness in Magazines: read the CMG review here] has been doing really well, right?
GC: Yeah, it’s weird. I don’t know what “really well” means, cause I’ve never done well in America, with Blur or anything like that. I don’t know if it’s doing really well or if it’s doing reasonably well for something like what I would make.
CMG: The critical response at least has been very positive.
GC: Yeah, yeah.
CMG: On the records, you’re playing most of the instruments yourself, right?
GC: Yeah, I’m playing everything really.
CMG: Why do you choose to do it that way?
GC: ‘Cause I don’t want to be sitting in the studio waiting for someone to finish their part. I ain’t got the patience to teach people the parts, so I just do it myself. It’s just some residue control freakishness.
CMG: How does that work when you’re then translating that for touring and getting a band together?
GC: They offered their services, and they’re all old friends. I said, “okay, here’s the record. Go out and rehearse and we’ll see how we get on.” Everyone picks it up pretty quickly. Live they can do what they want. They don’t have to stick strictly to the album.
CMG: I wondering what the song “All Over Me” was inspired by. Are those real events?
GC: It’s fantasy really. It’s a mixture of like dreaming, faeries, death. The void. It’s all sensory. It’s kind of a fantasy about being looked after by a girl, I guess, but nonsexual. It’s just all about showers, warmth, fainting, the void of that unconsciousness. All that. [Later in the evening, during his set, he introduced the song by mumbling, “faeries, bloody faeries,” into the mic]
CMG: There are some great hooks on the record. “Freakin’ Out” and “Don’t be a Stranger” are especially noteworthy. How do you go about writing songs like that?
GC: I come up with music, kinda demo them at home on a four-track cassette player. I sort of nonsense sing. Sometimes you listen back and it’s formed words and sentences, and often you have some sort of line or something. “Don’t be a Stranger” is sort of a nonsense story loosely based on when I used to squat with two agoraphobic Slayer fans who were really nuts. They didn’t use the toilet, they’d just go in the corner of the room. Yeah.
CMG: I also saw some of your paintings online. How did you get started with that?
GC: I don’t know, I’ve just always painted since I was a kid. I was painting before I was playing music. I did the usual thing: I went to art school and all that. Something I always did, but I’ve never really shown any of my stuff, only the stuff that has been on the covers of my records.
CMG: Does painting provide the same sort of creative release that music does?
GC: Kinda. It’s not so instant. All the creating is done in solitude. The performing of music is the privilege you get after the working and the recording. With a painting, it’s hard to watch people see your stuff. When I exhibited it was really horrible. No one reacts like in a show. They’re all reacting quietly in their own heads and you have no idea what they’re thinking. That’s really difficult. It’s a lot more nerve-wracking than music.
CMG: For people who have gotten into Happiness in Magazines but don’t know much of your back catalogue, where would you recommend starting?
GC: Kiss of Morning is kind of easy on the ears. A lot of my stuff has been pretty depressive I guess. I’d write in moments of crisis, till 2001 or ’02, when I went into a couple of institutions for drinking and depression and all that kind of stuff. Had to get myself cleaned up. Got slightly more optimistic after that. It’s kind of pretty miserable, a lot of my stuff.
CMG: How has that whole process of cleaning your self up contributed to your friendship with Pete Doherty?
GC: Well, I am his friend if he ever wants to call me up and talk about anything like that, but I understand how addicts are, being one. It’s not always easy to talk to anybody. He goes in waves. Sometimes he seems pretty together and other times you have to run away and just pray that he’s gonna be alright. You can’t really do anything. You just gotta be positive.
CMG: Are you planning a follow-up to Happiness?
GC: Yeah, I’m recording it now. I’ve got 18 tracks finished, all ready to go. It might come out in the fall in England.
Selectadisc, London - 27th October 2004
Photographs by Simon
Circolo Degli Artisti, Rome, Italy - 17th November 2004
Photographs by Simone Cecchetti
Flog, Florence Italy - 18th November 2004
Photographs by buba
Logo, Hamburg, Germany - 23rd November 2004
Photographs by Catherine
Radio 1, John Peel Tribute Night - 16th December 2004
Photographs www.bbc.co.uk/radio1
The Guilded Musical Of Sin, London 20th December - 2004
Photographs by Andrew Kendall - www.andrewkendall.com
The Guilded Musical Of Sin, London
20th December 2004 - www.rockfeedback.com Graham Coxon, The Pipettes, 10,000 Things, Maximo Park, The Subways, The Rakes and Simon Bookish amassing for an all-nighter in a King’s Cross warehouse for the Queens Of Noize ‘Gilded Music Hall Of Sin’. Cue musical-themed costumes (our Sam Hall turning up bravely as Serena from ‘Fame’), balloons, rockfeedback arriving too late to provide its DJ-set (eek), and a headline-set from Coxon (pictured) so sensational, we’re left still in disbelief. His set-list: a rendition of Sonic Youth’s‘Eliminator Junior’, ‘Right to Pop’, ‘Spectacular’, ‘Escape Song’, ‘Ain’t No Lie’, ‘Girl Done Gone’, ‘All Over Me’ The Libertines’ ‘Tell The King’, ‘Feel Right’, ‘Life It Sucks’, ‘You're So Great’, ‘Gimme Some Love’, ‘Freakin Out’, The Who’s ‘A Quick One’, and ‘Who The F**k?’. And, whoa. Appearing as a two-piece with regular drummer, Stephen Gilchrist – and founding-member of Stuffy & The Fuses – our Graham hammered through a showing that we’d probably have to concede was one of our highlights of the year: ramshackle-raw, blisteringly intense, and mildly perverse given that the pair were dressed up as ‘Mary Poppins’ chimney cleaners. Coupled with a decent dosage of covers (inclusive of a surreally poignant ‘Tell The King’), as well as ‘Blur’ classic ‘You’re So Great’, we were enthralled.
The Forum, Kentish Town, London
Dan Silver at the Forum, NW5 WHEN, some two years ago now, Graham Coxon and his then bandmates in Blur succumbed to a terminal case of creative differences, few held out much hope for his continuing career. While the guitarist generated a great deal of goodwill over the years just by being the urbane foil to the flippant foppery of Damon Albarn and Alex James, the quirky quartet of solo albums steeped in the somewhat inaccessible aesthetic of the US hardcore scene that he recorded along the way didn’t bode well. All of which made Coxon’s creative renaissance with this year’s heart-warming album Happiness in Magazines the more surprising. Seemingly freed of the need to exorcise his extreme tendencies, the guitarist reintroduced pop and melody into his musical mix and created one of the year’s best albums in the process. In hindsight, it shouldn’t have been such a shock: this was, after all, the man who co-wrote many of Blur’s biggest hits. Onstage at the Forum there were still instances, most notably in the awkward silences between song breaks, when it seemed that Coxon would have been more comfortable nearer the stage’s wings rather than at its centre. But with Happiness in Magazines providing just under half of the set’s two dozen songs, there was ample opportunity to let the music do the talking — and in a remarkable range of voices, too. From the Kinks-y retro pop of Bottom Bunk to the proto-metal stomp of Fags & Failure, the guitarist flaunted his full gamut of moods and milieux. Highlights came fast and often: the beautiful All Over Me brought the Beatles to mind, while the convivial post-pub rock stomp Don’t be a Stranger sounded like Fugazi frolicking with the Faces. Just in case he was creating the wrong impression, Coxon’s cover version of Mission of Burma’s That’s When I Reach for my Revolver was a riotous reminder of his punk rock credentials. And if the guitarist’s instrumental ability occasionally outstripped that of his voice — Girl Done Gone proved that while he can play the blues, he certainly can’t sing them — there was ample evidence to suggest that, lyrically at least, he had learnt a thing or two from working with Damon Albarn. The leftfield love song Bittersweet Bundle of Misery delivered a delightful dissection of long-term relationships: “I love the way we fight, right through the night/And the way we used to kiss was way out of sight”. The biggest surprise was saved for last, though. Half way through his first encore, Coxon brought on his friend Pete Doherty for a thrilling take on the Libertines’ Time for Heroes. Remarkably, he then managed to top that with the febrile Freakin’ Out, a fizzing fuzz-rock masterpiece that boasted a squalling riff every bit as bold, brash and bouncy as the one he wrote for Blur’s Song 2. Clearly even underdogs have their day, eventually. The Times Online.
Photo by Andrew Kendall
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Graham Coxon, The Forum - Xfm Review by Julian Marszalek, November 27 2004 Graham Coxon, for so long the reluctant frontman, is on the offensive. No longer the awkward geek who’d shuffle through his own gigs with a mixed air of detachment, bemusement and embarrassment, this is a man who has come to regard the art of performance with the same level of importance that he affords his beloved overdrive pedal. Blending his love of hardcorepunk with an innate sensibility for infectious pop, Coxon is – whisper it - on the verge of expunging from the mind any memory of the fact that he used to belong to Blur. You’d better believe it; a strong association with a band is enough to kill off most solo careers – ask Richard Ashcroft – but here, it’s as if Coxon’s old muckers were simply a springboard to greater things. Scissor kicking his way across the stage or momentarily suspended in mid-air, his kness curled tightly under his chest with his Gibson SG silhouetted against the glare of the lights, Coxon is once again becoming the iconic figure that formed one quarter of the band that fought hard for Britpop pole position. This time, however, he’s doing things on his own terms and winning. Ranting “…your world is crap/you ain’t even on the universe map” with venomous intent, ‘People Of The Earth’ explodes with the spite-filled ferocity of Mark E. Smith playing heavy metal. Indeed, it’s the more obtuse moments from ‘Happiness In Magazines’ that provide some of the more notable highlights. Witness ‘Girl Done Gone’ which transcends its blues origins into something far more feral as it twists and bends with a satisfying petulance. But for all of his wigged out plank spanking, Coxon can’t resist a hook-laden tune and so it is that ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’ and ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’ induce a serious case of happy feet. If sobriety has allowed Coxon to accept himself and what he does, it’s something that tonight’s unexpected guest might take on board. Having already caused a stir in the balcony by his mere arrival, former Libertine Pete Doherty takes the stage to a hero’s welcome as Coxon and co tear into a blistering ‘Time For Heroes’. Along with the massed voices, the love and devotion that eminates from the audience threatens to tear the roof clean off. It’s a moment of symbolic juxtoposition and one that you can only hope may point the troubled troubadour in the right direction. But this is Coxon’s night. The scuzzed pop-punk of ‘Freakin’ Out’ simply underlines the sheer excitement and check-yer-pants thrills that have characterized tonight whilst proving conclusively that attack really is the best form of defence. Xfm Doherty Joins Coxon Live Onstage...Fans at Graham Coxon’s concert at the Forum in London this weekend got a surprise when Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty joined the former Blur guitarist onstage to play a Libertines track. Doherty made the shock appearance on stage with Coxon at his gig at the Kentish Town Forum in North London on Saturday (November 27). Nineteen songs into his set Coxon told the crowd, “I’d just like to welcome my friend on for the next song,” before Doherty appeared dressed in a white vest and leather jacket and the pair gave each other a hug, reports the NME. The pair then gave a blistering rendition of The Libertines’ track 'Time For Heroes' (which Coxon had recently covered on a radio session) while Doherty jumped around the stage and climbed up onto the speaker stacks. Coxon’s twenty-three song set drew from his entire five album solo career, including tracks from 2002’s ‘The Kiss Of Morning’, 2000’s ‘Golden D’ and 1998’s ‘Sky Is Too High’ but the majority(including the hits ‘Freakin’ Out’ and ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’) were from his most recent album ‘Happiness In Magazines’. The full set list of the concert was: ‘Spectacular’ ‘No Good Time’ ‘Escape Song’ ‘Ain’t No Lie’ ‘I Wish’ ‘Bottom Bunk’ ‘Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery’ ‘Girl Done Gone’ ‘All Over Me’ ‘Hopeless Friend’ ‘Don’t Be A Stranger’ ‘Life It Sucks’ ‘Right To Pop’ ‘Gimme Some Love’ ‘Fags And Failure’ ‘Revolver’ ‘Bitter Tears’ ‘Big Bird’ ‘Feel Right’ ‘Time For Heroes’ ‘Freakin’ Out’ ‘Jamie Thomas’ ‘P.O.T.E.
The Electric Ballroom, Camden, London
By Tom Hannan - www.rockfeedback.com Written on 10/06/2004 The prize for T-shirt of the night undoubtedly goes to the fella walking around with the slogan ‘Blur’s new guitarist is shit’ emblazoned across his back. Whoever you were, whilst it’s sadly unlikely it will be taken up as a piece of official Coxon merchandise, well done to you all the same. For whilst Simon Tong may be competent enough, the lad has a point – he’s sure as hell no Coxon. Tonight’s the proper return of a real English guitar hero. First, however, it’s Cathy Davey’s turn to provoke some intrigue. Whilst her quaint, both dark and quirky takes on guitar pop would be adequately listenable in anyone’s hands, it’s the voice that helps them resonate. While there’s something slightly unnatural about it, the feeling that if you were to engage in a conversation with her she’d sound nothing like the sweet husk of her stage tones, it’s certainly an instrument more than worthy of our ears, always effortlessly hitting the peaks you at first think she just might not be capable of. The day will arrive when it isn’t tempting to compare all female indie songwriters to a certain era of PJ Harvey, but it sure ain’t here yet - Davey is ‘Stories…’ with some added sunshine. This surely isn’t a bad thing. These Futureheads though, another influence springs to mind with every awkward jitter and spiky riff they throw our way. At first, you think you’ve got it pinned – somewhere between the swagger of The Clash, the tunes of The Jam and the thorny avant-garde nature of Gang of Four, but then they remind you that occasionally, they can even go all Adam & The Ants on us if they want. It’s invigorating to watch, enthralling to hear, and an honour to witness this foursome hammering great tunes (often involving some wonderful, four vocal-harmonised ‘whoa-oh-ohs’ for good measure) without any regard for whether the average listener can consistently sing along or even tap their feet to them. Believe us, these beats are barmy. More straight-up, but no less eccentric or vital, is the man Coxon himself. Somewhere along the line, he became a frontman - a proper guitar-abusing, joke-telling, stage-ruling one at that. What’s most heartening is how much it suits him, this new found persona as the centre of attention hasn’t turned him arrogant, just made him an absolute pleasure to observe. He jests about his prior introspective nature too, wryly introducing a jaw-dropping rendition of ‘That’s All I Wanna Do’ as ‘the first song on the first record that I recorded all by myself…’ The old stuff has been beefed up by Graham’s superb backing-band, ‘I Wish’ another example of how he’s actually been writing top tunes all the way through his solo career, but it’s the brand spanking new material with which he really shines. He’s been known to refer to ‘Happiness in Magazines’ as his first ‘proper’ record, which is debatable, but what is for certain is it’s by far his best. Tonight it’s here in all it’s glory, from an early airing for the cocky swagger of ‘Spectacular’ to the inclusion of a frantically paced, brilliantly received ‘Freakin’ Out’ in the encore. In between, he visits a large part of the solo-career (nobody shouts for ‘Coffee & TV’, praise be), dropping in on the ludicrous fastness of ‘Fags and Failure’ (‘this is about insecurity, and, well, cigarettes’) seminal punk covers (Mission of Burma themselves do only a slightly better version of their own ‘That’s When I Reach For My Revolver’) and fittingly ‘Ain’t No Lie’, what with it being about Camden Town, our suitably grimy host for the evening. Strangely, only material from the well-received ‘Crow Sit On Blood Tree’ LP is omitted, but few people notice, as the new stuff is going down so well; the lad now writes ‘hits’, and whilst the crowd reaction isn’t the punk-rock mosh-fest we may have predicted, it’s still a rapturous, distinctly homely one, where words are sung along to and adoration is thrown at their author so blatantly, he couldn’t fail to notice. It doesn’t feel like we’ve got Graham back; it’s as if he’s just starting, finally comfortable with every aspect of his playing, writing and performing. All that considered, this really is some debut.
GRAHAM COXON INTERVIEW
Interview by Claire Craig - Rare FM First up, I feel like I need to establish the boundaries here. A little later, may I be so bold as to ask you a bit about Blur? Of course. I might not answer, but you can ask. Grand. I'll have a go then. But now, for people who live in a cave as 90% of our listeners do, who exactly are you Mr Coxon? That's a very good question. Who am I? I'm an ex-art school musician who used to be in a famous band called Blur and am now making solo records, or continuing to make them. It's very different now. I just have to remember to ask for help. And what is going on for you at the moment? Well, I've just been touring for the last three weeks, all over Europe. I liked Germany; I'm not into Berlin, it's too huge and empty and imposing, but Munich was good. I was in Spain too. I had to come back for three days to sign some art prints, but that was it. The rest of the time I was touring. Yes, I was going to ask you about that because I found myself in Barcelona at the same time as you, so I popped along to see you. You did? That was a really funny gig. I had noticed you were having lots of giggles on stage. Well, it was just a bit weird, wasn't it? Everything was remarkably fast. I thought you were going to combust during Freakin' Out. Yeah, we like to play stuff fast. This set-list is strange because there's a big bit in the middle where we really have to concentrate, and then we just go a bit mad. But those audiences in Spain, they were just so stoned. I don't like playing to audiences like that because they just don't do anything. I'm up here with my band and we're working really hard and they are just stoned. So, we just think fuck 'em, and we do what we like. I was with a friend who had never heard any of your solo stuff other than Freakin' Out and she was really surprised and impressed by your solo sound. Solo sound? What's that mean? Your direction, your general approach. It seems that leaving Blur has unleashed an inner punk beast from within. Is that symptomatic of circumstances or is it just you? Well, I think it's me. I think that's what happens. Damon wrote a lot of the fast stuff in Blur for me really. It's the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam. But do you know what, it's the clothes I wear. It's the clothes that influence the music I'm going to play. Right now I'm wearing my shoes that I had at Goldsmiths. They still have the paint on them. I?m going to keep them forever - they're lucky shoes. I've also got this school type jumper thing of mine on and I've been wearing a black tie recently but I'll start phasing that out at the end of the week. It's for John Peel. Have any tributes that you have seen or things you have heard written about John Peel stood out from the others? I think just the things that have been said about the way he talked. He would talk to everyone in the same way, whether it was the milkman or the prime minister. He was just really genuine. Going back to the show in Barcelona quickly; that was one hell of a line-up. If you could put on a gig and headline it, who would you put underneath you on the bill and where would it be? I love the Forum actually, so can it be here? And ... ... [really long pause]... ...er [still thinking] ... ...who would I have with me?... ...[maybe this is a crap question? I thought it was okay, but...] er ... ... that's cool [phew] but I don't know, can we come back to that so I can think of someone? Of course... Now for the quick fire questions. I like to call this the QuickFireFour because it sounds snappy. So... 1) What was the last band that blew you away, or the last CD that didn't come out of your CD player? That would be 'Up the Bracket.' When I finally heard the Libertines, I had never heard anything before with that kind of spirit. Er, okay, bonus question time: Why did I see Pete Doherty at the door and why were you soundchecking with 'Time for Heroes'? Because Pete's coming onstage tonight to play it with us. He wants to play all the time and you just can't stop him. We share the same birthday, me and him. So we have a psychic connection. Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone before and ruin the surprise. 2) Ever bought anything from Ebay? Oh yeah. I bought these old Gringo boots but when they came they had to go to the charity shop. They were just a bit big and not quite right. But I got a belt-buckle once. It was from a whole bundle of belt-buckles that were confiscated by the US government because of their drug references. This one said LSD and had mad patterns behind it. It's great. 3) What's your most prized possession? 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. I was really pissed and I didn't know what I was doing. Well, I must have known what I was doing really because it's turned out to be such a great guitar and now its my favourite. These shoes too; they're lucky shoes. And my yellow cravat that I sometimes wear, I suppose that's a prized possession now too. 4) Do you talk to your neighbours? Yes, I have two ace neighbours. I live down this lovely little street and yes, we talk. When I got back from being away they had all the parcels that people had tried to deliver for me. There was a reversible waistcoat; one side moleskin, one side tweed. Lovely. And a jacket. No, we all have Halloween parties and stuff like that when the kids are in bed. So, here it comes. The Blur part of the interview. What was the highlight of your time in Blur? Here at Rare FM we like to concentrate on the positives. Er... [really long pause - was that a pin dropping?]. I was moaning so much the whole time I forgot that anything might actually be a highlight. I suppose 'Star Shaped', when you forget all the pretentious bollocks in that, that's a really good rockumentary. That was our first time on the festival circuit and it was all pretty new. Overwrought. That's what it was. Yeah, as a highlight, I'd say 'Star Shaped'. And at Rare FM, we don?t like confrontation. We like conflict resolution. Conflict resolution, you say? Yes. We have recently been heartened to hear gossip, rumours, grape-vine murmurings that you got together to talk about recording again. That wasn't about recording, but we were talking. It was about legalities, and just to talk really, and to sort out those relationships a bit. And have you sorted them out? Yes. No. You know, I don't know. It was only a couple of months ago, so we'll just have to see. Well, thank you very much for letting us pry. Conversation then turned, as it does so frequently, to funny second-hand cameras, strange coffee shops in Barcelona, and how digital cameras are the biggest con of all time. Stay tuned whilst we wait for the photos to be developed...
US TOUR INTERVIEW
by Peter Hepburn - www.cokemachineglow.com
An Interview with Graham Coxon by Coke Machine Glow's Peter Hepburn (CMG): Introduce yourself. Graham Coxon (GC): This here is Graham Coxon, here to play a show at the Black Cat. CMG: What kind of music do you play? GC: Give me anything that is pretty much influenced from the mid- to late-‘60s and mid- to late-‘70s. I miss out on some of the ‘80s. A bit of ealy-‘80s weirdo stuff and I kinda like American ‘90s music. The ‘60s and ‘70s includes British and American. CMG: Big influences? GC: I like The Who. The Saints, stuff like that. I also have my moments enjoying some country rock. Some CCR. Also a bit of Pink Floyd, Beatles, all the classics. Not really much for the Stones though. CMG: What were your favorite albums growing up? GC: Growing up? Rubber Soul. Setting Sons by the Jam was always one that I liked. And All Mod Cons. Umm. When does growing up include? Teenage? CMG: Yeah, sure. GC: I was into the Van Der Graaf Generator. CMG: What were you listening to in college? GC: My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr. I suppose that was like the late ’80s. But I was always listening to old stuff ‘cause I was learning the guitar. I was listening to a lot of Who really. CMG: What was the last album that really blew you away? GC: I love the Deerhoof stuff. Which one was it that made me go bananas? The one with the light-blue, really pretty cover. Kinda hand-drawn but looks posh. [We’re thinking he probably meant Reveille]. The Libertines’ first album. Thought the spirit of that record was amazing. CMG: What’d you the think of the second one? GC: It was alright. Seems a little unfinished to me. Which is fine, but I just think…eh. CMG: What did you think of the Petra Haden cover of The Who Sell Out? GC: I think it’s great. Pete Townsend actually gave me my copy of that. He quite likes it too. CMG: You’re best-known for your work with your last band, which was Blur, and you were one of the big figures of Britpop. In your opinion, what is the best Britpop song of all time? GC: Well I think “Pop Scene” probably was. Because it was a Blur song, but it was in ’92 and was our immediate, knee-jerk reaction to grunge and the Britpop phenomena came just after that, so to us I think that was the first. I don’t really subscribe to calling anything Britpop, but I suppose that was probably the first single of Britpop-ness. Really, the exaggeration of Englishness among the Britpop bands was a bit grotesque to me, to be honest. I didn’t enjoy it. CMG: Just how the press portrayed you? GC: Just the fact that to counteract the American thing we exaggerated the Englishness of ourselves, caricatured it. I wasn’t really listening to English groups then anyways. CMG: Just to give an idea of what your contributions in Blur were, what’s an example of one of your songs from Parklife? GC: They’re Damon’s songs really, that I’d arrange. CMG: So you did all the arranging? GC: Yeah, and like, backing vocals. I was like a director. I would sort of listen to Damon’s demo and then I’d have a fairly good idea of how I wanted to take it. That’s sort of how it would be. CMG: You still talk with him at all? GC: I haven’t seen him for ages. CMG: Which was your favorite Blur record? GC: I like Modern Life is Rubbish. And the Blur one. “Essex Dogs” is on that is on that, which I thought was kind of interesting. CMG: Yeah, and “I’m Just a Killer for Your Love.” GC: Yeah, that was a good song. Just me and Damon did that. I did the drums and the bass on that. That was nice. It wasn’t going to be on the record. CMG: What do you think of touring? Would you rather be recording? GC: Don’t like it much. I’m just not very good at traveling. CMG: Is that true especially being here in America? GC: It could be anywhere. Europe’s the same—long drives, lot of boredom, feeling ill and tired. No safety blankets. CMG: How have the crowds been? GC: Great, really nice. I feel really good because it’s my first tour doing my own stuff and the reaction has been really nice from people. CMG: This last record [Happiness in Magazines: read the CMG review here] has been doing really well, right? GC: Yeah, it’s weird. I don’t know what “really well” means, cause I’ve never done well in America, with Blur or anything like that. I don’t know if it’s doing really well or if it’s doing reasonably well for something like what I would make. CMG: The critical response at least has been very positive. GC: Yeah, yeah. CMG: On the records, you’re playing most of the instruments yourself, right? GC: Yeah, I’m playing everything really. CMG: Why do you choose to do it that way? GC: ‘Cause I don’t want to be sitting in the studio waiting for someone to finish their part. I ain’t got the patience to teach people the parts, so I just do it myself. It’s just some residue control freakishness. CMG: How does that work when you’re then translating that for touring and getting a band together? GC: They offered their services, and they’re all old friends. I said, “okay, here’s the record. Go out and rehearse and we’ll see how we get on.” Everyone picks it up pretty quickly. Live they can do what they want. They don’t have to stick strictly to the album. CMG: I wondering what the song “All Over Me” was inspired by. Are those real events? GC: It’s fantasy really. It’s a mixture of like dreaming, faeries, death. The void. It’s all sensory. It’s kind of a fantasy about being looked after by a girl, I guess, but nonsexual. It’s just all about showers, warmth, fainting, the void of that unconsciousness. All that. [Later in the evening, during his set, he introduced the song by mumbling, “faeries, bloody faeries,” into the mic] CMG: There are some great hooks on the record. “Freakin’ Out” and “Don’t be a Stranger” are especially noteworthy. How do you go about writing songs like that? GC: I come up with music, kinda demo them at home on a four-track cassette player. I sort of nonsense sing. Sometimes you listen back and it’s formed words and sentences, and often you have some sort of line or something. “Don’t be a Stranger” is sort of a nonsense story loosely based on when I used to squat with two agoraphobic Slayer fans who were really nuts. They didn’t use the toilet, they’d just go in the corner of the room. Yeah. CMG: I also saw some of your paintings online. How did you get started with that? GC: I don’t know, I’ve just always painted since I was a kid. I was painting before I was playing music. I did the usual thing: I went to art school and all that. Something I always did, but I’ve never really shown any of my stuff, only the stuff that has been on the covers of my records. CMG: Does painting provide the same sort of creative release that music does? GC: Kinda. It’s not so instant. All the creating is done in solitude. The performing of music is the privilege you get after the working and the recording. With a painting, it’s hard to watch people see your stuff. When I exhibited it was really horrible. No one reacts like in a show. They’re all reacting quietly in their own heads and you have no idea what they’re thinking. That’s really difficult. It’s a lot more nerve-wracking than music. CMG: For people who have gotten into Happiness in Magazines but don’t know much of your back catalogue, where would you recommend starting? GC: Kiss of Morning is kind of easy on the ears. A lot of my stuff has been pretty depressive I guess. I’d write in moments of crisis, till 2001 or ’02, when I went into a couple of institutions for drinking and depression and all that kind of stuff. Had to get myself cleaned up. Got slightly more optimistic after that. It’s kind of pretty miserable, a lot of my stuff. CMG: How has that whole process of cleaning your self up contributed to your friendship with Pete Doherty? GC: Well, I am his friend if he ever wants to call me up and talk about anything like that, but I understand how addicts are, being one. It’s not always easy to talk to anybody. He goes in waves. Sometimes he seems pretty together and other times you have to run away and just pray that he’s gonna be alright. You can’t really do anything. You just gotta be positive. CMG: Are you planning a follow-up to Happiness? GC: Yeah, I’m recording it now. I’ve got 18 tracks finished, all ready to go. It might come out in the fall in England.
Hammersmith Palais, London - 18th February 2005
Photographs by Andrew Kendall - www.andrewkendall.com
South By Southwest Festival, Stubbs, Austin TX, USA - March 17 2005
Photographs by RiverSylphide
South By Southwest Festival, Stubbs, Austin TX, USA - March 17 2005
Photographs by Jamie Chuddy
South By Southwest Festival, Stubbs, Austin TX, USA - March 17 2005
Photographs by Jenna Decker - www.jennatonic.com
Troubadour, Los Angeles CA, USA - March 19 - 2005
Photographs by Yaz
Troubadour, Los Angeles CA, USA - March 19 - 2005
Photographs by Simon
Graham Coxon at Pure Groove records shop in 2008