Graham Coxon: Staying in Blur would have killed me

Graham Coxon has told NME that if he was still in Blur now he's not sure he'd be alive to tell the tale. Coxon, who recently completed a new, as-yet-untitled solo album with former Blur producer Stephen Street, has revealed to NME the true extent of his rift with Damon Albarn.

"I don't think I’d still be alive if I was still in Blur," he said. "I certainly wouldn't have such a good domestic situation as I have now, and I wouldn't have made a really good record I’m proud of. I might really be dead, because there would have been nothing worse than to go back to that situation."

Coxon was kicked out of Blur in 2002 and recently Damon Albarn has been making conciliatory comments in the press, claiming Graham will "always be the guitarist in Blur”. However, Coxon has dismissed the suggestion. " If he wants to build bridges," the guitarist fumed, "Why do I read it in NME? I haven't received any other correspondence apart from lawyers. I don't think it's an attempt to build bridges, I think it's an arrogant attempt to suggest that maybe I have something better in my life to do than play with his band."

NME heard five-track sampler of Coxon's album which is markedly more poppy than his other solo work and more like the songs Coxon fronted in Blur like 'Coffee & TV'.

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