X-clusive: Coxon Gets 'Loved-up' For Next Album

After a year of successes, awards and finally breaking into the mainstream as a solo artist proper, ex-Blur man Graham Coxon has been talking about getting ‘loved-up’ for the follow-up to ‘Happiness In Magazines’.

Speaking to Xfm recently, he explained that he’s already recording the hugely anticipated follow-up to 'Happiness...' saying, “I’m recording it at the moment. My head’s in the clouds and it’s sounding great. It sounds like me really, but organised.”

Coxon has also told Billboard that he already has eight tracks done for the new record ranging from faster tracks (such as hit single ‘Freakin’ Out’) to slower, sentimental songs with "bipolar, erratic" lyrics.

"The emotion is a lot edgier. It's about the dreaded L-O-V-E from all sides; from the lustier sort of viewpoints to jealous viewpoints and to downright sentimentality.

Working once again with uber-producer Stephen Street (who Graham has previously cited as the man that finally brought him out his shell creatively), Coxon explained,

“It was so nice last time and smooth and he’s quick and focussed,” he told Xfm. “I’m more of an expressive kind of person, whereas he’s into making a good sounding thing. Between us I think we get it right.”

"Creative control is the ultimate for a self-obsessed lunatic,” he told Billboard. ”I try not to be control freakish about it, but with my own stuff I started to be that way, because I was so used to being in a group. But after awhile, you sort of cry out for other people's opinions and advice, which is why I got a producer in the first place."

Coxon also unveiled two new tracks ‘Gimme Some Love’ and ‘I Can't Think Of Your Skin’ at the Astralwerks' label showcase at last week’s South By South West festival

However, following his North American dates, Coxon wants nothing more than to kick back for the summer in the green fields of the UK and get down to some hardcore D.I.Y.

"I'd like to do some festivals, but mainly rest," he says. "Take some time off, do some artwork for the next album. And decorate the bathroom."

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