Verse, Chorus, Monster! by Graham Coxon review – Britpop’s unlikely lad

In a disarmingly candid memoir, the Blur guitarist relates the insanity of fame and habit, his unease with Britpop, and the way people led him to greener pastures

As Blur bossed the 90s, and Damon Albarn’s bouncy songs about Englishness came to exemplify Britpop, Graham Coxon might often be discovered scowling behind the band’s group photographs. Coxon’s MO as their guitarist typically concerned lobbing “anti-solos” into the equipment, the band’s sceptical counterweight.

The 2 had met at college in Colchester, Essex, decamping to artwork school in London the place they discovered themselves on the centre of two artistic movements: the Goldsmiths’ art set that might turn out to be the YBAs, and the bands who would spearhead a brand new sound. One look on the music press back then would have revealed that Coxon, bespectacled, sharp and into American music as a lot because the Kinks, was not all the time thrilled at his band’s course of journey.