I love it when inter-band dynamics actually make it into a video.
By 1999, guitarist Graham Coxonâs drinking problem (happy birthday Graham!) and creative grievances meant that he was increasingly distant from the rest of Blur. âGraham wasnât happy and he didnât always turn up,â the Britpop groupâs bassist, Alex James, said in his memoir. âIt was frustrating because, when he did, everything he did was brilliant.â This is a single written and primarily sung by Coxon, who plays the missing son of a sad suburban English family, first seen pictured on the side of a milk carton â a milk carton that promptly comes to life and becomes the videoâs happy little protagonist. It is, in fact, brilliant, and it is, in fact, Coxon's handiwork.
"Do you feel like a chain store/practically floored?" I wish I'd written that line.
Mar 12, 2024
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This might be Damon Albarnâs greatest musical achievement.
A song about missing the comforts of home đŹđ§ while on the road
Using the BBCâs nightly Shipping Forecast (itself, the most British thing ever - a specific platform to obsess about the weather) as a metaphor
Loaded with obscure place names, English totems of days gone by (like a more jaded Ray Davies) and allusions to a fracturing relationship with Elasticaâs Justine Frischmann (due in part to her heroin addiction and his dabbling, something Albarn wouldnât discuss publicly for years).
And some of Graham Coxonâs most inspired guitar soloing.
âFinding ways to stay solo.â âïž
Instant Britpop classic.
Feb 2, 2024
This is a Lennon/McCartney style collab - Damon had the heartbreak of his then-recent split with Elasticaâs Justine Frischmann on his mind and Graham had the âOh my babyâ / sing-from-the-terraces bit.
I canât imagine being Graham and hearing your words sung back to you by a huge crowd (like here at Glasto) every night. I think my brain would explode.
The most gospel/spiritual thing theyâve ever done. A fun jammy song to play on guitar: A to G to C#m đđ»
Good on yer Gra.
Mar 12, 2025
Thames views at dinner
Blurâs âUnder the Westwayâ in my ears
âThere were blue skies in my city today
Everything was sinking, said snow would come on Sunday
The old school was due and the traffic grew
Upon the Westwayâ
Originally intended as a private anthem for singer Damon Albarn's family (he was going to press it up on 78 and had a flag made for it)
It ended up being a love letter to the one city Albarn has loved, obsessed over and lived in his entire life: The Smoke. Relatable. I (heart) this place.
Feb 24, 2025
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The man responsible for dozens of Teenage Symphonies to God
"Sad songs about happy things" (the first time, as a kid, I can recall the sweet/sour combo of melodies that could make you cry attached to songs about endless, bottomless love)
I've long since lost track of how many weddings and funerals I've attended that have featured this song; suffice it to say, "a lot."
God only knows what we'd been without him đđ»
Jun 11, 2025
May 22, 2025
Hey tyler hopefully this doesnât violate some PI.FYI golden rule
But after nearly two years of writing, editing and arguing, my book about the EP is coming out in May and can be preordered here:
https://hozacrecords.com/product/aifl/
The book is about the origins, history and cultural impact of the EP since these little objects first started coming out in the 50s.
Over 50 of my music biz friends then helped me shape the list and review the top 200 ever released, according to us (ha).
For those of you who are into this kind of geekery/snobbery, I canât wait to hear what you think. A labor of love, as all books are! â€ïž
Mar 27, 2024