Graham Coxon

I'm still trying to discover my position on my own artwork and hopefully at this exhibition someone will come and tell me. I'm open to listening to criticism.

A singer for me is more like someone who is standing alone with a microphone like Scott Walker, rather than someone who is bashing a plank and is spitting all over a microphone.

Being a singer now I have to get all fussy... I must have my ginger and lemon and all that.

But live shows are cool. I just got back into the idea of enjoying it live.

I don't think of myself as a singer really.

I had a breakthrough, I think my life just became calmer, I gave up drinking. My priorities changed as I had a young daughter. The group didn't want me to record for the Think Tank album... so I took it as a sign to leave.

I liked Germany; I'm not into Berlin, it's too huge and empty and imposing, but Munich was good.

I love the magic of the studio.

I sing, but I don't think of myself as a singer.

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 think a lot of cynicism has dropped away from my shoulders since I stopped drinking.

I think now, more than anytime I can remember, bands are sounding pretty similar whether they're English or American, from Manchester or London... or Leeds or Welsh or Irish.

I think of someone like Mariah Carey as a singer.

I'm a bit of lunatic with shoes and jackets and jeans. It's just how I am.

I'm not going to pretend that I am the best thing in their life and they have to be totally loyal.

I'm still amazed by the process of recording.

There were some extremely good teachers there that were great artists really in their own right. It was actually very hard to concentrate on getting down to going any work being an art student especially when it's a flighty thing at best.

I've always looked at shoes as being immensely beautiful things.

The other guys drink, but they don't drink anywhere near what I used to. And I think they're slightly respectful of the fact that I'm off it, so it's not a problem.

It was quite nice meeting up because we went through a lot together and we haven't really seen each much other to communicate one to one for quite a long time.

It's a bit loose and the people in my group have got other groups. They don't have to have a total allegiance to me. I think that's really a bit weird and showing some weird insecurity.

It's the clothes that influence the music I'm going to play.

It's the faster bands that made me want to play guitar, bands like The Jam.

Like, Mission Of Burma to me always sounded almost like they were part of the British Arty New Wave. I kind of like that. I like not being able to tell the difference.

Manchester has it's own pride and London has it's sort of pride and sometimes we can be a bit mean to each other, but I think if we dig the music we can get on really well.