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Blur’s Graham Coxon says he ‘worried every hour of the day’ because of ‘unhinged’ fans

The guitarist said he suffered ‘months and months of not sleeping’ during the peak of the band’s fame

Megan Graye
Monday 05 December 2022 10:48 EST
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Blur’s guitarist Graham Coxon has opened up about his worries during the height of the band’s success.

Coxon said he struggled to deal with fame, and the attention from some of the band’s more obsessive fans, whom he described as“unhinged”.

“You get unhinged people. People who are obsessive,” said the 53-year-old in an interview with The Idler.

Coxon explained that some intrusive attention had led to him worry constantly and suffer from insomnia.

“Until it happens to you, you don’t quite realise just what a nightmare that is,” he said.

“Months and months of not sleeping. Worrying every day, every hour of the day. It was awful,” he added.

Some superfans even made efforts to have engagements with Coxon’s girlfriends during the 1990s, he recalled.

“You’d be on tour and your girlfriend would have all these suitors, trying to get with your girlfriend.

“Because fair enough, if they like your girlfriend, but if they’re trying to get with her because she’s with you…”

“I found that a world of super meanness that I didn’t realise was there,” he added.

Last month, the Britpop band announced a reunion show scheduled for the summer of 2023.

The band will play Wembley Stadium next July, marking the Blur’s first headline show since 2015.

The gig will see the reunion of Coxon, Damon Albarn, Alex James and Dave Rowntree for the band’s first ever Wembley Stadium performance.

Support will come from electro-pop duo Jockstrap, British rapper slowthai, and Self Esteem.

“We really love playing these songs and thought it’s about time we did it again,” said Alborn at the time of the announcement.

“There’s always something really special when the four of us get in a room. It’s nice to think that on 8 July that room will be Wembley Stadium,” added James.

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