That Pedal Show – Graham Coxon On Life, Music, Gear & Inspiration

Life too short for long YouTube videos? Please see the ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ information below.

In this episode we welcome the wonderful, enigmatic and popular-music-changing Graham Coxon to the show. Graham is a founding member of legendary British band, Blur who reigned alongside Oasis at the top of the 1990s Britpop scene. They’ve sold millions of records and go down as one of the most famous and successful British bands ever. Graham also has a successful solo career and he does soundtracks too.
Coxon’s unorthodox, visceral approach to guitar and music is influenced by – and continues to influence – a long line of alternative players who eschew a traditional scales-and-‘correct’-technique approach in favour simply whatever works best in the context of the music. Quite a bit of this video centres around that whole discussion as it unfolds into a fascinating and inspiring insight into what's going on inside his head. Recollections of a few classic Blur guitar moments are the icing on the cake.
Please note that there’s not a huge amount of playing in this video. That Pedal Shed is entirely out of context with Graham’s usual worlds of all-encompassing live performance, immersive songwriting and in-the-moment recording.
He is a true artist and we thank him warmly for his insight and candour in this video… and of course his colossal contribution to British music.

Meantime, enjoy the video…

Pedals in this episode…

• Boss TU-3S Chromatic Tuner

• Xotic EP Booster

• Origin Effects Cali76 Compact Deluxe

• Hudson Broadcast

• Suhr Koko Boost

• Thorpy Gunshot

• BAE Hot Fuzz Pedal

• Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter

• TC Electronic Alter Ego

• Strymon Flint

• TheGigRig G2

Interesting bits and go-to sections…
- Intro and welcome: 00:00
- Graham’s 2017 board: 1:30
- What about RATs then? 3:18
- And Marshalls, and Boogies? 6:45
- Bug Man, Coffee & TV: 12:48
- “But, what was great about Oasis”… 13:20
- Graham and the Telecaster: 16:00
- How did your style and approach evolve? 19:48
- The solo at the end of Coffee & TV? 20:55
- Beetlebum… 25:14
- Visual inspiration… and lyrics: 30:35
- Guitar sound on Battle: 35:14
- “No point in learning scales” 38:23
- Soundtracks? 43:30
- “Not interested in being me any more”: 44:45
- A few sounds from Graham’s board: 48:30
- And the fuzz on Song 2? 56:18

Guitars in this episode
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster

Amps in this episode
• Victory Sheriff 22 and V212VH cabinet (1 x Celestion G12H Anniversary, 1 x Celestion Vintage 30)

• Marshall 1987x with Marshall 2061x 2x12 cabinet (Celestion G12H Anniversary speakers)

Both amps are running all the time

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[bigJohnnybabyboy]

TPS is insane. I watch an hour of a show where the guitar player effectively says "it doesn't matter what gear you use", and my reaction is "fuck it. I'm buying a blue Telecaster with a rosewood fingerboard tomorrow"

[SirSamJuan]

"I played guitar like i played fotball. No technical abillity really, but yet somehow scored a lot of goals"

[fender]

What an interesting conversation - awesome video as always Mick and Dan!

[crimsoid]

Mike's face expression at 22:37, when he's told that there were no months of intricate work behind Coffee & TV guitar solo, is the same for each one of us who tried to imitate that with months of work

[beryl]

Graham is just so precious. He’s just so humble and shy even though he is so talented. I wish there were more people like him. One of the best guitarists of this time.

[spatula]

Graham's great. He's either correcting his glasses or fixing his hair. What a character 😂

[nicklearnstomove]

graham coxon: i don't know anything
me: i don't know anything

watch out world.

[thepennydrops.]

He makes ‘wrong’ sound so ‘right’! Literally grabs a sound by the throat and drags it into an awesome tune.

[Paul-dwcl]

27:14 “That sounded- that sounded- that sounded better than it has done in a long time- Yeah, that was- that sounded really good on that.” I love that

[Ukedc]

Coxon. The very definition of a humble genius.

[jimi]

Graham Coxon is my new hero.. Chaotic genius is a phrase that spring to mind!! 0 musical knowledge, but creates the most amazing noise! His awkwardness and angst absolutely shapes his sound, and I love that, it wouldn’t work any other way!

[danielgorman]

At last!!! I have been a massive Graham fan since Modern Life Is Rubbish...totally steered me away from the whole rock/shred thing...he is massively underrated in guitar circles. Great to see him here. Thanks chaps!

[GTanya]

I'm just here fangirling from the beginning until the end of the video

[thomasnissen]

This is brilliant. So, one day its josh smith teaching us how yeaaaars of practice does this and that, and the Mr. Coxon saying "F**k it, bend it till it sounds right, hit some pedals maybe" and sounding amazing. The world of music, gear and philosophy is amazing :) Thank you for the show again, hope you had a blast doing it!! :) And a nice weekend to ya fellas.

[CraftyBeanz]

It is so fascinating how distinctive Graham's playing is even though the music is not super technical. It really is an extension of himself.

[haroldushawkinsi]

15:11 is Villa Rosie riff, just want to make it easy to find so i can stare at it on repeat for 4 hours trying to figure out how to play it

[pressureonjulia]

when he played that guitar solo section in coffee and tv... i died

[russhay]

There’s such a purity, innocence and immediacy to his approach and that’s the energy that grabs me and I assume it’s the same for everyone else. It’s that moment when we all pick up the guitar and immediately say enthusiastic swear words. It warms the heart. Love it!

[aqualunga]

Coxon and Frusciante the most interesting guitar players on last 30 years. And they are in some way similar, very non-standard thinking. Real musicians, real talents.

[daviddonnan]

Mick & Dan, this is fantastic. He is such a splendid human, and gives hope to all of us bum noters..