Lunch of Champions

A Letter To Graham Coxon (I Love you)

Dear Graham,

Is it alright that I call you Graham? After all the great music that you have given my ears to soak in over the years, I feel I must give you some career advice as a friend and as a serious fan.

I know, I know. Damon Albarn can be a bit of a sod. After all, he was the face and glamour of your quasi-boy band Blur. I understand that he hurt your feelings when he brought in Fat Boy Slim (ugh) to produce Crazy Beat for your last Blur album (Think Tank). I’m with ya man. That track sucked. It’s too bad, Think Tank has become a classic album in my collection and I still listen to it more than the last Oasis record (oops, sorry, did I mention the unmentionable?).

It was a Friday night. Flopping down on my unmade bed I turned on MPR’s “Fresh Air.” Behold, “Bitter Sweet Bundle of Misery” from what I learned to be a “forthcoming solo outing “Happiness in Magazines” by former guitarist for Blur.” IT WAS FANTASTIC! It was like “Coffee and TV (from Blur’s 13)” had birthed a son……..and it was wonderful.

The next day I dashed out on my bike to the now defunct Let it Be records to ingest this new nugget of brit-pop joy. The cover is green, slick, with a cartoonish shadow of Graham hidden away. The record is a landmark in brit-pop history and the follow up record “Love travels at illegal speeds” is equally as powerful and perfect.

I’ll give it too you straight Graham. You’ve proved that you’ve got NOTHING to prove. Yes, Damon led Blur. Yes, he liked Blur to have a certain flavor. But he has talent. You of all people should know that. Everyone knows now that you don’t need Blur to be a successful musician. But I do.

You’ve recently gotten together with your former mates to talk about what could be one final Blur record or a full out reunion. It seems as though you’ve gotten a tip from the perhaps wiser Damon in this matter. With Gorillaz, Blur, Mali Music, and The Good, The Bad, and the Queen, he’s got nothing to prove either. But, Damon wants Blur, he wants you IN Blur, he wants the songs back. Help him bring the songs to the People!

You all have talent, and to bring it together not for the money or the fame is what every big, rich, and famous musician wants in their lives. Do you think that Michael Jackson wants to tour with the Jackson 5? He does it for the money. You both proven that you don’t need Blur, but the fact that everyone involved is on board is a testament to what Blur is. Blur is here for me.

Sincerely,

Charlie Van Stee

P.S – If Blur tours again, make sure to hit up
Minnesota. We’ll get drunk and grind to some Fat Boy Slim records.