Blur guitarist Graham Coxon is remembering producer William Orbit following the news that Orbit died last week at age 69, according to Rolling Stone.
In an interview with the magazine, Coxon said he immediately liked Orbit after the producer’s remix of Blur’s 1997 song “Movin’ On,” which led the band to work with him on their 1999 album 13. Coxon described Orbit as a “genius” with a bit of madness, adding that he was drawn to the producer’s willingness to approach sound in unusual ways.
Coxon said Blur spent long sessions improvising while Orbit organized and shaped the material afterward. He credited Orbit with helping turn those experiments into songs and said the producer was fearless in pushing the band toward heavier, more chaotic sounds.
He also recalled specific moments from songs like “Bugman,” “Battle,” “1992,” and “Coffee & TV,” saying Orbit handled the studio desk like an instrument and helped bring out some of Blur’s most memorable work. Coxon called 13 one of the band’s favorite records and said Orbit’s contributions were incredible.
