My 10 Favourite Blur Riffs

[@IsidroAPS]

Graham needs a lot more recognition from the guitar community. Blur's guitar parts are so well crafted. Good job!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! And couldn’t have said it better myself man, the guy is an unsung hero!

[@tonnynaomi3926]

Graham is one of my favourite guitarists. His playing requires a lot of skills, but the riff themselves are so unpretentious. I'm not a big fan of the "hey look at me shredding I'm so talented!!!" Kind of guitar riffs.

[@allenspann8990]

No he doesn't....he's got plenty of recognition....he's well revered in every sense.

[@Chipstarter]

Graham Coxon, Daniel Johns, Billy Corgan... the list goes on.

[@Br1tp0pp]

yess

[@munkimatt]

As a huge Blur fan who can't play a single instrument, there's something genuinely magical about watching how these songs are made. You've put yourself down a bit in the description of this video, but I've watched this four times in the last two days. It's bloody brilliant.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Wow thanks so much man!! It really means a lot!

[@oscarballesteros225]

It is commonly acclaimed how much of a genius Damon Albarn is, and while it is very true, Blur's massive success is as much a consequence of Damon's genius as it is a consequence of Graham's genius. It was a Lennon-McCartney kinda thing that doesn't happen that often in the music industry. Most of Blur's greatest hits are mainly recognizable solely for Graham's incredibly creative guitar licks.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Precisely. If Blur had some run of the mill guitarist I probably wouldn’t listen to them in all honesty. Alex James is just an added bonus as well, Damon got 2 VERY good players for himself… the lucky bastard.

[@vespasiancloscan7077]

The riffs on Modern Life are brilliant

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

They sure are!

[@the_oslovian]

Graham Coxon just churns out these so effortless! He is incredible! And we'll played by you too ❤ Graham and Jonny Greenwood is the main reason I also own a Telecaster ❤️😊

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Great minds think alike man!! Jonny and Graham were also the primary influences on me to buy a Tele along with Johnny Marr, Wilko Johnson and a few others! :)

[@mywhitenoise_]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitarJohnny Marr and Graham Coxon are my two favorite guitarists.

[@mm091540]

@@mywhitenoise_ their riffs are sorta similar in the way these chords are so fiddley, no?

[@mywhitenoise_]

@@mm091540 agreed. They’re both very technical guitarists without appearing flashy to non-musicians. They make their playing seem so effortless.

[@Christian-97]

Would be so cool if those two would play together. Awesome guitarists

[@alexandrexlr]

I'm soooo glad to watch someone playing the riff of "Villa Rosie", that riff is amazing. And can't agree more, Graham is so criminally underrated, the guy is a amazing player guitar. Thanks for the video.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! I’m really glad you enjoyed it!! Of course it had to make the list ;) And exactly, it is just insane how overlooked he is.

[@syukoshiomy]

here in the US it seems like Blur is never going to escape either being the band that did Song 2 or the "other thing" damon albarn does outside of Gorillaz. it's a shame britpop didn't have much lasting impact over here outside of a few Oasis hits or being an alternative novelty genre. such fantastic pop songwriting that gets so overlooked

[@photonfartsqueeze6694]

I love Blur, but the music simply isn’t as good as what Damon did with Gorillaz.

[@luisduarte9020]

​@@photonfartsqueeze6694you're right. It's better.

[@MarcioAugusto-t2s]

​@@luisduarte9020 i strongly agree.

[@syukoshiomy]

​@@photonfartsqueeze6694lol crazy late reply but as much as i love gorillaz theyve got maybe like 4 great albums under their belt whereas id argue blur have 5 or 6, i definitely prefer blur these days

[@filmsonsong]

Watching this video makes me realize how few people out there are seriously replicating these parts. It is a LOT of work to learn Graham’s stuff. Great work, I’m seriously blown away!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! It means a lot honestly!

[@austinralphson]

Whilst they are obviously different genres entirely, one of the main reasons I love Graham Coxon and Nuno Bettencourt's guitar parts is because they contain sooo many details. Other guitarists would have resorted to just strumming chords along with whatever everyone else is doing, but both of these guitarists never keep still. They always have little "extra bits" which occur throughout the verses and choruses. Excellent!

[@dylannnnnnnnn]

I love both those guitarists too!!!

[@tactikzzF1R3]

Absolutely superb!

[@Bernard-Shakey]

Nice playing and love the orange Tele. Coxon's rhythm/lead hybrid style is incredible.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! It means a lot! And I couldn’t agree more, he’s easily my biggest inspiration

[@matteocoda6368]

Coxon was one of the most gifted riff makers of the 90s.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

He sure was :)

[@adamwrightdrumming]

I’ve been lucky to see Blur 3 times this year and every time I ended up fixated on Graham’s playing, perfect example of when a band only has one guitarist

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I'm nothing but jealous right now... and I couldn't agree more man, the guy is an unsung hero

[@tomney4460]

Damon also plays guitar sometimes, no?

[@adamwrightdrumming]

@@tomney4460 he does and the electric guitar he’s using on this tour is actually the Graham coxon signature telecaster 🤣

[@GregHeffley-fo1kh]

Villa Rosie is their best song

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

It’s certainly up there ;)

[@laughinglegoproductions]

Charmless man is by far my favorite of theirs, and that is largely do to the guitar work. Graham goes absolutely nuts on that song. It baffles me how good it is, like how did he even start with writing that. That man is wild and you did his parts justice in this video, good job.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I’d be inclined to agree with you, Charmless Man is in my top 3 I’d say. It sounded even better live when he stacked his Rat pedals so it had ungodly distortion on it. He managed to some huge sounds out of his 90’s Tele, which is exactly why I bought mine lol. And thanks so much!!

[@mattj376]

there's no other way is a guitar masterpiece

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Couldn’t agree more if I tried ;)

[@Seventeen_Seconds]

Awesome love all of these. Was hoping for coffee and TV haha

[@alanhowell3646]

He is an amazing innovator and you did a cracking job in learning and playing those parts. Bravo 👏

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much man I really appreciate it! And you’re dead right, NOBODY plays like him.

[@brokenactors1195]

I doff my cap to you sir. Good work absolutely spot on

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I love a good cap, especially when it's doffed. Thanks so much!!

[@chriswattsuk]

So we now know who will step up if Graham breaks his wrist. Well played! I knew some of these parts were intricate, but not quite as much as I do now.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Oh wow I don't know about that hahaha, the man himself could probably play better than me with the broken wrist! But honestly thank you so much it really means a lot!! :)

[@BlurCovers]

awesome playing and really cool selection! :)

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks man!! I’ve watched a few of your videos before and they helped inspired me to make a few of my own, I’m really glad you like them! :)

[@cheshirecat5824]

Great job, superb riff selection and lovely Tele! Graham is somehow overlooked as guitarist, but he was by far the most inovative one (in comparison to his peers).

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much I’m glad you enjoyed!! And I couldn’t agree more, he was leaps and bounds ahead in terms of creativity.

[@jiblet46]

Fair play your incredible.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much it means a lot!!

[@stevenfullman5646]

These are all spot on. I know because I practiced them all back in the day

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much mate!! It's nice to see so many people inspired by Graham's playing

[@lecowboyaunplan]

Really cool choices and nice tone. We're waiting for 2nd part, with riffs from s/t & 13 😊

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! I'm really glad you enjoyed it! :) I'll probably upload some more full covers from those 2 in future ;)

[@cinderwild]

I never realized how much Graham likes really quick hammer on and offs

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

It’s just another one of the techniques he utilises brilliantly to give his riffs a great melodic quality

[@sheldoneroussety3757]

Wow, I just stumbled upon your guitar video and I'm absolutely blown away! Your skills are incredible and it's evident that you have a true passion for playing the guitar. The way you effortlessly strummed those chords and executed those solos was nothing short of mesmerizing. Not only are you technically proficient, but your sense of rhythm and timing is spot on. You managed to infuse the song with so much emotion, and I found myself completely captivated from beginning to end. It's evident that you have put in countless hours of practice to achieve such mastery. I also appreciate your choice of guitar tone and the way you utilized various effects to enhance the overall sound. The tone was rich, warm, and perfectly suited to the style of music you were playing. It really added another layer of depth and complexity to the performance. Beyond your technical skills, it's clear that you have a natural stage presence. Your confidence and enjoyment shine through in every note you play. It's truly inspiring to watch someone who is not only talented but also so visibly passionate about their craft. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world through this video. I can't wait to see what else you have in store. Keep up the fantastic work and keep making music that moves and inspires us all

[@frankiefuckles]

Are you his Mum?

[@peteskyrunner4845]

@@frankiefuckles It's AI.

[@Kmc424]

Great stuff!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!!

[@johnnylloydrollins]

Top playing. Good to see someone giving props to Graham the Great 👍

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

He’s my favourite guitarist for a reason mate and thanks so much!! ;)

[@coz109]

Really well done here! Graham’s guitar parts are quite tricky.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much! I tried!! Haha

[@MrNeilltupman]

Top playing mate, Graham comes up with so many amazing riffs and parts. A big influence on me in the mid 90s too; Graham, Jeff Buckley and Johnny G are the reason I bought a new US Tele for a small fortune back in 1999. Still my no.1 now.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

That’s what I like to hear ;) I’ve found my people!

[@ellaaaa..]

the parklife riff is so underrated

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

It sure is!!

[@aaaaannn]

Completely nailed it, man! Awesome job

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much man!! I really appreciate it! :)

[@jerdrick8621]

Never dared to play this. Probably would get overexcited lol... Brilliant play by you btw.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I'd suggest giving it a go! Nothing wrong with being overexcited hahaha, Thanks so much!!

[@juphut99]

Just came here from your Noel Gallagher video! This video made me realize I need to start listening to Blur now too 😅

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Hahaha I don’t have any animosity against him, I just wanted to see how people would react. And yes you absolutely should!! :)

[@juphut99]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitar all good 👍🏼 I was more impressed by the number of fills you fit into that track lol. You’ve got great guitar skills, I’m looking forward to more of your stuff! I’ll definitely be listening to Blur now too 😁

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much man it means a lot!! Also keep your eyes peeled, there might be another Oasis cover with my own spin on it coming out in a few hours 👀. This time with a less provocative title hahaha

[@juphut99]

Will do 🫡

[@bigblurfan]

Graham‘s work is amazing!❤ And well done to you!❤

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

It sure is! Thanks so much!!

[@xavierkojak6857]

Wow, congratulations, bravo. I would also like to compliment you on the choice of songs, Villa Rosie was a pleasant surprise in the end

[@ssammoo6951]

nice shirt. i need 10 The Who riffs

[@diegogarcia5986]

Coxon is one of the best Telecaster players ever

[@mungofinalfi4480]

The beginning of the Villa Rosie chorus reminds me of the Charmless man chorus, or well, the other way around.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Yeah the initial sequence in the chorus has a few of the same chords used in the charmless man riff. I know what you mean don’t worry haha, well spotted!

[@leewhieldon4299]

People who just appreciate grt music as a kid loved blur AND oasis..mate…followed blur all over the shop early days espesh…and oasis…blagged back stage with both bands..grt times and memories....those riffs dude!…sound Fckin Wkd man!…even 7 o’clock in the morn…20 odd years later and I’m still hooked on writing choons and banging the drums and..picking up anything that makes an interesting noise!…keep trucking dude 🤟🎸

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

How I envy you!! Thanks so much man!

[@loontil]

Nice one cuz dig the orange Telec.

[@bethwalker355]

Brilliant guitar player mate. Cor!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! :)

[@latenightlogic]

1:26 it’s that riff that’s missing from the visit to primrose hill mix that kills me. The studio album version isn’t as good because it doesn’t have that extended outro but it has that excellent riff.

[@chazzslayer7779]

Magic Graham coxon riff.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Exactly ;)

[@pyroguitars1296]

That was great. Nice one. I'm gonna learn a couple. Think I'll check out Coxon's gear on That Pedal Show first.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Highly recommend watching both interviews with Graham on TPS, they're like goldmines of creative inspiration! And thanks so much!! :)

[@arrangearrange]

Good stuff god stuff. Clover over Dover tho.

[@masyan00710]

this tone is so cool

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Wow really? Thanks man!!

[@low_gi]

The parklife riff is hilarious, it’s pure comedy, where did he come up with this stuff?!

[@LJNorthey]

Fantastic video. So interesting to see all of the riffs played out as they're just genius

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much I'm glad you enjoyed!!

[@the_red_channel]

Well done, really cool riffs! Happy to see "It could be you" in the list! Great riffs!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much glad you enjoyed! “It could be you” is probably one of my top 3 if I put them in order ;)

[@mauroheffner8925]

Que lindo que suena.

[@brc3962]

This is excellent!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!!

[@darrenb7765]

You are really really REALLY good👊👊🔥🔥

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thank you so much!! It means a lot! :)

[@dt9r]

brilliant, almost spot on

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks man!! I know that some were more accurate than others, but I couldn’t be bothered to do anymore takes that day hahaha. I might revisit them in future though :)

[@dt9r]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitar I'd say they are ok this way :D I agree that Coxon is an underrated great guitarist

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks again man, means a lot! :) I’ll be doing full covers of them all at some stage anyway haha. Graham is easily my biggest musical influence, the guy is a hero.

[@GameyRaccoon]

love the RAF shirt

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!!

[@Fivesbasement]

awsome job mate , your really talented, love the riffs

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much I’m flattered!! Glad you enjoyed the list as well! :)

[@TheBoltagon]

Really like the color of your tele

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! :)

[@grimreapermoment]

i loooveee chemical world

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

It's pretty fab isn't it? :)

[@benmoore8678]

Fancy a Villa Rosie guitar tutorial? Desperately searching for a good one

[@lachlancox5]

Unreal ❤️❤️

[@gojaysgo6349]

Cool video! Great job! No Beetlebum tho? I love that song.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I picked the riffs in the list purely based on them being my personal favourites, but I’ll keep it in mind for the future!! ;)

[@Logan-im2st]

Insane

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Cheers man!!

[@PatrikPatrik1]

I can’t use my thumb like that because of a childhood injury but does Graham do that? Either way I absolutely love this video. Taking your time with every riff. Thank you

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

He does indeed!! And I’m sorry to hear about your injury too, thanks so much it means a lot!

[@bittty420]

love that guitar

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much!! :)

[@kinmustdie00]

Amazing 💥💥

[@IAmChrisR]

Great playing. This list however is missing M.O.R. (engaging the tremolo pedal as he hits the harmonics for that stutter effect is brilliant), Song 2, Tender, and Trimn Trabb.

[@tickbox_]

Tbf Song 2 would be a weird one for this, the verse is guitar but the heavy chorus is pretty much all bass. Guitar just holds 1 chord over the top of it.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I picked the riffs in this list purely based on them being my personal favourites. But I’ll keep them in mind for the future ;)

[@bangdude5630]

Whoa very good tone mate🎉

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Wow really? Cheers man I really appreciate it! :)

[@sorenlarson8139]

Can you make a video or post about your setup? guitar, mods, pedals, and the sort? cheers!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Well it wouldn't be a very long video man hahaha, it's just a standard Player/Mexican Telecaster with an Artist GA10X Practice amp. In terms of pedals I just have an NUX Brownie Distortion that I use as a booster on top of the Amp's built in overdrive. To record I just lean my phone against my amp and that's everything lol.

[@sorenlarson8139]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitarthanks man!!

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

No worries!!

[@christianzelada2976]

Soo cool, what pedal uses? Sounds very good

[@mauroheffner8925]

mor tal !!

[@ajfalo-fi3721]

How do you get the tone? :)

[@leo.bankai]

Cheers mate! Loved the tone of ur telly. What amp and distorsion did u use?

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks so much man! Well you might be surprised to know, it’s just a Chinese made practice amp that I lean my phone against to record all the videos hahaha. It’s called an Artist GA10X and as for overall tone stuff, the amp has an overdrive button that I’ve always got on low gain, on top of that I’ve just got an NUX Brownie Distortion that I basically use as a booster. :)

[@cl8804]

love the selection! these aren't your actual top 10, though, are they??

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

They’re my 10 favourites in no particular order! :)

[@cl8804]

oh, wow! well played, btw@@HaydenMorrisGuitar

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Thanks man!!

[@thfc1984]

Is that Graham Coxon?

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Oh I wish hahaha, that’s really flattering thank you so much!!

[@lonneh4387]

Where did you find the tabs for villa Rosie?

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I don’t use tabs :) I just watched Graham play it very carefully, always trust your eyes and ears first and foremost!!

[@lonneh4387]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitar you must have paid full attention holy hell!!! Good job 👍

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

There are some really good clips close up for him playing it so I used those :) Thank you so much!!

[@lonneh4387]

@@HaydenMorrisGuitar I've seen one on twitter, I've just been following that

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

If it’s the one I’m thinking of then it’s probably the best video out there :)

[@jairsantos9467]

She's so high...

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

I picked the riffs in this list purely based on the fact that they’re my personal favourites, but I’ll keep it in mind for the future!! ;)

[@flanaj2]

And these guys were often compared to Oasis? Gallagher wishes he could play like that.

[@HaydenMorrisGuitar]

Well Noel himself has admitted that Graham plays circles around him ;)

[@jerdrick8621]

Well, Alex said he wished he wrote Wonderwall, so it's reciprocal. Coxon is way better guitarist, Noel is better composer.

[@adils4604]

Seeing some Johnny Mart influence on Graham is nice. I guess your favorite album is Modern Life is Rubbish?