Graham Coxon has said some very kind things about Pete Doherty, after collaborating with him on his upcoming solo album, implying that he attracts the wrong sort who lead him astray.
Writing on Blur's message forum, he said: "I actually like Pete as a person a lot. He is very funny, warm and charming. He has rough press and not surprisingly so. He is also very impressionable, quite vulnerable, rather too trusting and needlessly gets himself into some difficulties - basically and unfortunately for him, he is a scumbag magnet".
He admitted having his own frustrations about Doherty, however, saying: "I really do think it's easy to think Pete is a waster. I also have been more than a little angry with him at times for pissing his talent up the wall on too many occasions. But I think when he sees through the murk at what opportunities are there for him he can really come up with the goods… Well, I think he did with these songs anyway".