Graham Coxon: "I was trying to be an actor within the music; to not be Graham Coxon"

"I'm James, I'm 17, and I'm pretty sure I'm a psychopath." So introduces Alex Lawther's character in the opening scene of The End Of The F*ing World. What follows is a coming of age tale encompassing adventure, amusement, murder, romance, and more besides that's as human as it is surreal. With a sense of humour, striking imagery, and a soundtrack by Graham Coxon, the Channel 4/Netflix series has been met with rave reviews across the board.

"After the first episode I don't think either of the characters are particularly charming," Graham Coxon chuckles, reflecting on his first impression of the show's protagonists. "They're like a couple of spoilt brats," he laughs. "But then by episode two or three their characters really start to blossom, and they become quite funny." Over the duration of eight episodes, viewers are invited to join James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden) on their quest to escape from their homes and find their place in the increasingly messed up world that surrounds them.

[sc name="pull" text="I quite like working to a brief; there's less pressure"]

Learning about the characters and their story through his writing, Graham Coxon set about creating a soundtrack that could truly feel like a part of the world these individuals are navigating. "When I started working on the music, all the episodes weren't finished, so I didn't know what was going to happen," the musician states. "I didn't want to know." As such, the soundtrack is one that changes episode to episode, evolving and growing – much like the characters – before your eyes.