READ MORE: William Orbit, 1956-2026: musical maverick who produced era-defining hits for Madonna, Blur and All Saints.
Orbit died at his home on July 23 at the age of 69, with news of his passing announced on August 7. No cause of death has been shared.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Coxon reflected on the producer’s work on Blur’s experimental and critically-acclaimed sixth album, released in 1999, describing him as a “genius” with an anarchic love of sound.
Blur chose Orbit to oversee the ’13’ sessions after hearing his eight-minute remix of their 1997 track ‘Movin’ On’, and the sessions came in the aftermath of Orbit’s work on Madonna’s huge 1998 album ‘Ray Of Light’, which had made him one of the most sought-after producers in the world.
Coxon said that during the sessions, Madonna made a surprise appearance in the studio in London. “I was in the live room doing some silly guitars, knocking around, and then I looked through into the control room and Madonna was standing in there,” he recalled.
He remembered Blur improvising over a beat that they liked that Orbit had put together during the ’13’ sessions, but which didn’t end up going anywhere.
Later that year, Madonna released ‘Beautiful Stranger’, the Orbit-produced single from the soundtrack to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Coxon said when he heard the song, he thought, “Oh, that’s that track!”.
Following his death, Madonna paid an emotional tribute to him, writing that “in many ways you were my Ray Of Light”, adding: “Goodbye Billy Bubbles. I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you.”.
Earlier this year, Orbit said he had created a prospective “successor” to ‘Ray Of Light’ but had received “nil response” after contacting Madonna. He stressed there were “zero hard feelings”, adding: “I will always love that woman.
He will also play a run of solo UK dates later this year, and Coxon also said in the new interview that he is considering remembering Orbit at the shows. “Who knows.
We may even do a William Orbit-related Blur song,” he teased.
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Informação baseada em material público de NME, reescrito pela redação ULTRA NOTÍCIAS.
