Gorillaz Artistfacts

Gorillaz song list

Gorillaz Artistfacts

2000-
Damon AlbarnVocals, guitar2000-
Jamie HewlettIllustrator2000-
Dan "The Automator" NakamuraProducer2000-
Damon Albarn is the frontman for the British rock group Blur; Jamie Hewlett draws comic books. He is most famous for Tank Girl, which was made into a movie starring rapper Ice-T and Stooges frontman Iggy Pop. Nakamura specializes in fantasy hip-hop, coming from the underground group Deltron 3030, which put its members into the year 3030, traveling the galaxy.
On their first album, Gorillaz featured the musicianship of Tom Tom Club/Talking Heads bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz, Deltron 3030 rappers Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Kid Koala, Buena Vista Social Club singer Ibrahim Ferrer, and Cibo Matto singer Miho Hatori.
The group is a mixture of Nakamura and Albarn's music and Hewlett's animation. They designed four cartoon characters to be members of the group a la Spinal Tap. Murdoc is the devil-worshipping bass player, 2-D is the melancholy lead singer, Noodle is the 10-year-old Asian female guitarist, and Russel is the drummer/rapper.
Albarn and Hewlett were roommates. They got the idea to create this group after each ended long-term relationships. After the appropriate grieving period, they decided to make good use of their time and began work on the look and sound of their pet band. Jamie Hewlett recalled to Q magazine:

"In the late 90s I split up with (partner) Jane around the same time Damon broke up with Justine, and for some reason we decided to get a flat together. We spend hours watching MTV and wondering why everything on it was so terrible. I think Damon was tired of being the frontman for Blur, and I was just aghast at how boring most pop groups were when they were interviewed. So we said, let's make up a fake band."
How does a virtual band tour? On their first tour in 2001, the flesh-and-blood members played behind a video screen that displayed their cartoon images. This let them mix and match musicians - Albarn was the only member who played every show. On later tours, they played in front of the screen.
Jamie Hewlett met his French wife, actress Emma de Caunes, at a Gorillaz gig. She's best known for playing Sabine in Mr. Bean's Holiday.
After Gorillaz' self-titled first album sold over 3 million copies it earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band.
Albarn's father taught new wave rocker Ian Dury at a North East London polytechnic when he was studying art.

Comments: 11

Zoey from IdahoMan, the Gorillaz are genius people. I absolutely love the care-free sort of nature they have. Murdoc is totally one of my favorites for that. He's portrayed as this dirty, cynical guy, and it's just so inspiring how much he literally doesn't care what others think of him(?). I'm as well in awe because of the music and art that just makes them stand out from the rest. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett are awesome for their created works. Truly amazing.
Raven from Millville, Ut I've drawn a few pictures of that... one guy... you know, with the dirty purple hair and the big eyebrows?
I love the songs "Feel Good Inc.", "Dare", and "Clint Eastwood."
And by the way, I have to admit that an animated band was a really cool idea.
But William Adams, Allen Pineda Lindo, Jamie Gomez and Stacy Ferguson (A.K.A. the Black Eyed Peas) are cooler.
Isaiah from San Jose, CaIt cant be sean lennon because he sings like his mom yoko ono (BLECH)Actually he cant sing. Besides it is damon albarn. Saying sean lennon is the singer is like saying clint eastwood is their producer becauseof their song clint eastwood!!
Cari from Knebworth, EnglandAlbarn has actually gone on record to say that the idea behind the cartoon characters was actually a dig at the state of the music industry. When the idea for this was conceived it was due to the fact that he had become disillusioned by the fact that there were so many 'manufactured' bands on the scene, i.e. Boyzone, Westlife, Steps etc, who have their entire image, and songs, provided for them by the record company. So as a bit of a laugh they decided to manufacture an entire band of cartoon people giving each a distinct personality (like the Spice Girls).
Legacy User from Legacy LocationSo basically its a 3 person band. 1 Singer, 1 animator and 1 producer. And they portray virtual characters to give the "4 band members" perspective. When its only 3.

I would have to say, I've never seen that before.
Ingenious and remarkable idea. Must have burned through alot of weed to squeeze that one out lol.
Jon from Salem, NhUm, that's definitely fake. The lead singer of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, died in '92 or '93. He shot himself with a 12-guage.
Dean from Manchester, EnglandThe band rocks....

They just had the honour of having their most recent song played regular at my local club...

If they can make it there they can make it anywhere...

Tynian
David from Ft. Worth, Txi heard that 2D is really sean lennon, and in the recent album there are referances to the beatles, such as the cover if held next to the Let It Be album, they look the same and they also face each other. in the inside of the cover, there is a picture w- the gorillaz on like the moon standing in the same way as the cover of the HELP! album. also on the inside is a picture that looks like the inside cover of the Sargent Peppers album.... i think there are clues around... maybe i could be wrong...
Grace from Ventura, Cai think these guys rock and that the idea of an animated band is such an original idea. great thinking!
Joel from Tempe, AzI kind of liked their 1st single a few years ago so i was stupid and bought their album. Biggest mistake ever. It had to have been the crappiest music ever recorded. I hear better sounds when I take a crap
Charlie from Thomaston, Ctman i just have to say these (this?) guy or guys are weird i remember when they came out a couple of years ago, can you even call them a group?

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