Artificial Intelligence
Rockpile, September 2005
2D [STU-POT]
VOCALS
Allegedly hand-picked by Murdoc for his good looks, 2D sings in a melancholy drawl reminiscent of, say, Damon Albarn. With drain-pipe jeans and tussled blue hair, he’s a sure sex symbol for the two-dimensional.
On team work: Singer is a more important role than bass player, but every time I’ve mentioned this to Murdoc, he’s punched me right in my face.
On idols: Personally, I like to see myself as the singing man’s David Beckham. I do think Mike Skinner bases his voice on me.
Parting words: Can you lend me 50p for the bus? My driver’s not here yet.
NOODLE
GUITAR
According to Gorillaz lore, this teenage orphan was delivered mysteriously to the doorstep of the band’s studio in a FedEx crate. Trained as a special operative for the Japanese government, she’s more together than the rest of the group and wrote the majority of the new album.
On Albarn: Damon has been incredible supportive of my musical explorations. He’s quite a bit older than me and therefore is in a position to offer a great knowledge of music through his record collection. His iPod is bulging!
On the new album: Our studio is built on top of an old graveyard and situated next to a landfill site. But, I think some of the darkness is due to the fact that I became a teenager. I just started mopping around, throwing tantrums and feeling like the world didn’t understand me. Typical adolescent stuff.
On band solidarity: I think it is wise not to sleep with your mouth open if you have any gold teeth. Murdoc has stolen many of 2D’s personal possessions and sold them on eBay. Including, I’ve heard, 2D’s own liver.
RUSSEL HOBBS
DRUMS
The sole American of the group, Hobbs relocated from Brooklyn to England, where he was picked up by Murdoc. After having the ghost of his late friend, Del, exorcised from him, Hobbs spent the majority of his downtime haunted by eating disorders, health nuts and living like a recluse in Ike Turner’s basement. At
least it produced a cameo on the new record.
On collaboration: Working with the people who made Three Feet High and Rising [De La Soul] was just great. He’s [Roots Manuva] got a real color and vibrancy to his works. They sound like urban pyschedelia. I guess we’d still like to work with Dr. Dre. He’s held the heavyweight belt for so long.
On the Gorillaz sound: Gorillaz take sounds and music from everywhere. One of things we try to avoid is the “filing” side of music. We more try to combine it together. For me, hip hop sits alongside grime, crunk, banger-anthems and chilled-out dub. It’s all good.
MURDOC NICALLS
BASS
A conniving, ill-mannered Satanist, plagued by halitosis and megalomania, Nicalls may be the real brains behind the Gorillaz machine. Recently ejected from the Playboy mansion for stealing ashtrays, we find him about as caustic as the Fall’s Mark E. Smith.
On haters: Most people would rather criticize other people for being outstanding than to do anything great themselves. That makes my personality a living reminder of what a bunch of losers they are.
On fair warnings: That’s the classic villain mistake. “Look, foolish humans, I’m about to destroy your planet, and you’ve only got a short amount of time to stop me.” Forget it. I’d just do it before they realized.
Parting words: Whatever.
VOCALS
Allegedly hand-picked by Murdoc for his good looks, 2D sings in a melancholy drawl reminiscent of, say, Damon Albarn. With drain-pipe jeans and tussled blue hair, he’s a sure sex symbol for the two-dimensional.
On team work: Singer is a more important role than bass player, but every time I’ve mentioned this to Murdoc, he’s punched me right in my face.
On idols: Personally, I like to see myself as the singing man’s David Beckham. I do think Mike Skinner bases his voice on me.
Parting words: Can you lend me 50p for the bus? My driver’s not here yet.
NOODLE
GUITAR
According to Gorillaz lore, this teenage orphan was delivered mysteriously to the doorstep of the band’s studio in a FedEx crate. Trained as a special operative for the Japanese government, she’s more together than the rest of the group and wrote the majority of the new album.
On Albarn: Damon has been incredible supportive of my musical explorations. He’s quite a bit older than me and therefore is in a position to offer a great knowledge of music through his record collection. His iPod is bulging!
On the new album: Our studio is built on top of an old graveyard and situated next to a landfill site. But, I think some of the darkness is due to the fact that I became a teenager. I just started mopping around, throwing tantrums and feeling like the world didn’t understand me. Typical adolescent stuff.
On band solidarity: I think it is wise not to sleep with your mouth open if you have any gold teeth. Murdoc has stolen many of 2D’s personal possessions and sold them on eBay. Including, I’ve heard, 2D’s own liver.
RUSSEL HOBBS
DRUMS
The sole American of the group, Hobbs relocated from Brooklyn to England, where he was picked up by Murdoc. After having the ghost of his late friend, Del, exorcised from him, Hobbs spent the majority of his downtime haunted by eating disorders, health nuts and living like a recluse in Ike Turner’s basement. At
least it produced a cameo on the new record.
On collaboration: Working with the people who made Three Feet High and Rising [De La Soul] was just great. He’s [Roots Manuva] got a real color and vibrancy to his works. They sound like urban pyschedelia. I guess we’d still like to work with Dr. Dre. He’s held the heavyweight belt for so long.
On the Gorillaz sound: Gorillaz take sounds and music from everywhere. One of things we try to avoid is the “filing” side of music. We more try to combine it together. For me, hip hop sits alongside grime, crunk, banger-anthems and chilled-out dub. It’s all good.
MURDOC NICALLS
BASS
A conniving, ill-mannered Satanist, plagued by halitosis and megalomania, Nicalls may be the real brains behind the Gorillaz machine. Recently ejected from the Playboy mansion for stealing ashtrays, we find him about as caustic as the Fall’s Mark E. Smith.
On haters: Most people would rather criticize other people for being outstanding than to do anything great themselves. That makes my personality a living reminder of what a bunch of losers they are.
On fair warnings: That’s the classic villain mistake. “Look, foolish humans, I’m about to destroy your planet, and you’ve only got a short amount of time to stop me.” Forget it. I’d just do it before they realized.
Parting words: Whatever.