Cash For Questions: Gorillaz
Q, February 2006
WALKING THROUGH the double doors of Gorillaz’ own Kong Studios I'm greeted by a formidable aroma: the stench of patchouli oil and stale cigarettes. A familiar shape scuttle across the corridor wearing a towel and a shower cap. The spindly limbs and paunch can only be those of Gorillaz’ bastard bass-player Murdoc Nicalls. His booze-grizzled voice echoes from the bathroom: “Cash For Questions, right? Sit yourself down, I'll be out in a minute. And don’t touch anything, OK?” Singer 2D rounds the corner and shoots a look at Murdoc. “Don't mind him. He's just a wanker.” With the global success of last year’s Demon Days, Gorillaz have undoubtedly outgrown any “novelty gimmick band” tag-a fact recently recognised by no less than five Grammy nominations. So I'm struck by the lack of PAs, management or record company representatives. “Well, that’s how we've always done things,” comes Russel Hobbs’s deep baritone, as a fat leather armchair slowly spins to reveal the drummer's mammoth frame. It's then I notice, through the shadows, that youthful guitar prodigy Noodle is already seated. Finally, Murdoc plops down in chair, shower cap still present, his dressing gown falling open to reveal alot more than it should. He lights up another cigarette, and exhales a thick plume of smoke. “Right, then, Shoot.”
What's the significance of Clint Eastwood? He seems to be a recurring theme in your song titles.
KELVIN KNIGHT, EXETER
Murdoc: I hate this question. We get this every time. Every interview. Without fail.
2D: One more time. With feeling.
Murdoc: [Rolls eyes] OK. I've told a million different made-up yarns about this, but to be honest... This is the truth, For the first time. Ever. [Sighs] When we first started recording Demon Days, one of us went, “We need another Clint Eastwood”, and then one of us went, “How about Dirty Harry?” Ha ha. Big joke. But that’s when the track we were working on got called Dirty Harry. And it stuck. But now it's a curse that's harder to escape from than...
2D: Alcatraz?
Murdoc: See what I mean?
2D: We called the first single Clint Eastwood because it had a kind of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly feel to the melodica line. Kind of like Ennio Morricone. Also because of the dub feel, Clint Eastwood was a tip of the hat to all the reggae stars who used names like that.
Russel: When Dirty Harry came up as a title originally, it was triggered partially from the line in the song sung by the children’s choir. “I need a gun to keep myself from harm/The poor people they're burning in the sun.” The idea of calling the track Dirty Harry sprung from that, and it had a nice synchronicity with the Clint Eastwood single.
“The great die young while the mediocre continue to thrive.” To secure your place in music’s hall of fame do any of you have plans to kick the bucket?
EDWARO WHISKER, DEPTFORD
Murdoc: My place in the music hall of fame is already secure, sunshine. Check the Guinness Book Of Records: “Gorillaz: Most successful virtual band of all time.” Slightly harder to get hold
of than a Blue Peter badge, I think you'll find.
2D: Loads of mediocre people die young, anyway. You just don’t hear about them. Probably cos. er... they're mediocre. And Tom Waits is... maybe 106 and he's still great. Kraftwerk, New Order, Iggy. All still good. Nah, all that “Real legends die young” stuff is just a load of rubbish. Really. It's a big cop out.
I heard that 2D has children. Is that true?
MARTA JERUSZKA, POLAND
Murdoc: 2D's a jaffa.
2D: It’s hard to tell. When I was down in Eastbourne I got into watchingThat'll Be The Day, that film with David Essex in. I was knocking about with Shane Lynch of ex-Boyzone fame and working on the fairground rides. The girls love all that—collecting the tokens and stuff. It makes you feel like a pop star. So yeah, I did have a couple of wild nights out and maybe it’s possible that there are a couple of blue-haired babies out there, but...
Murdoc: 2D's a jaffa. Next question.
What's the weirdest thing you've ever been sent in the mail by a fan?
OLLY MATHER, DEREYSHIRE
2D: A picture of Buddy Holly taking a crap. You could see his face really straining.
Russel: There was that one time when a fan sent themselves to us in a box. That was pretty weird.
2D: Yeah. It was like in that Velvet Underground song, The Gift [bizarre John Cale-narrated tale of a man who posts himself to his girlfriend]. Murdoc almost stabbed the box with a big pair of scissors. He was trying to open it up and didn't realise there was someone inside.
Murdoc: Yes I did. That's why I stabbed it with the big pair of scissors. I'm not having some loony jump out at me. No way.
Murdoch, as you are from The Potteries, which football team do you support—Stoke City or Port Vale?
ASHLEY SEDDON, BIRMINGHAM
Murdoc: Number one, you've spelt my name wrong and number two, I don't support football, mate. It's shit. Twenty two men kicking a ball around for all eternity? Pointless. Don't get it. Sorry.
2D: Robbie Williams is a Port Vale supporter, isn't he?
Murdoc: Well, that proves my point completely.
What's your opinion on the increasing number of manufactured pop acts around today?
MARK LAWRENCE, KNEBWORTH
Murdoc: Huge load of crapola! Just an endless stream of beaming buffoons.
Noodle: I think it's shameful the way that people who create these acts look down on the general public and feel it's acceptable to feed them this... porridge. That's why so many of these acts fail. They seem to think, “How can I make it sound like the music that's in the charts?” Just another version of everything else. Gorillaz always thought, “How can we make it good... different?”
Murdoc: Nothing wrong with being manufactured. You just have to check the quality of the manufacturer. All bands ultimately invent themselves, anyhow. They've all thought about how they're going to present themselves. Otherwise it just comes across as a mess.
Damon Albam has been taking a lot of credit for your hard work. He has regularly suggested that he invented Gorillaz and wrote all your songs. How does the band feel about this and why do you let him continue telling people these things?
ROSS FOUBISTER, ORKNEY
Murdoc: Look, I've had enough of this. Everytime my back’s turned I'm seeing this bloke—“I did Gorillaz like this, I did Gorillaz like that.” I even saw him on Jonathan Ross. Serious, me and that Damon Essex bloke are going to fall out fucking big stylee if he doesn't shut that Britpop-sized cakehole of his.
Have you considered a pitch to either Dreamworks or Pixar for a feature length Gorillaz film?
HOWIE TAYLOR, KENT
Murdoc: [Sarcastic] Nope, the thought has never crossed our minds. It's unbelievable. If you know anything about us you'd know that’s exactly what we spent most of 2003 doing. Christ.
Russel: We went to Hollywood for about a year and lived in this big house up in the hills. We were working with a number of companies developing a script for production, but it didn’t work out. It was too unfocused and there were... so many distractions.
Murdoc: Still, I had a great time. We turned the house into a party pad,a kind of Gorillaz’ Playboy Mansion.
2D Well, you had to. You got kicked out of the real Playboy Mansion for stealing the ashtrays.
Noodle: The truth is we will do a film at some stage. But we intend it to be unique, something that would tie in with the way we present the other aspects of Gorillaz. It wouldn’t work to just do something with...
2D: ...talking fish.
2D, have you had any girifriends who Murdoc hasn't stolen from you?
COURTNEY FLANAGAN, VIA EMAIL
2D: He kept one of them in a box under his bed for seven years.
Murdoc: I forgot she was there.
2D: SEVEN YEARS!
Murdoc: I forgot! I had a lot on my mind.
2D: [Pause] She's still there, isn’t she?
Murdoc: Might be. I haven't looked.
Crazy old Ike Tumer appears on Demon Days—did any of you “accidentally walk into a door” during the recording?
SCOTT MCLENNAN, AUSTRALIA
Murdoc: I tell you what, even if he'd been done for murder he would have been out in 30 years. Who knows what happened there? [Ex-wife Tina Turner accused him of years of physical abuse] If you're taking your info from Hollywood films you're looking in the wrong place from the start.
Russel: The reason why we worked with Ike is because of the substantial input he’s made to the history of music. Rocket 88, track he released in the '50s, is widely considered to be the first proper rock’n’roll record pre-Chuck Berry, pre-James Brown.
Noodle: Everyone who guested on Demon Days was carefully chosen for the part they represent in music. From hip hop to rhythm and blues, dance music to the kids' choirs. It was about taking apparently conflicting textures and making them work in harmony.
Dear Murdoc. What happened to your nose to make it look like a squashed penis?
LAURA HEAPS, READING
2D: I've never noticed that before... but she's right. It looks like someone has... squashed a penis and then... put it on your face. That’s really funny.
Murdoc: Listen, this nose runs in the family. The infamous Nicalls Nob-Nose. Goes back generations.
2D: Russel broke Murdoc’s nose eight times for some rudeness, way back. That's why it looks like that.
Murdoc, what exactly led you down the path to Satanism?
LAURA AMMON, VIA EMAIL
Murdoc: Hmmm... I'd say maybe Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, and a very ingenious do-it-yourself A.C.M.E. Satanist kit bought off eBay. But the very first thing? See, there was this bloke hanging around outside TK Maxx handing out leaflets and I guess it was the whole riches-on-earth, sexual gluttony, coupled with the opportunity for alcoholic excess that first caught my eye. So, I tried it out, and you know what? I kinda liked it.
2D: And the cat-burning?
Murdoc: I do stuff like that just because, well, I'm just a bit of a bastard really and it makes me laugh. Aside from the pointy cape I'm not really into the goth side of it either. Apart from shagging those chubby goth birds, but I can't really help that. “Do as thy Wilt,” as Mr Crowley might say.
Noodle, who have you beaten up using your martial arts and kung fu techniques?
GREG BARRATT, MELTON MOWBRAY
Noodle: My martial arts training was a tuition in... discipline and the ability to focus, Not as an expectation of conflict. My training was to increase confidence and a sense of self-belief,
Murdoc: But, right, if you needed to really damage someone, you could. Properly.
Noodle: Oh yes.
Murdoc: So there you go. Don’t mess with Gorillaz.
What do you have in your pockets?
MADELEINE LUCAS, SLEAFORD
Murdoc: Well... er... Madeleine, why don’t you put your hand in and see?
Noodle: That's enough, Murdoc.
Murdoc: Seriously, let’s see. [Rummages around in dressing gown pocket| Hmmm... Amex card, bangers, flick knife, corkscrew. Have l just been to France...? What else...? I do normally carry some bog roll round with me, just in case. I stepped in a “Jack Johnson” the other day and it ruined my new shoes. Took me ages to wipe off.
Will Murdoc ever do porn films?
JUSTIN DANKS, DAVENTRY
Murdoc: Well... I had one floating about on the internet for a while. But the “celebrity” actress involved had it pulled down pretty quick.
2D: And you helped her get it off, too. Because it also had [tubby, moustachioed porn star] Ron Jeremy in the bed with you.
Murdoc: [Defensive] I didn't know he was there, honestly. It was dark.
What have you been spending all your money on?
KELVIN OLIVER, COLCHESTER
Murdoc: Crashing cars, mainly. I loveit. I drive like a nutter on angel dust. I get through motors like rap stars get through trainers. Screeeeeeeeechh!!!! Bosh!!! Right. Next! Or sometimes, right, I just grab sackfuls of cash and chuck it off the top of [West London high-rise) Trellick Tower.
Russel: A lot of our money's been invested in building a new studio inside Kong, you know. The next album is going to be a whole different dimension. To maintain the standards that Gorillaz keep means a whole lot of investment.
Murdoc: Talking of money, this is Cash For Questions, right? Well cough up, sonny, cos I've answered loads of these bloody things. You owe me at least... well, call it £500. What? You pay the people who send in the questions? Really? Oh well, fuck it, then. That was a waste of time, wasn't it?
What's the significance of Clint Eastwood? He seems to be a recurring theme in your song titles.
KELVIN KNIGHT, EXETER
Murdoc: I hate this question. We get this every time. Every interview. Without fail.
2D: One more time. With feeling.
Murdoc: [Rolls eyes] OK. I've told a million different made-up yarns about this, but to be honest... This is the truth, For the first time. Ever. [Sighs] When we first started recording Demon Days, one of us went, “We need another Clint Eastwood”, and then one of us went, “How about Dirty Harry?” Ha ha. Big joke. But that’s when the track we were working on got called Dirty Harry. And it stuck. But now it's a curse that's harder to escape from than...
2D: Alcatraz?
Murdoc: See what I mean?
2D: We called the first single Clint Eastwood because it had a kind of The Good, The Bad And The Ugly feel to the melodica line. Kind of like Ennio Morricone. Also because of the dub feel, Clint Eastwood was a tip of the hat to all the reggae stars who used names like that.
Russel: When Dirty Harry came up as a title originally, it was triggered partially from the line in the song sung by the children’s choir. “I need a gun to keep myself from harm/The poor people they're burning in the sun.” The idea of calling the track Dirty Harry sprung from that, and it had a nice synchronicity with the Clint Eastwood single.
“The great die young while the mediocre continue to thrive.” To secure your place in music’s hall of fame do any of you have plans to kick the bucket?
EDWARO WHISKER, DEPTFORD
Murdoc: My place in the music hall of fame is already secure, sunshine. Check the Guinness Book Of Records: “Gorillaz: Most successful virtual band of all time.” Slightly harder to get hold
of than a Blue Peter badge, I think you'll find.
2D: Loads of mediocre people die young, anyway. You just don’t hear about them. Probably cos. er... they're mediocre. And Tom Waits is... maybe 106 and he's still great. Kraftwerk, New Order, Iggy. All still good. Nah, all that “Real legends die young” stuff is just a load of rubbish. Really. It's a big cop out.
I heard that 2D has children. Is that true?
MARTA JERUSZKA, POLAND
Murdoc: 2D's a jaffa.
2D: It’s hard to tell. When I was down in Eastbourne I got into watchingThat'll Be The Day, that film with David Essex in. I was knocking about with Shane Lynch of ex-Boyzone fame and working on the fairground rides. The girls love all that—collecting the tokens and stuff. It makes you feel like a pop star. So yeah, I did have a couple of wild nights out and maybe it’s possible that there are a couple of blue-haired babies out there, but...
Murdoc: 2D's a jaffa. Next question.
What's the weirdest thing you've ever been sent in the mail by a fan?
OLLY MATHER, DEREYSHIRE
2D: A picture of Buddy Holly taking a crap. You could see his face really straining.
Russel: There was that one time when a fan sent themselves to us in a box. That was pretty weird.
2D: Yeah. It was like in that Velvet Underground song, The Gift [bizarre John Cale-narrated tale of a man who posts himself to his girlfriend]. Murdoc almost stabbed the box with a big pair of scissors. He was trying to open it up and didn't realise there was someone inside.
Murdoc: Yes I did. That's why I stabbed it with the big pair of scissors. I'm not having some loony jump out at me. No way.
Murdoch, as you are from The Potteries, which football team do you support—Stoke City or Port Vale?
ASHLEY SEDDON, BIRMINGHAM
Murdoc: Number one, you've spelt my name wrong and number two, I don't support football, mate. It's shit. Twenty two men kicking a ball around for all eternity? Pointless. Don't get it. Sorry.
2D: Robbie Williams is a Port Vale supporter, isn't he?
Murdoc: Well, that proves my point completely.
What's your opinion on the increasing number of manufactured pop acts around today?
MARK LAWRENCE, KNEBWORTH
Murdoc: Huge load of crapola! Just an endless stream of beaming buffoons.
Noodle: I think it's shameful the way that people who create these acts look down on the general public and feel it's acceptable to feed them this... porridge. That's why so many of these acts fail. They seem to think, “How can I make it sound like the music that's in the charts?” Just another version of everything else. Gorillaz always thought, “How can we make it good... different?”
Murdoc: Nothing wrong with being manufactured. You just have to check the quality of the manufacturer. All bands ultimately invent themselves, anyhow. They've all thought about how they're going to present themselves. Otherwise it just comes across as a mess.
Damon Albam has been taking a lot of credit for your hard work. He has regularly suggested that he invented Gorillaz and wrote all your songs. How does the band feel about this and why do you let him continue telling people these things?
ROSS FOUBISTER, ORKNEY
Murdoc: Look, I've had enough of this. Everytime my back’s turned I'm seeing this bloke—“I did Gorillaz like this, I did Gorillaz like that.” I even saw him on Jonathan Ross. Serious, me and that Damon Essex bloke are going to fall out fucking big stylee if he doesn't shut that Britpop-sized cakehole of his.
Have you considered a pitch to either Dreamworks or Pixar for a feature length Gorillaz film?
HOWIE TAYLOR, KENT
Murdoc: [Sarcastic] Nope, the thought has never crossed our minds. It's unbelievable. If you know anything about us you'd know that’s exactly what we spent most of 2003 doing. Christ.
Russel: We went to Hollywood for about a year and lived in this big house up in the hills. We were working with a number of companies developing a script for production, but it didn’t work out. It was too unfocused and there were... so many distractions.
Murdoc: Still, I had a great time. We turned the house into a party pad,a kind of Gorillaz’ Playboy Mansion.
2D Well, you had to. You got kicked out of the real Playboy Mansion for stealing the ashtrays.
Noodle: The truth is we will do a film at some stage. But we intend it to be unique, something that would tie in with the way we present the other aspects of Gorillaz. It wouldn’t work to just do something with...
2D: ...talking fish.
2D, have you had any girifriends who Murdoc hasn't stolen from you?
COURTNEY FLANAGAN, VIA EMAIL
2D: He kept one of them in a box under his bed for seven years.
Murdoc: I forgot she was there.
2D: SEVEN YEARS!
Murdoc: I forgot! I had a lot on my mind.
2D: [Pause] She's still there, isn’t she?
Murdoc: Might be. I haven't looked.
Crazy old Ike Tumer appears on Demon Days—did any of you “accidentally walk into a door” during the recording?
SCOTT MCLENNAN, AUSTRALIA
Murdoc: I tell you what, even if he'd been done for murder he would have been out in 30 years. Who knows what happened there? [Ex-wife Tina Turner accused him of years of physical abuse] If you're taking your info from Hollywood films you're looking in the wrong place from the start.
Russel: The reason why we worked with Ike is because of the substantial input he’s made to the history of music. Rocket 88, track he released in the '50s, is widely considered to be the first proper rock’n’roll record pre-Chuck Berry, pre-James Brown.
Noodle: Everyone who guested on Demon Days was carefully chosen for the part they represent in music. From hip hop to rhythm and blues, dance music to the kids' choirs. It was about taking apparently conflicting textures and making them work in harmony.
Dear Murdoc. What happened to your nose to make it look like a squashed penis?
LAURA HEAPS, READING
2D: I've never noticed that before... but she's right. It looks like someone has... squashed a penis and then... put it on your face. That’s really funny.
Murdoc: Listen, this nose runs in the family. The infamous Nicalls Nob-Nose. Goes back generations.
2D: Russel broke Murdoc’s nose eight times for some rudeness, way back. That's why it looks like that.
Murdoc, what exactly led you down the path to Satanism?
LAURA AMMON, VIA EMAIL
Murdoc: Hmmm... I'd say maybe Aleister Crowley, Anton LaVey, and a very ingenious do-it-yourself A.C.M.E. Satanist kit bought off eBay. But the very first thing? See, there was this bloke hanging around outside TK Maxx handing out leaflets and I guess it was the whole riches-on-earth, sexual gluttony, coupled with the opportunity for alcoholic excess that first caught my eye. So, I tried it out, and you know what? I kinda liked it.
2D: And the cat-burning?
Murdoc: I do stuff like that just because, well, I'm just a bit of a bastard really and it makes me laugh. Aside from the pointy cape I'm not really into the goth side of it either. Apart from shagging those chubby goth birds, but I can't really help that. “Do as thy Wilt,” as Mr Crowley might say.
Noodle, who have you beaten up using your martial arts and kung fu techniques?
GREG BARRATT, MELTON MOWBRAY
Noodle: My martial arts training was a tuition in... discipline and the ability to focus, Not as an expectation of conflict. My training was to increase confidence and a sense of self-belief,
Murdoc: But, right, if you needed to really damage someone, you could. Properly.
Noodle: Oh yes.
Murdoc: So there you go. Don’t mess with Gorillaz.
What do you have in your pockets?
MADELEINE LUCAS, SLEAFORD
Murdoc: Well... er... Madeleine, why don’t you put your hand in and see?
Noodle: That's enough, Murdoc.
Murdoc: Seriously, let’s see. [Rummages around in dressing gown pocket| Hmmm... Amex card, bangers, flick knife, corkscrew. Have l just been to France...? What else...? I do normally carry some bog roll round with me, just in case. I stepped in a “Jack Johnson” the other day and it ruined my new shoes. Took me ages to wipe off.
Will Murdoc ever do porn films?
JUSTIN DANKS, DAVENTRY
Murdoc: Well... I had one floating about on the internet for a while. But the “celebrity” actress involved had it pulled down pretty quick.
2D: And you helped her get it off, too. Because it also had [tubby, moustachioed porn star] Ron Jeremy in the bed with you.
Murdoc: [Defensive] I didn't know he was there, honestly. It was dark.
What have you been spending all your money on?
KELVIN OLIVER, COLCHESTER
Murdoc: Crashing cars, mainly. I loveit. I drive like a nutter on angel dust. I get through motors like rap stars get through trainers. Screeeeeeeeechh!!!! Bosh!!! Right. Next! Or sometimes, right, I just grab sackfuls of cash and chuck it off the top of [West London high-rise) Trellick Tower.
Russel: A lot of our money's been invested in building a new studio inside Kong, you know. The next album is going to be a whole different dimension. To maintain the standards that Gorillaz keep means a whole lot of investment.
Murdoc: Talking of money, this is Cash For Questions, right? Well cough up, sonny, cos I've answered loads of these bloody things. You owe me at least... well, call it £500. What? You pay the people who send in the questions? Really? Oh well, fuck it, then. That was a waste of time, wasn't it?