Gorillaz: Cartoons are not for children
@music, May 2005
The funny cartoon characters from Gorillaz were not recognized as individuals for a long time. They insisted, fought (with their creators Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn, among others, including fists) and defended their right to exist. No one thought that after the release of the debut album in 2001, Gorillaz would be able to do anything else. Nor did Hewlett and Albarn count on it (and rightly so: a joke ceases to be funny when it is told twice). But Gorillaz had time to get a taste of celebrity life, and they couldn't get away from it. Especially since nothing more interesting had appeared in the three years since their emergence. We welcomed the year 2005 with the new album "Demon Days". It seems that they are real, even though they exist in the two-dimensional world...
- Gorillaz just released a new album. How do you guys feel?
Murdoc (bass): Like I've been released from prison!
Noodle (programming, guitar): It feels good to know that the journey we took eventually got us to where we were headed.
Russel (drums): It's been a long and strange journey.
2D (vocals): Yeah, were we going anywhere?
- What are you looking forward to on this album?
Russel: I would like it to inspire listeners to make their own album.
Murdoc: That people finally realize that Gorillaz are the kings of everything! Godfathers of modern music! Definitely!
2D: I don't really care. I don't know. Maybe to give the listeners the same pleasure that I get when I listen to Crass. Or The Slits Peel Sessions.
Noodle: To let people know that nothing is impossible.
- Your definition of a successful album? What are your goals?
Murdoc: Five million copies would suit me.
Russel: As long as people enjoy the music, it can be considered successful. Not all of the musicians who have defined the face of modern music could boast solid circulations.
2D: And I'd like to put together a big and beautiful back catalog of my records.
Noodle: Yes, something to be proud of.
- Did you follow any concept while recording "Demon Days"?
Murdoc: We wanted to make our second album bigger, better... more monstrous. To crawl out of the speakers and eat the listener!
- Did you know that there is a band called Demon Days?
Murdoc: I've never heard of them. I don't think they are that kind of stuff. I could swear that after our album is released their sales will increase manifold. I think there will be a wave of them coming back to the shops afterwards, though.
- Does the number 23 seem to play an important role in your life?
Russel: 23 has always had a defining meaning for us. These numbers show up in completely different areas of our lives. For us, this number is a reflection of all the processes of life. The 'victory' sign, for example, consists of two straightened and three pressed fingers.
Noodle: A complete circulatory cycle takes 23 seconds.
Russel: U2 must have chosen their name for a reason. "U" is the 21st letter in the alphabet. Add a two to 21 and see what you get.
Murdoc: That's a bit of a stretch, Russel. They're Christians, not pagans.
2D: And then when I was a kid, there was a bus number 23 that stopped near my house. As you can see, that number is everywhere.
- This time it was Noodle who defined the sound concept of the album. Did you trust her enough to follow her instructions?
Russel: Oh, she showed fantastic control of the sound. Handled it almost like a ninja.
Murdoc: I can't trust anybody who's shorter than me.
- When you write songs, do you need isolation from the outside world?
Noodle: The outside world isolates itself from us. We didn't need any extra isolation to work quietly on the CD.
Murdoc: But sometimes it was still useful to turn down the TV.
Russel: Our HQ Kong Studios is cut off from the world. But every now and then there was a feeling that someone was watching us...
2D: That's because webcams were installed there!
- Name one thing you just really need in the studio.
Murdoc: Instruments?
Noodle: A good sound engineer. This time our producer was DJ Danger Mouse. His help was very substantial.
- How did you get him?
Noodle: I called EMI and said: "I want Danger Mouse to produce our album."
Russel: However, the guy had other plans. First, to spend all those bucks he made on "The Grey Album" and second, to record a new mix album. "The 23 Album" was supposed to be a fusion of Pearl Jam's "Ten" and Blur's "Thirteen."
Noodle: But in the end, after a lot of harassment, blackmail and late night phone calls, he gave up and agreed to do our album.
- 2D once said that "Demon Days" is like the first Gorillaz album, only with more bright colours. Is this a credit to Danger Mouse?
2D: He used his magic felt-tip pens.
Russel: Danger Mouse became our fifth gorilla.
Noodle: Despite the difference in weight and height, Mr. Danger Mouse and I looked at things from the same perspective.
- Does Danger Mouse have any unique production methods of his own? And did you always agree with his ideas?
Murdoc: Every morning we blindfolded him, twisted him around his axis, pushed him toward the console and then let him get to work. Sometimes it worked.
Noodle: Danger Mouse has an intuitive way of working. Like a young Luke Skywalker learning how to use "the force".
Murdoc: I think Danger Mouse is an OK producer. He helped us out a little bit. True, he's terrible at table tennis - and in this he was of no use.
- What's the difference between a cartoon band and a live band?
Murdoc: People think they can pester us with stupid questions.
Russel: Our tour manager could very well get us 30 shows on the same day, but in different places.
- Okay, so what are the advantages of a cartoon band?
Murdoc: You don't feel any pain and you can stay awake.
2D: It's harder to do paternity tests. No one can prove that someone has a child from me.
Russel: I can eat anything and not get fat.
Murdoc: Well... that's an outright lie.
- When do you realize that the disc is finished?
Noodle: It's like in Shodo, the Japanese art of calligraphy. The artist puts the brush down on the paper when he feels he can express his feelings in the most natural way at that moment. It is an instinctive feeling. It's also how we know when an album can already be finished.
Murdoc: Well, yeah, and then there's the label that sets the deadline for the album. And they would be very unhappy if we didn't meet the deadline.
- On your first album you had a song called "Clint Eastwood," and on your second album it was "Dirty Harry." Was it an accident?
Russel: Both songs don't resonate with each other except for the titles. Both of them have rappers on the vocals.
- You collaborated with Dennis Hopper during the recording of the CD. Does he live up to his image?
Murdoc: While he was recording with us, there were some iron and tires scattered all over the studio. I certainly like the guy, but his mannerisms leave a lot to be desired. He rode his bike right into our studio. He spent about an hour and a half at the microphone yelling and waving his arms and throwing his hat up in the air.
Russel: And then he calmed down, had some tea and recorded his part in the first go.
- Is Damon Albarn still a part of Gorillaz? Are you not tired of him?
Murdoc: Man, I've told him that a million times. He needs to get his dirty hands out of our business.
Noodle: You're so ungrateful! Like a resentful child.
Murdoc: Stop it, Noodle, you know exactly what I'm talking about. He gave 2D some vocal lessons, and 2D sounds exactly like Albarn now. If we don't get this guy out of the studio, end our days like. I don't know... as one of Albarn's side projects.
- Murdoc, will your fear of flying affect your plans to do a world tour?
Murdoc: I've learned to deal with my fear. A little bit of alcohol before I land, and I'm ready to fly.
- So can we expect live performances from you?
Murdoc: Start dreaming about them now. Whether they happen or not is another matter. I personally refuse to go on tour without a fee of £50,000.
Russel: We need to do some serious preparation. We plan to bring in a dog ballet, dancing elephants, use lots of mirrors and magical screens with 3D computer graphics. So expect a shocker.
- What doesn't any of your performances go without?
Murdoc: For example, without me. And a bucket of ice to cool your drinks.
Noodle: Without a sports mat for concentrating before a performance.
2D: Without headphones. Don't want to hurt my hearing.
- Your favorite food on tour?
Murdoc: Anything that's offered. I personally would prefer something Indian.
2D: Didn't you say you liked Mexican?
Russel: That was before he did his time in a Mexican prison! Now he can't even look at those burritos.
Murdoc: Why don't you both shut up?
2D: I like instant noodles. Just add water. (looks at Noodle)
- Are there any posters hanging in your tour bus?
2D: We have an old Backstreet Boys poster. We use it as a dart target.
Murdoc: I heard they reunited - there's hope to update our target soon.
Russel: Murdoc has a poster of the Runaways hanging. I think he likes Joan Jett. He also has posters of Gwen Stefani, Shirley Manson and Brody Dull from The Distillers. His room looks like a teenager's den.
Murdoc: Oh, yeah! If I were Josh Omm, I'd be wary. That Brody Dull is a real hottie. She should be mine.
- What music do you relax to on tour? What's playing on your bus?
Russel: A lot of different things. Murdoc likes good old rock: Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Motley Crue. I listen to hip hop or ethnic music. The new Roots Manuva album is great. 2D likes punk rock: Wire, The Clash, X-Ray Spex, etc. Noodle finds something special in almost every record she listens to. But most of all, of course, she loves the guitarists - Steve Vai, Brian May, Johnny Thunders...
Noodle: I also really like Queens of the Stone Age. And we all love Bloc Party, a new and very cool band from England.
- Being a big fan of Richie Sambora, Noodle probably listens to Bon Jovi a lot?
Noodle: Yeah. "Living on a Prayer" is a song you can listen to endlessly, if you choose the right sound level, of course.
Murdoc: Is it true that Bon Jovi means "big joke" in Greek? To me, they're just a bunch of clowns. It's like... um, a cartoon version of a normal rock band.
Russel: Murdoc, you're digging yourself a hole with your own hands.
- What do you think of the illegal downloading of music on the Internet?
Murdoc: It sounds like a good thing to me. I admit, for somebody else it's not so good. If I catch somebody downloading Gorillaz records illegally, I'll sue them for eternity.
- How would you describe your colleagues in one word?
Murdoc: Eh.... Noodle is short, 2D is dumb, Russel is fat.
Russel: And Murdoc is sick.
- How does the rest of the group deal with Murdoc's egocentric tendencies?
Murdoc: Hey, watch your mouth! What you think of as self-centeredness, others might call ordinary egoism.
Noodle: I think Murdoc is a real clown. He's very comical! He only sees himself. But I love him because he's unique - you can't find others like him. It's best not to take him seriously.
Russel: Fighting him is like fighting gravity. You can't change that: no matter what you do, you're still going to fall to the ground.
- You warn people against getting into "false icons." What is that and what is it like?
Russel: The society in which we live produces a large number of "respectable" people whose words and actions don't really mean anything. They are false icons.
Murdoc: It's like gathering fools in one place, throwing tomatoes at them and then running around asking for their autographs.
Noodle: We live in a society that is fixated on the most abnormal characters. We believe that what they say makes a lot of sense and matters a lot, but it's really not true. The cult of celebrity allows people minimally gifted with talent to become privileged members of society!
- If you were running for office, what would you promise voters?
Murdoc: If you seriously think cartoon rock stars should run for office, there's really something wrong with our world.
- A lot of time has passed between the release of your first and second albums. What has changed in your worldview during that period?
Murdoc: I realized that success doesn't always mean happiness. Only material things like cars and money can bring happiness.
- How have you changed yourself during this time?
Murdoc: Russel gained another 200 pounds. Now he looks like a bloated version of the old Russel.
- Murdoc, do you think your time in prison has changed you in any way?
Murdoc: Prison sucks. Imagine being locked in a room with other people who have the same topics of conversation all the time. And they're talking in Mexican. In general, the tour is a bit like a prison. But no, at least here you can get off the bus. How did I use the time? Well, a lot of thinking. Writing, writing. Finished a remote university course. Even passed my exam. I'm Dr. Niccals now. Have I sought help from my colleagues? What do you think? 2D is an idiot who can't help himself, let alone others... Russel is being treated for multiple personality disorder. Who to turn to? A ten year old Japanese girl?
- How has your life changed since you became part of a band?
Murdoc: People keep asking, "Has life changed since you became part of a band?"
2D: Being able to see the world has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I've seen how other people live and how good music helps them live and find common ground.
Russel: The opportunity made me realize how great it is to come home.
- If you hadn't become musicians, what would you be doing?
Noodle: I'd be happy with any profession that allowed me to create something of value that I could be proud of and that people would enjoy.
Murdoc: And I would be an Olympian - a shot-put thrower. I love the uniform.
- Gorillaz just released a new album. How do you guys feel?
Murdoc (bass): Like I've been released from prison!
Noodle (programming, guitar): It feels good to know that the journey we took eventually got us to where we were headed.
Russel (drums): It's been a long and strange journey.
2D (vocals): Yeah, were we going anywhere?
- What are you looking forward to on this album?
Russel: I would like it to inspire listeners to make their own album.
Murdoc: That people finally realize that Gorillaz are the kings of everything! Godfathers of modern music! Definitely!
2D: I don't really care. I don't know. Maybe to give the listeners the same pleasure that I get when I listen to Crass. Or The Slits Peel Sessions.
Noodle: To let people know that nothing is impossible.
- Your definition of a successful album? What are your goals?
Murdoc: Five million copies would suit me.
Russel: As long as people enjoy the music, it can be considered successful. Not all of the musicians who have defined the face of modern music could boast solid circulations.
2D: And I'd like to put together a big and beautiful back catalog of my records.
Noodle: Yes, something to be proud of.
- Did you follow any concept while recording "Demon Days"?
Murdoc: We wanted to make our second album bigger, better... more monstrous. To crawl out of the speakers and eat the listener!
- Did you know that there is a band called Demon Days?
Murdoc: I've never heard of them. I don't think they are that kind of stuff. I could swear that after our album is released their sales will increase manifold. I think there will be a wave of them coming back to the shops afterwards, though.
- Does the number 23 seem to play an important role in your life?
Russel: 23 has always had a defining meaning for us. These numbers show up in completely different areas of our lives. For us, this number is a reflection of all the processes of life. The 'victory' sign, for example, consists of two straightened and three pressed fingers.
Noodle: A complete circulatory cycle takes 23 seconds.
Russel: U2 must have chosen their name for a reason. "U" is the 21st letter in the alphabet. Add a two to 21 and see what you get.
Murdoc: That's a bit of a stretch, Russel. They're Christians, not pagans.
2D: And then when I was a kid, there was a bus number 23 that stopped near my house. As you can see, that number is everywhere.
- This time it was Noodle who defined the sound concept of the album. Did you trust her enough to follow her instructions?
Russel: Oh, she showed fantastic control of the sound. Handled it almost like a ninja.
Murdoc: I can't trust anybody who's shorter than me.
- When you write songs, do you need isolation from the outside world?
Noodle: The outside world isolates itself from us. We didn't need any extra isolation to work quietly on the CD.
Murdoc: But sometimes it was still useful to turn down the TV.
Russel: Our HQ Kong Studios is cut off from the world. But every now and then there was a feeling that someone was watching us...
2D: That's because webcams were installed there!
- Name one thing you just really need in the studio.
Murdoc: Instruments?
Noodle: A good sound engineer. This time our producer was DJ Danger Mouse. His help was very substantial.
- How did you get him?
Noodle: I called EMI and said: "I want Danger Mouse to produce our album."
Russel: However, the guy had other plans. First, to spend all those bucks he made on "The Grey Album" and second, to record a new mix album. "The 23 Album" was supposed to be a fusion of Pearl Jam's "Ten" and Blur's "Thirteen."
Noodle: But in the end, after a lot of harassment, blackmail and late night phone calls, he gave up and agreed to do our album.
- 2D once said that "Demon Days" is like the first Gorillaz album, only with more bright colours. Is this a credit to Danger Mouse?
2D: He used his magic felt-tip pens.
Russel: Danger Mouse became our fifth gorilla.
Noodle: Despite the difference in weight and height, Mr. Danger Mouse and I looked at things from the same perspective.
- Does Danger Mouse have any unique production methods of his own? And did you always agree with his ideas?
Murdoc: Every morning we blindfolded him, twisted him around his axis, pushed him toward the console and then let him get to work. Sometimes it worked.
Noodle: Danger Mouse has an intuitive way of working. Like a young Luke Skywalker learning how to use "the force".
Murdoc: I think Danger Mouse is an OK producer. He helped us out a little bit. True, he's terrible at table tennis - and in this he was of no use.
- What's the difference between a cartoon band and a live band?
Murdoc: People think they can pester us with stupid questions.
Russel: Our tour manager could very well get us 30 shows on the same day, but in different places.
- Okay, so what are the advantages of a cartoon band?
Murdoc: You don't feel any pain and you can stay awake.
2D: It's harder to do paternity tests. No one can prove that someone has a child from me.
Russel: I can eat anything and not get fat.
Murdoc: Well... that's an outright lie.
- When do you realize that the disc is finished?
Noodle: It's like in Shodo, the Japanese art of calligraphy. The artist puts the brush down on the paper when he feels he can express his feelings in the most natural way at that moment. It is an instinctive feeling. It's also how we know when an album can already be finished.
Murdoc: Well, yeah, and then there's the label that sets the deadline for the album. And they would be very unhappy if we didn't meet the deadline.
- On your first album you had a song called "Clint Eastwood," and on your second album it was "Dirty Harry." Was it an accident?
Russel: Both songs don't resonate with each other except for the titles. Both of them have rappers on the vocals.
- You collaborated with Dennis Hopper during the recording of the CD. Does he live up to his image?
Murdoc: While he was recording with us, there were some iron and tires scattered all over the studio. I certainly like the guy, but his mannerisms leave a lot to be desired. He rode his bike right into our studio. He spent about an hour and a half at the microphone yelling and waving his arms and throwing his hat up in the air.
Russel: And then he calmed down, had some tea and recorded his part in the first go.
- Is Damon Albarn still a part of Gorillaz? Are you not tired of him?
Murdoc: Man, I've told him that a million times. He needs to get his dirty hands out of our business.
Noodle: You're so ungrateful! Like a resentful child.
Murdoc: Stop it, Noodle, you know exactly what I'm talking about. He gave 2D some vocal lessons, and 2D sounds exactly like Albarn now. If we don't get this guy out of the studio, end our days like. I don't know... as one of Albarn's side projects.
- Murdoc, will your fear of flying affect your plans to do a world tour?
Murdoc: I've learned to deal with my fear. A little bit of alcohol before I land, and I'm ready to fly.
- So can we expect live performances from you?
Murdoc: Start dreaming about them now. Whether they happen or not is another matter. I personally refuse to go on tour without a fee of £50,000.
Russel: We need to do some serious preparation. We plan to bring in a dog ballet, dancing elephants, use lots of mirrors and magical screens with 3D computer graphics. So expect a shocker.
- What doesn't any of your performances go without?
Murdoc: For example, without me. And a bucket of ice to cool your drinks.
Noodle: Without a sports mat for concentrating before a performance.
2D: Without headphones. Don't want to hurt my hearing.
- Your favorite food on tour?
Murdoc: Anything that's offered. I personally would prefer something Indian.
2D: Didn't you say you liked Mexican?
Russel: That was before he did his time in a Mexican prison! Now he can't even look at those burritos.
Murdoc: Why don't you both shut up?
2D: I like instant noodles. Just add water. (looks at Noodle)
- Are there any posters hanging in your tour bus?
2D: We have an old Backstreet Boys poster. We use it as a dart target.
Murdoc: I heard they reunited - there's hope to update our target soon.
Russel: Murdoc has a poster of the Runaways hanging. I think he likes Joan Jett. He also has posters of Gwen Stefani, Shirley Manson and Brody Dull from The Distillers. His room looks like a teenager's den.
Murdoc: Oh, yeah! If I were Josh Omm, I'd be wary. That Brody Dull is a real hottie. She should be mine.
- What music do you relax to on tour? What's playing on your bus?
Russel: A lot of different things. Murdoc likes good old rock: Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Motley Crue. I listen to hip hop or ethnic music. The new Roots Manuva album is great. 2D likes punk rock: Wire, The Clash, X-Ray Spex, etc. Noodle finds something special in almost every record she listens to. But most of all, of course, she loves the guitarists - Steve Vai, Brian May, Johnny Thunders...
Noodle: I also really like Queens of the Stone Age. And we all love Bloc Party, a new and very cool band from England.
- Being a big fan of Richie Sambora, Noodle probably listens to Bon Jovi a lot?
Noodle: Yeah. "Living on a Prayer" is a song you can listen to endlessly, if you choose the right sound level, of course.
Murdoc: Is it true that Bon Jovi means "big joke" in Greek? To me, they're just a bunch of clowns. It's like... um, a cartoon version of a normal rock band.
Russel: Murdoc, you're digging yourself a hole with your own hands.
- What do you think of the illegal downloading of music on the Internet?
Murdoc: It sounds like a good thing to me. I admit, for somebody else it's not so good. If I catch somebody downloading Gorillaz records illegally, I'll sue them for eternity.
- How would you describe your colleagues in one word?
Murdoc: Eh.... Noodle is short, 2D is dumb, Russel is fat.
Russel: And Murdoc is sick.
- How does the rest of the group deal with Murdoc's egocentric tendencies?
Murdoc: Hey, watch your mouth! What you think of as self-centeredness, others might call ordinary egoism.
Noodle: I think Murdoc is a real clown. He's very comical! He only sees himself. But I love him because he's unique - you can't find others like him. It's best not to take him seriously.
Russel: Fighting him is like fighting gravity. You can't change that: no matter what you do, you're still going to fall to the ground.
- You warn people against getting into "false icons." What is that and what is it like?
Russel: The society in which we live produces a large number of "respectable" people whose words and actions don't really mean anything. They are false icons.
Murdoc: It's like gathering fools in one place, throwing tomatoes at them and then running around asking for their autographs.
Noodle: We live in a society that is fixated on the most abnormal characters. We believe that what they say makes a lot of sense and matters a lot, but it's really not true. The cult of celebrity allows people minimally gifted with talent to become privileged members of society!
- If you were running for office, what would you promise voters?
Murdoc: If you seriously think cartoon rock stars should run for office, there's really something wrong with our world.
- A lot of time has passed between the release of your first and second albums. What has changed in your worldview during that period?
Murdoc: I realized that success doesn't always mean happiness. Only material things like cars and money can bring happiness.
- How have you changed yourself during this time?
Murdoc: Russel gained another 200 pounds. Now he looks like a bloated version of the old Russel.
- Murdoc, do you think your time in prison has changed you in any way?
Murdoc: Prison sucks. Imagine being locked in a room with other people who have the same topics of conversation all the time. And they're talking in Mexican. In general, the tour is a bit like a prison. But no, at least here you can get off the bus. How did I use the time? Well, a lot of thinking. Writing, writing. Finished a remote university course. Even passed my exam. I'm Dr. Niccals now. Have I sought help from my colleagues? What do you think? 2D is an idiot who can't help himself, let alone others... Russel is being treated for multiple personality disorder. Who to turn to? A ten year old Japanese girl?
- How has your life changed since you became part of a band?
Murdoc: People keep asking, "Has life changed since you became part of a band?"
2D: Being able to see the world has opened my eyes to a lot of things. I've seen how other people live and how good music helps them live and find common ground.
Russel: The opportunity made me realize how great it is to come home.
- If you hadn't become musicians, what would you be doing?
Noodle: I'd be happy with any profession that allowed me to create something of value that I could be proud of and that people would enjoy.
Murdoc: And I would be an Olympian - a shot-put thrower. I love the uniform.