Gorillaz
Channel 4, July 2005
Good afternoon, Gorilla people. Please tell me something hilarious about the new single that I won't read anywhere else.
Murdoc: It's disco, it's hard and it's a double top buzz, nice one sorted. The original vocal that Shaun did, right, he's stuck in the vocal booth with his headphones on just kind of going: "I can't hear myself. Can’t hear myself. Hey! Turn up the headphones would ya!" So we're turning them up and he's going, "Yeah... It's coming up a bit.. It's coming up... It's coming up... It's coming up... It's there!" So that's the bit we used for the chorus. A true story.
A question to 2D - why do you think Gorillaz weren't approached to appear at Live 8? Do you think the lineup was sufficiently multicultural? And if you're not, who the hell is?
Noodle: I wish we could have played Live 8. It seemed like a fantastic day, and shows that there is no medium on the planet that will unite people as much as music. It transcends language, class, wealth and status. It's truly magical.
Russel Hobbs: I thought Pete Doherty was a strange choice for the Live 8 concert. The concert was about raising awareness, and Pete looked like he was having trouble raising his own awareness. He looked wasted. With Africa, we're talking about a nation battling through immense poverty and hardship, and he can't quite get it together to sing a song. When you look at what they're faced with, it kind of makes his drama and what he's faced with seem... fairly trivial. On that day he just seemed like an odd sort of image.
2D: Yeah, maybe it was the wrong day to be a 'rock 'n' roll' type poser, but you know it was good that he did it. It was something you'll most remember from the day.
Murdoc: None of that really matters. What does matter is that Babyshambles have only ever released one song. ONE SONG! People talk about this great new talent, but there's nothing to him. So yeah, it's strange that an African nation that's struggling to survive is being given aid by someone who's struggling to keep his hat on. He's a mess. I'm starting a campaign to 'Make Doherty History'. And I could probably get him to sign it too, for half a bag of pink whizz. He's well overrated.
2D: I thought he looked pretty good, though.
What are the five most important pieces of (musical) equipment in the Gorillaz studio?
Murdoc: Guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals.
2D: Talent, skill, hair, shoes and fags.
What do you and don't you like about your record label?
Murdoc: EMI is an anagram of I, ME. That sort of attitude suits me fine.
2D: They put our records out for us. That I kinda like.
Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction and waved your monkey-cock around all over the place?
Noodle: ‘Monkey-cock’?
Murdoc: It’s OK Noodle, I’ll handle this one. The ability to wave my ‘monkey cock’ around all over the place is in fact an important part of my functional wardrobe. If you can’t do that, then your clothes are broken.
Don't you sometimes wish you'd never started this whole, 'We're-not-a-real-band, we're-cartoon characters!' shtick? Or is this the way forward for everyone?
Russel: It’s the way back for everyone. Since Elvis first dyed his hair, people put on a persona for the crowd. Ours is just a little less clichéd.
2D: I’m just being myself.
Do you come from a long-line of pretend pop groups, or are you the first?
Murdoc: I think Spinal Tap beat us, along with The Stones, Gwar, The Pistols and Chubby Checker.
Have you ever seen a monkey's head on fire?
Murdoc: No, but I’ve seen an elephant fly.
Tell me a Gorillaz secret.
2D: Only children can see us.
Murdoc: I’m being stalked and I like it.
What recurring dreams do you have that aren't rubbish?
Murdoc: The video to our new single 'Dare' is based on a recurring dream of mine. It’s a nightmare in fact. Shaun Ryder’s great big head comes up through the floor, then he wakes up to find me in bed with him. That’s the point where I wake up for real, screaming.
Your image and the way you're represented are obviously incredibly important to you. Why is that? Do you think it's working?
2D: Most artists create an image to make themselves look like something quite cool. Gorillaz are, like, something quite cool that's made to look like an image.
For the next single, what's to stop us just making up our own Gorillaz interview and claiming it as a world exclusive?
Murdoc: Er... I would say my 15 stone lawyer. He’s built like a proper gorilla, and you misquote me, he won’t sue you, he’ll tear your head off and eat it whole. Does that answer your question?
2D: I saw one interview where someone tried to make it up. It just looked well shit.
Amen.
Gorillaz 'Dare' is out on August 29 on Parlophone.
Murdoc: It's disco, it's hard and it's a double top buzz, nice one sorted. The original vocal that Shaun did, right, he's stuck in the vocal booth with his headphones on just kind of going: "I can't hear myself. Can’t hear myself. Hey! Turn up the headphones would ya!" So we're turning them up and he's going, "Yeah... It's coming up a bit.. It's coming up... It's coming up... It's coming up... It's there!" So that's the bit we used for the chorus. A true story.
A question to 2D - why do you think Gorillaz weren't approached to appear at Live 8? Do you think the lineup was sufficiently multicultural? And if you're not, who the hell is?
Noodle: I wish we could have played Live 8. It seemed like a fantastic day, and shows that there is no medium on the planet that will unite people as much as music. It transcends language, class, wealth and status. It's truly magical.
Russel Hobbs: I thought Pete Doherty was a strange choice for the Live 8 concert. The concert was about raising awareness, and Pete looked like he was having trouble raising his own awareness. He looked wasted. With Africa, we're talking about a nation battling through immense poverty and hardship, and he can't quite get it together to sing a song. When you look at what they're faced with, it kind of makes his drama and what he's faced with seem... fairly trivial. On that day he just seemed like an odd sort of image.
2D: Yeah, maybe it was the wrong day to be a 'rock 'n' roll' type poser, but you know it was good that he did it. It was something you'll most remember from the day.
Murdoc: None of that really matters. What does matter is that Babyshambles have only ever released one song. ONE SONG! People talk about this great new talent, but there's nothing to him. So yeah, it's strange that an African nation that's struggling to survive is being given aid by someone who's struggling to keep his hat on. He's a mess. I'm starting a campaign to 'Make Doherty History'. And I could probably get him to sign it too, for half a bag of pink whizz. He's well overrated.
2D: I thought he looked pretty good, though.
What are the five most important pieces of (musical) equipment in the Gorillaz studio?
Murdoc: Guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals.
2D: Talent, skill, hair, shoes and fags.
What do you and don't you like about your record label?
Murdoc: EMI is an anagram of I, ME. That sort of attitude suits me fine.
2D: They put our records out for us. That I kinda like.
Have you ever had a wardrobe malfunction and waved your monkey-cock around all over the place?
Noodle: ‘Monkey-cock’?
Murdoc: It’s OK Noodle, I’ll handle this one. The ability to wave my ‘monkey cock’ around all over the place is in fact an important part of my functional wardrobe. If you can’t do that, then your clothes are broken.
Don't you sometimes wish you'd never started this whole, 'We're-not-a-real-band, we're-cartoon characters!' shtick? Or is this the way forward for everyone?
Russel: It’s the way back for everyone. Since Elvis first dyed his hair, people put on a persona for the crowd. Ours is just a little less clichéd.
2D: I’m just being myself.
Do you come from a long-line of pretend pop groups, or are you the first?
Murdoc: I think Spinal Tap beat us, along with The Stones, Gwar, The Pistols and Chubby Checker.
Have you ever seen a monkey's head on fire?
Murdoc: No, but I’ve seen an elephant fly.
Tell me a Gorillaz secret.
2D: Only children can see us.
Murdoc: I’m being stalked and I like it.
What recurring dreams do you have that aren't rubbish?
Murdoc: The video to our new single 'Dare' is based on a recurring dream of mine. It’s a nightmare in fact. Shaun Ryder’s great big head comes up through the floor, then he wakes up to find me in bed with him. That’s the point where I wake up for real, screaming.
Your image and the way you're represented are obviously incredibly important to you. Why is that? Do you think it's working?
2D: Most artists create an image to make themselves look like something quite cool. Gorillaz are, like, something quite cool that's made to look like an image.
For the next single, what's to stop us just making up our own Gorillaz interview and claiming it as a world exclusive?
Murdoc: Er... I would say my 15 stone lawyer. He’s built like a proper gorilla, and you misquote me, he won’t sue you, he’ll tear your head off and eat it whole. Does that answer your question?
2D: I saw one interview where someone tried to make it up. It just looked well shit.
Amen.
Gorillaz 'Dare' is out on August 29 on Parlophone.