Gorillaz Interview
Komsomolskaya Pravda, September 2001
You have never been face-to-face with the audience at a show. Don't you feel somewhat deprived by the fact that your fans don't see you and maybe don't feel you very well?
Murdoc: Well, it’s lonely at the top. Anyway, they do see us on the big screen, and there they can see the highlights of our lives without all the boring stuff like reality. With us, you’re getting access to a whole world of animation and explosion in sound and colour. It will make your whole being shake with excitement. Going to a normal gig after this will seem pointless. In a very real sense, we feel bigger, bolder, and more dramatic than any other band.
2-D: ...Who you can’t see at gigs anyway, because normally, some tall bloke is standing in the way.
Russel: What’s the big deal with seeing the band? When you go to see a film, you don’t demand to see the director or producer, or even the writer. We view what we do as global entertainment. You’re lucky we don’t wheel out Michael Flatley so you can ”literally see” his feet of flames.
2-D: I’ll take your brains to another dimension.
Murdoc: You’ve already taken your own brains to another dimension. But really the whole point is, along with ourselves, there are lots and lots of special guests who play with us behind the screens who are involved because they like the idea of being anonymous.
Noodle: Anyway, you can see my silhouette.
Since nobody has ever got a chance to meet Gorillaz, there must be tons of rumours and inventions. What's your favourite one?
2-D: I saw a whole documentary on myself that had nothing to do with the truth whatsoever. It said that I won the under-thirteen synchronized swimming championship at my high school for three years running. I mean, where do people get this stuff?
Murdoc: I heard this rubbish that I used to play in Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts, a U.K. biker band. But it ain’t true.
What's your favourite cartoon?
Murdoc: I always liked Daffy Duck, but cartoons are for kids really.
2-D: Battle of the Planets.
RusseI: I always liked the one in the middle of Banana Splits with Aladdin and the Magician’s “Size of an Elephant” ...um… “Arabian Knights”.
Noodle: Dragon Ball Z, Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Lab, and Pokémon.
On listening to your music and reading the interviews you did, I get a notion that notwithstanding the violent remarks, the band has a lot of fun and constantly makes fun of the others. Is that right?
Murdoc: Err, yeah that’s right. We have fun always.
Russel: Yeah, we’re like one big happy family
Murdoc: You look like one big happy family.
2-D: (looking to the side to see if Murdoc’s listening) Ermm... You know, when Murdoc hits me. It really hurts. Could you call someone? Maybe the police, I need to...
Murdoc: Huh? What’s that? What are you saying, you twerp. Were you passing notes?
2-D: (screaming) TELL THE WORLD! HEEELP. I’M BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL.
Murdoc grabs his throat and throttles him.
Murdoc: Keep quiet, you little gimp. Or it’s the cellar again for you.
2-D is now whimpering.
Murdoc: I’m sorry for that interruption. Please, continue.
What do you think of Blur's music, and of the boys themselves?
2-D: I think Blur sound a lot like the stuff we used to do.
Russel: I think they are a good band because they all have nice shoes and nice hair.
Murdoc: I’m not allowed to comment on them, because whatever I say is viewed as sarcastic.
Noodle: They’re the best band since “Seymour”.
What is it like being in a cartoon band?
2-D: I think it hurts.
Murdoc: It’s the same as being in a real band, but different. Touring’s more fun ‘cos there’s less traveling. But we get a load more stalkers, hangers-ons, and groupies. Zombie groupies. Even the undead know that we’re on the cusp of a new explosion in the way people think.
Noodle: I’m not a cartoon. I’m just small.
Does being virtual celebrities leave you more freedom than ordinary celebs have?
Murdoc: Well, if we go to award ceremonies we never get hangovers. And we can get away with hideous, disgusting acts of crime purely in the name of entertainment. The level of violence we commit would be shocking if committed by mere mortals.
Russel: Yeah, and I can get away with eating as much of that canapé stuff as I want, and I never put on a pound in weight.
Murdoc: That’s lucky ‘cos you’re already a fair size.
2-D: Size of an elephant!
Murdoc: We certainly have more freedom than celebs like Robert Downey Jr. or Christian Slater.
Does Jamie Hewlett do all the illustrations for the band? Do you guys think he can be called Gorillaz's creator?
Murdoc: God made man, but he used the monkey to do it. God made man, but the monkey supplied the glue. - Devo. But seriously, he can call himself whatever he wants, an idiot would be the same by any other name.
Murdoc: Well, it’s lonely at the top. Anyway, they do see us on the big screen, and there they can see the highlights of our lives without all the boring stuff like reality. With us, you’re getting access to a whole world of animation and explosion in sound and colour. It will make your whole being shake with excitement. Going to a normal gig after this will seem pointless. In a very real sense, we feel bigger, bolder, and more dramatic than any other band.
2-D: ...Who you can’t see at gigs anyway, because normally, some tall bloke is standing in the way.
Russel: What’s the big deal with seeing the band? When you go to see a film, you don’t demand to see the director or producer, or even the writer. We view what we do as global entertainment. You’re lucky we don’t wheel out Michael Flatley so you can ”literally see” his feet of flames.
2-D: I’ll take your brains to another dimension.
Murdoc: You’ve already taken your own brains to another dimension. But really the whole point is, along with ourselves, there are lots and lots of special guests who play with us behind the screens who are involved because they like the idea of being anonymous.
Noodle: Anyway, you can see my silhouette.
Since nobody has ever got a chance to meet Gorillaz, there must be tons of rumours and inventions. What's your favourite one?
2-D: I saw a whole documentary on myself that had nothing to do with the truth whatsoever. It said that I won the under-thirteen synchronized swimming championship at my high school for three years running. I mean, where do people get this stuff?
Murdoc: I heard this rubbish that I used to play in Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts, a U.K. biker band. But it ain’t true.
What's your favourite cartoon?
Murdoc: I always liked Daffy Duck, but cartoons are for kids really.
2-D: Battle of the Planets.
RusseI: I always liked the one in the middle of Banana Splits with Aladdin and the Magician’s “Size of an Elephant” ...um… “Arabian Knights”.
Noodle: Dragon Ball Z, Powerpuff Girls, Dexter’s Lab, and Pokémon.
On listening to your music and reading the interviews you did, I get a notion that notwithstanding the violent remarks, the band has a lot of fun and constantly makes fun of the others. Is that right?
Murdoc: Err, yeah that’s right. We have fun always.
Russel: Yeah, we’re like one big happy family
Murdoc: You look like one big happy family.
2-D: (looking to the side to see if Murdoc’s listening) Ermm... You know, when Murdoc hits me. It really hurts. Could you call someone? Maybe the police, I need to...
Murdoc: Huh? What’s that? What are you saying, you twerp. Were you passing notes?
2-D: (screaming) TELL THE WORLD! HEEELP. I’M BEING HELD AGAINST MY WILL.
Murdoc grabs his throat and throttles him.
Murdoc: Keep quiet, you little gimp. Or it’s the cellar again for you.
2-D is now whimpering.
Murdoc: I’m sorry for that interruption. Please, continue.
What do you think of Blur's music, and of the boys themselves?
2-D: I think Blur sound a lot like the stuff we used to do.
Russel: I think they are a good band because they all have nice shoes and nice hair.
Murdoc: I’m not allowed to comment on them, because whatever I say is viewed as sarcastic.
Noodle: They’re the best band since “Seymour”.
What is it like being in a cartoon band?
2-D: I think it hurts.
Murdoc: It’s the same as being in a real band, but different. Touring’s more fun ‘cos there’s less traveling. But we get a load more stalkers, hangers-ons, and groupies. Zombie groupies. Even the undead know that we’re on the cusp of a new explosion in the way people think.
Noodle: I’m not a cartoon. I’m just small.
Does being virtual celebrities leave you more freedom than ordinary celebs have?
Murdoc: Well, if we go to award ceremonies we never get hangovers. And we can get away with hideous, disgusting acts of crime purely in the name of entertainment. The level of violence we commit would be shocking if committed by mere mortals.
Russel: Yeah, and I can get away with eating as much of that canapé stuff as I want, and I never put on a pound in weight.
Murdoc: That’s lucky ‘cos you’re already a fair size.
2-D: Size of an elephant!
Murdoc: We certainly have more freedom than celebs like Robert Downey Jr. or Christian Slater.
Does Jamie Hewlett do all the illustrations for the band? Do you guys think he can be called Gorillaz's creator?
Murdoc: God made man, but he used the monkey to do it. God made man, but the monkey supplied the glue. - Devo. But seriously, he can call himself whatever he wants, an idiot would be the same by any other name.