Gorillaz Interview
NME The Works, October 2001
Hi Gorillaz, thanks for speaking to us.
Shove it up your big stupid arse. Lets cut to the chase, I see you.
Being two-dimensional obviously raises difficulties when playing live. Whose idea was it to use the screen and the projections?
Very small, on stage, screen for people at the back. Just like Phil C’s Philly Live Aid performance. He’s very small too. All massive bands use screens. Larger than life. If the screen went up you’d see that it’s just an old giffer with some card board cut out son a model train track and a ghetto blaster.
Everyone knows you’re a four-piece but you were using a few more three-dimensional members for this live show to fill out the sound. What can you tell us about them?
I can tell you this much, they’re lucky to have any work at all. As for that git modelling trousers
How did you go about recruiting them and how did they feel about playing alongside animated characters?
They’re all so spectacularly ugly that they’re more than grateful for the anonymity that the screen provides for them.
How does it differ from other (3D) bands they’ve played with?
My guitar tech used to work for Glen Benton, in fact it was him who branded him. Russel chose the scratcher because he claimed to have worked on Mclarens Duck Rock. Daffy Duck rock more like! It turned out that he’s a pathological liar and a badly dressed one at that and he’s going out with Woody Wood Peckers daughter.
What were rehearsals like? Were you originally aiming to recreate the album or did you expect it to take a life of its own from the start?
Messy. Murdoc thought it more important to sacrifice chickens and fuck goats in an attempt to re create Hotel California by the Eagles which by in large was very successful. The record company stepped in and got us working on our own tunes.
How have they acclimatised to playing behind a big screen? It must raise some difficulties for them, not being able to see the crowd?
Listen they’re musicians they find everything difficult and are always trying to acclimatize to something. There’s far more pressing problems in this world than some washed up muse not being able to see a crowd, existential questions that humanity will never find an answer to. If they want to see an audience they should try writing their own tunes and fucking off back to their own world and I guarantee the still won’t see a crowd.
You’ve brought a lot of sampled keyboard sounds along with you. Who’s in charge of looking after that side of things?
Fat Boy Slim apparently. He’s won numerous awards for his abilities in this department. The critic’s and the public love him and who am I to argue?
Who were the MCs who joined you for Clint Eastwood?
Si and Life from oh what’s they’re name? From Billy Ray Cyrus no, no ,no, no sorry it’s Billy Phi Piper yeah that’s it. They’re Luton's answer to Milli Vanilli but who’s asking? Girl you know that’s true
Noodles¹ guitar set-up had more pedals than most music stores. How does she use them and what the hell is a Watkins Copy Cat anyway?
A Watkins Copy Cat is a specialised type of analogue tape delay machine much cherished in the industry. Much cherished my arse, I opened it up the other day and its full up with trained speaking hamsters and straw and all they do is copy everything that they hear repeatedly.
Most successful bands have some sort of endorsement deals with various manufacturers for example Alex James and Fender. How has being in Gorillaz affected your blagging power?
Ironically we’ve seriously affected Alex James’ endorsement deals. He’s gone from Fender to Spud U Like in one swift move. He likes it better though because he gets access to as many beans as he can use.
Finally, those of us at the soundcheck heard your collaboration with D12. It sounds awesome but how did they adjust to working with animated characters?"
They’re used to working with fictional characters. Slim Shady, Eminem? We all know the real Marshal Mathers works in McDonalds. Bizarre's impersonation of a big fat Chinese guy is very very funny.
Shove it up your big stupid arse. Lets cut to the chase, I see you.
Being two-dimensional obviously raises difficulties when playing live. Whose idea was it to use the screen and the projections?
Very small, on stage, screen for people at the back. Just like Phil C’s Philly Live Aid performance. He’s very small too. All massive bands use screens. Larger than life. If the screen went up you’d see that it’s just an old giffer with some card board cut out son a model train track and a ghetto blaster.
Everyone knows you’re a four-piece but you were using a few more three-dimensional members for this live show to fill out the sound. What can you tell us about them?
I can tell you this much, they’re lucky to have any work at all. As for that git modelling trousers
How did you go about recruiting them and how did they feel about playing alongside animated characters?
They’re all so spectacularly ugly that they’re more than grateful for the anonymity that the screen provides for them.
How does it differ from other (3D) bands they’ve played with?
My guitar tech used to work for Glen Benton, in fact it was him who branded him. Russel chose the scratcher because he claimed to have worked on Mclarens Duck Rock. Daffy Duck rock more like! It turned out that he’s a pathological liar and a badly dressed one at that and he’s going out with Woody Wood Peckers daughter.
What were rehearsals like? Were you originally aiming to recreate the album or did you expect it to take a life of its own from the start?
Messy. Murdoc thought it more important to sacrifice chickens and fuck goats in an attempt to re create Hotel California by the Eagles which by in large was very successful. The record company stepped in and got us working on our own tunes.
How have they acclimatised to playing behind a big screen? It must raise some difficulties for them, not being able to see the crowd?
Listen they’re musicians they find everything difficult and are always trying to acclimatize to something. There’s far more pressing problems in this world than some washed up muse not being able to see a crowd, existential questions that humanity will never find an answer to. If they want to see an audience they should try writing their own tunes and fucking off back to their own world and I guarantee the still won’t see a crowd.
You’ve brought a lot of sampled keyboard sounds along with you. Who’s in charge of looking after that side of things?
Fat Boy Slim apparently. He’s won numerous awards for his abilities in this department. The critic’s and the public love him and who am I to argue?
Who were the MCs who joined you for Clint Eastwood?
Si and Life from oh what’s they’re name? From Billy Ray Cyrus no, no ,no, no sorry it’s Billy Phi Piper yeah that’s it. They’re Luton's answer to Milli Vanilli but who’s asking? Girl you know that’s true
Noodles¹ guitar set-up had more pedals than most music stores. How does she use them and what the hell is a Watkins Copy Cat anyway?
A Watkins Copy Cat is a specialised type of analogue tape delay machine much cherished in the industry. Much cherished my arse, I opened it up the other day and its full up with trained speaking hamsters and straw and all they do is copy everything that they hear repeatedly.
Most successful bands have some sort of endorsement deals with various manufacturers for example Alex James and Fender. How has being in Gorillaz affected your blagging power?
Ironically we’ve seriously affected Alex James’ endorsement deals. He’s gone from Fender to Spud U Like in one swift move. He likes it better though because he gets access to as many beans as he can use.
Finally, those of us at the soundcheck heard your collaboration with D12. It sounds awesome but how did they adjust to working with animated characters?"
They’re used to working with fictional characters. Slim Shady, Eminem? We all know the real Marshal Mathers works in McDonalds. Bizarre's impersonation of a big fat Chinese guy is very very funny.