Gorillaz Interview
Tentaciones, March 2001
Murdoc
Who is more representative of Stoke on Trent, you or Robbie Williams?
Murdoc: I’m not even going to respond to that. Me, Lemmy, and Slash are Stokes's golden sons, and that Williams boy has really let the side down.
What is your opinion about Damon Albarn?
Murdoc: Nice bloke but a bit too free and easy when he’s talking to the press about my band, he’ll be asking for points on my album next. To hear him talk, you’d think that Gorillaz was all his idea.
Your favourite all-time band?
Murdoc: Oooh! I hate having to plump for just the one but if I had to then Black Sabbath would come out on top, but only with Ozzy up front.
The worst band nowadays?
Murdoc: I would have said Westlife, but I think those imposters Hear'Say just stole their title as the world's turdiest bunch of kiddie swindlers.
Are you the best band of 2001?
Murdoc: Without a shadow of a doubt. No contest.
2D
Damon Albarn says that you have copied his look. What do you think of that?
2D: I don’t believe that he said that. Did he really say that? Was he drunk?
Murdoc saved your life. How have you paid for that?
2D: I don’t really know, I was in a coma after a car ram-raided the shop that I used to work in and smashed into my head. When I came too I was in a car park in Nottingham and Murdoc was there, he took me back to his place, made me a cup of tea and nothing has been the same since.
You are Gorillaz’s pretty face. Are the other members of the band jealous?
2D: I don’t really know, it's hard to know things about yourself like that and I don’t think of myself like that because that would be a bit weird I think. But I don’t think they are, we all love each other.
Murdoc: Listen, everyone knows that front men are vacuous, spoon-fed stooges who emblazon TV screens, magazine covers and bedroom walls for nanoseconds before winding up as embittered showbiz has-beens who can’t even do their own laundry now that their ex-management will no longer return their calls. Never forget that this is my band, my band!
Who is your favourite singer? Why?
2D: I love Horace Andy and I don’t really have a reason other than I think he’s great, but that’s enough I reckon.
Do you take drugs?
2D: Only the ones I get from the doctor for my headaches.
Murdoc: Yeah, in other words, bucket loads of prescription downers. Look at him, nobody is at home and the lights aren’t even on.
Russel
As an American: What do you think of European people?
Russel: It’s complex, you know there are obviously a lot of issues for me as a black American man, there’s a lot of bad blood past between our people. But as my Dad used to say, you gotta keep one eye on where you come from but always keep your mind on where you are going. You know what I mean?
Are you Dan The Automator’s favourite pupil?
Russel: I’m nobody's pupil. Don’t get me wrong, life is about learning, but I think we all learn from each other. I’m not into this hierarchy student-pupil rap.
How do you define Gorillaz's style?
Russel: We live in an animated alter-world where Augustus Pablo can walk into Electric Lady Studios, pick up a Gibson, and play a fuzz lead over a Cachao bassline while Dr. Dre plays the tin flute to Rag Time beatz.
Favourite Hip-Hop act?
Russel: Well, it’s like this; I’m possessed by the rapping phantom of my dead high-school pal, Del, who was gunned down at my side when we accidentally found ourselves in the path of some gangland fire. So you see, Del is my ever-living brother who channels his spirit world flow through me, he turned me onto Hip-Hop so he’s my inspiration and my mentor. There’s so many others that I love though, Guru always does it for me, Mos Def is a shining light and I’m really into Blade, he and Mark B get my full respect, U.K Hip-Hop shows real heart in the face of media and record company stupidity. I also owe an eternal debt of gratitude to nearly everyone on the Electro series, “Jam On It” still makes me jump up.
Noodle (Translated from Japanese)
Please, choose one of these bands: Prozzak, Josie & the Pussycats, Archies, or Aaron Carter.
Noodle: You can make a flute from silver or you can make a flute from bamboo but they make very different sounds, one is for the day and the other is for the night. I play both in Gorillaz.
Why have you chosen it?
Noodle: The way of the Tao is the way of everything.
The legend says that you are an oriental princess. Is it true?
Noodle: To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
Who are your favourite guitar players?
Noodle: Graham Coxon-san.
Being the only girl in Gorillaz, how is your relationship with the boys?
Noodle: Sometimes 2D has to stay up past his bedtime, which makes him very tired. Murdoc never seems to need to go to bed. He works until very late in his studio. Sometimes he is in a very good mood, sometimes very bad.
Who is more representative of Stoke on Trent, you or Robbie Williams?
Murdoc: I’m not even going to respond to that. Me, Lemmy, and Slash are Stokes's golden sons, and that Williams boy has really let the side down.
What is your opinion about Damon Albarn?
Murdoc: Nice bloke but a bit too free and easy when he’s talking to the press about my band, he’ll be asking for points on my album next. To hear him talk, you’d think that Gorillaz was all his idea.
Your favourite all-time band?
Murdoc: Oooh! I hate having to plump for just the one but if I had to then Black Sabbath would come out on top, but only with Ozzy up front.
The worst band nowadays?
Murdoc: I would have said Westlife, but I think those imposters Hear'Say just stole their title as the world's turdiest bunch of kiddie swindlers.
Are you the best band of 2001?
Murdoc: Without a shadow of a doubt. No contest.
2D
Damon Albarn says that you have copied his look. What do you think of that?
2D: I don’t believe that he said that. Did he really say that? Was he drunk?
Murdoc saved your life. How have you paid for that?
2D: I don’t really know, I was in a coma after a car ram-raided the shop that I used to work in and smashed into my head. When I came too I was in a car park in Nottingham and Murdoc was there, he took me back to his place, made me a cup of tea and nothing has been the same since.
You are Gorillaz’s pretty face. Are the other members of the band jealous?
2D: I don’t really know, it's hard to know things about yourself like that and I don’t think of myself like that because that would be a bit weird I think. But I don’t think they are, we all love each other.
Murdoc: Listen, everyone knows that front men are vacuous, spoon-fed stooges who emblazon TV screens, magazine covers and bedroom walls for nanoseconds before winding up as embittered showbiz has-beens who can’t even do their own laundry now that their ex-management will no longer return their calls. Never forget that this is my band, my band!
Who is your favourite singer? Why?
2D: I love Horace Andy and I don’t really have a reason other than I think he’s great, but that’s enough I reckon.
Do you take drugs?
2D: Only the ones I get from the doctor for my headaches.
Murdoc: Yeah, in other words, bucket loads of prescription downers. Look at him, nobody is at home and the lights aren’t even on.
Russel
As an American: What do you think of European people?
Russel: It’s complex, you know there are obviously a lot of issues for me as a black American man, there’s a lot of bad blood past between our people. But as my Dad used to say, you gotta keep one eye on where you come from but always keep your mind on where you are going. You know what I mean?
Are you Dan The Automator’s favourite pupil?
Russel: I’m nobody's pupil. Don’t get me wrong, life is about learning, but I think we all learn from each other. I’m not into this hierarchy student-pupil rap.
How do you define Gorillaz's style?
Russel: We live in an animated alter-world where Augustus Pablo can walk into Electric Lady Studios, pick up a Gibson, and play a fuzz lead over a Cachao bassline while Dr. Dre plays the tin flute to Rag Time beatz.
Favourite Hip-Hop act?
Russel: Well, it’s like this; I’m possessed by the rapping phantom of my dead high-school pal, Del, who was gunned down at my side when we accidentally found ourselves in the path of some gangland fire. So you see, Del is my ever-living brother who channels his spirit world flow through me, he turned me onto Hip-Hop so he’s my inspiration and my mentor. There’s so many others that I love though, Guru always does it for me, Mos Def is a shining light and I’m really into Blade, he and Mark B get my full respect, U.K Hip-Hop shows real heart in the face of media and record company stupidity. I also owe an eternal debt of gratitude to nearly everyone on the Electro series, “Jam On It” still makes me jump up.
Noodle (Translated from Japanese)
Please, choose one of these bands: Prozzak, Josie & the Pussycats, Archies, or Aaron Carter.
Noodle: You can make a flute from silver or you can make a flute from bamboo but they make very different sounds, one is for the day and the other is for the night. I play both in Gorillaz.
Why have you chosen it?
Noodle: The way of the Tao is the way of everything.
The legend says that you are an oriental princess. Is it true?
Noodle: To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.
Who are your favourite guitar players?
Noodle: Graham Coxon-san.
Being the only girl in Gorillaz, how is your relationship with the boys?
Noodle: Sometimes 2D has to stay up past his bedtime, which makes him very tired. Murdoc never seems to need to go to bed. He works until very late in his studio. Sometimes he is in a very good mood, sometimes very bad.