Gorillaz Questions
J17, April 2001
For any J17 readers who have missed the Gorillaz phenomenon, tell us who are and what you sound like.
Murdoc: Ooh, hello you lovely little readers in J17 land. Don’t let the boys steal your copies at lunchtime, they’ll only read the problem pages and start making crude remarks about the problem pages. Truth is that they secretly need the information from these pages because they are so hopelessly lost in a raging sea of hormones!
Russel: Murdoc! This is a side of you I never knew existed! The agony aunt of the Stepney Satanists now, are we? In answer to your question, I’m Russel the big beat behemoth, this here is my sweet little sister from Japan, goes by the name of Noodle and she kicks kung-fu-ass on a Gibson guitar. The pale-looking man with the sonic-blue-do is our headache–boy wonder with a voice like an angel, 2D. And of course, you’ve met our resident walking-dead-evil-lord-of-bass-buggery, Mr. Murdoc Niccals!
Murdoc: And it’s my band, my band!
2D: Yeah, and we sound like The Clash fronted by Otis Reading playing a gig down Sesame Street at a party for the legendary dub producers Sly and Robbie!
How did you all meet?
Murdoc: I nursed 2D out of a coma...
Russel: ...That you had put him into...
Murdoc: Says who? I found old Grand Master Arse Face here working in a record store in Soho...
Russel: ...Which you were stealing from.
Murdoc: And your point is? Anyway, little Tripitaka here arrived in a FedEx crate, a bit of an oriental express delivery if you like, hehehehehehe!
You’re all quite diverse characters, do you really all like each other? Who did you last have an argument with and what was it about?
Russel: We’re like family apart from Murdoc who hates us, himself, and his family equally.
2D: I love you, Murdoc!
Murdoc: I don’t know how many times I’m gonna have to tell you this, numb nuts; I saved your life, you owe me your soul.
2D: I know, I don’t mind!
Murdoc: No, you meant to say, “I don’t have a mind".
Have any of you tried to snog Noodle? If you all went for her, who’d have the best chance?
Russel: Please, that’s enough of that. She’s only ten!
Noodle: Richie Sambora-san!
2D: She’s got a thing for old rockers, like Russ’ said she’s ten, so we let her off!
Murdoc: So, what’s your excuse then?
What’s it like being in the pop world’s first-ever animated band?
Russel: The best comparison we can think of for being in a cartoon band is finding yourself sewn into the seat of William Hanna’s and Joe Barbera’s jogging pants on the day they invented The New Shmoo. A pretty wild ride.
Do loads of people fancy you now that you’re famous? Have any celebs tried to chat you up or snog you? If so, who?
2D: That’s all mucky that celeb’ snogging business. I told my girlfriend about Kate Moss showing me her boobies, I thought she’d find it funny because all it did was freak me out, but she got really upset!
Russel: Firstly, you don’t go telling nobody about things like that, not journalists and definitely not your girlfriend. Damn, I swear sometimes ‘D, Murdoc is right about you!
Murdoc: You better believe it, big fella! Hail Satan!
Where do you all like to hang out when you’re not working? Do you go to places like the Met bar?
2D: No, I hate places like that, everyone stares and people there just pretend to be your friends. When I’m not working I like watching Zombie movies with Noodle and Russ. I don’t know what Murdoc gets up to, we used to share a flat before we were signed and then he used to like to punch me whenever he could!
Murdoc: Still do!
Pop bands Hear’Say and Westlife kept Clint Eastwood off the top of the charts, what did you make of their singles? Have you got a message for them?
Murdoc: The charts have always been filled with turdy music for childrens parties and…
Russel: I think I’ll butt in there! I know you wouldn’t like Murdoc’s full opinion about these people. If you want to know what he might have said then think of the worst thing you can, double it, and then be sure that it would be much worse. Now I agree with him, in principle, these people are manipulated music industry puppets who will be dropped by the heartless corporate machines who back them without a second thought at the first sign of trouble, but he wouldn’t have put it that way, believe me! These people need to dig really deep and ask what it is they are giving to the world, and weigh it up against what it is they are taking!
What do you have to say to the claim that you are a manufactured band?
Russel: We’re a drawn band, there’s a big difference!
What do you reckon about nu-metal? Could you see yourselves collaborating with a band like Limp Bizkit?
Murdoc: I love a bit of metal and we are well into collaboration, but I don’t think we’ll be doing much with old Linkin Bizkit what’s his name, Fred West?
Would you like to see yourselves immortalized in plastic dolls like Eminem and Hear’Say?
Russel: We like toys a lot but, just like our music, we’d like to have our production quality be a bit higher than most band merchandise! We’re not into bad duvet covers because we don’t want to rip people off, just because you can sell things it doesn’t mean that you should.
Are you planning to play any festivals this summer?
2D: We are, but we can’t talk about it yet. I’m still getting used to that, having to monitor what I say!
Murdoc: Steady on! You’ll be thinking about what you say next!
Russel: Hmmmmm. Look who’s talking!
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years' time? Are Gorillaz going to be like The Simpsons and never grow up?
2D: Mr. Burns is really old, and Homer doesn’t look that fresh off of the press either come to think of it, or Marge’s sisters now that I’m on the subject. Do you remember the one where Apu had eaten loads of his out-of-date stock and…
Murdoc: ...Yeah, yeah, yeah, Homer said “Doh!” right? Do shut up Stu-Pot, you Muppet! There’s nothing more boring than idiots like you regurgitating Simpsons scripts, so leave it out.
Is the future of music flat?
Murdoc: Only if 2D gets to sing on more people's tunes, know what I mean?
2D: I really think the world is flat, or was that hollow? I always get those two ideas mixed up. You’ll all laugh at me now and talk about space exploration and stuff, but I don’t believe in that either! Once you’ve stopped laughing, try and prove me wrong yourselves. And I don’t mean tell me about something you’ve read in a book either! Not laughing now, are we!
Murdoc: That’s because they’ve stopped listening, you dullard!
Murdoc: Ooh, hello you lovely little readers in J17 land. Don’t let the boys steal your copies at lunchtime, they’ll only read the problem pages and start making crude remarks about the problem pages. Truth is that they secretly need the information from these pages because they are so hopelessly lost in a raging sea of hormones!
Russel: Murdoc! This is a side of you I never knew existed! The agony aunt of the Stepney Satanists now, are we? In answer to your question, I’m Russel the big beat behemoth, this here is my sweet little sister from Japan, goes by the name of Noodle and she kicks kung-fu-ass on a Gibson guitar. The pale-looking man with the sonic-blue-do is our headache–boy wonder with a voice like an angel, 2D. And of course, you’ve met our resident walking-dead-evil-lord-of-bass-buggery, Mr. Murdoc Niccals!
Murdoc: And it’s my band, my band!
2D: Yeah, and we sound like The Clash fronted by Otis Reading playing a gig down Sesame Street at a party for the legendary dub producers Sly and Robbie!
How did you all meet?
Murdoc: I nursed 2D out of a coma...
Russel: ...That you had put him into...
Murdoc: Says who? I found old Grand Master Arse Face here working in a record store in Soho...
Russel: ...Which you were stealing from.
Murdoc: And your point is? Anyway, little Tripitaka here arrived in a FedEx crate, a bit of an oriental express delivery if you like, hehehehehehe!
You’re all quite diverse characters, do you really all like each other? Who did you last have an argument with and what was it about?
Russel: We’re like family apart from Murdoc who hates us, himself, and his family equally.
2D: I love you, Murdoc!
Murdoc: I don’t know how many times I’m gonna have to tell you this, numb nuts; I saved your life, you owe me your soul.
2D: I know, I don’t mind!
Murdoc: No, you meant to say, “I don’t have a mind".
Have any of you tried to snog Noodle? If you all went for her, who’d have the best chance?
Russel: Please, that’s enough of that. She’s only ten!
Noodle: Richie Sambora-san!
2D: She’s got a thing for old rockers, like Russ’ said she’s ten, so we let her off!
Murdoc: So, what’s your excuse then?
What’s it like being in the pop world’s first-ever animated band?
Russel: The best comparison we can think of for being in a cartoon band is finding yourself sewn into the seat of William Hanna’s and Joe Barbera’s jogging pants on the day they invented The New Shmoo. A pretty wild ride.
Do loads of people fancy you now that you’re famous? Have any celebs tried to chat you up or snog you? If so, who?
2D: That’s all mucky that celeb’ snogging business. I told my girlfriend about Kate Moss showing me her boobies, I thought she’d find it funny because all it did was freak me out, but she got really upset!
Russel: Firstly, you don’t go telling nobody about things like that, not journalists and definitely not your girlfriend. Damn, I swear sometimes ‘D, Murdoc is right about you!
Murdoc: You better believe it, big fella! Hail Satan!
Where do you all like to hang out when you’re not working? Do you go to places like the Met bar?
2D: No, I hate places like that, everyone stares and people there just pretend to be your friends. When I’m not working I like watching Zombie movies with Noodle and Russ. I don’t know what Murdoc gets up to, we used to share a flat before we were signed and then he used to like to punch me whenever he could!
Murdoc: Still do!
Pop bands Hear’Say and Westlife kept Clint Eastwood off the top of the charts, what did you make of their singles? Have you got a message for them?
Murdoc: The charts have always been filled with turdy music for childrens parties and…
Russel: I think I’ll butt in there! I know you wouldn’t like Murdoc’s full opinion about these people. If you want to know what he might have said then think of the worst thing you can, double it, and then be sure that it would be much worse. Now I agree with him, in principle, these people are manipulated music industry puppets who will be dropped by the heartless corporate machines who back them without a second thought at the first sign of trouble, but he wouldn’t have put it that way, believe me! These people need to dig really deep and ask what it is they are giving to the world, and weigh it up against what it is they are taking!
What do you have to say to the claim that you are a manufactured band?
Russel: We’re a drawn band, there’s a big difference!
What do you reckon about nu-metal? Could you see yourselves collaborating with a band like Limp Bizkit?
Murdoc: I love a bit of metal and we are well into collaboration, but I don’t think we’ll be doing much with old Linkin Bizkit what’s his name, Fred West?
Would you like to see yourselves immortalized in plastic dolls like Eminem and Hear’Say?
Russel: We like toys a lot but, just like our music, we’d like to have our production quality be a bit higher than most band merchandise! We’re not into bad duvet covers because we don’t want to rip people off, just because you can sell things it doesn’t mean that you should.
Are you planning to play any festivals this summer?
2D: We are, but we can’t talk about it yet. I’m still getting used to that, having to monitor what I say!
Murdoc: Steady on! You’ll be thinking about what you say next!
Russel: Hmmmmm. Look who’s talking!
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years' time? Are Gorillaz going to be like The Simpsons and never grow up?
2D: Mr. Burns is really old, and Homer doesn’t look that fresh off of the press either come to think of it, or Marge’s sisters now that I’m on the subject. Do you remember the one where Apu had eaten loads of his out-of-date stock and…
Murdoc: ...Yeah, yeah, yeah, Homer said “Doh!” right? Do shut up Stu-Pot, you Muppet! There’s nothing more boring than idiots like you regurgitating Simpsons scripts, so leave it out.
Is the future of music flat?
Murdoc: Only if 2D gets to sing on more people's tunes, know what I mean?
2D: I really think the world is flat, or was that hollow? I always get those two ideas mixed up. You’ll all laugh at me now and talk about space exploration and stuff, but I don’t believe in that either! Once you’ve stopped laughing, try and prove me wrong yourselves. And I don’t mean tell me about something you’ve read in a book either! Not laughing now, are we!
Murdoc: That’s because they’ve stopped listening, you dullard!