'It's a funkstation stargate' - Gorillaz discuss their new solar-powered studio
The Guardian, June 2017
As if pulling together the incredible line-up for Demon Dayz festival wasn’t enough, Gorillaz are rebuilding their Kong Studios on-site for one night only - and this time, it’s eco-friendly.
Gorillaz fans will already be well acquainted with an unfortunate episode in July 2008 when Murdoc from the band burned their HQ, Kong Studios, to the ground, blamed the blaze on local kids and used the insurance money to build a new studio on a floating island made of sea debris. We’ve all been there, right?
Anyway, the story doesn’t end there. This weekend, for one night only, Kong Studios rises from the ashes and is being rebuilt as part of Gorillaz’ Demon Dayz festival in Margate. The whole thing is being supported by energy company E.ON (in fairness to Gorillaz, burning down something once then getting paid for it twice simply shows good initiative) and on Saturday night the studio will host three artists - Lao Ra, Lully and Throwing Shade - who’ll come together to collaborate overnight for the first time on a track using nothing but solar energy harvested during the day.
It remains to be seen whether Sunday morning will see the new Kong Studios meet the same fate as its predecessor, but Murdoc, Russel, Noodle and 2D seemed in high spirits when we called them for a chat...
The idea of setting up a solar-powered studio is all very well, but wouldn’t it just be easier to hire a load of petrol generators and be done with it?
Murdoc: Yes, that’s what simpletons would do. But not Gorillaz. We always think one step ahead. When others zig, we zag. When others zag, we zag again, so you never know what we’re going to do. We like to keep people on their toes.
In recreating the destroyed Kong Studios and highlighting the power of solar energy, are you hoping to offset the harmful emissions released into the atmosphere when you burned down the original Kong Studios?
Russel: Never go back, man. That’s my philosophy. Although in this case we couldn’t anyway, because Murdoc torched our last studio and spent the insurance money on liquor and fish pedicures. So this is a brand new start. Not just for us, but also hopefully for other acts as well. We’re all about fresh starts here, just like with Botox and Murdoc’s face.
Lao Ra, Lully and Throwing Shade will each be using the studios - presuming, of course, that they weren’t simply the first three artists to say yes, how did you choose the acts?
Noodle: My cosmic lasso. I twirled it and caught them all. They added themselves into the sound. It was beautiful but frightening. A dark fantasy. Well, that’s how I like to remember it.
How are you making sure the new solar Kong Studios is environmentally friendly?
Russel: Life is a like an endless fairground ride that you can’t get off, controlled by The Man. But for one night only, we are in control. Demons in dreamland, baby. It’s a funkstation stargate to a brave new world. So of course we want to make sure it’s environmentally sustainable. We wanna keep doing Demon Dayz for many, many years to come. We want to be sitting here talking to you about it in 2030.
At one point Russel from the band went for a swim and ingested so much pollution that he turned into a giant. Do you think people would be more environmentally conscious if that sort of thing happened more often?
Russel: You mean if they got huge and then got kidnapped by North Koreans and then exhibited in an amusement park in Pyongyang like a freakshow, everyone laughin’ and pointin’ 24/7 as they ate Ben and Jerry’s and listened to Celine Dion? Er, yeah. It probably would. Let’s pump up everyone with steroids and garbage in their water now.
Solar energy is a pretty good thing and the sun’s quite nice, but as celestial objects go isn’t the Moon just objectively better?
Noodle: Yeah. I study astrology so I’m familiar with all the moon patterns and cycles and they are really something. Did you know the moon is a goddess, for example? Because she is. It’s all about the women in life and their role as nurturers. Fertility, pregnancy and childbirth are governed by the moon. Sunburn, cherry Lambrini, illegal BBQs in parks and urinating on streets are all governed by the sun - which is, unsurprisingly, male.
What’s the most harmful emission you’ve ever made?
2D: It might be me. When I got swallowed by Massive Dick (no relation to Moby) I lived on the gastric juices in his fishy womb for quite a while. Then, when he spat me out, I had to eat him to survive. That’s got to do something to the digestive system. And that something, if the effect was anything to go by, was catastrophic. I basically flattened an entire island.
What’s the most interesting thing about the Gorillaz/E.ON collaboration?
Murdoc: I’m insulted you’d even ask. The most interesting thing, of course, is me. Murdoc Niccals. As Gorillaz creator, I initiate everything. Songwriting, production, even the T-shirt designs. If 2D wants to go to the loo I have to initiate it first. Forms signed in triplicate and then submitted for a lengthy approvals process. So the most exciting thing coming out of all of this would be the chance for other people to get to work with me. It’s a privilege and a blessing I only bestow on a rare few. Or the people that I have dirt on, anyway.
What’s the best thing about the Demon Dayz festival? How did it come about?
Murdoc: I’ve always had a soft spot for the English seaside. Grey skies, biting winds, tramps living free on sea air and super-strength lager. Edge of the world, isn’t it? Far away from the banal conformity of urban England. So it seemed an appropriate spot to launch a sonic nuke of hope, truth and despair, for one night only.
Gorillaz fans will already be well acquainted with an unfortunate episode in July 2008 when Murdoc from the band burned their HQ, Kong Studios, to the ground, blamed the blaze on local kids and used the insurance money to build a new studio on a floating island made of sea debris. We’ve all been there, right?
Anyway, the story doesn’t end there. This weekend, for one night only, Kong Studios rises from the ashes and is being rebuilt as part of Gorillaz’ Demon Dayz festival in Margate. The whole thing is being supported by energy company E.ON (in fairness to Gorillaz, burning down something once then getting paid for it twice simply shows good initiative) and on Saturday night the studio will host three artists - Lao Ra, Lully and Throwing Shade - who’ll come together to collaborate overnight for the first time on a track using nothing but solar energy harvested during the day.
It remains to be seen whether Sunday morning will see the new Kong Studios meet the same fate as its predecessor, but Murdoc, Russel, Noodle and 2D seemed in high spirits when we called them for a chat...
The idea of setting up a solar-powered studio is all very well, but wouldn’t it just be easier to hire a load of petrol generators and be done with it?
Murdoc: Yes, that’s what simpletons would do. But not Gorillaz. We always think one step ahead. When others zig, we zag. When others zag, we zag again, so you never know what we’re going to do. We like to keep people on their toes.
In recreating the destroyed Kong Studios and highlighting the power of solar energy, are you hoping to offset the harmful emissions released into the atmosphere when you burned down the original Kong Studios?
Russel: Never go back, man. That’s my philosophy. Although in this case we couldn’t anyway, because Murdoc torched our last studio and spent the insurance money on liquor and fish pedicures. So this is a brand new start. Not just for us, but also hopefully for other acts as well. We’re all about fresh starts here, just like with Botox and Murdoc’s face.
Lao Ra, Lully and Throwing Shade will each be using the studios - presuming, of course, that they weren’t simply the first three artists to say yes, how did you choose the acts?
Noodle: My cosmic lasso. I twirled it and caught them all. They added themselves into the sound. It was beautiful but frightening. A dark fantasy. Well, that’s how I like to remember it.
How are you making sure the new solar Kong Studios is environmentally friendly?
Russel: Life is a like an endless fairground ride that you can’t get off, controlled by The Man. But for one night only, we are in control. Demons in dreamland, baby. It’s a funkstation stargate to a brave new world. So of course we want to make sure it’s environmentally sustainable. We wanna keep doing Demon Dayz for many, many years to come. We want to be sitting here talking to you about it in 2030.
At one point Russel from the band went for a swim and ingested so much pollution that he turned into a giant. Do you think people would be more environmentally conscious if that sort of thing happened more often?
Russel: You mean if they got huge and then got kidnapped by North Koreans and then exhibited in an amusement park in Pyongyang like a freakshow, everyone laughin’ and pointin’ 24/7 as they ate Ben and Jerry’s and listened to Celine Dion? Er, yeah. It probably would. Let’s pump up everyone with steroids and garbage in their water now.
Solar energy is a pretty good thing and the sun’s quite nice, but as celestial objects go isn’t the Moon just objectively better?
Noodle: Yeah. I study astrology so I’m familiar with all the moon patterns and cycles and they are really something. Did you know the moon is a goddess, for example? Because she is. It’s all about the women in life and their role as nurturers. Fertility, pregnancy and childbirth are governed by the moon. Sunburn, cherry Lambrini, illegal BBQs in parks and urinating on streets are all governed by the sun - which is, unsurprisingly, male.
What’s the most harmful emission you’ve ever made?
2D: It might be me. When I got swallowed by Massive Dick (no relation to Moby) I lived on the gastric juices in his fishy womb for quite a while. Then, when he spat me out, I had to eat him to survive. That’s got to do something to the digestive system. And that something, if the effect was anything to go by, was catastrophic. I basically flattened an entire island.
What’s the most interesting thing about the Gorillaz/E.ON collaboration?
Murdoc: I’m insulted you’d even ask. The most interesting thing, of course, is me. Murdoc Niccals. As Gorillaz creator, I initiate everything. Songwriting, production, even the T-shirt designs. If 2D wants to go to the loo I have to initiate it first. Forms signed in triplicate and then submitted for a lengthy approvals process. So the most exciting thing coming out of all of this would be the chance for other people to get to work with me. It’s a privilege and a blessing I only bestow on a rare few. Or the people that I have dirt on, anyway.
What’s the best thing about the Demon Dayz festival? How did it come about?
Murdoc: I’ve always had a soft spot for the English seaside. Grey skies, biting winds, tramps living free on sea air and super-strength lager. Edge of the world, isn’t it? Far away from the banal conformity of urban England. So it seemed an appropriate spot to launch a sonic nuke of hope, truth and despair, for one night only.