Gorillaz
Encyclopedia
Gorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn
and Jamie Hewlett
. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe
depicting a "virtual band
" of cartoon characters. This band has four animated members: 2D
(lead vocalist, keyboard, and melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar and drum machine), Noodle
(guitar, keyboard, and occasional vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). Their fictional universe is explored through the band's website and music videos, as well as a number of other media, such as short cartoons. The music is a collaboration between various musicians, Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is a composition of multiple musical genres, with a large number of influences including: alternative rock
, dub
, hip hop
, electronic
, and pop music.
The band's 2001 debut album Gorillaz
sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band
. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize
in 2001, but the nomination was later withdrawn at the band's request. Their second studio album, Demon Days
, released in 2005, went five times platinum in the UK, double platinum
in the United States, earned five Grammy Award
nominations for 2006 and won one of them in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category. Gorillaz have also released two B-sides compilations and a remix album. The combined sales of the Gorillaz and Demon Days albums had exceeded 15 million by 2007. The band's third studio album, Plastic Beach
, was released in March 2010. Their latest album, The Fall
, was released in December 2010 as a free download for sub-division members, then in April 2011 as a physical release.
and Jamie Hewlett
created Gorillaz in 1998 when they were living together in a flat on Westbourne Grove
. The idea to create the band came about when the two were watching MTV, "if you watch MTV for too long, it's a bit like hell – there's nothing of substance there. So we got this idea for a cartoon band, something that would be a comment on that," Hewlett said. The band originally identified themselves as "Gorilla", and the first song they recorded was "Ghost Train", later released as a B-side on their single "Rock the House
" and the B-side compilation G Sides. The trio of musicians behind Gorillaz' first incarnation included Damon Albarn, Del the Funky Homosapien and Dan the Automator
, who had previously worked together on the track "Time Keeps on Slipping" for Deltron 3030
's eponymous debut album
. The song can be seen as the genesis of the musical style that continued into Gorillaz' first album.
Tomorrow Comes Today
, released in 2000.
The band's first single
, "Clint Eastwood
", was released on March 5th, 2001. It was produced by Hip-Hop producer Dan the Automator
and originally featured Luton-based rap group Phi Life Cypher
, however the version that appears on the album features American rapper Del the Funky Homosapien known on the album as Del tha' Ghost Rapper who is a spirit in the band's drummer Russel Hobbs, however the Phi Life Cypher
version of Clint Eastwood
appears on the B-Side album G-Sides
, the Live performance has seen the likes of Snoop Dogg
, Phi Life Cypher
, Eslam Jawaad
, Bashy
& Kano
perform the rap in the absence of Del. Later that same month, their first full-length album, the self-titled Gorillaz
, was released, producing four singles: "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000
", "Tomorrow Comes Today
", and "Rock the House
". "19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)" became popular after being featured in both an Ice Breakers commercial, as well as in EA Sports
' FIFA Football 2002
. Around this time, a half-hour TV
mockumentary
entitled Charts of Darkness was released. It follows Channel 4
news reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy
attempting to track down Albarn and Hewlett after they were placed in an insane asylum.
The end of the year brought the song "911", a collaboration between Gorillaz and rap artists D12 (without Eminem
) and Terry Hall
about the September 11 attacks. Meanwhile G Sides, a compilation of the B-sides from the Tomorrow Comes Today EP and first three singles, was released in Japan on 12 December 2001 and quickly followed with international releases in early 2002. The new year also saw the band perform at the 2002 BRIT Awards
, appearing in 3D animation on four large screens along with rap accompaniment by Phi Life Cypher
. The band was nominated for six awards at the event, including Best British Group, Best British Album and Best British Newcomer, but left the award show empty-handed. Finally, Laika Come Home
, a dub
remix album
, containing most of the tracks from Gorillaz reworked by Spacemonkeyz
, was released in June 2002. The single to follow, "Lil' Dub Chefin'
", contained an original track by the Spacemonkeyz titled "Spacemonkeyz Theme".
In November 2002, a DVD titled Phase One: Celebrity Take Down
was released, giving the phase its name. The DVD contains the four Phase One promos, the abandoned video for "5/4", the Charts of Darkness documentary, the five Gorilla Bitez (short vignettes), a tour of the website by the MEL 9000 server and more. The DVD's menu was designed much like the band's website and depicts an abandoned Kong Studios.
Rumors were circulating at this time that the Gorillaz team were busy preparing a film, but at an EMI
interview, they later revealed that plans for the film were abandoned. Haruka Kuroda
, who voices the character Noodle, told the fan website Gorillaz-Unofficial that Jamie Hewlett rejected many scripts before giving up on the film. Hewlett later explained why the film was abandoned, "We lost all interest in doing it as soon as we started meeting with studios and talking to these Hollywood executive types, we just weren't on the same page. We said, fuck it, we'll sit on the idea until we can do it ourselves, and maybe even raise the money ourselves."
. A talent contest entitled Search for a Star was also launched on 15 December 2004, allowing fans to send in a minute-long clip of video or audio or an image file. A viral marketing
project named Reject False Icons was formed criticising modern pop figures.
The first single from the album was "Feel Good Inc.
", released as an EP in Japan and as a CD single in Europe and Minnesota. The single entered the UK Singles Chart
at #22, several weeks before the CD single was released due to the single being released as a 7" vinyl in April, and new charts regulations included sales at online music store
s, where the song had been available since 22 March. "Feel Good Inc." managed to reach #2 in the UK Singles Chart the week it was released, being the band's highest ever positioned single up to that point in time. The single stayed in the top ten for eight consecutive weeks. In the United States, it peaked at #14. The song also garnered a Record of the Year
nomination for the 2006 Grammy Awards
later that year. It was later included in the popular PlayStation 2 title SingStar
, a game where players attempt to sing along karaoke style. It was also recently included on Activision´s Guitar Hero 5
and was released as downloadable content on Harmonix and MTV Games' Rock Band
.
The album Demon Days
was released on 11 May 2005 in Japan, 23 May in the United Kingdom and Australia, and on 24 May in the United States. The album debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart
, but fell as low as #29 in just seven weeks. However, as the music video for the second single "DARE
" started getting played on MTV and other music channels, Demon Days rose up to the top 10 again. "DARE" was released on 29 August 2005 in the UK, where it debuted at #1. A Japanese EP followed on 7 September. "DARE" eventually reached #87 in the United States, also becoming a Top 10 hit on the Modern Rock listings. Shortly afterwards, Gorillaz contributed an exclusive track entitled "Hong Kong" to the charity compilation Help!: A Day in the Life released on 10 September 2005.
The third single "Dirty Harry
", which had already been released as a promotional single earlier that year. It was released in the United Kingdom on 21 November 2005. On its first week, it charted at #6. The release of the single raised the album once again back up to the top 10. The fourth and final single was the double A-side, "Kids with Guns"/"El Mañana". It was released in the UK on 10 April 2006. Unlike its Top 10 predecessors, "Kids With Guns" / "El Mañana" reached #27 upon its release in the UK. A week later, the single had fallen out of the Top 40 in the UK (see 2006 in British music
). By the end of 2005, Demon Days had sold over a million copies in the UK, making it the UK's fifth best selling album of 2005. Demon Days has since gone five times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the United States, triple platinum in Australia and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Plans were unveiled for Gorillaz to go on a holographic world tour in 2007 and 2008. The cartoon members would be shown as holograms on stage using Musion Eyeliner
technology, giving them a life-like appearance on stage. The holograms were first used at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards
on 3 November 2005 and again at the 2006 Grammy Awards on 8 February 2006 with the addition of a virtual Madonna
, where the band played a pre-recorded version of "Feel Good Inc." However, the tour was eventually called off due to budget issues. Jamie Hewlett has stated that "...it was extremely expensive, extremely difficult, a million and one things can go wrong, every second that the thing's playing."
In 2005, a set of Gorillaz figures were released by Kidrobot
to coincide with the release of Demon Days
. Two variations of the set were released, known as the Red and Black editions, and a limited edition Noodle
from the music video for "DARE
" was also released. Three new sets of Gorillaz vinyl figures were released in 2006. The Basic set was released on 16 October 2006 and the 2-tone and White edition sets were released on 2 November 2006.
On 21 September 2006, the main lobby of Kong Studios was destroyed by Murdoc for the money he had invested in it, as revealed in the game Escape to Plastic Beach. and a teaser clip for Slowboat to Hades appeared and could be played on a TV screen. The Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades
DVD was released on 30 October in the United Kingdom, and 31 October in the United States. The official Gorillaz illustrated autobiography, titled Rise of the Ogre
, was released on 31 October 2006 in the United Kingdom, and 2 November in the United States. D-Sides
, a compilation of B-side and remixes, was released on 19 November 2007 in the UK and on 20 November 2007 in the US.
Hopes for a Gorillaz film were revived in 2006 when Hewlett stated that they would be producing the film on their own. American film producer and Weinstein Company
co-chairman, Harvey Weinstein
, was also said to be collaborating with Albarn and Hewlett. In a September 2006 interview with Uncut
magazine, Albarn was reported saying "[Gorillaz] has been a fantastic journey which isn't over, because we're making a film. We've got Terry Gilliam
involved. But as far as being in a big band and putting pop music out there, it's finished. We won't be doing that any more." In an interview with the Gorillaz-Unofficial fansite, Jamie Hewlett and Cass Browne revealed that in the film the band members will act as other characters presenting a new story, instead of playing themselves. Hewlett also said that the film's soundtrack will be the next Gorillaz album. "The soundtrack will be the third album. Damon will do the soundtrack, which will be the soundtrack, which will be the third album." As of April 2007, Cass Browne is still finishing the script and Albarn has said that he hopes production of the film will begin in September 2007. No further news was heard about the film until February 2008 when, in an interview with Gorillaz-Unofficial, Hewlett said "Ultimately we didn't think that feel we're in a position to make the kind of movie we want to make with Gorillaz at the moment. [...] But I'd still like to make a full, lavishly-animated Gorillaz movie someday."
On 24 October 2007, the official Gorillaz fansite announced that a documentary film about the Gorillaz, titled Bananaz
, would be released. The film, directed by Ceri Levy, documents the previous seven years of the band. The film was released online on the Babelgum
website on 20 April 2009 followed by the DVD release on 1 June 2009. Gorillaz also appeared on the Martina Topley-Bird
song Soldier Boy along with rapper Roots Manuva
, the song interpolates certain elements from the unreleased Gorillaz demo "Snakes & Ladders" which also features Roots Manuva
& Martina Topley-Bird
.
.
Albarn said "I'm making this the biggest and most pop record I've ever made in many ways, but with all my experience to try and at least present something that has got depth." The album features guest performances by Snoop Dogg
, Lou Reed
, Mos Def
, Bobby Womack
, Gruff Rhys
, Mark E. Smith
, Mick Jones
, Paul Simonon
, Kano
, Bashy
, De La Soul
, Little Dragon
, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
, sinfonia ViVA
, and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.
On 18 January 2010, it was announced that Gorillaz would be headlining the final night of the Coachella music festival
on 18 April 2010.
The first single from the album, "Stylo
", featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def was made available for download
26 January 2010. Further singles from the album include "On Melancholy Hill
", "Superfast Jellyfish
" and "Rhinestone Eyes
", as well as "White Flag", which was released exclusively for Record Store Day 2010.
Plastic Beach
was first released on 3 March 2010 in Japan, followed by multiple other dates for other countries. The album received positive reviews from critics. To fit the Plastic Beach theme, the Gorillaz website was dramatically altered and changed. A virtual tour of the Plastic Beach was added, including a new Gorillaz game titled 'Escape to the Plastic Beach'. Several 'Shorts' of each band member was included in the follow-up to the albums release, to give fans an understanding of the fictional band members' story before their arrival to the island. A Windows 7 theme was also released. An international tour was announced in mid-2010 to promote the album, however it was only in the UK and Ireland. Later, in early July 2010, they announced their first world tour, titled the "Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
." The UK tour was merged with the world tour, and the UK dates were cancelled or rescheduled to fit the new schedule.
In October 2010, Damon Albarn announced to the media that he would not let the cast of Glee
cover the band's songs, claiming that the music on the Fox network's hit TV show is a 'very poor substitute for the real thing'. This statement led most people to believe that the Gorillaz had been asked by Glee producers to lend their music to the show, which they had not. Albarn responded to the confusion with a laugh and said "and now they definitely won't."
On 5 October 2010, Gorillaz announced their new single "Doncamatic" featuring Daley
. It premiered later that same day on Zane Lowe
's BBC Radio 1
show. The single was released on 22 November 2010.
On 8 December 2010, Albarn confirmed via an interview that a Gorillaz album recorded on the American leg of the Escape to Plastic Beach tour will be released to download for free exclusively to paying fan club members from the Gorillaz website on Christmas Day, 25 December 2010.
On 15 December 2010, Albarn confirmed whilst interviewed on Triple J
that the new album would be titled The Fall
as it was recorded on their American tour in October. The official video for "Phoner to Arizona
" was also released on Gorillaz' official website for free on December 24, 2010. It was announced that Gorillaz would be performing on March 16, 2011 at the MTV Woodie awards. They were also been nominated for the Best Video Woodie for "Stylo" at the MTV woodie awards.
Gorillaz is also planning to release a digital single of the tracks "Revolving Doors" and "Amarillo" from their new album The Fall on 14 March 2011. Photos were released of frontman Damon Albarn
& USA rapper Pharrell Williams
recording with an iPad
, Omnichord
& Korg Donca Matic when on Gorillaz' Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
, Albarn said in an interview that he does not know when the track will be released.
On 18 April 2011, Gorillaz announced the release of their own version of the iPad
app iElectribe, by Korg
- which features many loops & samples taken from The Fall as well as other samples, this new Gorillaz version not only features a Gorillaz designed and styled interface, but is also 'customized to generate Gorillaz samples from their fourth album "The Fall"' and includes 128 new sounds created by Gorillaz and 64 ready-to-use pre-programmed patterns from Gorillaz, Stephen Sedgwick (Gorillaz' engineer) and Korg
. There have been noted problems with the app's availability outside of the United Kingdom
. The app was based on KORG'S ELECTRIBE: R device app.
On 05 October 2011, Gorillaz announced that their first "greatest hits" compilation, The Singles Collection 2001-2011, will be released on 28 November 2011.
Former members
mockumentary
Charts of Darkness, it was explicitly stated that Damon Albarn
and Jamie Hewlett
were behind the project. Albarn said "There could be fifty [people] here, but there's two". The first album featured the voices of Miho Hatori
of Cibo Matto
as Noodle, most notably on the song "19-2000", and Tina Weymouth
formerly of Talking Heads
. Phil Cornwell
provides the voice of Murdoc.
The band's music videos (with the exception of "Rock It" and "Tomorrow Comes Today") are created by Passion Pictures
. The live band's current lineup includes half of The Clash
(Mick Jones
and Paul Simonon
).
Live members –
Between 1 November and 5 November 2005, there was a Gorillaz festival at the Manchester Opera House
. The event was filmed by an EMI film crew for a DVD release, Demon Days Live
, in late March 2006. It was later announced that an American version of the event would take place from 2 April to 6 April 2006 at the famed Apollo Theater
in Harlem
. Within an hour of release tickets were sold out. The 6 April show was filmed for a live webcast
at MSN Video
. Palladia (then known as MHD) also broadcasted an Apollo Theater show in HDTV
on 31 December 2006.
A world tour was planned using the hologram technology described above. However, due to extreme costs and fine technical difficulties, the tour was cancelled. Gorillaz headlined the final night of the Coachella music festival
on 18 April 2010, performing to one of the largest crowds in Coachella history of over 70,000 people strong. On 27 April they were the main guests on Later... with Jools Holland (aired on 30 April). In addition, Gorillaz played a short run of intimate UK rehearsal gigs exclusively for G-Club members, before taking up a two-night residency at London's Camden Roundhouse (29 and 30 April 2010). Mick Jones
and Paul Simonon
of The Clash
performed guitar and bass respectively with the band and more than once in the evening chords from The Clash song "Guns of Brixton" were heard as a subtle reference to their presence. These will both feature the full Gorillaz production, including video animation, artwork and film. On 22 March they were announced for Roskilde Festival
. On 22 April, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett appeared on.
Gorillaz kicked off their first ever world tour on 20 July at Byblos
, Lebanon
. The tour took them across America in October, Europe in November, and finally through Australia, New Zealand, and one date in Asia in December.
On 25 July 2010, Gorillaz performed a concert at the Citadel of Damascus in Syria
.
The Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
officially kicked off in Montreal, Canada on 3 October to rave reviews.
During the Gorillaz show at Vector Arena
in Auckland
, New Zealand
on 21 December 2010, Damon Albarn announced that it would be their final live show with the Plastic Beach
line up.
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
and Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Christopher Hewlett is an English comic book artist and designer. He is known for being the co-creator of the comic Tank Girl and co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz.-Biography:...
. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
depicting a "virtual band
Virtual band
In music, a virtual band is any group whose members are not corporeal musicians, but animated characters...
" of cartoon characters. This band has four animated members: 2D
2D (Gorillaz)
The fictional character Stuart Pot , better known by his stage name 2-D, also simply spelled as 2D, is a member of the British virtual band Gorillaz...
(lead vocalist, keyboard, and melodica), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar and drum machine), Noodle
Noodle (Gorillaz)
Noodle is a musician and member of the virtual band Gorillaz. She provides the guitar and keyboard, as well as some main and backing vocals for the band. She, like all other Gorillaz members, was created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett...
(guitar, keyboard, and occasional vocals) and Russel Hobbs (drums and percussion). Their fictional universe is explored through the band's website and music videos, as well as a number of other media, such as short cartoons. The music is a collaboration between various musicians, Albarn being the only permanent musical contributor. Their style is a composition of multiple musical genres, with a large number of influences including: alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
, electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, and pop music.
The band's 2001 debut album Gorillaz
Gorillaz (album)
Gorillaz is the debut album by the British virtual band Gorillaz, released in March 2001. It includes the singles "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000", "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today"...
sold over seven million copies and earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band
Virtual band
In music, a virtual band is any group whose members are not corporeal musicians, but animated characters...
. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize
Mercury Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize and currently known as the Barclaycard Mercury Prize for sponsorship reasons, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album from the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established by the British Phonographic Industry and British...
in 2001, but the nomination was later withdrawn at the band's request. Their second studio album, Demon Days
Demon Days
Demon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released in May 2005. The album features contributions from De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF DOOM, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel...
, released in 2005, went five times platinum in the UK, double platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in the United States, earned five Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations for 2006 and won one of them in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category. Gorillaz have also released two B-sides compilations and a remix album. The combined sales of the Gorillaz and Demon Days albums had exceeded 15 million by 2007. The band's third studio album, Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
, was released in March 2010. Their latest album, The Fall
The Fall (Gorillaz album)
-Additional personnel:* Guitar on track 3 by Mick Jones* Additional keyboards on track 6 by Jesse Hackett* Bass on track 12 by Paul Simonon* Qanun on track 12 by James R Grippo* Vocals, guitar and additional songwriting on track 13 by Bobby Womack...
, was released in December 2010 as a free download for sub-division members, then in April 2011 as a physical release.
Formation and early years (1998–1999)
Damon AlbarnDamon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
and Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Christopher Hewlett is an English comic book artist and designer. He is known for being the co-creator of the comic Tank Girl and co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz.-Biography:...
created Gorillaz in 1998 when they were living together in a flat on Westbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove
Westbourne Grove is a retail road running across Notting Hill, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, a section of west London, England. It runs from Kensington Park Road in the west to Queensway in the east, crossing over Portobello Road...
. The idea to create the band came about when the two were watching MTV, "if you watch MTV for too long, it's a bit like hell – there's nothing of substance there. So we got this idea for a cartoon band, something that would be a comment on that," Hewlett said. The band originally identified themselves as "Gorilla", and the first song they recorded was "Ghost Train", later released as a B-side on their single "Rock the House
Rock the House
"Rock the House" is a song from the Gorillaz self-titled debut album, Gorillaz. It was released as the third single from the album in October 2001. It peaked at #18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is one of the more hip hop-oriented songs on the album, along with "Clint Eastwood"...
" and the B-side compilation G Sides. The trio of musicians behind Gorillaz' first incarnation included Damon Albarn, Del the Funky Homosapien and Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
, who had previously worked together on the track "Time Keeps on Slipping" for Deltron 3030
Deltron 3030
Deltron 3030 is an alternative hip hop supergroup composed of producer Dan the Automator, rapper Del the Funky Homosapien and DJ Kid Koala...
's eponymous debut album
Deltron 3030 (album)
Deltron 3030 is the 2000 debut album by hip hop supergroup Deltron 3030. It is a rap opera concept album set in a dystopian year 3030.-Album information:...
. The song can be seen as the genesis of the musical style that continued into Gorillaz' first album.
Phase One: Celebrity Take Down (1999–2003)
The band's first release was the EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Tomorrow Comes Today
Tomorrow Comes Today
Tomorrow Comes Today was the first release by British alternative band Gorillaz, issued as an EP in November 2000. The first three songs from the EP ended up on their debut album, however, 'Latin Simone' was heavily edited, and dubbed into Spanish, for the album release. The new version was sung by...
, released in 2000.
The band's first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood (song)
"Clint Eastwood" is a song by Gorillaz. It was released as the first single from their debut album in March 2001. It peaked at #4 in the UK and #57 in the US on 11 September 2001. The single has sold 480,000 copies in the UK according to the Official UK Charts Company. The song is a mix of...
", was released on March 5th, 2001. It was produced by Hip-Hop producer Dan the Automator
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
and originally featured Luton-based rap group Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher is a British hip hop group based in Luton, comprising two MCs, Si Phili and Life MC, and DJ Nappa. The trio started making music together around 1996, and since have had much success on the UK underground circuit...
, however the version that appears on the album features American rapper Del the Funky Homosapien known on the album as Del tha' Ghost Rapper who is a spirit in the band's drummer Russel Hobbs, however the Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher is a British hip hop group based in Luton, comprising two MCs, Si Phili and Life MC, and DJ Nappa. The trio started making music together around 1996, and since have had much success on the UK underground circuit...
version of Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood (song)
"Clint Eastwood" is a song by Gorillaz. It was released as the first single from their debut album in March 2001. It peaked at #4 in the UK and #57 in the US on 11 September 2001. The single has sold 480,000 copies in the UK according to the Official UK Charts Company. The song is a mix of...
appears on the B-Side album G-Sides
G-Sides
G Sides is a B-sides collection by Gorillaz, featuring the additional tracks from their first three singles and the Tomorrow Comes Today EP. The compilation was originally released only in Japan in December 2001. The US edition, with a slightly different track listing, followed in February 2002...
, the Live performance has seen the likes of Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher is a British hip hop group based in Luton, comprising two MCs, Si Phili and Life MC, and DJ Nappa. The trio started making music together around 1996, and since have had much success on the UK underground circuit...
, Eslam Jawaad
Eslam Jawaad
Wissam Khodur , better known as Eslam Jawaad , is a rapper of Lebanese-Syrian origin. His debut album, The Mammoth Tusk, was released in 2009.-Career:...
, Bashy
Bashy
Ashley Thomas , better known by his stage name Bashy, is an English recording artist and actor. He rose to prominence in 2007 after the release of his controversial track "Black Boys".-Early life:...
& Kano
Kano
Kano is a city in Nigeria and the capital of Kano State in Northern Nigeria. Its metropolitan population is the second largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The Kano Urban area covers 137 sq.km and comprises six Local Government Area - Kano Municipal, Fagge, Dala, Gwale, Tarauni and Nassarawa - with a...
perform the rap in the absence of Del. Later that same month, their first full-length album, the self-titled Gorillaz
Gorillaz (album)
Gorillaz is the debut album by the British virtual band Gorillaz, released in March 2001. It includes the singles "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000", "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today"...
, was released, producing four singles: "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000
19-2000
"19-2000", sometimes written "19/2000", is a song from the Gorillaz' self-titled debut album, Gorillaz. It was also the second single from the album, released in June 2001. The single released was accompanied by a completely new version of the song, called the "Soulchild Remix", which was produced...
", "Tomorrow Comes Today
Tomorrow Comes Today (single)
"Tomorrow Comes Today" is a song from Gorillaz's self-titled debut album, Gorillaz, originally appearing as the opening track of their debut EP of the same name. The song itself was also the fourth and final single from that album, released on February 25, 2002. It peaked at #33 on the UK Singles...
", and "Rock the House
Rock the House
"Rock the House" is a song from the Gorillaz self-titled debut album, Gorillaz. It was released as the third single from the album in October 2001. It peaked at #18 on the UK Singles Chart. The song is one of the more hip hop-oriented songs on the album, along with "Clint Eastwood"...
". "19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)" became popular after being featured in both an Ice Breakers commercial, as well as in EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' FIFA Football 2002
FIFA Football 2002
FIFA Football 2002, known as FIFA Soccer 2002 in North America, and commonly known as FIFA 2002, is a football video game released in November 2001, produced by Electronic Arts and released by EA Sports. FIFA 2002 is the ninth game in the FIFA series.Power bars for passes were introduced, and...
. Around this time, a half-hour TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
entitled Charts of Darkness was released. It follows Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
news reporter Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Krishnan Guru-Murthy , is a British television presenter and journalist employed by Channel 4. He presents the Channel 4 Evening News and the foreign affairs programme Unreported World.-Education:...
attempting to track down Albarn and Hewlett after they were placed in an insane asylum.
The end of the year brought the song "911", a collaboration between Gorillaz and rap artists D12 (without Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
) and Terry Hall
Terry Hall (singer)
Terry Hall is the lead singer of The Specials, and formerly of Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, Terry, Blair & Anouchka and Vegas. He has released two solo albums and has also collaborated with many artists including David A...
about the September 11 attacks. Meanwhile G Sides, a compilation of the B-sides from the Tomorrow Comes Today EP and first three singles, was released in Japan on 12 December 2001 and quickly followed with international releases in early 2002. The new year also saw the band perform at the 2002 BRIT Awards
Brit Awards
The Brit Awards are the British Phonographic Industry's annual pop music awards. The name was originally a shortened form of "British", "Britain" or "Britannia", but subsequently became a backronym for British Record Industry Trust...
, appearing in 3D animation on four large screens along with rap accompaniment by Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher
Phi Life Cypher is a British hip hop group based in Luton, comprising two MCs, Si Phili and Life MC, and DJ Nappa. The trio started making music together around 1996, and since have had much success on the UK underground circuit...
. The band was nominated for six awards at the event, including Best British Group, Best British Album and Best British Newcomer, but left the award show empty-handed. Finally, Laika Come Home
Laika Come Home
Laika Come Home is a Gorillaz remix album released in July 2002 . Unlike a typical remix album, it is done by just one group, Spacemonkeyz. It contains most of the songs from the Gorillaz' first album, Gorillaz, but remixed in dub and reggae style. The album features Terry Hall, U Brown, Earl 16...
, a dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
remix album
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
, containing most of the tracks from Gorillaz reworked by Spacemonkeyz
Spacemonkeyz
Spacemonkeyz were a musical group consisting of Darren Galea, Richie Stevens and Gavin Dodds. They came together when Galea created a dub remix of the Gorillaz' "Tomorrow Comes Today" , which Gorillaz founder Damon Albarn liked so much that he asked Galea to remix the...
, was released in June 2002. The single to follow, "Lil' Dub Chefin'
Lil' Dub Chefin'
"Lil' Dub Chefin" is a single by the Spacemonkeyz vs Gorillaz, from the 2002 Gorillaz remix album Laika Come Home. It is a remix of the Gorillaz' song "M1A1". The song's title is a joke on the UK restaurant chain Little Chef. The music video features the Spacemonkeyz. On Celebrity Takedown, the...
", contained an original track by the Spacemonkeyz titled "Spacemonkeyz Theme".
In November 2002, a DVD titled Phase One: Celebrity Take Down
Phase One: Celebrity Take Down
Phase One: Celebrity Takedown is a compilation DVD by Gorillaz, released in November 2002. The DVD compiles the videos and animatics related to the release of the band's first album, Gorillaz, as well as the related singles. The DVD came with an extra CD-ROM containing desktop wallpapers,...
was released, giving the phase its name. The DVD contains the four Phase One promos, the abandoned video for "5/4", the Charts of Darkness documentary, the five Gorilla Bitez (short vignettes), a tour of the website by the MEL 9000 server and more. The DVD's menu was designed much like the band's website and depicts an abandoned Kong Studios.
Rumors were circulating at this time that the Gorillaz team were busy preparing a film, but at an EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
interview, they later revealed that plans for the film were abandoned. Haruka Kuroda
Haruka Kuroda
Haruka Kuroda is a London based Japanese actress who is widely known for performing the voice of Noodle, the Japanese guitarist in Gorillaz, the cartoon band created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. She was born in Kyoto, Japan....
, who voices the character Noodle, told the fan website Gorillaz-Unofficial that Jamie Hewlett rejected many scripts before giving up on the film. Hewlett later explained why the film was abandoned, "We lost all interest in doing it as soon as we started meeting with studios and talking to these Hollywood executive types, we just weren't on the same page. We said, fuck it, we'll sit on the idea until we can do it ourselves, and maybe even raise the money ourselves."
Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades (2004–2007)
On 8 December 2004, the band's website reopened with an exclusive video entitled "Rock It". Along with the music video, there was an announcement of a new album on the way, which would be produced by Danger MouseDanger Mouse
Brian Joseph Burton , better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from The Beatles' White Album.He...
. A talent contest entitled Search for a Star was also launched on 15 December 2004, allowing fans to send in a minute-long clip of video or audio or an image file. A viral marketing
Viral marketing
Viral marketing, viral advertising, or marketing buzz are buzzwords referring to marketing techniques that use pre-existing social networks to produce increases in brand awareness or to achieve other marketing objectives through self-replicating viral processes, analogous to the spread of viruses...
project named Reject False Icons was formed criticising modern pop figures.
The first single from the album was "Feel Good Inc.
Feel Good Inc.
"Feel Good Inc." is a song by Gorillaz, on their album Demon Days, featuring De La Soul. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 9 May 2005 in the United Kingdom . "Feel Good Inc." peaked at #2 in the United Kingdom and #14 in the United States, at the time the band's highest...
", released as an EP in Japan and as a CD single in Europe and Minnesota. The single entered the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
at #22, several weeks before the CD single was released due to the single being released as a 7" vinyl in April, and new charts regulations included sales at online music store
Online music store
An online music store is an online business which sells audio files, usually music, on a per-song and/or subscription basis. It may be differentiated from music streaming services in that the music store offers the actual music file, while streaming services offer partial or full listening without...
s, where the song had been available since 22 March. "Feel Good Inc." managed to reach #2 in the UK Singles Chart the week it was released, being the band's highest ever positioned single up to that point in time. The single stayed in the top ten for eight consecutive weeks. In the United States, it peaked at #14. The song also garnered a Record of the Year
Grammy Award for Record of the Year
The Record of the Year is one of the four most prestigious Grammy Awards presented annually. It has been awarded since 1959.-History:The honorees through its history have been:*1959-1965: Artist only.*1966-1998: Artist and producer....
nomination for the 2006 Grammy Awards
Grammy Awards of 2006
The 48th Annual Grammy Awards took place on February 8, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Irish rock band U2 were the big winners, winning five awards including Album of the Year. Mariah Carey, John Legend, and Kanye West each were nominated for eight awards and won three,...
later that year. It was later included in the popular PlayStation 2 title SingStar
SingStar
SingStar is a competitive music video game series for PlayStation consoles, developed by London Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. 23 English-language instalments of the series have been released for the PlayStation 2, and six versions for the PlayStation 3 have been released...
, a game where players attempt to sing along karaoke style. It was also recently included on Activision´s Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
and was released as downloadable content on Harmonix and MTV Games' Rock Band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
.
The album Demon Days
Demon Days
Demon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released in May 2005. The album features contributions from De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF DOOM, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel...
was released on 11 May 2005 in Japan, 23 May in the United Kingdom and Australia, and on 24 May in the United States. The album debuted at #1 on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, but fell as low as #29 in just seven weeks. However, as the music video for the second single "DARE
DARE (song)
"DARE" is a song by Gorillaz and is featured on their 2005 album Demon Days. It was released 29 August 2005 as the second single from the album and became the first Gorillaz single to hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. On online music stores such as iTunes, the radio edit of the song was...
" started getting played on MTV and other music channels, Demon Days rose up to the top 10 again. "DARE" was released on 29 August 2005 in the UK, where it debuted at #1. A Japanese EP followed on 7 September. "DARE" eventually reached #87 in the United States, also becoming a Top 10 hit on the Modern Rock listings. Shortly afterwards, Gorillaz contributed an exclusive track entitled "Hong Kong" to the charity compilation Help!: A Day in the Life released on 10 September 2005.
The third single "Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry (song)
"Dirty Harry" is a song from Gorillaz' second album Demon Days. It was the third single from the album, released 21 November 2005. It peaked at #6 in the UK. It was also released as a promo and onto iTunes earlier that year. An early version of "Dirty Harry" titled "I Need a Gun" was included on...
", which had already been released as a promotional single earlier that year. It was released in the United Kingdom on 21 November 2005. On its first week, it charted at #6. The release of the single raised the album once again back up to the top 10. The fourth and final single was the double A-side, "Kids with Guns"/"El Mañana". It was released in the UK on 10 April 2006. Unlike its Top 10 predecessors, "Kids With Guns" / "El Mañana" reached #27 upon its release in the UK. A week later, the single had fallen out of the Top 40 in the UK (see 2006 in British music
2006 in British music
This is a summary of 2006 in music in the United Kingdom including the official single and album charts.-Summary:*At both ends of the year, the chart was dominated by acts from series 2 and series 3 of the television show The X Factor...
). By the end of 2005, Demon Days had sold over a million copies in the UK, making it the UK's fifth best selling album of 2005. Demon Days has since gone five times platinum in the UK, double platinum in the United States, triple platinum in Australia and has sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Musion Eyeliner
The Musion Eyeliner is a modern commercial variation of a stage illusion called Pepper's ghost, using high definition video projection or LED screens to allow moving images to appear within a live stage setting....
technology, giving them a life-like appearance on stage. The holograms were first used at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards
2005 MTV Europe Music Awards
Kazakhstan's favourite reporter Borat, aka Sacha Baron Cohen, hosted the 12th MTV Europe Music Awards, this time at the Pavilhão Atlântico,Lisbon. He managed to offend everyone, especially his friend Madonna, and was subsequently banned from most after show parties....
on 3 November 2005 and again at the 2006 Grammy Awards on 8 February 2006 with the addition of a virtual Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, where the band played a pre-recorded version of "Feel Good Inc." However, the tour was eventually called off due to budget issues. Jamie Hewlett has stated that "...it was extremely expensive, extremely difficult, a million and one things can go wrong, every second that the thing's playing."
In 2005, a set of Gorillaz figures were released by Kidrobot
Kidrobot
Kidrobot is a producer and retailer of designer toys founded in 2002 by Paul Budnitz, specializing in artist-created toys and imports from Japan, Hong Kong, and Europe. Kidrobot also makes Kidrobot Mascots, which are figures of their main logo. These figures are usually nicknamed KR and the number...
to coincide with the release of Demon Days
Demon Days
Demon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released in May 2005. The album features contributions from De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF DOOM, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel...
. Two variations of the set were released, known as the Red and Black editions, and a limited edition Noodle
Noodle (Gorillaz)
Noodle is a musician and member of the virtual band Gorillaz. She provides the guitar and keyboard, as well as some main and backing vocals for the band. She, like all other Gorillaz members, was created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett...
from the music video for "DARE
DARE (song)
"DARE" is a song by Gorillaz and is featured on their 2005 album Demon Days. It was released 29 August 2005 as the second single from the album and became the first Gorillaz single to hit number one on the UK Singles Chart. On online music stores such as iTunes, the radio edit of the song was...
" was also released. Three new sets of Gorillaz vinyl figures were released in 2006. The Basic set was released on 16 October 2006 and the 2-tone and White edition sets were released on 2 November 2006.
On 21 September 2006, the main lobby of Kong Studios was destroyed by Murdoc for the money he had invested in it, as revealed in the game Escape to Plastic Beach. and a teaser clip for Slowboat to Hades appeared and could be played on a TV screen. The Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades
Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades
Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades is a compilation DVD by Gorillaz, released in October 2006. The DVD is similar to the band's first DVD, Phase One: Celebrity Take Down, but compiles the videos and animatics related to the release of the band's second album, Demon Days, as well as the related...
DVD was released on 30 October in the United Kingdom, and 31 October in the United States. The official Gorillaz illustrated autobiography, titled Rise of the Ogre
Rise of the Ogre
Rise of the Ogre is an autobiography about the virtual band Gorillaz. Ostensibly written by the four band-members in collaboration with Gorillaz musician and official scribe Cass Browne, the book is 304 pages long and is extensively illustrated. It was released in the UK on 26 October 2006 by...
, was released on 31 October 2006 in the United Kingdom, and 2 November in the United States. D-Sides
D-Sides
D-Sides is a 2007 compilation album by Gorillaz. The album contains B-sides and remixes from singles and bonus tracks for the band's second studio album Demon Days. It was released on 19 November 2007 in the UK and on 20 November in the United States and is available in standard and deluxe editions...
, a compilation of B-side and remixes, was released on 19 November 2007 in the UK and on 20 November 2007 in the US.
Hopes for a Gorillaz film were revived in 2006 when Hewlett stated that they would be producing the film on their own. American film producer and Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company is an American film studio founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 2005 after the brothers left the then-Disney-owned Miramax Films, which they had co-founded in 1979...
co-chairman, Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein
Harvey Weinstein, CBE is an American film producer and movie studio chairman. He is best known as co-founder of Miramax Films. He and his brother Bob have been co-chairmen of The Weinstein Company, their film production company, since 2005...
, was also said to be collaborating with Albarn and Hewlett. In a September 2006 interview with Uncut
UNCUT (magazine)
Uncut magazine, trademarked as UNCUT, is a monthly publication based in London. It is available across the English-speaking world, and focuses on music, but also includes film and books sections...
magazine, Albarn was reported saying "[Gorillaz] has been a fantastic journey which isn't over, because we're making a film. We've got Terry Gilliam
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance "Terry" Gilliam is an American-born British screenwriter, film director, animator, actor and member of the Monty Python comedy troupe. Gilliam is also known for directing several films, including Brazil , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen , The Fisher King , and 12 Monkeys...
involved. But as far as being in a big band and putting pop music out there, it's finished. We won't be doing that any more." In an interview with the Gorillaz-Unofficial fansite, Jamie Hewlett and Cass Browne revealed that in the film the band members will act as other characters presenting a new story, instead of playing themselves. Hewlett also said that the film's soundtrack will be the next Gorillaz album. "The soundtrack will be the third album. Damon will do the soundtrack, which will be the soundtrack, which will be the third album." As of April 2007, Cass Browne is still finishing the script and Albarn has said that he hopes production of the film will begin in September 2007. No further news was heard about the film until February 2008 when, in an interview with Gorillaz-Unofficial, Hewlett said "Ultimately we didn't think that feel we're in a position to make the kind of movie we want to make with Gorillaz at the moment. [...] But I'd still like to make a full, lavishly-animated Gorillaz movie someday."
On 24 October 2007, the official Gorillaz fansite announced that a documentary film about the Gorillaz, titled Bananaz
Bananaz
Bananaz is a documentary film about the animated music group Gorillaz. It is directed by Ceri Levy.-Information:From 2000 to 2006 director Ceri Levy filmed the creators behind the scenes, from the first drawings, animations, music and the musicians, through to the faces behind the voices of the...
, would be released. The film, directed by Ceri Levy, documents the previous seven years of the band. The film was released online on the Babelgum
Babelgum
Babelgum is a free to view Internet television platform supported by advertising. The project was set up in 2005 by Italian media and telecommunications entrepreneur Silvio Scaglia and scientist Erik Lumer, with the aim of developing interactive software for distributing TV shows and other forms...
website on 20 April 2009 followed by the DVD release on 1 June 2009. Gorillaz also appeared on the Martina Topley-Bird
Martina Topley-Bird
Martina Topley-Bird is a British vocalist and songwriter who first gained fame as the featured female vocalist on trip hop pioneer Tricky's debut album, Maxinquaye...
song Soldier Boy along with rapper Roots Manuva
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
, the song interpolates certain elements from the unreleased Gorillaz demo "Snakes & Ladders" which also features Roots Manuva
Roots Manuva
Rodney Hylton Smith , better known by his stage name Roots Manuva, is a British rapper from Stockwell, South London. He is currently signed to Big Dada.-Biography:...
& Martina Topley-Bird
Martina Topley-Bird
Martina Topley-Bird is a British vocalist and songwriter who first gained fame as the featured female vocalist on trip hop pioneer Tricky's debut album, Maxinquaye...
.
Phase Three: Escape to Plastic Beach (2009 present)
In late 2007, Albarn and Hewlett began working on Carousel, a new Gorillaz project which eventually evolved into the band's third studio album Plastic BeachPlastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
.
Albarn said "I'm making this the biggest and most pop record I've ever made in many ways, but with all my experience to try and at least present something that has got depth." The album features guest performances by Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
, Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
, Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
, Bobby Womack
Bobby Womack
Robert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
, Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
, Mark E. Smith
Mark E. Smith
Mark Edward Smith is the lead singer, lyricist, frontman, and only constant member of the English post-punk band The Fall.-Early life:...
, Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
, Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
, Kano
Kano (rapper)
Kane Brett Robinson , better known as Kano and also known as Kane O, is an English rapper and actor. His grandparents came to England as immigrants from Jamaica. He was formerly a key member of east London’s N.A.S.T.Y...
, Bashy
Bashy
Ashley Thomas , better known by his stage name Bashy, is an English recording artist and actor. He rose to prominence in 2007 after the release of his controversial track "Black Boys".-Early life:...
, De La Soul
De La Soul
De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
, Little Dragon
Little Dragon
Little Dragon are a Swedish electronic band, formed in Gothenburg in 1996. It consists of Swedish-Japanese singer Yukimi Nagano and her close high school friends Erik Bodin , Fredrik Källgren Wallin and Håkan Wirenstrand .Little Dragon's first release was the double A-side 7" single...
, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is a 9-piece, Chicago-based brass group featuring 8 sons of Phil Cohran on horns.Originally from Chicago, the brothers started as a street ensemble before recording in 2004. They have performed with Mos Def, Aquilla Sadalla, Phil Cohran, The Recipe, Nomadic Massive, Tony...
, sinfonia ViVA
Sinfonia ViVA
Sinfonia ViVA is a British orchestra based in Derby, United Kingdom, a professional orchestra in the East Midlands. Sinfonia ViVA gives concerts in a number of cities and venues, including the following:* Cleethorpes * Derby...
, and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.
On 18 January 2010, it was announced that Gorillaz would be headlining the final night of the Coachella music festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
on 18 April 2010.
The first single from the album, "Stylo
Stylo (song)
"Stylo" is the first single from British alternative group Gorillaz's third studio album Plastic Beach. The song features guest vocals from Bobby Womack and Mos Def. The single was released on 26 January 2010.-Production:...
", featuring Bobby Womack and Mos Def was made available for download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
26 January 2010. Further singles from the album include "On Melancholy Hill
On Melancholy Hill
"On Melancholy Hill" is the third single from British alternative group Gorillaz' third studio album, Plastic Beach. The song was originally written by Damon Albarn during the production time for The Good The Bad and The Queen's self titled album. The single was released on 26 July 2010...
", "Superfast Jellyfish
Superfast Jellyfish
"Superfast Jellyfish" is a song from Gorillaz's third album Plastic Beach. It features Gruff Rhys, lead singer of Super Furry Animals, and De La Soul, who were previously featured on the hit Gorillaz' song "Feel Good Inc."...
" and "Rhinestone Eyes
Rhinestone Eyes
"Rhinestone Eyes" is a single from Gorillaz's third studio album, Plastic Beach. Fictional band member, Murdoc Niccals, stated the following about "Rhinestone Eyes" in a 'Track by Track' commentary:...
", as well as "White Flag", which was released exclusively for Record Store Day 2010.
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
was first released on 3 March 2010 in Japan, followed by multiple other dates for other countries. The album received positive reviews from critics. To fit the Plastic Beach theme, the Gorillaz website was dramatically altered and changed. A virtual tour of the Plastic Beach was added, including a new Gorillaz game titled 'Escape to the Plastic Beach'. Several 'Shorts' of each band member was included in the follow-up to the albums release, to give fans an understanding of the fictional band members' story before their arrival to the island. A Windows 7 theme was also released. An international tour was announced in mid-2010 to promote the album, however it was only in the UK and Ireland. Later, in early July 2010, they announced their first world tour, titled the "Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
The Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour is a concert tour by the British virtual band Gorillaz. The tour is in support of their third studio album Plastic Beach. It is notably the band's first world tour in its decade-spanning history...
." The UK tour was merged with the world tour, and the UK dates were cancelled or rescheduled to fit the new schedule.
In October 2010, Damon Albarn announced to the media that he would not let the cast of Glee
Glee (TV series)
Glee is an American musical comedy-drama television series that airs on Fox in the United States, and on GlobalTV in Canada. It focuses on the high school glee club New Directions competing on the show choir competition circuit, while its members deal with relationships, sexuality and social issues...
cover the band's songs, claiming that the music on the Fox network's hit TV show is a 'very poor substitute for the real thing'. This statement led most people to believe that the Gorillaz had been asked by Glee producers to lend their music to the show, which they had not. Albarn responded to the confusion with a laugh and said "and now they definitely won't."
On 5 October 2010, Gorillaz announced their new single "Doncamatic" featuring Daley
Daley (musician)
Daley is a soul singer and songwriter from Sale, Manchester, UK. He studied at Sale High School. He is signed to A&M Records UK.In October 2009, Daley was invited by BBC Introducing to record a live session at the BBC's Maida Vale studios as part of Electric Proms 2009...
. It premiered later that same day on Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
's BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
show. The single was released on 22 November 2010.
On 8 December 2010, Albarn confirmed via an interview that a Gorillaz album recorded on the American leg of the Escape to Plastic Beach tour will be released to download for free exclusively to paying fan club members from the Gorillaz website on Christmas Day, 25 December 2010.
On 15 December 2010, Albarn confirmed whilst interviewed on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
that the new album would be titled The Fall
The Fall (Gorillaz album)
-Additional personnel:* Guitar on track 3 by Mick Jones* Additional keyboards on track 6 by Jesse Hackett* Bass on track 12 by Paul Simonon* Qanun on track 12 by James R Grippo* Vocals, guitar and additional songwriting on track 13 by Bobby Womack...
as it was recorded on their American tour in October. The official video for "Phoner to Arizona
Phoner to Arizona
"Phoner to Arizona" is the opening track from Gorillaz's iPad album The Fall. The song was recorded entirely on Gorillaz member Damon Albarn's Apple iPad during the American leg of the Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour in October 2010...
" was also released on Gorillaz' official website for free on December 24, 2010. It was announced that Gorillaz would be performing on March 16, 2011 at the MTV Woodie awards. They were also been nominated for the Best Video Woodie for "Stylo" at the MTV woodie awards.
Gorillaz is also planning to release a digital single of the tracks "Revolving Doors" and "Amarillo" from their new album The Fall on 14 March 2011. Photos were released of frontman Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
& USA rapper Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams , commonly known simply as Pharrell, is an American rapper, singer, record producer, composer, and fashion designer. Williams and Chad Hugo make up the record production duo The Neptunes, producing hip hop and R&B music...
recording with an iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, Omnichord
Omnichord
The Omnichord is an electronic musical instrument, introduced in 1981 and manufactured by the Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation. It typically features a touch plate, and buttons for major, minor, and diminished chords...
& Korg Donca Matic when on Gorillaz' Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
The Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour is a concert tour by the British virtual band Gorillaz. The tour is in support of their third studio album Plastic Beach. It is notably the band's first world tour in its decade-spanning history...
, Albarn said in an interview that he does not know when the track will be released.
On 18 April 2011, Gorillaz announced the release of their own version of the iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
app iElectribe, by Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
- which features many loops & samples taken from The Fall as well as other samples, this new Gorillaz version not only features a Gorillaz designed and styled interface, but is also 'customized to generate Gorillaz samples from their fourth album "The Fall"' and includes 128 new sounds created by Gorillaz and 64 ready-to-use pre-programmed patterns from Gorillaz, Stephen Sedgwick (Gorillaz' engineer) and Korg
Korg
is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...
. There have been noted problems with the app's availability outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The app was based on KORG'S ELECTRIBE: R device app.
On 05 October 2011, Gorillaz announced that their first "greatest hits" compilation, The Singles Collection 2001-2011, will be released on 28 November 2011.
Virtual personnel
- Stuart "2D" Pot2D (Gorillaz)The fictional character Stuart Pot , better known by his stage name 2-D, also simply spelled as 2D, is a member of the British virtual band Gorillaz...
– lead vocals, keyboards, melodica, rhythm guitar (1998–present) - Murdoc Niccals – bass guitar and drum machine (1998–Present)
- NoodleNoodle (Gorillaz)Noodle is a musician and member of the virtual band Gorillaz. She provides the guitar and keyboard, as well as some main and backing vocals for the band. She, like all other Gorillaz members, was created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett...
– lead guitar, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals, keyboards (1998–2006, 2010–present) - Russel Hobbs – drums, percussion (active 1998–2006)
- Cyborg Noodle – lead guitar (2010–2011)
Former members
- Paula Cracker – lead guitar (1998)
- Del the Ghost Rapper – guest vocals (2001–2003)
Non-Virtual Personnel
In the half-hour TVTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
mockumentary
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
Charts of Darkness, it was explicitly stated that Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn
Damon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
and Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Hewlett
Jamie Christopher Hewlett is an English comic book artist and designer. He is known for being the co-creator of the comic Tank Girl and co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz.-Biography:...
were behind the project. Albarn said "There could be fifty [people] here, but there's two". The first album featured the voices of Miho Hatori
Miho Hatori
is a singer, songwriter, and musician. She is primarily known as the vocalist of the New York City group Cibo Matto, and the first person to provide the voice of Gorillaz member Noodle.-Biography:...
of Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto are a New York City-based band formed by two Japanese women, Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, in 1994...
as Noodle, most notably on the song "19-2000", and Tina Weymouth
Tina Weymouth
Martina Michèle "Tina" Weymouth is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist of the New Wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club .-Profile:Weymouth is of French heritage on her mother's side. Weymouth was a cheerleader in high school...
formerly of Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
. Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell is an English comedian, actor, impressionist and writer. He is probably best known as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series...
provides the voice of Murdoc.
The band's music videos (with the exception of "Rock It" and "Tomorrow Comes Today") are created by Passion Pictures
Passion Pictures
Passion Pictures is a film and animation production company based in Rathbone Place, off Oxford Street in London's West End. They have been responsible for much of the production of the visual element of the animated rock band Gorillaz....
. The live band's current lineup includes half of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
(Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
and Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
).
- Damon AlbarnDamon AlbarnDamon Albarn is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who has been involved in many high profile projects, coming to prominence as the frontman and primary songwriter of Britpop band Blur...
– vocals, keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, melodica (1998–present) - Jamie HewlettJamie HewlettJamie Christopher Hewlett is an English comic book artist and designer. He is known for being the co-creator of the comic Tank Girl and co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz.-Biography:...
– illustrationIllustrationAn illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
, visuals, FXSpecial effectThe illusions used in the film, television, theatre, or entertainment industries to simulate the imagined events in a story are traditionally called special effects ....
(1998–present) - Mike SmithMike Smith (saxophonist)Mike Smith is an English musician. He is an arranger, composer, conductor, studio musician, and keyboardist, but specializes in saxophone.Smith studied jazz and contemporary music at the Leeds College of Music, from which he graduated in 1988...
– keyboards (1998 – present) - Cass BrowneCass BrowneCass Browne was a member of the band The Psychotics who became the Senseless Things in 1986. The Senseless Things had a couple of top 20 hits and many other singles in their nine years together, they split up in 1995. Jamie Hewlett was a big fan of the band and designed many of their sleeves...
– drums, percussion (1998 – present)
Live members –
Live performances
Manchester Opera House
The Opera House in Quay Street, Manchester, England is a 1,920 seater commercial touring theatre which plays host to touring musicals, ballet, concerts and a Christmas pantomime. It is the sister to the Palace Theatre which is a similar venue in nearby Oxford Street at its junction with Whitworth...
. The event was filmed by an EMI film crew for a DVD release, Demon Days Live
Demon Days Live
Demon Days: Live at the Manchester Opera House is a Grammy Award nominated live DVD by Gorillaz, released 27 March 2006 in the UK...
, in late March 2006. It was later announced that an American version of the event would take place from 2 April to 6 April 2006 at the famed Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
. Within an hour of release tickets were sold out. The 6 April show was filmed for a live webcast
Webcast
A webcast is a media presentation distributed over the Internet using streaming media technology to distribute a single content source to many simultaneous listeners/viewers. A webcast may either be distributed live or on demand...
at MSN Video
MSN Video
MSN Video is an Australian video streaming service from ninemsn as well as a United Kingdom internet television service from MSN. It was rebranded on March 11, 2010....
. Palladia (then known as MHD) also broadcasted an Apollo Theater show in HDTV
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
on 31 December 2006.
A world tour was planned using the hologram technology described above. However, due to extreme costs and fine technical difficulties, the tour was cancelled. Gorillaz headlined the final night of the Coachella music festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
on 18 April 2010, performing to one of the largest crowds in Coachella history of over 70,000 people strong. On 27 April they were the main guests on Later... with Jools Holland (aired on 30 April). In addition, Gorillaz played a short run of intimate UK rehearsal gigs exclusively for G-Club members, before taking up a two-night residency at London's Camden Roundhouse (29 and 30 April 2010). Mick Jones
Mick Jones (The Clash)
Michael Geoffrey "Mick" Jones is the former lead guitarist, secondary vocalist and co-founder for the British punk rock band The Clash until his dismissal in 1983. He went on to form the band Big Audio Dynamite with Don Letts before line-up changes led to the formation of Big Audio Dynamite II and...
and Paul Simonon
Paul Simonon
Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bass guitarist for punk rock band The Clash. Recent work includes his involvement in the album The Good, the Bad & the Queen with Damon Albarn, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, released in January 2007...
of The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
performed guitar and bass respectively with the band and more than once in the evening chords from The Clash song "Guns of Brixton" were heard as a subtle reference to their presence. These will both feature the full Gorillaz production, including video animation, artwork and film. On 22 March they were announced for Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
. On 22 April, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett appeared on.
Gorillaz kicked off their first ever world tour on 20 July at Byblos
Byblos
Byblos is the Greek name of the Phoenician city Gebal . It is a Mediterranean city in the Mount Lebanon Governorate of present-day Lebanon under the current Arabic name of Jubayl and was also referred to as Gibelet during the Crusades...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. The tour took them across America in October, Europe in November, and finally through Australia, New Zealand, and one date in Asia in December.
On 25 July 2010, Gorillaz performed a concert at the Citadel of Damascus in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
.
The Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour
The Escape to Plastic Beach World Tour is a concert tour by the British virtual band Gorillaz. The tour is in support of their third studio album Plastic Beach. It is notably the band's first world tour in its decade-spanning history...
officially kicked off in Montreal, Canada on 3 October to rave reviews.
During the Gorillaz show at Vector Arena
Vector Arena
Vector Arena is a 12,000-seat arena for sports and entertainment events in Auckland, New Zealand. Named for a sponsor, Vector Limited, the arena is located at Quay Park, Parnell, very close to the former Auckland Railway Station...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
on 21 December 2010, Damon Albarn announced that it would be their final live show with the Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach
Plastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
line up.
Studio albums
- GorillazGorillaz (album)Gorillaz is the debut album by the British virtual band Gorillaz, released in March 2001. It includes the singles "Clint Eastwood", "19-2000", "Rock the House" and "Tomorrow Comes Today"...
(2001) - Demon DaysDemon DaysDemon Days is the second studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released in May 2005. The album features contributions from De La Soul, Neneh Cherry, Martina Topley-Bird, Roots Manuva, MF DOOM, Ike Turner, Bootie Brown of the Pharcyde, Shaun Ryder, Dennis Hopper, the London Community Gospel...
(2005) - Plastic BeachPlastic BeachPlastic Beach is the third studio album by British virtual band and alternative hip hop supergroup Gorillaz, released 3 March 2010 on Parlophone and Virgin Records. Conceived from an unfinished Gorillaz project called Carousel, the album was recorded during June 2008 to November 2009 and produced...
(2010) - The FallThe Fall (Gorillaz album)-Additional personnel:* Guitar on track 3 by Mick Jones* Additional keyboards on track 6 by Jesse Hackett* Bass on track 12 by Paul Simonon* Qanun on track 12 by James R Grippo* Vocals, guitar and additional songwriting on track 13 by Bobby Womack...
(2010)