Gorillaz happens to be a very difficult band to put into a box. The style of music of the band evolves and changes over time. They consist of a diverse style which makes the band unique and sometimes contrasting.
One could ask “What genre is Gorillaz?” Well, I would say it is rock and alternatively hip-pop. I think this is a constant repetition that can be observed in their music.
They mostly produce music that can be categorized as electronica, trip-hop, art rock, and world music. So basically, they can be described as a band that plays all over the place. And I think that makes them unique.
What is Gorillaz?
Let’s get this straight. Gorillaz is not just any band if you must call them a band. It’s more like a project, so it is safer to call it a project. This project started in 1998 when two musicians formed alliances to create something big, mind-blowing, and new.
Damon Albarn was the vocalist and songwriter for the rock/Britpop band Blur, he had some of the major 90s hits including “Parklife”, “Girls & Boys”, “Tender”, and “Beetlebum”. The band achieved a lot in the UK, winning awards, playing sold-out concerts, and releasing a good number of albums.
The other half of the creative band Gorillaz is Jamie Hewlett. Hewlett is a visual artist well known for her unique, edgy style in the comic book Tank Girl. This style has also been made into a feature film. A special group…
In the year 1998, the two artists moved together into an apartment (a British apartment apparently). And they came up with this really award-deserving idea.
After spending hours watching MTV, some series of inconsistent and superficial promotion of the band came to their notice, and they came up with the idea of creating a virtual band. Hewlett’s anime characters were seen as a group playing Albarn’s songs. This was a result of the dissatisfaction they got from watching the promotion of bands on MTV.
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In the year 2000, Gorillaz released their first self-titled EP, which was basically an alternative rock piece. The project was well accepted, and the next year they released their first full-length album, which they titled Gorillaz.
The album rose to number 3 in the UK and 14th in the US, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide. This was the first time in history, a fictional or virtual band other than Alvin and the Chipmunks was identified with a hit and a record.
Who are the members of Gorillaz?
The actual concept of Gorillaz is a virtual band of four members, each of whom is an anime character. But this story goes much deeper and broader than The Chipmunks. Each member has their own unique story, voice, and personality.
Murdoc Faust Nikals (bass)
Murdoc is the bassist and self-proclaimed leader of Gorillaz. He grew up in a very rough condition. It is believed that he has sold his soul to the devil to become a rock star, and it is said that the El Diablo bass guitar he plays was given to him by Satan himself.
Murdoch’s violence and aggressive attitude led him to run away from the law, move to Tijuana, go to prison, and commit arson. He also seems envious of 2-D’s status as the band’s Mainman.
Stuart Pot/2-D (vocals, keyboard)
Known as “a lover with a blank sheet of paper where his brain should be,” 2D is a singer with perfection. However, the life of singer and keyboardist 2-D was full of ups and downs.
He suffered a head injury as a kid that caused his hair to fall out and then turn blue again. He also had a lot of clashes with Murdoc, which left him with eye and head injuries and got him the nickname 2-D, short for “two dents”.
Murdoc claims to have brought 2-D into the Gorillaz, but 2-D believes it was more like a kidnapping. 2-D performs most of the vocals on his songs and also plays an important role in the songwriting, most recognized by The Now.
Noodle (guitar, vocals)
The Gorillaz guitarist, probably the smartest of them all, is from Japan. She joined the band after initial guitarist Paula Kroeker became involved in illegal activities with other band members.
Noodle hangs out with the coolest members and also helps handle the band’s vocals and songwriting. Now in her early thirties, she looks more mature than her age, probably because of the chaos created around her by the other band members.
The latest member of Gorillaz is Brooklyn native Russell Hobbs, a drummer. However, Russell is not just any mere band member. Russell had a supernatural experience as a child and was possessed by a different spirit, as a result, he behaves weirdly most times.
At a time he left the band and was temporarily replaced by a drum machine. Russell is a member of other artists living and dead, added to his drumming and percussion duties, he has brought in different collaborators to work with Gorillaz.
Gorillaz is a band that moves and evolves with the times. Musically they are growing, evolving, and developing.
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