Gorillaz is a virtual band, which means that none of its members are physically present. They are two non-virtual members of Gorillaz, the great Damon Albarn, the frontman for Blur, the good the bad, and the queen. Albarn gives voice to the lead singer of Gorillaz, 2D. Rap artists usually take over Russel Hobbs, the big black drummer. Different female artists give voice to noddle, and Murdoc is usually just there looking cool and playing guitar.
What is Gorillaz?
Gorillaz is an English virtual band that was started in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. It has four imaginary members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. Their music videos, talks, comics, and cartoons all show their own world. Albarn's previous band, Blur, had a Britpop sound, but Gorillaz tries out different types of music, like hip-hop and techno. Their albums “Gorillaz” (2001), “Demon Days” (2005), and “Plastic Beach” (2010) all have different styles and partnerships.
They started the “Song Machine” project in 2020, and it culminated in the album “Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez.” “Cracker Island” (2023), the band's eighth record, was praised by critics. Gorillaz has performed live in a variety of ways, and they hold the record for “Most Successful Virtual Band.” They have won a Grammy, an MTV Video Music Award, and a Brit Award, among other things.
Gorillaz Face Reveal
The band Gorillaz is made up of four cartoon characters: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs. Even though they are all cartoon figures, their appearances are based on real people.
Murdoc Niccals: He plays the bass and, at times, a drum machine. His voice is done by Phil Cornwell, and Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett made him. So it was based on Damon.
2-D: Stuart Harold Pot is an English singer and musician who gives lead vocals and plays the keyboard for Gorillaz. His singing voice is by Damon Albarn, and his speaking voice has been done by a number of players, including Nelson De Freitas and Kevin Bishop. Made in 1998 by Albarn and Hewlett.
Noodle: A Japanese artist and singer who plays lead guitar, and keyboards, and occasionally sings. Albarn and Hewlett made Noodle, which has been voiced by Haruka Kuroda, Miho Hatori, and Haruka Abe.
Russel Hobbs: Originally, Russel was meant to represent the hip-hop parts of Gorillaz. He now represents the spirit of the band's collaborations with rappers. He is mentioned in “Clint Eastwood” and influenced by hip-hop acts like Ice Cube. His voice is done by Remi Kabaka Jr., who has been Gorillaz's drummer and producer since Humanz in 2017. Russel's backstory is that he is possessed by the spirits of dead musicians, which led Gorillaz to use other musicians on their records.
Former virtual members include Paula Cracker (lead guitar), Cyborg Noodle (lead guitar and singing), and Ace (bass).
How Did Gorillaz Come Into Existence?
In 1990, comic artist Jamie Hewlett interviewed singer Damon Albarn's band Blur for a magazine. Even though they had problems at first, they shared a flat in London in 1997. The idea for Gorillaz came from the fact that they didn't like what was on MTV, which led them to make a virtual band as a comment on produced music.
When they first started, they were called “Gorilla,” and their first song, “Ghost Train,” was recorded as a B-side. When Gorillaz debuted its self-titled debut album in 2001, it had a variety of musical styles and collaborations, such as “Clint Eastwood” with Del the Funky Homosapien and “19-2000.”
The album's success led to tours and the release of the B-sides collection G-Sides. The band's virtual members were shown in animations, and at the 2002 Brit Awards, they played in 3D animation. Then came “Phase One: Celebrity Take Down,” a DVD, and “Laika Come Home,” a remix record. There were talks about making a Gorillaz movie for the big screen, but the idea was eventually scrapped because of creative differences between companies.
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