Gorillaz: The Story Of One Of The Most Successful Virtual Bands In The World
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Visuals play a very crucial role in Pop music. The glitzy magazine spreads, viral Instagram trends, and larger-than-life music videos that could rival Hollywood productions – it's all about creating an image that's as memorable as the music itself. And when it comes to mastering this art form, no one does it quite like Gorillaz.
If you're a fan of the band, you probably already know that they're not your average pop group. In fact, they're not really a "group" at all. Gorillaz is the brainchild of Blur's frontman Damon Albarn and comic book artist Jamie Hewlett. The two were hanging out in their apartment, watching MTV and lamenting the manufactured sound of boy bands, when they came up with a revolutionary idea: a virtual band made entirely of animated characters.
"This was the beginning of the boy band sort of explosion... and it just felt so manufactured," Albarn recalls. "And we were like, well let's make a manufactured band but make it kind of interesting."
And thus, Gorillaz was born. The band is made up of four members: 2-D, the "pretty boy" caricature who handles vocals, keyboards, melodica, rhythm guitar, piano, and synthesizers; Murdoc Niccals, the bassist and drum machine operator who is also a Satanist (even his birthday is 6/6/66); Noodle, the lead guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist who's a Japanese super soldier and guitar virtuoso; and Russel Hobbs, the drummer and percussionist who represents the hip-hop side of the band.
Their self-titled debut album (released in 2001) took the music world by storm. Gorillaz proved that they were more than just a gimmick; they were a force to be reckoned with. The album climbed to #3 on the UK album charts and #14 on the US Billboard thanks to the mega-hit single "Clint Eastwood".
They've since become one of the most influential bands of the 21st century, bringing niche genres like trip-hop and alternative hip-hop to the mainstream.
Their latest release "Cracker Island" featuring elite names like Tame Impala, Thundercat, Beck, and Bad Bunny is a reminder of the fact that while their image remains an important part of their overall aesthetic, they are much more than just a visual gimmick.
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