Real Good

12 years ago Blur’s Damon Albarn established a virtual band called Gorillaz. Now three albums in, what at first seemed like a quirky and ambitious side-project has eclipsed the success of his brit-pop days. This is particularly pertinent in the U.S., where the first two Gorillaz albums have outsold the entire Blur catalog. Read on to find out more…

Gorillaz may be a virtual band, but the music they make is more real than a lot of bands these days. Based on a concept cooked up by Damon Albarn, former front man of Britpop band Blur, the members of Gorillaz are four humanoid cartoon characters – 2D, Noodle, Russel and Murdoc. These cartoons, originally brought to life by English comic book artist Jamie Hewlett, are the front for a rotating cast of musicians and collaborators. Although this idea may seem like pure gimmick, there’s method to Albarn’s madness.

By distancing himself from the music he makes Albarn is ensuring audience attention is placed firmly on the music. Albarn, it would seem, believes the celebrity aspect of the business should take a back seat to the music. And although Gorillaz was formed 12 years ago in 1998, this issue of celebrity saturation has never been more pertinent. In a business consumed by image and ruled by the just-add-water pop stars of the Idol franchise (and similar spin-off shows) Gorillaz’s refreshing anti-image approach is laudable. By drawing attention away from the kind of stuff that keeps gossip columns afloat, Albarn has been able to concentrate on what he does best: making great music.

Aside from being the brains behind the Gorillaz concept, Albarn writes, produces, sings and plays most of the tunes. He’s also the one who lines up the cameo appearances. For the third and latest Gorillaz’s album Plastic Beach (2010) he assembled an impressive and eclectic mix of music heavy-weights. With artists as diverse as Snoop Dogg, De La Soul, Lou Reed, the Clash's Mick Jones and soul great Bobby Womack all making impressive appearances on the new record.

All these names are massive in the music industry – they’re celebrities – which, if you follow the logic behind Gorillaz should pose a threat to the band’s anti-image campaign. However, these artists were chosen for their talent, not their status, which is the premier concern of the Gorillaz aesthetic. It is important to clarify that Albarn does not reject celebrities. He’s simply critiquing the culture surrounding pop stars, where a greater emphasis tends to be placed on a band’s image rather than their music. Gorillaz is Albarn’s attempt to make music more about, well, music.

In short by hiding behind the Gorillaz façade, Albarn has been able to create daring, innovative and impressive music. The first Gorillaz release, a self-title affair, cleverly fused Brit-pop and hip-hop. At the time, the freedom of Gorillaz meant Albarn was no longer constrained by his Brit-pop image; he was now able to explore edgier forms of music like electronica and hip-hop. The album itself was a critical and commercial success having sold over 7 million copies worldwide and receiving praise from fans and critics alike.

Gorillaz sophomore release helped to further cement this virtual band’s very real credibility. Another Top Ten hit, Demon Days arrived in 2005. The album went double platinum in America and enjoyed even more success in the U.K.; it also received a host of Grammy nominations. That the latest Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, isn’t as pop as the first two is testament to the fact that the band is still committed to credibility and innovation. In short, Damon Albarn is keeping it real.