Biography: Gorillaz
* Born: 2000 Birthplace: England
Biography:
Conceived as the first "virtual hip-hop group," Gorillaz blended the musical talents of Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, Blur`s Damon Albarn, Cibo Matto`s Miho Hatori, and Tom Tom Club`s Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz with the arresting visuals of Jamie Hewlett, best known as the creator of the cult comic Tank Girl. Nakamura`s Deltron 3030 cohorts Kid Koala and Del tha Funkee Homosapien rounded out the creative team behind the Gorillaz quartet, which included 2-D, the cute but spacy singer/keyboardist; Murdoc, the spooky, possibly Satanic bassist and the brains behind the group; Russel, a drummer equally inspired by "Farrakhan and Chaka Khan" and possessed by "funkyphantoms" that occasionally rise up and provide some zombie-style rapping; and last but not least, Noodle, a ten-year-old Japanese guitar virtuosa and martial arts master. The group`s website, www.gorillaz.com, showcased Hewlett`s visuals and the group`s music in eye- and ear-catching detail.
Gorillaz debuted in late 2000 with the Tomorrow Comes Today EP, which they followed early the next year with the Clint Eastwood single; their self-titled full-length debut arrived in spring 2001. Gorillaz was a massive worldwide success and achieved platinum-level sales in the U.S. The group`s Svengalis were quick to capitalize, and released the B-sides collection G-Sides, the Phase One: Celebrity Takedown DVD, and the dub-inspired remix album Laika Come Home in 2002. The project went on hiatus as Albarn resumed work with Blur for their seventh album, 2003`s Think Tank.
When he was ready to begin the next Gorillaz album, Albarn turned to Danger Mouse, the DJ behind The Grey Album, the infamous mash-up of the Beatles` White Album and Jay-Z`s Black Album, and a host of other collaborators, including De La Soul, Shaun Ryder, Debbie Harry, Dennis Hopper, and Martina Topley-Bird. Although Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Nakamura did not return, 2-D, Russel, Murdoc, and Noodle were all present and accounted for on Demon Days, another Top Ten hit, which arrived in spring 2005.
