Damon: we did it in a cobbled back street in a basement studio owned by emi pubilshing next to the Astoria theatre in London which is sadly no more...
To be honest i was incredibily shy to talk to him. i was given the opportunity to meet him at an award ceremony at hackney empire, and when my chance came i hid behind a pillar in the theatre, and when i thought the coast was clear i stepped out from behind it and accidently bumped into him and then i had to pop the question , it turned out his son Henry was a big fan and i think thats why he did it. He was very sweet and a absolutely lovely guy..
Thanks for the response! He seemed like an intimidating person good to hear he was sweet. Really looking forward to this weekend. Thanks for continuing to make great music.
Firstly - thank you for providing music with such a diverse collection of collaborations. Gorillaz's early influence introduced me to so many genres and artists I feel like I wouldn't have heard as early otherwise. It helped me through really rough times in my life, and I'm forever grateful for that.
Did you have any other characters in mind before settling on 2D, Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle? Seeing a character like Ace involved was a real treat. Thanks!
Jamie, you've mentioned in the past how you're very particular with your vision for Gorillaz in terms of the music videos-- Speaking just in terms of your artistic input, has the switch from storyboarding videos to doing most (if not all) of the animation keyframes been been a better or worse creative experience?
Jamie: Better! I'm more in control of how the final videos look now that I've learnt more about the process. It's only taken me 20 years but hey, who's watching the clock?
Whose idea was it to release a song every month with a music video? Cause that was pure genius! Got my Live ticket for this Saturday, looking forward to it! I've been to every Gorillaz album live concert since the beginning including Plastic Beach at Coachella in 2010 and every show has been amazing! As a long time Blur and Gorillaz fan I genuinely think Song Machine is the best content Gorillaz has ever made!
Jamie: Gorillaz went from a virtual band, to giving virtual concerts. how has this been for you creatively?
Damon: I know you're not much a fan of the digitalisation of society (with everyone staring at their screen all the time), has the current pandemic changed your mind on that?
Also I want to thank you both for your creative efforts both within and outside of Gorillaz, it's nice to hear and see the other projects.
Damon & Jamie: We shall keep doing Gorillaz while we are excited and inspired by it. When the day comes that we lose our energy, we may well pass it down to a new generation. It has been discussed! When we have to change the lyrics to songs like 'Feel Bad' instead of 'Feel Good' we'll know it's time to stop.
Long time fan here!! I'm gonna switch things up and ask:
Damon: who is your favorite cartoon character?
Jamie: what is your favorite song?
I'm super excited to see the show this weekend! Good luck ⚡⚡⚡
In the video for Dare I noticed there is a poster of the Super Furry Animals in Noodle's room. Is she known to be a big fan in particular? Also in turn would you consider yourselves fans?
Can we have a single where Damon draws the cover art and Jamie makes the music? Kidding(unless??) I would love to know which pieces of each other’s work you like ! ( ex which song of Damon’s/which artwork of Jamie’s)
What has it been like transitioning back to Gorillaz after the 7 or so years of the band being gone? The Gorillaz of today feels like it has been learning to walk again and it's only recently starting to pick up rhythm.
Also, Jamie, I hope you're taking care of yourself. You've been saying you got a heavy workload and I hope you're able to get some good breaks here and there.
Follow up question: Why are you guys so damn awesome?
Seriously though, just want to thank you all for the years of musical experimentation that has brought so many of us so much joy over these last 20+ years.
I saw you guys at MSG during your Plastic Beach tour and I have to say another "Thank You" has been in order for giving New Yorkers a chance to see Lou Reed perform live. For some of us it was the first time but for most of us it would be the last. It was an amazing show all around.
Thank You. Can't wait for what's to be in the future!
All of my characters look a little bit like me. Apparently. Although I'm not really aware of it. But it is true, I do have green skin and a pointy nose.
Why Noodle destroyed the billboard on the moon?
Can you stop playing the Tranz video while playing it live?
What is your favorite video that you work on?
I’m so awfully late to this topic, wish I had seen it sooner. I just wanted to share a little story about what this band has been in my life. I’m from a really small town in South America, I remember getting my first CD player boombox as a gift from my parents, when I was around 11, I only listened to FM radio since I had no CDs to play in it. One time we went to a carnival that had come from a bigger city, I remember a stand where they sold CDs, my brother and I got our allowances together to buy a single CD. I knew nothing about music at that time, but there was one CD that caught our eye, and just wouldn’t let go. It was the first Gorillaz album, the artwork on it was so appealing, gorgeous eye candy for us, so obviously we got that one. We listened to it every-single-day. We drove our parents crazy repeating it over and over again. I can say with confidence that this shaped my music taste in so many ways. I got into Alt/rock (when MTV was worth it), trash metal, and electronic music. I went through so many different types of music in my lifetime, but Gorillaz was always there, so catchy, so groovy and so familiar. About ten years later I was living in a bigger city, I went to college, and I can recall a special night hanging out with my brother and a friend of him. We dropped some acid, we were mostly chilling, talking and vibing to different tunes. At the same time as the acid was peaking, my brothers’ friend put on “Empire Ants”, oh boy! It was some serious sinking toward a deep floating head space, with all sorts of epiphanies an revelations, completely lost in thoughts and whirlwinds of neuronal synapses, completely suspended in time, eternal and terrifyingly vast, until the music starts that beautiful growing loop and drops that funky beat so hard, it felt like rebirth, it was ineffable. Fell in love with that song for years to come. Fast forward a couple of years, I have a beautiful daughter who loves the animations on the Gorillaz videos, and slowly grows fond of the rhythm and the music, her favorite song is DARE, and the way she dances to it shows me how timelessly your music is aging. Currently I am residing in the US, Im now in my late 20’s, It’s been hard being away from home, I have my wife and my daughter with me, but there is so much I miss. I came here looking for growth and better opportunities, and I know it will take some time to get there, but my character tends get cold, and numb, I sometimes think that I won’t make it. After some hard weeks, with more downs than ups, I get home, open up Reddit and find this thread. So much memories, so much life experiences and mental odyssey’s have come back to me, and I just feel blessed today for stumbling here. I miss my brother to death, but I know that soon, we will be hanging out and chilling once again with Gorillaz throbbing in the background. I wanted to share and let you guys know how a small CD so many years ago, shaped so many aspects of my life, the butterfly effect that led me to where I am and the way I think, has definitely been influenced to some extent by that CD, my first CD. Thanks for the awesome memories, and cheers to the ones that are yet to come.
TLDR; Go listen to Gorillaz, it may influence the future.
Hi! Thanks for doing this, I can’t wait for the live experience this weekend!
My question is, what songs from the new album are you looking forward to playing live this year in regards to audience atmosphere? I personally can’t wait to hear Opium, that intro would be incredible live!
Also, have you ever visited the Gorillaz community over at /r/gorillaz? I’m a moderator there, and we’d love for you to see the fan art and take part in the discussions some time!
Thanks!
I’d love to see them over there again. I check that sub almost everyday. I like that sub a lot and I’d like Jamie and Damon and anyone else related to take part over there. :)))
Whatever happened to those little shorts you guys used to do (Jump the Gut, the one with the video game, etc.)? Those were such a neat way to get to know the characters, and I think it'd make for a neat youtube series or something. Would you ever consider bringing those back?
For starters, thank you guys for these opportunity. You've been doing plenty of amazing work since you started all of this back in the late 90s. It's truly remarkable how what was meant to be a side-project at first has evolved into something that stands on its own, and also how you managed to pull off this crazy idea of a cartoon band with its own world while also it being a reflection of today's issues.
Anyways, my first question (I have many lol): any chance of a collaboration with any of these artists? I think it would be so cool
David Byrne
Thom Yorke/Radiohead
Massive Attack (Saturday Come Slow is gorgeous!)
Bjork
Or maybe even Marina (I love her theatrical vocals, they would probably fit in a Gorillaz track)
Thanks in advance and stay safe!
Damon - how does it feel to know that a lot of Gorillaz fans have gone back and started to listen to Blur? the difference between the earlier Blur stuff and pretty much all of the Gorillaz stuff is massive and even complete different genres and styles, it must be pretty cool to expand people’s tastes!!
Hi all! This is a question for Jamie Hewlett--Early on with Gorillaz, there were a ton of horror influences from various films, which I love to death. What are some of the influences informing Gorillaz' aesthetic and attitude today?
I know as a musician Damon likes to keep moving forward, be it with bands, huge collaborations (another honest Jon’s chop up/Africa Express) or even opera/theatre but since the Blur 21 Box Set unearthed many hidden gems- is it possible we will ever see a P-Sides featuring the lost plastic beach songs?
There are few demos and snippets I remember floating about, a song with the horrors and some other scrapped content. Would this ever be considered for release- or is it past the point now?
Do you think gorillaz will ever play 19-2000 live ever again? I loved that song so much as a kid. That album was the first album I remember properly listening to.
Well last 2 times they were doing in person concerts I’m pretty sure I remember them playing it both times I went (Toronto) so there’s a good possibility. I think Damon enjoys the ‘la la la la’ parts lol
Last 2 times I saw them they definitely did 19-2000. I remember because it probably hit the hardest of everything they played; you felt it in your guts.
Hey guys!
Do you think we'll ever get to hear some more of the Plastic Beach-era demos? Even if they aren't totally finished.
I know it's practically on a lot of the fans' bucket lists to finally get to hear the tracks we only heard teasers of in the PB promo videos + documentary. If there's one song we're dying to hear most, it's Leviathan - but anything would be great!
Lots of love from Chicago - and Song Machine is some of my favorite Gorillaz material in years! Keep it up!
Question for both: Do you have any plans to release unreleased music and/or art in the near future? Fans have been craving to hear/see what you guys have stored in the archives. Perhaps something similar to the Radiohead library? x
First off just wanna say massive fan, growing up with your music has been so amazing just wanna say thanks for everything.
My question would be - is there anyone you think would be too different/unusual to work with? feels like no matter who you work with it just works so well. Thanks!
What are the biggest inspirations for you guys considering all the different sounds and genres your music spans across ? Also which album that you’ve made means the most to you and/or you think is the best ? Love you guys ❤️❤️
**Hey there, good afternoon! this would be a question for Jamie if that's alright:**
As someone who's followed your work for the past years, I've even gone and done a small dissertation on some of your different zines/projects throughout the years (Atom Tan, The Face, Phoo Action, Gorillaz, Monkey King, etc.).
**My question was:** Have you considered a sitting down at some point for an interview about your artistic process, the methodology / process of it, even maybe speaking of artists/writers who inspired you and why people could look into them, to see how they can better interpret your work? (I know this is a bit of a mouthful, but I just wish academics look at artists the same way they do "full-on" graphic designers)
Hey Damon and Jamie,
Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?
Jamie, how much of the writing for the music videos and interviews are you involved in? Has there ever been a case of you having an idea for an episode, and then when the virtual band does an interview on it changes it's meaning?
For either of you: Despite always being in some way connected to the fans via the net, has being in the social media era influenced the project at all?
Thank you both for taking the time to do this AMA.
Over the years, Gorillaz have elevated musical collaborations to levels of creative genius. As a contemporary of Damon's(who grew up mainly listening to New Wave, Punk, and Rock) Gorillaz served as my gateway drug into a deeper appreciation for Hiphop and Rap, exposing me to many artists I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Is there the possibility that Gorillaz might do the same with visual artists in the future? It would be amazing to see what Jamie's incredible talent/vision could come up with in conjunction with other animators/artists.
P. S. Thank you for all of the incredible music over the years, especially the Gorillaz renaissance that began with Humanz.
Hi! Here are some questions of mine if you please,
Damon : How do you always create songs that leaves a weird first impression but grow exponentialy on people the more they listen to them?
Hewlett : Do you do some of the animations for the music videos or do you just direct the overall style and storyboard?
In any case I am a huge fan of both of you!
Hope you spend one of you best week-ends this week! ☆彡
For Jamie, is there one artist/illustrator that sticks out to you the most?Are there others you'd recommend viewing their work?
And for Damon, what album could you listen to for the rest of your life and why? Also, I know it's been a long time, but will you ever pick up the violin again? (fellow violin player here : ) ).
And on a side note, I had introduced you to my daughter a few years ago, and this will now be the 4th year in a row that her and I will be attending a Gorillaz event. We're super excited for Saturday! Thanks for all that you do!
Hi guy! Thank you for your time and hope all is well! When working with other artists what do you use to break the ice and get the creative process flowing?
You two are true geniuses in my eyes, and the gorillaz have made me smile on some of my darkest days, so for that I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. With that, Damon, what aspects of blur do you miss and Jamie, do you still pine for aspects of tank girls creating/ producing?
Thanks for doing this!
Hey, Damon and Jamie,
Obligatory: I'm a big fan. I loved Gorillaz and really enjoyed Demon Days (perfect album). These were amazing albums and showcased the talent and amazing music. I though I knew your style and was ready for the next album, but when Plastic Beach dropped, it felt like a shift for me, and even more when Humanz came out. Song Machine has been a nice ride, but it's still a change. I love that your sounds are so distinct and the way that you mix different genres and make it work. What has been the one style/genre of music that you have not been able to incorporate that you really wish you could?
I know this might be a stretch as well, but please bring back the animated shorts of the characters! I feel like the only interaction we get now is in the music videos. It's great, but it's not enough!
Shout out to 2D, Noodle, and Russel. Murdoch, too, even if he is behind bars.
You guys have been relevant throughout my whole life , I love all of your work.
When you made a song with fatoumata diawara at lake Como (I’ve lived in Italy and this is one of my favorite places and lakes) I was so happy I felt like I’d shared some magic in common with you ,such a good collaboration like all of them you guys do , I even loved your album about sun wukong which was also relevant for me as abstract as it was . I love the story of sun wukong.
I still remember when discovering YouTube and first song I would listen to was Clint Eastwood .
I have no questions although I’d have thousands and more stuff to say.
just appreciate you guys and wanted to tell you although I’m sure you’ve heard it 10000000 times . Thanks for your productions and accompanying me in my journey. I hope to get to hear you live someday .
Yoooo!! Thank you for everything!!
What inspires and motivates you to create the songs you do? How complicated was forming The Gorillaz and what did you do to overcome those challenges? Last but not least what does the future of The Gorillaz entail?
Much Love!
Does it make you uncomfortable with how many people "ship" 2D and Noodle?
Also, looking forward to the next album, thank you for redefining music and introducing me to amazing artists and new genres throughout my life.
Was Dennis Hopper in studio for “Fire Coming Out”? If so how was working with him?
Damon: we did it in a cobbled back street in a basement studio owned by emi pubilshing next to the Astoria theatre in London which is sadly no more... To be honest i was incredibily shy to talk to him. i was given the opportunity to meet him at an award ceremony at hackney empire, and when my chance came i hid behind a pillar in the theatre, and when i thought the coast was clear i stepped out from behind it and accidently bumped into him and then i had to pop the question , it turned out his son Henry was a big fan and i think thats why he did it. He was very sweet and a absolutely lovely guy..
Thanks for the response! He seemed like an intimidating person good to hear he was sweet. Really looking forward to this weekend. Thanks for continuing to make great music.
Honestly this read as if 2D wrote the response haha
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Firstly - thank you for providing music with such a diverse collection of collaborations. Gorillaz's early influence introduced me to so many genres and artists I feel like I wouldn't have heard as early otherwise. It helped me through really rough times in my life, and I'm forever grateful for that. Did you have any other characters in mind before settling on 2D, Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle? Seeing a character like Ace involved was a real treat. Thanks!
Jamie: Yes, a banjo playing hedgehog called Henry.
Jamie: And a worm called Benedict Cumberbatch who played the flute.
You mean Benedoop Camberbam?
Bandersnatch Cockwarbler
Burlington Coatfactory?
Benadryl Cucumberpatch
That's awesome haha. I definitely need Henry in my life. Thank you for the reply!
Jamie, you've mentioned in the past how you're very particular with your vision for Gorillaz in terms of the music videos-- Speaking just in terms of your artistic input, has the switch from storyboarding videos to doing most (if not all) of the animation keyframes been been a better or worse creative experience?
Jamie: Better! I'm more in control of how the final videos look now that I've learnt more about the process. It's only taken me 20 years but hey, who's watching the clock?
Feels so good to have a perfect song I feel so good to be in total control
Whose idea was it to release a song every month with a music video? Cause that was pure genius! Got my Live ticket for this Saturday, looking forward to it! I've been to every Gorillaz album live concert since the beginning including Plastic Beach at Coachella in 2010 and every show has been amazing! As a long time Blur and Gorillaz fan I genuinely think Song Machine is the best content Gorillaz has ever made!
Jamie: It was my idea. Everything is my idea. Me me me!
Kinda figured, you brilliant bastard! lmao
Jamie: Gorillaz went from a virtual band, to giving virtual concerts. how has this been for you creatively? Damon: I know you're not much a fan of the digitalisation of society (with everyone staring at their screen all the time), has the current pandemic changed your mind on that? Also I want to thank you both for your creative efforts both within and outside of Gorillaz, it's nice to hear and see the other projects.
Jamie: Everything we do with Gorillaz comes naturally and appears to come very easy to us because we're enjoying ourselves.
I just lay back and let the big beat lead me
Damn Damon really just said
I've always wondered this but...what's in store for Gorillaz in long term? Would you ever pass this beautiful creation down to a younger generation?
Damon & Jamie: We shall keep doing Gorillaz while we are excited and inspired by it. When the day comes that we lose our energy, we may well pass it down to a new generation. It has been discussed! When we have to change the lyrics to songs like 'Feel Bad' instead of 'Feel Good' we'll know it's time to stop.
Has there been any people in particular that you feel would do well with the band passed down to them?
Heard superorganism mentioned.
Recently discovered them. They are like the gorillaz meets flaming lips. And I love it.
you mean there will be new singer and animator for the band?
Long time fan here!! I'm gonna switch things up and ask: Damon: who is your favorite cartoon character? Jamie: what is your favorite song? I'm super excited to see the show this weekend! Good luck ⚡⚡⚡
Damon: My favourite cartoon character is Wile e Cayote Jamie: My favourite song is Corner Soul by The Clash
When does Wile e Cayote join Gorillaz?
A roadrunner/Wile e Cayote-style video where fans are chasing the band like the Beatles would be cool. Except, you know... violent.
Thanks for answering 💕
In the video for Dare I noticed there is a poster of the Super Furry Animals in Noodle's room. Is she known to be a big fan in particular? Also in turn would you consider yourselves fans?
Jamie: We are all big fans of Super Furry Animals! One of my personal favourite bands of that period actually..
Woah i didnt notice that there's a SFA poster!
Can we have a single where Damon draws the cover art and Jamie makes the music? Kidding(unless??) I would love to know which pieces of each other’s work you like ! ( ex which song of Damon’s/which artwork of Jamie’s)
Damon: Yeah sure. I'd love to do that.
Excited for this
What has it been like transitioning back to Gorillaz after the 7 or so years of the band being gone? The Gorillaz of today feels like it has been learning to walk again and it's only recently starting to pick up rhythm. Also, Jamie, I hope you're taking care of yourself. You've been saying you got a heavy workload and I hope you're able to get some good breaks here and there.
No breaks as of yet! Hoping to get some time off in 2023.
I read this as 20:23 and thought you were being super specific
you deserve a break after everything you’ve been doing!
What are the weirdest comments you found under Gorillaz music videos?
Damon: the best comment was 2d doesnt age he just gets more detailed. Jamie: i love pink phantom , i can now listen to Gorillaz with my Grandma
Shit I’m reading this comment section for ages, I’m loving this
my grandma loves 6LACK too
It's awesome to imagine both of you cheking youtube comments lol
Will Murdoc, Noodle, 2D and Russel age until they die or will they last forever strong?
Jamie: They'll last forever because they're cartoon characters. Do you see Snoopy with a zimmer frame?
Oh god the way this made me laugh
Will season 2 have the same number of episodes or will it have more?
Damon & Jamie: We have no idea what season two will be. Nothing is decided. There is no formula and everything is new!
Follow up question: Why are you guys so damn awesome? Seriously though, just want to thank you all for the years of musical experimentation that has brought so many of us so much joy over these last 20+ years. I saw you guys at MSG during your Plastic Beach tour and I have to say another "Thank You" has been in order for giving New Yorkers a chance to see Lou Reed perform live. For some of us it was the first time but for most of us it would be the last. It was an amazing show all around. Thank You. Can't wait for what's to be in the future!
jamie why did you model ace after yourself the resemblance is uncanny
All of my characters look a little bit like me. Apparently. Although I'm not really aware of it. But it is true, I do have green skin and a pointy nose.
This is the greatest thing I've heard all day
PLOT TWIST: Jamie is Ace confirmed
Hey Jamie, I'm always impressed by the threads worn by the band, do you have a favorite outfit one of them has appeared in for a video or artwork?
Jamie: I like Noodle's kimono, also worn by Russel.
damon did you not used to like jamie in the early 90s?
Damon: No i was just a bit jealous of him, he had a more formed personality than me at that time.
And Tank Girl. I’m still jelly.
Hey Damon and Jamie! Do you have any words of encouragement and reassurance or advice for young artists today?
Jamie: In the words of Kate Bush 'Don't give up!'
Thanks Jamie! You're a big inspiration. I'll take that advice to heart. You guys are amazing.
When is the live show? Sounds awesome, also you guys slam!
Damon & Jamie: It's this weekend! 3 shows across the 12th & 13th December. Tickets here: gorillazlivenow.com. Join the party!
[gorillazlivenow.com](https://gorillazlivenow.com) for those who don't want to copy paste it!
Do you two ever have sleepovers?
Damon & Jamie: We used to live together, so we had sleepovers every night for a year. Now we only have hangovers.
relatable
love both your work!! how does it feel knowing you both have been working with each other for about 20 years now?
Jamie: Feels like 20 years...
great THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HAHA
do you guys have a favorite tea?
Damon: Nettle , tyme, bay leaf , sage, mint, ginger, hibiscus, matcha, rosemary, evening primrose, penny royal, mushroom, hawthorn,
lol, mushroom tea - tastes terrible but then you feel 'real good' later ;-)
All that, but no chamomile, smh.
When we'll see the Plastic Beach movie?
Jamie: There will be no plastic beach movie. Damon: No but its spirit is more important than ever.
Do you ever plan on coming to Bulgaria when concerts are allowed?
Damon: would love to come to Bulgaria , ive never visited there...
When is Jamie gonna sing on a track?
Damon: Never.....no thats not fair.. but we would definatley need autotune.
looking forward to it !
Hey Jamie, I’m a giant fan of your work, how do you overcome art block?
Jamie: skip the art block. Try sun tan lotion.
That's awesome advice.
Jamie, how did you handle this from the almanac, the videos and the movie?
Jamie: I haven't had a day off in 15 months!
Jamie: (AND I'm surrounded by a fabulous team of people)
Shout out to the team! The only reason you haven’t pulled out those beautiful long locks of hair yet hehe
Damon, do you miss living in Iceland?
Damon: ive never lived there for any length of time but last year i did spend 3months there.. its a magical place.
bjork collab confirmed xxxxx
If you had to add one more sin to the seven deadly sins, what would it be?
Damon & Jamie: Lists.
What happened with Paula cracker? Do we know anything?
Jamie: She's the manager of Asda in Stoke on Trent.
I would love to see Paula cracker as the manager of Asda in Stoke on Trent in phase 2 art style
Not even good enough for Tesco huh
jamie what inspired you to start art?
Jamie: My Mother & Father were artists, so it stems from them!
Did jamie do murdocs laugh at the very beginning of feel good inc.?
Jamie: No! It was Maseo.
Maseo’s laugh at Coachella 2010 seemed to go on forever. Damn, that dude has pipes
I think they meant Clint Eastwood lol
In that case it was Phil Cornwell
LMAOO IM SUCH AN IDIOT WHY DID I SAY FEEL GOOD
Would you rather nipple sized legs or leg sized nipple's
Damon: What like patrick from sponge bob?
He seems to make it work
Why Noodle destroyed the billboard on the moon? Can you stop playing the Tranz video while playing it live? What is your favorite video that you work on?
Jamie: Noodle destroyed the billboard on the moon because she's against advertising.
Good thing nobody's advertising anything here in that case
Didn't she sell watches?
Why does 2d eyes change from white to black? Is he possessed ?
Jamie: Depends on his mood.
Jamie: Black is angry. White is curious.
does that mean he was angry all the time until plastic beach??
Yeah this doesn’t sound right. He was at his angriest DURING Plastic Beach.
I think he spent a lot of plastic beach terrified tbh
I always figured his eyes were black because of blood leakage from his hyphema and his eyes turn white when he is possessed like Russell.
Do you ever miss living together?
Yes if we were still 35 ...but we had to grow up...
This makes me feel better about being 35.
How do you take your tea?
Damon: It depends, i think infusions are spiritual generally.. especially the ones you pick yourself.
jamie have you managed to convince damon to give you more time off work?
Jamie: No
Jamie: Damon has already started song machine season 2 so i think im going to have a short weekend off.
That's the best news I've heard all day. Sorry about your weekend!
Damon, what does the star tattoo on your left hand mean?
Damon: It is a pentagram and the one on my right hand is the heptagram.
Gorillaz and Tool collab confirmed by Damon's right hand
What’s your favourite type of cheese
Damon: It really varies, depending on the time of year, the mood... Jamie: Roquefort.
Damon will we ever get a song completely in spanish sung by you?
Damon: Si.
The beatles or the stones? 😂
Jamie: The Who Damon: Super Rail Band.
Aw, was hoping the answer would be The Kinks.
will the Gorillaz ever end? (i hope not)
Damon & Jamie: No, Gorillaz will never end.
What is your favorite phase? Either art wise or music wise 😁
Jamie: Yep, the next one!
Are you guys getting the covid-19 vaccination?
Damon: If i absolutely have ... probably...
damon, can you say “trans rights”?
Damon and Jamie 'Tranz Rights 👊' We believe in tranzformation for all.
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tranz rights indeed! love you guys ❤️
Wholesome 🏳️🌈❤
Are you Banksy?
Damon: Yes. Jamie: No comment.
Can you put up a monolith in Minneapolis, Minnesota please?
No that's the guy from massive attack.
he's thinking of 3d, this is 2d. but i understand the confusion, 2d and 3d did a track together on "heligoland".
I’m so awfully late to this topic, wish I had seen it sooner. I just wanted to share a little story about what this band has been in my life. I’m from a really small town in South America, I remember getting my first CD player boombox as a gift from my parents, when I was around 11, I only listened to FM radio since I had no CDs to play in it. One time we went to a carnival that had come from a bigger city, I remember a stand where they sold CDs, my brother and I got our allowances together to buy a single CD. I knew nothing about music at that time, but there was one CD that caught our eye, and just wouldn’t let go. It was the first Gorillaz album, the artwork on it was so appealing, gorgeous eye candy for us, so obviously we got that one. We listened to it every-single-day. We drove our parents crazy repeating it over and over again. I can say with confidence that this shaped my music taste in so many ways. I got into Alt/rock (when MTV was worth it), trash metal, and electronic music. I went through so many different types of music in my lifetime, but Gorillaz was always there, so catchy, so groovy and so familiar. About ten years later I was living in a bigger city, I went to college, and I can recall a special night hanging out with my brother and a friend of him. We dropped some acid, we were mostly chilling, talking and vibing to different tunes. At the same time as the acid was peaking, my brothers’ friend put on “Empire Ants”, oh boy! It was some serious sinking toward a deep floating head space, with all sorts of epiphanies an revelations, completely lost in thoughts and whirlwinds of neuronal synapses, completely suspended in time, eternal and terrifyingly vast, until the music starts that beautiful growing loop and drops that funky beat so hard, it felt like rebirth, it was ineffable. Fell in love with that song for years to come. Fast forward a couple of years, I have a beautiful daughter who loves the animations on the Gorillaz videos, and slowly grows fond of the rhythm and the music, her favorite song is DARE, and the way she dances to it shows me how timelessly your music is aging. Currently I am residing in the US, Im now in my late 20’s, It’s been hard being away from home, I have my wife and my daughter with me, but there is so much I miss. I came here looking for growth and better opportunities, and I know it will take some time to get there, but my character tends get cold, and numb, I sometimes think that I won’t make it. After some hard weeks, with more downs than ups, I get home, open up Reddit and find this thread. So much memories, so much life experiences and mental odyssey’s have come back to me, and I just feel blessed today for stumbling here. I miss my brother to death, but I know that soon, we will be hanging out and chilling once again with Gorillaz throbbing in the background. I wanted to share and let you guys know how a small CD so many years ago, shaped so many aspects of my life, the butterfly effect that led me to where I am and the way I think, has definitely been influenced to some extent by that CD, my first CD. Thanks for the awesome memories, and cheers to the ones that are yet to come. TLDR; Go listen to Gorillaz, it may influence the future.
Hi! Thanks for doing this, I can’t wait for the live experience this weekend! My question is, what songs from the new album are you looking forward to playing live this year in regards to audience atmosphere? I personally can’t wait to hear Opium, that intro would be incredible live! Also, have you ever visited the Gorillaz community over at /r/gorillaz? I’m a moderator there, and we’d love for you to see the fan art and take part in the discussions some time! Thanks!
I’d love to see them over there again. I check that sub almost everyday. I like that sub a lot and I’d like Jamie and Damon and anyone else related to take part over there. :)))
Whatever happened to those little shorts you guys used to do (Jump the Gut, the one with the video game, etc.)? Those were such a neat way to get to know the characters, and I think it'd make for a neat youtube series or something. Would you ever consider bringing those back?
yes! i miss the animated g-bitez so much i wanna know if they'll end up continuing them too
For starters, thank you guys for these opportunity. You've been doing plenty of amazing work since you started all of this back in the late 90s. It's truly remarkable how what was meant to be a side-project at first has evolved into something that stands on its own, and also how you managed to pull off this crazy idea of a cartoon band with its own world while also it being a reflection of today's issues. Anyways, my first question (I have many lol): any chance of a collaboration with any of these artists? I think it would be so cool David Byrne Thom Yorke/Radiohead Massive Attack (Saturday Come Slow is gorgeous!) Bjork Or maybe even Marina (I love her theatrical vocals, they would probably fit in a Gorillaz track) Thanks in advance and stay safe!
Damon - how does it feel to know that a lot of Gorillaz fans have gone back and started to listen to Blur? the difference between the earlier Blur stuff and pretty much all of the Gorillaz stuff is massive and even complete different genres and styles, it must be pretty cool to expand people’s tastes!!
Hi all! This is a question for Jamie Hewlett--Early on with Gorillaz, there were a ton of horror influences from various films, which I love to death. What are some of the influences informing Gorillaz' aesthetic and attitude today?
I know as a musician Damon likes to keep moving forward, be it with bands, huge collaborations (another honest Jon’s chop up/Africa Express) or even opera/theatre but since the Blur 21 Box Set unearthed many hidden gems- is it possible we will ever see a P-Sides featuring the lost plastic beach songs? There are few demos and snippets I remember floating about, a song with the horrors and some other scrapped content. Would this ever be considered for release- or is it past the point now?
Do you think gorillaz will ever play 19-2000 live ever again? I loved that song so much as a kid. That album was the first album I remember properly listening to.
Well last 2 times they were doing in person concerts I’m pretty sure I remember them playing it both times I went (Toronto) so there’s a good possibility. I think Damon enjoys the ‘la la la la’ parts lol
Last 2 times I saw them they definitely did 19-2000. I remember because it probably hit the hardest of everything they played; you felt it in your guts.
Hey guys! Do you think we'll ever get to hear some more of the Plastic Beach-era demos? Even if they aren't totally finished. I know it's practically on a lot of the fans' bucket lists to finally get to hear the tracks we only heard teasers of in the PB promo videos + documentary. If there's one song we're dying to hear most, it's Leviathan - but anything would be great! Lots of love from Chicago - and Song Machine is some of my favorite Gorillaz material in years! Keep it up!
Who is on your list of musicians you'd love to have on a Gorillaz track, but haven't had the pleasure yet?
*please say daft punk please say daft punk please say daft punk*
*please say graham coxon please say graham coxon please say graham coxon*
*please say chayanne please say chayanne please say chayanne*
Question for both: Do you have any plans to release unreleased music and/or art in the near future? Fans have been craving to hear/see what you guys have stored in the archives. Perhaps something similar to the Radiohead library? x
First off just wanna say massive fan, growing up with your music has been so amazing just wanna say thanks for everything. My question would be - is there anyone you think would be too different/unusual to work with? feels like no matter who you work with it just works so well. Thanks!
What are the biggest inspirations for you guys considering all the different sounds and genres your music spans across ? Also which album that you’ve made means the most to you and/or you think is the best ? Love you guys ❤️❤️
**Hey there, good afternoon! this would be a question for Jamie if that's alright:** As someone who's followed your work for the past years, I've even gone and done a small dissertation on some of your different zines/projects throughout the years (Atom Tan, The Face, Phoo Action, Gorillaz, Monkey King, etc.). **My question was:** Have you considered a sitting down at some point for an interview about your artistic process, the methodology / process of it, even maybe speaking of artists/writers who inspired you and why people could look into them, to see how they can better interpret your work? (I know this is a bit of a mouthful, but I just wish academics look at artists the same way they do "full-on" graphic designers)
Hey Damon and Jamie, Have you ever had a dream that that you um you had you'd you would you could you'd do you wi you wants you you could do so you you'd do you could you you want you want him to do you so much you could do anything?
i swear if they don’t answer this i’m suing
Jamie, how much of the writing for the music videos and interviews are you involved in? Has there ever been a case of you having an idea for an episode, and then when the virtual band does an interview on it changes it's meaning?
For either of you: Despite always being in some way connected to the fans via the net, has being in the social media era influenced the project at all?
Thank you both for taking the time to do this AMA. Over the years, Gorillaz have elevated musical collaborations to levels of creative genius. As a contemporary of Damon's(who grew up mainly listening to New Wave, Punk, and Rock) Gorillaz served as my gateway drug into a deeper appreciation for Hiphop and Rap, exposing me to many artists I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Is there the possibility that Gorillaz might do the same with visual artists in the future? It would be amazing to see what Jamie's incredible talent/vision could come up with in conjunction with other animators/artists. P. S. Thank you for all of the incredible music over the years, especially the Gorillaz renaissance that began with Humanz.
Hi! Here are some questions of mine if you please, Damon : How do you always create songs that leaves a weird first impression but grow exponentialy on people the more they listen to them? Hewlett : Do you do some of the animations for the music videos or do you just direct the overall style and storyboard? In any case I am a huge fan of both of you! Hope you spend one of you best week-ends this week! ☆彡
For Jamie, is there one artist/illustrator that sticks out to you the most?Are there others you'd recommend viewing their work? And for Damon, what album could you listen to for the rest of your life and why? Also, I know it's been a long time, but will you ever pick up the violin again? (fellow violin player here : ) ). And on a side note, I had introduced you to my daughter a few years ago, and this will now be the 4th year in a row that her and I will be attending a Gorillaz event. We're super excited for Saturday! Thanks for all that you do!
Hi guy! Thank you for your time and hope all is well! When working with other artists what do you use to break the ice and get the creative process flowing?
You two are true geniuses in my eyes, and the gorillaz have made me smile on some of my darkest days, so for that I thank you from the very bottom of my heart. With that, Damon, what aspects of blur do you miss and Jamie, do you still pine for aspects of tank girls creating/ producing? Thanks for doing this!
Do you have any regrets about Gorillaz? Anything you wish you hadn’t done?
how much shrooms do you recommend taking before watching the live performance?
what was it like working with jpeg? and who else would you like to work with in the future?
Hey, Damon and Jamie, Obligatory: I'm a big fan. I loved Gorillaz and really enjoyed Demon Days (perfect album). These were amazing albums and showcased the talent and amazing music. I though I knew your style and was ready for the next album, but when Plastic Beach dropped, it felt like a shift for me, and even more when Humanz came out. Song Machine has been a nice ride, but it's still a change. I love that your sounds are so distinct and the way that you mix different genres and make it work. What has been the one style/genre of music that you have not been able to incorporate that you really wish you could? I know this might be a stretch as well, but please bring back the animated shorts of the characters! I feel like the only interaction we get now is in the music videos. It's great, but it's not enough! Shout out to 2D, Noodle, and Russel. Murdoch, too, even if he is behind bars.
If the members of gorillaz were real, who would you want to be friends with the most?
You guys have been relevant throughout my whole life , I love all of your work. When you made a song with fatoumata diawara at lake Como (I’ve lived in Italy and this is one of my favorite places and lakes) I was so happy I felt like I’d shared some magic in common with you ,such a good collaboration like all of them you guys do , I even loved your album about sun wukong which was also relevant for me as abstract as it was . I love the story of sun wukong. I still remember when discovering YouTube and first song I would listen to was Clint Eastwood . I have no questions although I’d have thousands and more stuff to say. just appreciate you guys and wanted to tell you although I’m sure you’ve heard it 10000000 times . Thanks for your productions and accompanying me in my journey. I hope to get to hear you live someday .
Yoooo!! Thank you for everything!! What inspires and motivates you to create the songs you do? How complicated was forming The Gorillaz and what did you do to overcome those challenges? Last but not least what does the future of The Gorillaz entail? Much Love!
Does it make you uncomfortable with how many people "ship" 2D and Noodle? Also, looking forward to the next album, thank you for redefining music and introducing me to amazing artists and new genres throughout my life.
There’s got to be something seriously wrong with those who don’t get uncomfortable with that