Rock it Out! Blog » Gorillaz

RiO!B episode – April 25, 2012

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:16:31 +0000

Jack White scoring The Lone Ranger

Damon Albarn talks about Blur/Gorillaz

Passion Pit releasing sophomore album in July

Toadies releasing new album in July

Red Hot Chili Peppers releasing digital EP

Fiona Apple – “Every Single Night”

Damon Albarn says Blur and Gorillaz will live on

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:08:09 +0000

So remember when everyone was sad to hear that Damon Albarn was pretty much calling it quits with Blur and Gorillaz? Turns out the guy has had a change of heart.

In an interview with Metro, Albarn said that neither of those bands are finished and that we may even get some new stuff from them in the future.

Regarding Blur, Albarn said, “Some days I feel one way and other days I feel the other. If you don’t see something as a career but as an important part of your life, you don’t know how you’re going to feel about it.” Regarding the band’s Hyde Park concert this August to close out the Olympics, he said, “We want to put on a great performance but nothing’s been said between us about the beginning or the end.”

As for Gorillaz, Albarn claimed that a brand new album will come from the band once he and co-creator Jamie Hewlett “have worked out our differences.” He added, “We’ve been through too much together for it to be that big of a mountain to climb. We’ve just fallen out like mates do sometimes. I’m not the only person to fall out with mates and then make up again – everyone does it.”

So smile, everyone! The bands aren’t going away after all…unless Damon decides to have another mood swing in which case we’ll be re-writing the obits for both groups.

RiO!B episode – April 10, 2012

admin — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:41:00 +0000

Blur and Gorillaz are all finished

Alleged Lollapalooza line up

Jack White – “Sixteen Saltines”

Fiona Apple tour dates

Damon Albarn comments on the future of Blur and Gorillaz

admin — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 14:24:02 +0000

Damon Albarn is responsible for the future of both Blur and Gorillaz and right now those futures aren’t looking that bright.

In an interview with The Guardian (via Consequence of Sound), Albarn talked about putting an official end on both bands even though Blur is slated to close out the Olympics this summer with a concert in Hyde Park in London.

When asked if Blur would record anymore albums, Albarn stated, “No, I don’t think so.” As for live shows, Albarn said, “No, not really.” He expanded on those statements saying that a main reason that Blur won’t put out anything new is due to bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. “It’s harder for them to reconnect. You know what I mean? It’s fine when we play live – it’s really magical still – but actually recording new stuff, and swapping musical influences… it’s quite difficult,” he said.

But he did add that “you can write scripts, and they always end up going… [pause]… well, one thing I’ve learned, and I’m sure you’re exactly the same, is that everything I think I’ve got totally sorted out, and I know exactly what’s going to happen – it never works out that way…”

As for Gorillaz, Albarn claims it’s “unlikely” that any more music will come from his animated primates. He says that he and his co-creator, animator Jamie Hewlett, “were at cross purposes somewhat on [Plastic Beach], which is a shame. So until a time comes when that knot has been untied…”

He added that as the live shows for Gorillaz became larger, leaning heavily on the animation became less of a necessity. “The music and the videos weren’t working as well together, but I felt we’d made a really good record, and I was into it. So we went and played it.” He also mentioned that he and Hewlett aren’t really speaking to each other.

But that doesn’t mean Albarn is sitting around twiddling his thumbs. He’s quite the busy musician these days; he’s got two studio albums coming out with his Flea/Tony Allen side-project, Rocket Juice and the Moon, and the soundtrack to his musical, Dr. Dee.

Listen: Bobby Womack & Damon Albarn – “Please Forgive My Heart”

admin — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:31:04 +0000

By far, the stand out performer on the newest Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, was Bobby Womack. His vocal stylings on “Stylo” immediately made the track memorable and made you want to sing soul at the same time.

So it makes sense that Womack and Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn would get together and work on an album together. Womack’s new album, The Bravest Man In The Universe, is out on June 12th and was produced by Albarn. Down below you can sample what the album will sound like.

The single is called “Please Forgive My Heart” and it sounds like there’s abit of Gorillaz production as Womack sings his heart out. I wonder if this is what a Gorillaz album featuring no other vocalist except for Womack would have sounded like?

Watch: Gorillaz feat. Andre 3000 and James Murphy – “DoYaThing”

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:03:01 +0000

You’ve heard the track now watch the video. Down below, you can check out the clip for “DoYaThing” from Gorillaz, Andre 3000 and James Murphy. The video was done by longtime Gorillaz animator Jamie Hewlett and brings the primates out of the animated world and into real life with some pretty looking CGI.

The video shows a typical morning in the Gorillaz household; a mess everywhere you look, sweat collectors, burnt toast, Murdoc hitting 2D over the head with Chuck Taylors. Seems like a house full of love and togetherness. Check it out courtesy of Converse.

RiO!B episode – February 28, 2012

admin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 22:04:30 +0000

Radiohead perform two new songs

Arctic Monkeys – “R U Mine?”

Gorillaz releasing new video on Wednesday

Rocket Juice and the Moon – “Hey Shooter”

Springsteen playing SXSW

Listen: Gorillaz, Andre 3000, James Murphy – “DoYaThing”

admin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:15:51 +0000

Wow! This is nothing but awesome. Gorillaz, Andre 3000 and LCD Soundsystem main man James Murphy teamed up to create the track called “DoYaThing” and they did the damn thing!

The track was made for Converse’s “Three Artists. One Song” campaign and also to support the fact that Gorillaz are releasing their own pair of Chuck Taylors. ~~It’ll be made available for download tomorrow~~ You can download it right now at Converse’s website and you can check it out down below as well. Also, for fun, I made a video to accompany the track that’s also below for your viewing pleasure.

The star of this track? Clearly it’s Andre and his machine gun spit of his verse that brings to mind his amazing flow in the Outkast track, “Bombs Over Baghdad.” Gorillaz and Outkast collaboration? It should definitely happen and soon.

Gorillaz, Andre 3000, James Murphy – “DoYaThing”

RiO!B episode – February 14, 2012

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:54:47 +0000

Bonnaroo line up released

Jack White music video

Jack White tour dates

Trailer for Dave Grohl documentary, Sound City

Gorillaz collaborate with Andre 3000, James Mercer

Decemberists – “One Engine”

Gorillaz announce collaboration with Andre 3000 and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:58:38 +0000

Gorillaz are coming back in a big way in 2012. The band announced, via the Twitter feed of Murdoc Niccals, that they would be teaming up with Andre 3000 of Outkast and James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem for a brand new track called “Do Ya Thing.” The song will be released on February 23rd over at Converse’s website. The song will be released for the show company’s “Three Artists. One Song” series.

Consequence of Sound adds that in addition to the song, a 12-minute explicit version will be released at a later date. Also, lead Gorillaz animator Jamie Hewlett has created a music video featuring a baboon in a karate outfit and a “masked topless bloke.”

Oh yeah! Besides the new song, Gorillaz are releasing their own show for Converse as well. Check it out.