With Josie and the Pussycats being re-imagined as a new movie, perhaps the time has come for another cartoon pop group to hit the charts. Luckily that time has come, at least in Great Britain, with Gorillaz.
Gorillaz is the brainchild of underground hip-hop producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura, who was also the brains behind Dr. Octagon and the Handsome Boy Modeling School. He has put together a number of rock and rap luminaries to create the music, and got comic book artist Jamie Hewlett (Tank Girl) to provide the visual drawings of the made-up band.
Musicians involved in the project include rapper Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Blur singer Damon Albarn, Cibo Matto guitarist Miho Hitori, underground rap DJ Kid Koala, and the rhythm section of the Talking Heads, Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth. The music is a funky, laid-back hip-hop featuring Albarn and Del's vocals.
Gorillaz has four members: lanky frontman 2-D (Albarn), drummer and rapper Russel (a cross between The Automator and Del), 10-year-old Japanese guitarist Noodle (Hitori), and Satan-obsessed bassist Murdoc (who doesn't seem anything like Weymouth, to be honest).
As befits a virtual group, the Gorillaz website is more important than the recordings. It is filled with a ton of high-tech animation and can be difficult to navigate. Luckily there is also a "fan site," also put together by the band, which features a fake band biography and the video for their song "Clint Eastwood" (which doesn't mention the actor at all).
Since their album was released, searches for Gorillaz have increased each week at a roughly 65 percent clip. Last week the band received as many searches as golfer Tiger Woods or author Stephen King.
So far, Gorillaz has released an EP, Tomorrow Comes Today, as well as a self-titled debut album which is currently #3 in the United Kingdom. None of their records are out in the United States yet. When they come out here, Gorillaz could be headed for big things. Or, like many British bands, they could be headed for American anonymity.
TOMORROW: Behind Final Fantasy.
