Damon Albarn has revealed that after Gorillaz’ divisive Glastonbury headline set in 2010, Kate Bush phoned to inform him it was “top-of-the-line reveals she’d ever seen”.
Final night time (February 23), Albarn and visible artist Jamie Hewlett sat down for a Q+A session with comic Alan Carr for Banquet Data, attended by NME.
Taking to the stage at former-cinema-turned-nightclub Pryzm in Kingston, Albarn defined that “Glastonbury was very memorable as a result of it was so totally different to some other efficiency that had been earlier than us”.
“We needed to simply be, and never do the conventional schtick of ‘hiya Glastonbury, how are you all feeling?’ We needed to simply do our factor,” he continued.
Gorillaz have been last-minute replacements for U2 who needed to postpone their look after Bono injured his again. Albarn returned to the enduring pageant with Gorillaz one yr after topping the invoice with Blur.
“I realised midway via the Gorillaz set that the viewers had no concept who a few of the company that we have been convey onstage have been, as a result of I wasn’t introducing them,” he stated of the set that included the likes of Bobby Womack, Bootie Brown, De La Soul, Lou Reed, Joyful Mondays‘ Shaun Ryder, The Fall‘s Mark E. Smith and Snoop Dogg.
“The following morning quite a lot of horrible critiques got here via. I did get a cellphone name from Kate Bush who stated it was top-of-the-line reveals she’d ever seen. That was an incredible factor and I actually wanted it at that second as a result of I used to be feeling notably weak.”
Albarn went on to name Bush the “holy grail” for a Gorillaz collaboration. “I’ve fantasised about singing on the piano together with her a number of instances,” he revealed. “I keep in mind once I first met her, it was again in 1992 and once I was launched to her, I simply obtained down on my knees.”
Hewlett then revealed that he believes that their Glasto efficiency was so divisive due to the political nature of third album ‘Plastic Seaside’. “It talks concerning the injury we’re doing to the planet,” he stated. “I made movies that have been fairly heavy to observe, together with one about whaling. Individuals don’t wish to watch that at 10.30pm at Glastonbury.”
Elsewhere in the course of the occasion, the Gorillaz masterminds spoke concerning the inspirations behind new album ‘Cracker Album’, which sees the digital band head to Los Angeles and become involved with The Perpetually Cult.
“In American slang, a Cracker is a loopy white individual,” stated Albarn. “It’s derogatory slang. Cracker Island is a spot the place all of the Anglo-Saxon traits that possibly I wouldn’t wish to embody myself, all of them hang around. Cracker Island is a spot the place concepts like QAnon exist. They’d solely take heed to Fox Information on Cracker Island.”
Confirming that Cracker Island was inpired by LA, Hewlett continued: “We had the concept for the band to turn out to be a cult, as a result of after Trump, it felt like quite a lot of cults have been popping up. Individuals are determined for misinformation as a result of they’re fearful of the reality.”
“Social media is a relentless collection of cults,” added Albarn. Later he defined that whereas the album isn’t “clearly autobiographical”, it’s “not possible to not sing about your personal life” with Gorillaz serving to him to “reconcile his personal experiences”.
Damon and Jamie of Gorillaz in dialog with Alan Carr just some hours earlier than the discharge of Cracker Island pic.twitter.com/iYGN3HyXVU
— Banquet Data (@BanquetRecords) February 23, 2023
Hewlett went on to say that the concept for ‘Cracker Island’ was “higher” than the concept they’d for his or her recently-scrapped Netflix movie. “I don’t assume it’s one of the best album we’ve ever made although. That makes it sound like for the previous 20 years, we’ve been dragging our ft. It’s one other good album,” he added.
Hewlett’s favorite track on ‘Cracker Island’ is ‘Oil’, which options vocals from Stevie Nicks. “The extra you take heed to it, the extra lovely it turns into. The voice of Stevie Nicks is fucking lovely,” he advised the gang.
“I nonetheless haven’t actually obtained my head round that track.” Albarn added. He then admitted that surprisingly, it wasn’t a protracted course of to get the Fleetwood Mac singer onboard.
“I used to be working with [super-producer] Greg Kurstin, who occurred to know her,” Albarn defined. “In my thoughts, Julian Casablancas from The Strokes was the individual I used to be going to ask to try this track however Greg stated, ‘Can I simply attempt Stevie?’ ‘Nicely, after all’.
“I didn’t assume for one second she’d wish to do it, as a result of it’s a bizarre track. The lyrics begin with ‘interlocking clusterbombs’ which isn’t essentially the very first thing you share with anyone however she obtained what the track was inferring. It’s about man, it’s about warfare however she cherished it. We have been very fortunate to get her concerned.”
Talking concerning the expertise final yr, Nicks stated: “I can’t wait until it comes out as a result of I’m so pleased with it. I used to be an honorary Heartbreaker. I used to be an honorary Foo Fighter. And now, I’m an honorary Gorilla. I’m so completely satisfied.”
Responding to a query from the viewers, Albarn revealed that his dream collaborations can be with John Lennon or Ian Dury. “Weirdly, my dad taught him at a North East London polytechnic when he was finding out artwork,” he revealed.
Hewlett in the meantime shared his expertise of working with Lou Reed, who options on ‘Plastic Seaside’ lower ‘Some Sort Of Nature’.
“When Lou got here to the studio, we have been in New York and it was me, Damon and [producer], Remi Kabaka Jr.. Lou walked in, Damon stated hello, went to introduce me however Lou stated ‘no. You fuck off and also you fuck off’. So Remi and I fucked off and went buying, leaving Damon alone with Lou.” It apparently took six months and a visitor look at a few Gorillaz reveals for Reed to begin being good to Hewlett.
The pair then mirrored on their 20-year profession. The concept for Gorillaz first took place when the pair have been dwelling collectively in London they usually stated “we’d do one album” as a result of a digital band was a cool concept.
It was solely after the success of the primary album that Albarn and Hewlett stated “let’s do one other one, however let’s make it higher.”
“There was a problem,” defined Hewlett. “Every time we do it, there must be a motive. We don’t wish to simply repeat ourselves and do the identical factor. Meaning we experiment, we attempt issues out…it doesn’t at all times work however the drive is to make one thing new and luxuriate in it.”
He continued: “I see Damon when he’s singing within the studio, and he’s like a child in a candy store. He’s so fucking excited. The second it’s completed although, he doesn’t give a shit. I’m the identical once I draw. I’m at all times extra enthusiastic about what’s subsequent. That’s how you progress ahead, by not dwelling on one thing you probably did 20 years in the past.”
Talking about the way forward for Gorillaz, Albarn revealed “we at all times thought we’d go it onto different individuals to do what they need with it,” however that’s not occurring anytime quickly. The pair are already planning the following Gorillaz album.
“We’re already speaking concerning the subsequent factor, however I can’t inform you about it. We have been speaking about it earlier tonight,” stated Hewlett. “We’ve obtained a very good concept,” teased Albarn.
‘Cracker Island’ by Gorillaz is out now.