by MangaMoon

Gorillaz

Remember… Gorillaz’s four animated members—2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel? Their story began with an idea in front of a television. In 1998, musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett conceived a fictional band as a response to the superficiality of the music industry. They were flatmates watching MTV when inspiration struck: if celebrity culture already resembled a cartoon, why not make real music through animated characters? Gorillaz became a band whose fictional members had their own personalities and adventures, while real musicians created the sound. Del the Funky Homosapien, for example, performs the memorable rap on “Clint Eastwood.” Their virtual identity proved no barrier to recognition. In 2006, “Feel Good Inc.” won the Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Guinness World Records also recognized Gorillaz as the biggest-selling virtual band. Its entry dated March 14, 2013, records worldwide sales exceeding 16 million albums. The fascinating twist is how their original idea developed: characters created to critique the industry became some of its most recognizable faces. Albarn’s music and Hewlett’s artwork built a shared world, with music videos carrying the band’s story forward.

Material: wooden