Making the video that made Gorillaz (opens in new tab)

(animationobsessive.substack.com)

222 pointsdarekkay1y ago58 comments

58 comments

Demon days 4 eva

Gorillaz were an excellent exercise in reminding me as a youth that it was okay to build this sort of fantasy world and make it real. It was more than okay, it was cool.

If anyone has the Japanese minidisc kids with guns and they wanna part with it https://www.discogs.com/release/16025872-Gorillaz-Kids-With-...

my email is in my profile!

Lammy1y ago

Thanks for posting this. I 'member seeing this video originally on MTV at like 3AM. Instantly captivated. I'm a huge fan to this day, but there's something uniquely special about all the Phase 1 stuff: the album, the B-sides (or “G” Sides lol), the explorable Flash Kong Studios site, the DVD, Jamie Hewlett's art†, the fact that the eponymous album as originally released is 55:55 (iykyk)

There's also a track on Deltron 3030 (an album I liked a lot more when it was new than I do now) which I have tagged as “feat. 2-D” instead of “feat. Damon Albarn” because come on :p https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxd_eDTbBMQ

It's also kinda funny that 2D's entire existence is just a stupid pun on Robert Del (lol) Naja a.k.a. “3D” (a.k.a. Banksy?) from Massive Attack, although the later Gorillaz albums strayed from the trip-hop thing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unTP4rn0nc4

And RIP Gorillaz-Unofficial https://web.archive.org/web/20071222221958/http://www.gorill...

† https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13ub5EfL6YHel5_Gn36v4...

edit: and the art Jamie Hewlett is editing in the article's photo was part of the 19／2000 single: https://www.discogs.com/release/66714-Gorillaz-192000/image/...

kennyadam1y ago

What does 55:55 mean? I know ifkyk but idk and would like to k.

Lammy1y ago

I wish I could but literally can't explain it because it's something I came to know via symbology and not via words, so I don't have the words to try and pass it on to others :(

Have you ever seen Interstella 5555? It's a documentary actually.

2 more replies

samplatt1y ago

>Deltron 3030 (an album I liked a lot more when it was new than I do now)

I only discovered Deltron 3030 a couple of years ago, fucking love it. Why do you like it less now? Is there a controversy around it or him?

Lammy1y ago

Nah nothing like that. I still listen to it pretty often in fact. I feel like Deltron says what it wants to say, and I enjoy what it wants to say, but it never tells me anything new. I still find new interpretations in all of the Gorillaz albums in a way that keeps them fresher even though I have listened them all to death, especially eponymous and Plastic Beach.

Gorillaz songs do a great job of saying a bunch of different things all layered together, like literally about the fictional band and simultaneously allegorically about capital-H Humanity and our collective perpetuity, the mortal coil, the [G]reat Work, whatever you want to call it. They're all super coded once you're willing to stop caring about the opinions of people who think it's weird/cringe to think about that kind of stuff.

“Fire Coming Out of the Monkey’s Head” is a great example of one I only recently feel like I “get” even though I've been listening to it for twenty years. Like, why Monkey? Just because Gorillaz, or have I looked in a mirror recently? Why a mountain? What shape are those, and where else have I encountered that shape? Without the truth of the eyes, I was blind. Probably still am to a lot of it :)

Or “Saturnz Barz” where the title is about bars in a musical sense but also bars as in jail (hint: you're in it — we all are. They have Broken Our Love.)

1 more reply

chucksta1y ago

Del the funky homosapien is the singer in both - has a couple stage names, another good group he's in is called Hieroglyphics

qingcharles1y ago

Any idea if the Coco Pops ad of Candeland's is online anywhere?

Lammy1y ago

This is 100% a guess as I'm not from any Commonwealth country and didn't grow up seeing them, but maybe this one? Timeline fits (1999), location fits (article says he's from Sydney), it's the only one I found that combines 2D animation with 3D animation, and some of the shots look surprisingly similar to the Clint Eastwood and Rock The House videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4xf475Du9E

1 more reply

tptacek1y ago

I don't think Robert Del Naja is Banksy? I think that's kind of an urban legend.

4gotunameagain1y ago

I think every theory about banksy's identity is just a theory, no ?

It's really impressive he has managed to remain anonymous for so long, really.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/...

1 more reply

wrfrmers1y ago

>Guitar Hero 2 "Woman" Ad

>The Beatles: Rock Band Trailer/Opening Movie

>Motorcity

>Tron: Uprising

>Love, Death, and Robots: Ice

I always forget if it was Candeland or the other guy who was prominent in early Gorillaz productions, but suffice it to say, those videos spawned quite the rad pedigree.

EDIT: Forgot to add that, since this is a Gorillaz-related comment section, I'm obligated to state my personal esoteric theory that DD/PB/HZ constitute Albarn's attempt to reboot Dante's Divine Comedy. (Among all the other fantastic things those albums are.) (Think about it.)

zichy1y ago

Three more facts about the song Clint Eastwood:

1. The drum beat is just the Rock 1 preset of the Suzuki Omnichord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDX6l9_58RA

2. Del tha Funkee Homosapien wrote the full lyrics in 30 minutes with the help of the book "How to Write a Hit Song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq2qSq6NpNY#t=373

3. The first version of the song didn't feature Del, but the British group Phi Life Cypher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM-DK3b5yuo

autoexec1y ago

> The drum beat is just the Rock 1 preset of the Suzuki Omnichord

I wonder if you need to pay royalties or get permission for that kind of thing... or is license to use it commercially included in the price of the instrument?

acomjean1y ago

This came up recently, but generally musical instruments include a license for any music performance with that instrument.

Includes: "STYLES, VOICES, PERFORMANCES, PATTERNS, ARPEGGIOS"

https://usa.yamaha.com/about_yamaha/proprietary_rights_notic...

There are limits to prevent copying of raw sounds and reselling.

KerrAvon1y ago

IANAL, but you don't need a license to publish yourself playing a piano or a guitar, and synthesizers are also musical instruments. That said, I'm not sure that's ever been tested in court, so if someone wanted to be a right-wing asshole about it, like take over Suzuki and try to get royalties from every hit song that used it, I guess it might be interesting.

ovalanche1y ago

Deltron 3030 (the song) is a work of art. I can recite it in full. Lol.

Lammy1y ago

So that's the Left Hand Suzuki Method? :v

ovalanche1y ago

Re: 1, When I found this out I couldn’t decide whether I felt disappointment or admiration. Currently leaning towards the latter!

chikenf00t1y ago

I remember as a kid putting that cd in my computer and driving the car from the "19-2000" music video around. The physics were so mind-boggling to me at the time. I loved it. This article is bringing back those memories.

Actually, I'm not sure if that demo/game came from the CD or from a promo website. It's been so long I don't remember.

Lammy1y ago

It was both. The game was called “Final Drive” or “GEEP Simulator” due to the name of the car and the original URL: http://web.archive.org/web/20011213230145/http://www.gorilla...

Here's a widescreen ver: https://archive.org/details/final_drive

It was a cool demo of the new-at-the-time 3D features in Macromedia Shockwave 8.5 (Director; not Shockwave Flash)

chikenf00t1y ago

Woah... I can't even describe what it feels like seeing this again! Thank you!

nsbk1y ago

Such cool videos. I listened to Gorillaz a lot when they first came out. Incidentally I’ve been listening to them lately as I’m learning to play the bass and the “Feel good inc.“ riff is super cool yet beginner friendly. By listening to it I got back into the band again

NKosmatos1y ago

Ahh... nostalgia. Gorillaz, one of my favorite bands and listened to Gorillaz, Demon Days and Plastic Beach many times.

"I'm useless, but not for long

The future is coming on"

ZeroGravitas1y ago

Coincidentally Gorillaz just posted a new clip video to their YouTube titled Nostalgiaz:

https://youtu.be/KQBlt1sfUhY?si=2WeBcrrQ1zDxZPi0

bigiain1y ago

is coming on is coming on

tines1y ago

Damon Albarn is a genius, plain and simple.

Cody_C1y ago

I've always been a huge Gorillaz fan. Such a good name because a group of gorillas is called a band. They have made some really unique music that is almost a new genre.

Quiza121y ago

Aside from the numerous So Fresh instalments, Demon Days might have been the first CD my brothers and I played to death. Timeless.

nicebyte1y ago

I was 11 or 12 when I first saw Clint Eastwood and the video + the song lived in my head rent free. Genius work, and aged well.

Anon4Now1y ago

I loved that song and never saw the video. I don't think a video made any band famous since the MTV era.

boomboomsubban1y ago

>I don't think a video made any band famous since the MTV era.

Gangnam Style?

hiccuphippo1y ago

Was Ok Go's Here it goes again after the MTV era?

9dev1y ago

Right at the end. Loved that one.

CodeCompost1y ago

I know they were a hugely popular band, but I the only song I know is the one from the video.

zoklet-enjoyer1y ago

You're missing out! Gorillaz, Demon Days, and Plastic Beach are all great albums. Their other albums are ok. Blur is a great band too, pretty sure I like all of their albums.

Also, if you like that rap verse, check out Del the Funky Homosapien/Deltron

tptacek1y ago

If you love Demon Days and Plastic Beach, one of the things you probably also love (know it or not) is De La Soul.

1 more reply

miketery1y ago

> We may act different in some ways

> But we still grouped together like a fuckin' survey

Deltron 3030 -- Madness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3EiAYQB0pY

Coincidentally the album Plastic Beach came out 1 month before the BP oil spill.

muziq1y ago

Deltron 3030 is one of the most amazing things ever!

gopher_space1y ago

Dr. Octagon has the same vibe.

mars0091y ago

Yeah Gorillaz is my favorite band and this video was the beginning of the journey. Remember watching it and being blown away by the music and the video itself

92834092321y ago

Gorillaz are still massive and were Grammy nominated last year.

seneca1y ago

I think they're bigger in the UK. Super creative band, I wish they got more recognition, even though I don't really listen to them myself.

scyzoryk_xyz1y ago

This is the video that defined my identity as a teen.

ericzawo1y ago

Such an amazing band. Thanks for sharing.

_gnad_1y ago

Gorillaz are timeless. My teenage kids love them

morkalork1y ago

I saw both Gorillaz and Offspring a couple months apart at the same arena venue and I want to say they're all in their 50s and the difference in audience was wild. Damon Albarn has been very successful at staying relevant to the younger crowd.

ultimoo1y ago

Feel Good Inc.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

58 comments

lbotos1y ago

Demon days 4 eva

Gorillaz were an excellent exercise in reminding me as a youth that it was okay to build this sort of fantasy world and make it real. It was more than okay, it was cool.

If anyone has the Japanese minidisc kids with guns and they wanna part with it https://www.discogs.com/release/16025872-Gorillaz-Kids-With-...

my email is in my profile!

Lammy1y ago

And RIP Gorillaz-Unofficial https://web.archive.org/web/20071222221958/http://www.gorill...

† https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13ub5EfL6YHel5_Gn36v4...

edit: and the art Jamie Hewlett is editing in the article's photo was part of the 19／2000 single: https://www.discogs.com/release/66714-Gorillaz-192000/image/...

kennyadam1y ago

What does 55:55 mean? I know ifkyk but idk and would like to k.

Lammy1y ago

I wish I could but literally can't explain it because it's something I came to know via symbology and not via words, so I don't have the words to try and pass it on to others :(

Have you ever seen Interstella 5555? It's a documentary actually.

2 more replies

samplatt1y ago

>Deltron 3030 (an album I liked a lot more when it was new than I do now)

I only discovered Deltron 3030 a couple of years ago, fucking love it. Why do you like it less now? Is there a controversy around it or him?

Lammy1y ago

Or “Saturnz Barz” where the title is about bars in a musical sense but also bars as in jail (hint: you're in it — we all are. They have Broken Our Love.)

1 more reply

chucksta1y ago

Del the funky homosapien is the singer in both - has a couple stage names, another good group he's in is called Hieroglyphics

qingcharles1y ago

Any idea if the Coco Pops ad of Candeland's is online anywhere?

Lammy1y ago

1 more reply

tptacek1y ago

I don't think Robert Del Naja is Banksy? I think that's kind of an urban legend.

4gotunameagain1y ago

I think every theory about banksy's identity is just a theory, no ?

It's really impressive he has managed to remain anonymous for so long, really.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/...

1 more reply

wrfrmers1y ago

>Guitar Hero 2 "Woman" Ad

>The Beatles: Rock Band Trailer/Opening Movie

>Motorcity

>Tron: Uprising

>Love, Death, and Robots: Ice

I always forget if it was Candeland or the other guy who was prominent in early Gorillaz productions, but suffice it to say, those videos spawned quite the rad pedigree.

zichy1y ago

Three more facts about the song Clint Eastwood:

1. The drum beat is just the Rock 1 preset of the Suzuki Omnichord: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDX6l9_58RA

2. Del tha Funkee Homosapien wrote the full lyrics in 30 minutes with the help of the book "How to Write a Hit Song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq2qSq6NpNY#t=373

3. The first version of the song didn't feature Del, but the British group Phi Life Cypher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZM-DK3b5yuo

autoexec1y ago

> The drum beat is just the Rock 1 preset of the Suzuki Omnichord

I wonder if you need to pay royalties or get permission for that kind of thing... or is license to use it commercially included in the price of the instrument?

acomjean1y ago

This came up recently, but generally musical instruments include a license for any music performance with that instrument.

Includes: "STYLES, VOICES, PERFORMANCES, PATTERNS, ARPEGGIOS"

https://usa.yamaha.com/about_yamaha/proprietary_rights_notic...

There are limits to prevent copying of raw sounds and reselling.

KerrAvon1y ago

ovalanche1y ago

Deltron 3030 (the song) is a work of art. I can recite it in full. Lol.

Lammy1y ago

So that's the Left Hand Suzuki Method? :v

ovalanche1y ago

Re: 1, When I found this out I couldn’t decide whether I felt disappointment or admiration. Currently leaning towards the latter!

chikenf00t1y ago

Actually, I'm not sure if that demo/game came from the CD or from a promo website. It's been so long I don't remember.

Lammy1y ago

It was both. The game was called “Final Drive” or “GEEP Simulator” due to the name of the car and the original URL: http://web.archive.org/web/20011213230145/http://www.gorilla...

Here's a widescreen ver: https://archive.org/details/final_drive

It was a cool demo of the new-at-the-time 3D features in Macromedia Shockwave 8.5 (Director; not Shockwave Flash)

chikenf00t1y ago

Woah... I can't even describe what it feels like seeing this again! Thank you!

nsbk1y ago

NKosmatos1y ago

Ahh... nostalgia. Gorillaz, one of my favorite bands and listened to Gorillaz, Demon Days and Plastic Beach many times.

"I'm useless, but not for long

The future is coming on"

ZeroGravitas1y ago

Coincidentally Gorillaz just posted a new clip video to their YouTube titled Nostalgiaz:

https://youtu.be/KQBlt1sfUhY?si=2WeBcrrQ1zDxZPi0

bigiain1y ago

is coming on is coming on

tines1y ago

Damon Albarn is a genius, plain and simple.

Cody_C1y ago

I've always been a huge Gorillaz fan. Such a good name because a group of gorillas is called a band. They have made some really unique music that is almost a new genre.

Quiza121y ago

Aside from the numerous So Fresh instalments, Demon Days might have been the first CD my brothers and I played to death. Timeless.

nicebyte1y ago

I was 11 or 12 when I first saw Clint Eastwood and the video + the song lived in my head rent free. Genius work, and aged well.

Anon4Now1y ago

I loved that song and never saw the video. I don't think a video made any band famous since the MTV era.

boomboomsubban1y ago

>I don't think a video made any band famous since the MTV era.

Gangnam Style?

hiccuphippo1y ago

Was Ok Go's Here it goes again after the MTV era?

9dev1y ago

Right at the end. Loved that one.

CodeCompost1y ago

I know they were a hugely popular band, but I the only song I know is the one from the video.

zoklet-enjoyer1y ago

You're missing out! Gorillaz, Demon Days, and Plastic Beach are all great albums. Their other albums are ok. Blur is a great band too, pretty sure I like all of their albums.

Also, if you like that rap verse, check out Del the Funky Homosapien/Deltron

tptacek1y ago

If you love Demon Days and Plastic Beach, one of the things you probably also love (know it or not) is De La Soul.

1 more reply

miketery1y ago

> We may act different in some ways

> But we still grouped together like a fuckin' survey

Deltron 3030 -- Madness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3EiAYQB0pY

Coincidentally the album Plastic Beach came out 1 month before the BP oil spill.

muziq1y ago

Deltron 3030 is one of the most amazing things ever!

gopher_space1y ago

Dr. Octagon has the same vibe.

mars0091y ago

Yeah Gorillaz is my favorite band and this video was the beginning of the journey. Remember watching it and being blown away by the music and the video itself

92834092321y ago

Gorillaz are still massive and were Grammy nominated last year.

seneca1y ago

I think they're bigger in the UK. Super creative band, I wish they got more recognition, even though I don't really listen to them myself.

scyzoryk_xyz1y ago

This is the video that defined my identity as a teen.

ericzawo1y ago

Such an amazing band. Thanks for sharing.

_gnad_1y ago

Gorillaz are timeless. My teenage kids love them

morkalork1y ago

ultimoo1y ago

Feel Good Inc.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse