The musician also highlighted the project’s most underrated song and reflected on the digital band’s similarities with Blur
Few artists achieve the same level of success as Damon Albarnwhich achieved notoriety with two different projects: Blur and the Gorillaz. The first is one of the great bands of the so-called Britpop, experiencing its peak in the 1990s. The second is one of the most innovative projects of recent times, combining music and digital art, becoming even bigger in sales than the first group .
Looking back, Albarn is certainly very proud of what he did. But if he had to choose a standout song from this trajectory, at least from Gorillaz, which song would he choose?
This and other questions about the virtual band were asked to him in an interview with Vulture. Initially, when asked to name Gorillaz’s best composition, he didn’t think twice and resorted to one of their biggest hits: “Clint Eastwood”present on the eponymous debut album, from 2001.
“It doesn’t get any more perfect than that, really. It’s a completely hybrid and strange thing. And, you know, it came about when starting the Suzuki Omnichord [um instrumento eletrônico portátil] and the first preset was the beat. This can only happen once in your life: you pick up an electronic instrument and the first thing you play, you use it, and it becomes a big hit. As a result of this, over the next 20 years I bought many electronic instruments in the hope that this would eventually happen again. Maybe we peaked earlier, but for me, it wasn’t the peak early because I was already 10 years into my career. [risos].”
And what would be the most unfair song from the group you formed alongside the visual artist? Jamie Hewlett? In his response, Damon mentioned “Hong Kong”track originally recorded as part of the charity compilation Help: A Day in the Life (2005), but re-recorded for his own collection D-Sides (2007).
“I love this song so much. This is one of my best songs. I feel like it carries a lot of anguish right now. Especially the final part about the DJ being the last one to leave. That’s why, when writing songs the way I do, there are moments when they have enormous clarity and then they become strange again.”
Gorillaz’s “Most Blur” Song
If the answers were more direct to the previous questions, Damon Albarn ended up dodging when asked to reveal which Gorillaz’s “most Blur” song is. The musician sees no difference between the two projects.
“I don’t feel like there’s a big difference between Blur and Gorillaz. ‘Girls and Boys’ could have been a great Gorillaz song. ‘Song #2’ too; Gorillaz have electronic drums. In Gorillaz I play all the instruments [risos], that’s the difference. When you listen to Gorillaz, it’s basically me when it comes to the music part. But rhythmically, it’s different, because I work with [o produtor e baterista do Gorillaz] Remi Kabaka Jr. I never worked with Remi when I was with Blur; it’s just different. But my contribution is the same. I don’t suddenly become a different person. In a way, Gorillaz is what I would have been if I hadn’t been in Blur.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
