How Gorillaz Created Their Mind-bending Alternate Universe | Dazed

THE FICTIONAL BAND

The Gorillaz universe still exists in almost its entirety online, and every bizarre, dark, hilarious twist and turn can be traced if you have the time. To summarise loosely, the Gorillaz story is at this point divided into four phases – one for each album. Phase 1 begins with bassist and Satanist from Stoke-On-Trent Murdoc, who – while attempting to steal music equipment – ran over Stu-Pot, aka 2D, named after the two dents Murdoc made in his head. Rather than serving jail time, Murdoc was sentenced to care for 2D, and during that time noticed he was an attractive guy who could sing – so he shanghaied him into his band. Drummer Russel Hobbs was involved in a drive-by shooting in which his friend Del (the real life Deltron 3030) was killed and possessed Russel. Needing a drummer, 2D and Murdoc kidnapped Russel (who was fine with that) and stayed on in the band. Eight-year-old Noodle responded to an advert for a guitarist and FedExed herself over from Osaka to the front door of Kong Studios – their fictional studio, perched atop a graveyard mountain in Essex – and Gorillaz was born.

Following this, things get very complicated and fantastical. Phases 2 revolves around Demon Days, Gorillaz’ darkest work and their darkest phase as a band. Noodle, having traced her past and discovered she was brainwashed as a child to become a war machine, regaining her once-lost memory in the process, is living a life of tranquillity on that floating windmill from the “Feel Good Inc.” video, where she writes most of Demon Days alone. In a complex plan gone awry – originally conceived by Murdoc, but hijacked by the shadowy Black Cloud organisation – the island is shot out of the sky and Noodle is missing, presumed dead. Fearing the worst, the remaining members fall into a deep depression and split up following the invasion of Kong Studios by zombies.

After a four year hiatus, in which the whereabouts of Noodle are still a widely speculated mystery, Gorillaz return out of the blue for Phase 3. Plastic Beach, the band’s most glistening, absurd outing, is also their most daring, and the story again reflects this. Here the band’s make-up shifts dramatically: determined to record a new album but with his band scattered who-knows-where, Murdoc kidnaps 2D and replaces Russel with a drum machine and Noodle with a cyborg he built from DNA recovered from the crash site. Taking refuge from The Black Cloud (now hunting Murdoc) in his Plastic Beach hideout, an island built from rubbish and spray-painted pink, Murdoc records the album along with Gorillaz biggest selection of collaborators to date – who he’s also kidnapped.

At some point Russel gets wind of what Murdoc is up to, and is understandably annoyed. He’s also found out that Noodle is alive, tracking her to a ship where she’s being attacked by pirates. He rescues her, ingesting toxic waste and becoming a giant in the process. They journey to Plastic Beach, where they rescue 2D from the whale that guards him, destroy the cyborg Noodle, and appear to settle their differences. This becomes clear in the Andre 3000 and James Murphy-featuring “DOYATHING” video, where they’re all seen living together once more in the flying windmill, with giant Russel sleeping on the roof.

The upcoming Phase 4 has been teased with The Book of Noodle and The Book of Russel, promising answers to the many unanswered questions surrounding Noodle’s whereabouts.