Gorillaz

Everything began when Damon Albarn, the leader of britpop band Blur decided to realese some songs in mock hip-hop style, but not under his own name. His friend Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl, promised to help Albarn – that is how four pictured members of Gorillaz appeared. Later, when Albarn revealed that he was a creator of Gorillaz, he asked journalists if it was a good idea, but the ansewr was "Only deaf didn't recognize Blur's singer characteristic voice yet". For each Gorillaz member Albarn and Hewlett composed a full biography. For example, band's drummer Russel Hobbs was a respectful child from the School for Young Achievers, but then a demon possessed him and he mauled several other students. Gorillaz's frontmen 2D is Albarn's compatriot and, apart of singing, he has an interest in machinery. Bassist Murdoc Niccals's bad temper is explained by the fact "he was dumped on his father's doorstep in infancy". Japanese girl Noodle can't speak any English beyond the word "noodle" and was sent to Gorillaz in a crate. In 2010 Gorillaz made their fans happy: the long-awaited album Plastic Beach was finally issued.

Albarn said he never expexted that everything would go so far. Gorillaz' first single, Clint Eastwood, was released on March 5, 2001. It became a smash hit and put Gorillaz into the global spotlight. Later that same month, their first full-length album, the self-titled Gorillaz, was released. It was sold over 7 million copies and earned Gorillaz an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band. Firstly, the musicians "behind Gorillaz" were Damon Albarn, Del tha Funkee Homosapien and Dan the Automator. This trio had previously worked together on the song Time Keeps on Slipping, which became the predecessor of Gorillaz' music. Later, Albarn was colobrating with a lot of different artists, but Gorillaz' music remained the same – slow and light tunes, a mix of alternative rock, hip hop and rap, with a large number of other influences including electronica and pop. Cartoon clips became another Gorillaz' trademark. They usually contain humorous and often ridiculous storylines and imagery.

Soon after Gorillaz, a compilation of the B-sides from the first three singles, G-Sides, was released. It was followed by Laika Come Home, a remix album, containing most of the tracks from Gorillaz reworked by Spacemonkeyz, was released in June 2002. But the waiting for the new album lasted for three years – Demon Days was released in May 2005. Two singles from it, Feel Good Inc and DARE, became succefull in world charts. In November 2007 new album D-Sides was realesed. Gorillaz also promised to go on a holographic world tour in 2007 and 2008 (the cartoon members were supposed to be shown as holograms on stage). But it turned out to be very expensive, and the Gorillaz' holograms were used only at the MTV Europe Music Awards on November 3, 2005 and at the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2006. In 2010 Gorillaz made their fans happy: the long-awaited album Plastic Beach was finally issued.