M1A1 Since Day One

June is Black Music Month!

so I wanted to highlight who has made the Gorillaz what they really are…

these are not the Gorillaz:

I would argue that even Jamie Hewlett and Damon Albarn are not the Gorillaz.

from their very inception, the Gorillaz have been made possible by those who Albarn and Hewlett collaborate with. their unique and interesting sound is the result of a multitude of musicians working together.

approximately two thirds of their collaborators have been black musicians

THESE are the Gorillaz that we love so dearly:

so Gorillaz fans, let’s spend some time this month listening to what else these artists have created!

below the cut I list all of these artists and the songs they’re featured in, find your favorite songs and give these collaborators a listen!

2D | Murdoc | Noodle 

We know that he was perfectly fine with it in the interview where he pretty much said that the whole album was made because the other three missed him and this has all been for coping with their grief (no matter how wrong that was.) So even though the album is out and he may have heard all the songs, there’s no reason for him to be angry.

So why all of a sudden the complete change of attitude?

What has transpired? Nothing from the now band line-up. So if anything, it would be something happened in prison that we don’t know of.

Is it because he’s found out something in prison?

During the interview he let us know that El Mierda is a name to be feared in prison, so much so it can’t even be mentioned, “if you don’t want to be made into a piñata.” So there must be prisoners around who are doing El Mierda’s biddings/ having connections with him/ know something of what he’s up to.

So maybe there’s a chance that Murdoc found out why El Mierda framed him? In strobelite, he didn’t start their conversation, instead, El Mierda spoke to him first (Also mentioned in the interview.)

What if all El Mierda was doing was for the sole purpose of putting him away?

Out of all the people in the club, why did he pick Murdoc?

Was that a commission? Did someone ask him to?

So what I’m thinking is that 2D’s trance might not just be a random possession, maybe it’s a price he had to pay for making a deal with “Diablo”/ El Mierda (The way Murdoc purposefully crossed off “devil” and substituted it with “Diablo” could be more than just for the sake of saying it.) Since 2D already knew that it could work- Knowing that Murdoc traded off his soul in the origin story to get El Diablo, is there a chance that he might have taken the risk as well?

(I could go on in making a cheeky connection between Diablo/ El Mierda and El Diablo, but it’s too early to assume that at the moment. Not enough proof and might be a bit of a reach.)

So I’m thinking maybe 2D at some point made the deal with the devil, so that he and Russ and Noodle could be away from Murdoc, although knowing 2D he might have just said “Could you please make him stay away from us.” So then 2D had to pay a price, which, as classic as trading his soul, he was to become something else, to be willingly possessed by the devil.

And if there’s anything that could make Murdoc absolutely mad at 2D when 2D (along with the rest of the band really) hasn’t even been talking to him, is probably finding out that it might be 2D who landed him in prison.