Blur singer Damon Albarn says the falsetto heard on Gorillaz’s debut album was “definitely related” to the drugs he was taking at the time.
Albarn and Hewlett recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss the anniversary, with Blur singer Albarn reflecting on the demands of its vocals and joking that he couldn’t “quite believe” he hit the falsetto heard on the record.
“That first record has a crazy amount of falsetto,” he said, explaining it was “definitely related to the drugs I was taking. I was a much more irresponsible human being. I was hitting some notes I really didn’t think coming back I’d be able to hit again.”
The band – helmed by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett and made up of bassist Murdoc Niccals, singer 2D, drummer Russel Hobbs and guitarist Noodle – are currently in the midst of a four-night London residency at the Copper Box Arena to mark their 25th anniversary as a band.
To kick off a four-night run, the band performed their debut album in full on Friday night, August 29. They played all the tracks from their 2001 self-titled album, including songs like “Double Bass” and “Ghost Train,” which had their first-ever live performances. Additionally, “Starshine,” “Slow Country,” “Sound Check (Gravity),” and “Man Research (Clapper)” were played live for the first time since 2002.
Having already performed both their debut album and the follow-up, “Demon Days,” in full at the Copper Box, the band is scheduled to play their third album, “Plastic Beach,” in its entirety on Tuesday, September 2.
The fourth and final show, taking place on September 3, has been designated as a “Mystery Show.” It remains unclear whether any special guests will join Damon Albarn, and the specific songs fans can expect to hear have not yet been announced.
