Status Updates From Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre

Just read "Hear No Evil". To Murdoc's annoyance, "Laika Come Home" is released and gets good reviews, even from the rest of the band. Meanwhile, the Gorillaz film ends up falling apart and the band quits in irritation. Murdoc then realizes that if Gorillaz want to do their own movie, they should write the script themselves. Here we go!

Just read "Hollywood and Bust". Gorillaz move to LA to get into the Hollywood business, but spend three months doing nothing but partying. The group finally hires a director for their movie, but he has no idea what the hell he's doing and the theme of the movie constantly changes based on the last movie the director saw. Yikes.

Just read "Mexico: The End of the Road". The band plays their final concert in Mexico City, but tensions are high with the band snapping at each other and causing delays. Fights and riots break out during the concert, ending with part of the stage coming down on top of some audience members, trapping them underneath an inflatable "Rock the House" gorilla. End of the fun for the band.

Just read "The North American Tour 2002". The band's American tour has its ups and downs: Murdoc gets arrested for carrying a gun; the Toronto tour flops; Noodle has flashbacks about her forgotten past; the tour bus becomes ungodly; Murdoc starts summoning demons; their manager quits after Murdoc scares him off; and the band starts to lose trust in each other. But overall, the American tour is a success.

Just started reading "Chapter 6 - The Rubber Mallet of the Gods" and read "Brit Awards 2002". As the band prepares for a US tour, they end up nominated in SIX CATEGORIES at the 2002 Brit Awards. They go above and beyond and perform an elaborate CGI stage show with massive screens, only to leave the ceremony empty-handed. Damn.

Just read "Charts of Darkness" and finished Chapter 5! To capitalize on their success, Channel Four makes an investigative documentary on Gorillaz, which the band is not involved in but is a success nonetheless. After that, Gorillaz perform two live shows for an anti-war charity, followed by a massive Christmas party. Awesome!

Just read "Gorillabitez". Due to the audience wanting more animations than just the videos, the Gorillaz make a series of short skits called Gorillabitez, which air on TV. Around this time, 2D's fame plunges him into anxiety, so he takes to Buddhism as a spiritual fulfilling. Tibet's crisis is later referenced in a Gorillabite titled "Free Tibet Campaign".

Just read "Rock the House". As Jamie faces a lawsuit from the creators of another virtual band for allegedly stealing their idea, Gorillaz create a video for their third single, "Rock the House", to match their feelings. Nobody ends up being happy about the single choice and the single doesn't chart as high as the previous ones, but the music video is very impressive!

Just read "Gorillaz and D12 feat. Terry Hall in '911'". While D12 (minus Eminem) is in London to promote their album, Gorillaz decide to collaborate with them. Their song takes a political turn after 9/11, however. Murdoc spends the time drunk and goofing off while the rest of the band work with D12, and Terry Hall of The Specials later provides guest vocals.

Just read "The British Dates" and finished Chapter 4! To help Murdoc let off steam, UK tour dates are booked for the band. While the audience loves them, some of the critics release more scathing reviews about the band being a gimmick because nobody could see the live musicians behind the screens. But the band doesn't let this bother them. Good for them!

Just read "Award. Take Me To A Ward.". Gorillaz is nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, but turns it down due to the bad luck of low-selling albums that winners release afterwards. They are then nominated for MTV2's Viewer's Choice Award and film an expensive acceptance speech for it but don't end up winning, leading to a massive tantrum from Murdoc. Yikes!

Just read "'I've been around the world but I've never been to me' - NOODLE". Gorillaz do a tour in Japan that does well, though Noodle feels unhappy because she's been away for so long and doesn't really have a home now. Japan also isn't as enthused about Gorillaz as the rest of the world because their marketing tactics are commonly used in Japan, so the band releases "G-Sides" in Japan, which does spectacularly.

Just read "19-2000". The band plans their second single, but ends up switching the song a month into storyboarding the video. The new video features a "Wacky Races"-type roadtrip featuring Gorillaz speeding down a highway and encountering bizarre obstacles. But when they film an interview on set, the guy who stole Murdoc's Winnebago speeds by and chucks a can at him. Still, the single releases and is a success.

Just read "'Gorillaz' released in America". In June, the album is released in America, and ends up selling out on its first week due to low expectations from the US label. Like in the UK, it receives stellar reviews, plunging Gorillaz into international stardom through just an album. Wow!

Just read "Paris and Dublin Shows". With the success of the album, Gorillaz book some live shows in Europe. When the Glastonbury Festival becomes virtual instead of live after the organizers were arrested, Gorillaz use this to their advantage and play a successful show. Awesome!

Just started reading "Chapter 4 - Gorillaz on the March". The album is a success and receives positive reviews, though some critics accuse the band of being a gimmick and a way for Damon Albarn to shed his public persona for something different. While Murdoc is annoyed, the rest of the band is happy that they've created a new kind of music movement.

Just read "Night of the Living Dead: The London Scala" and finished Chapter 3! Gorillaz perform a live show for celebrities at the London Scala. They like it, but the critics don't. When the album is released it becomes a major success, but Murdoc's Winnebago is stolen after a free key is given away with the album, leading fans to look for it and post their findings on the website.

Just read "Clint Eastwood". The band films the video for their debut single. Both the song and the video itself turn out to be masterpieces in old-school styles. The song's popularity is even boosted by a remix that becomes a dancefloor hit. The single is released and debuts at Number 3, remaining on the charts for fourteen weeks, even becoming a massive hit in the US. Awesome!

Just read "Virtual Crack for the Stereo". Gorillaz have their first magazine interview done with Dazed and Confused. The interviewer likes their album, and the article on them gives a great introduction to the band for all the world to read. Now everybody must be super hyped for the album!

Just read "Unleashing the Beast - Tomorrow Comes Today". After the original video for "Tomorrow Comes Today" failed, Gorillaz and Damon Albarn recruit cartoonist Jamie Hewlett to give the band an animated feel, starting with a low-budget video for "Tomorrow Comes Today" showing the band in London at night. The video turned out well and the EP was eventually released.

Just read "'Gorillaz' - Song By Song". To Murdoc's annoyance, the band listens to the album and explains the wacky ways each song was made, even mentioning the guest artists they brought in. What an interesting production for an awesome album!

Just started reading "Chapter 3 - How to Build a Monster". While making their debut album, Gorillaz recruited a slew of collaborators and made a bunch of noise for the record. Damon Albarn brought in producer Dan the Automator to liven up the murky record, and Dan brought the sessions to Jamaica for some well-needed sunshine. All is going smoothly!

Just read "The History of Kong Studios" and finished Chapter 2! Murdoc came across Kong Studios, built in the 1700s as a rich hedonist's mansion, on a haunted house website while looking for a new boiler. After the old owners fled the place in terror, Murdoc made it the home/studio of Gorillaz and set up cameras everywhere to create their award-winning interactive website. Awesome!

Just read "The Camden Brownhouse". Gorillaz impress everybody on their first gig and get signed. At their signing party, 2D falls in love again but they break up because of Murdoc. Murdoc cashes their check and then they deck Kong Studios with all the equipment they need to record their debut album. Awesome!

Just read "Noodle: A Very Special Delivery". After the firing of Paula Cracker, Murdoc sent out an ad for a guitarist. Noodle arrives in a FedEx crate and wows the band with her guitar skills. With the band complete, the band puts together their first song, "Ghost Train", and Murdoc contacts a record executive to see them at their gig so they can get signed. Awesome!