I’ve been meaning to read this book for years since I became a fan of Gorillaz as a child, and i’m glad I finally got round to it. It was a really interesting mix of fiction and non-fiction - perfectly suited for the Gorillaz. The band has super interesting lore and each of the four members has lived a crazy life. I love learning their stories whilst also learning about the real impact they had on the music world, the creative processes behind the band and their achievements.
such a great read for gorillaz fans. it's so fun to see russel, murdoc, 2d and noodle explaining each song in detail, accompanied by beautiful art and hilarious/witty lines.
I can say with complete confidence that Gorillaz is among my favorite bands ever, if not my absolute favorite. As part of the fan base, Rise of the Ogre is something I’ve meant to read for quite awhile now. Written in promotion of Demon Days back in 2006, this “autobiography” focuses on the lore behind the band members, what brought them together in universe and the inspiration behind their music via interviews and narrations. It reads like the script of an episode of Behind the Music, with just the right amount of inserting the two genuine minds behind Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, into the wild world that Gorillaz exists in.
Now, as a serious fan, this book is amazing. It’s so funny, so witty, it’s exactly what I was hoping it would be after all these years. But would I recommend this to a non fan? Absolutely not. You’ve gotta be deep down the rabbit hole to get much of anything out of Rise of the Ogre, as much of the humor that comes from it is due to direct references to Gorillaz songs, albums, promo art and music videos. So if you happen to read this review and are interested, but aren’t too interested in/familiar with Gorillaz, listening to the first two albums and checking out the videos associated should be able to catch you up. If anything you should do that anyways as the S/T and Demon Days are phenomenal albums.
But yeah, I loved it, it’s very much a new favorite, but if you aren’t a Gorillaz fan you might wanna skip this one.
Gorillaz took the world by storm right at the beginning of the new millenium with their "Clint Eastwood" music video. Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett started this project of a "virtual band" who will be selling records and influencing pop-culture, paving their way through the new sensation called the Internet.
Image: Gorillaz
Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre is an autobiography/graphic novel chronicling the early days of the Gorillaz gimmick written in the form of interviews with the fictional band as they walk the reader through the recording of their first two iconic albums(Gorillaz and Demon Days). The book also has interviews with the original creators, Albarn and Hewlett and the animators, producers, technicians and contributors. The book also pays homage to many of the legendary stars that have worked on the first two records and reminisces on the many difficulties they had to put up with early on in the project (for instance, live performances).
The book also tells the fictional accounts of the virtual band members, their origins and how they met, their bizarre yet hilarious adventures.
A must-read for the fans.
Damon Albarn(left) and Jamie Hewlett(right): the masterminds behind Gorillaz
