Gorillaz

Virtually Perfect

As most of you music aficionados will know, Gorillaz is a virtual band created by Damon Albarn of Britpop band Blur, and Jamie Hewlett, co-creator of the comic book Tank Girl. It is composed of four animated members: 2D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel. The music is recorded (and, in the case of concerts, performed) by human musicians and producers, while any media related to the virtual band, including albums, video clips and the visual component of stage performances, features the animated line-up.

Technology Rocks

At the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon and the 2006 Grammy Awards, the group used a combination of computer-generated 3D imagery with 19th-century Pepper’s Ghost technology (an illusionary technique used in theatre and magic tricks) to create life-like holograms of the band members.

There were also initial plans for a Gorillaz world tour using this technology. The band’s first album, 2001’s Gorillaz, sold over seven million copies. It also earned them an entry in the Guinness Book of Records as the Most Successful Virtual Band.

Without technology, such a record would not exist, Gorillaz would not exist. Technology is about pushing the limits and boundaries, not just in relation to what technology can achieve but how its achievements enrich our lives.