Esquire Interview with Murdoc, May 2001

This interview was originally transcribed on the old official Gorillaz fansite. I have pasted it here for preservation.

Murdoc, you don't look like the healthiest man on the planet. Have you been living the rock'n'roll lifestyle since you've been in Gorillaz?

Murdoc
Mens health? Mens shit caked, sweaty arse cracks more like! The only concept of health I’m into is between the pages of Health and Efficiency where ageing hippy couples parade their embarrassed pubescent offspring like fourpenny rabbits. Seriously though, heroine chic has never my bag either, it’s never had the same appeal as irresponsibly promoting an image of rubbing crystal meth into your eye sockets. Know what I mean?

Who does your bass playing resemble most: Bill Wyman or Bootsy Collins?

Murdoc
Neither really. My bass lines are far more dub in origin. When we were in Jamaica, recording the album, I got to work with Augustus Pablo’s bass man, Left Hand Junior Dan the Wobulator, he’s strictly roots and it was a real honour to jam with him.

Who are your heroes, musical or otherwise?

Murdoc
There have been many jocular luminaries of style, taste and sound that have impressed me over the years; Fatty Arbuckle, Peter Faulk, Chuck Jones, Horse Mouth and Ozzy Osbourne spring to mind off hand.

The members of Gorillaz are a bit of a motley crue. Can you sum up each one in a sentence?

Murdoc
I hated Motley Crue and it doesn’t matter how many tattoos or "accidentally stolen" home porno movies you pile on top of it all you can not, as I firmly believe, polish a turd.

Do you all get on or are there band tensions?

Murdoc
I’ve never met them (Motley Crue) but I think their recent non track record speaks for itself.

Do you secretly covet the front man role in Gorillaz?

Murdoc
Everyone knows that front men are vacuous, spoon fed, stooges who emblazon TV screens, magazine covers and bedroom walls for nano seconds before winding up as embittered show-biz has beens who can’t even do their own laundry now that their ex management will no longer return their calls. Never forget that this is my band, my band!

Do you get many groupies, and if so, what do you do with them exactly?

Murdoc
What I do is take them back to my Winnebago and play them The Lamb Lays Down On Broadway. Genesis never fails with the birds, I’m telling you. If you wanna get dirty Abacab always get them juicy but my personal sure shot is "Coming in the Air Tonight," [Isn't that a Phil Collins solo track? - J] what woman could resist?

What word and colour symbolises you best?

Murdoc
I would say Red Devil if it didn’t conjure up images of twaty little planes flying at each other depositing lack lustre, patriotically coloured, smoke trails over aimless, swarming masses of old age pensioners at sea side resorts. So I’ll plump for Black Beauty.

Describe Gorillaz music to our readers.

Murdoc
With it we are about to kick open a new ring piece for the tired old endgame of hackneyed popular music that is comprised of the turgid leftovers from the feeble minded, consciousness choking, half arsed, lowest common denominator dross of last centuries impotent pretenders to our crown.

Give one piece of advice to those of our readers who want to be just like you.

Murdoc
Act your bloody age. Admit it, when you where 13 you thought Herbie Hancock was something you went blind doing. I’m 36 right [I thought you were 34... - J] and you don’t see me sporting a pair of poxy Vans canvas trainers with an ironic re print of an 80’s Electro T-shirt, a shaved head or a novelty Planet of the Apes badge and matching key chain while drooling over Silas dolls shouting "Wicked!" do you? It’s shit, you’re shit, fuck off.