going gorillaz!

     Once everyone had gotten an initial idea of what 'Demon Days' needed, Noodle suggested you'd call Dan 'The Automator' Nakamura. He was the producer that helped the band out with the recording of the debut album.

     Turned out Dan didn't want to work with you lot. "I think it's because he's freaked out over the spirits here." Russel said, he had a point. Kong Studios was obviously haunted. You would know, after being in there alone for a year.

     Dan gave the band a suggestion for a producer, Danger Mouse. At first, everyone declined the offer. Murdoc began looking for other producers.

     You, however, began listening to some tracks he had done on his own LP, 'The Gray Album'. He spliced together the Beatles' 'White Album' and Jay Z's 'Black Album', to create something brand new. It was very creative and brave. You suggested it to the band, you thought it'd be exactly what was needed for Gorillaz.

      The band agreed, and Noodle decided to call up Parlophone. "I want Danger Mouse to produce the next Gorillaz album." She demanded, she wasn't taking no for an answer. You could tell she cared very much for this album, she wanted it to be perfect.

     After a little less than a month of waiting, Danger Mouse had called. No one was around at the time, so you picked up the phone. "This is the Gorillaz' studio. [Name] speaking." You answered formally, that's what you were taught to do by Russel. "[Name]? Alright, listen. I heard you wanted me to produce your record." You raised a brow as he continued talking. "But, I'm kinda busy now. Trying to spend all the money I got from my new album, not to brag. Plus, I'm working on a new album of my own. Sorry, I don't think I can help you guys." You were quiet for a moment. Shit. Noodle would be so disappointed! You couldn't let her down, so you attempted to persuade him.

     "Listen. I'm not taking no for an answer. What are you looking for? More money? Sounds like it. Imagine all the money you can get by working on this album. Plus, all the fame. You'd be on covers of music magazines! Are you in, or not?" You hoped he'd say yes. He hesitated for a moment, "...Sure. I'll fly over there tomorrow to see what you've got." The call ended.

     You fist pumped the air, and jumped around a little bit. You were excited to make a new album. "Girl, what are you doin'..?" You turned around, seeing Russel. You didn't know he was back yet. "Oh-- Danger Mouse called. He's coming over tomorrow." You laughed awkwardly. Russel grinned wide, and went off to tell the others.

April 7th, 2004

     Danger Mouse arrived at Kong, true to form. Though, while he was listening to the demo recordings, Murdoc made his life a living hell. He kept groaning and making loud noises the whole time. You couldn't help but laugh at his obnoxiousness.

     Noodle and Danger Mouse had become quite good friends. They clicked together well. They discussed musical themes, narratives, shadows and shade far into the night. One day, Noodle called you into one of their conversations.

     "We're talking about who should collaborate with Gorillaz." Noodle smiled. Since you wrote a fraction of the songs, she wanted you to have an option to help out with the album. Of course you wanted to help, for it was your's and Noodle's mission to help others by giving them messages in the songs.

      You thought it was fair to pick out who'd collab for the songs you wrote. "So I was thinking that since 'Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head' is a narration, I want Dennis Hopper to narrate for it." That's what you had decided ever since you wrote the song. Noodle nodded, and Danger Mouse wrote it down on a small paper pad.

     After an hour or two, all the collaborators were picked out. De La Soul, Roots Manuva and Martina Topley-Bird, Ike Turner, Shaun Ryder, Bootie Brown, Neneh Cherry. They were some of the lucky artists that were chosen.

     Danger Mouse had finally decided for a fact that he wanted to work with Gorillaz. He took off his hat and coat to get settled in for real this time, and dusted his hands. Then, everyone began working.

     To keep unwanted distractions out, the studio door of Kong was securely bolted. All recordings were being held secret until the relevant moments. The members of Gorillaz were drafted in and out when their input was needed.

     To your great pleasure, Damon Albarn came back to Kong, and brought his great friend Jamie Hewlett with him. This is when you wanted to put two hundred percent of effort instead of one hundred percent. They both inspired you to work hard.

     Jason Cox and James Dring, two of Damon's friends, came over to help out with programming, production, and engineering duties. You gladly helped with the programming. Just as you thought, it was fun to learn about engineering.

     The band, but mostly Noodle and you, helped out Danger Mouse in late night sessions, which usually dragged into the early morning. It became a daily routine, but it was extremely needed to make the perfect album. The others noticed that you three formed a very close bond. Your mutual creativity and visions were locked in a kind of spiraling synchronicity. You all knew instinctively what would be needed in order to pull out the right frequencies.

     It was when Danger Mouse added the children's choir to 'Dirty Harry' that you and Noodle began to see how the album could work together. It was going to be the combination of optimism and pessimism, dark and light.

     Soon, the collaborators were contacted and arrangements were made for their arrival. It helped very well that Danger Mouse was well connected. It was through him that Bootie Brown and MF Doom came onto the record.

     By choosing such and electric blend of characters and making them work together, it would reinforce the idea of a world of apparently conflicting contrasts combining to create a single, unified, overall picture.

     One by one, the collaborators came over. Once Roots Manuva left, the tracks were almost done. Danger Mouse suggested that you'd take your work to Pierce Rooms Studio. That's where the band finished up the album, from October to December.

     On January 12th, 2005, 'Demon Days' was done being mastered by a bloke named Howie Weinberk, at Masterdisk, New York.

The band looked over the final results of the album and beamed with glee.

It was perfect.

×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××

soo i dont want to go too fast?? should i update like twice a week? or would you prefer i keep uploading everyday?