31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dead or Alive the G-band will live forever!, November 13, 2006
There's really two ways of looking at this "biography". One from a pre-production, writing and illustrative standpoint. It's an amazing piece of work put together for what some call a "fictional band".
The second way is reading this as if it were all true. And believe me you will think it is. The band is so well written, you start to think, "Oh Murdoc is a great lyricist!" But then you think, wait, it's really Albarn who did the writing. Bits like this help you enjoy this book twice as much as if you would only see it as one or the other.
And I have to say this is quite a bio. While they could have gone and made a quick small book with existing artwork, they laboured in creating a genesis of a band showcasing every little minute detail in their lives to the present. And I love it. I love little details like these. You fall in love with the band even more.
The book explores their origins, their loves and hates, they're issues, victories, writing lyrics, creating videos, collaborating (with the ppl that actually took part in creating the band), photo shoots, romances, affairs, hauntings etc, arguing and discussing every thing while showing pictures of them every step of the way.
And they really are meant as "photos" of them. They've taken this to a new level. Where once one could easily turn themselves into a cartoon for the sake of a video, a cartoon here has literally become real, solid, tangible. Do you really want to know that 3 people played the part of Russel? Not including his voice? Or that 3 or 4 ladies did the voice and vocals for Noodle while others played the guitar parts? I certainly really don't. While I know most of the "real" background info on them, I much rather prefer to believe them as real people.
But it's easy to see the underlying notes throughout the book give little hints and glimpses of the real story, with the real people that brought it together, but it's so subtle you'll kindly smile because they did this so well it doesn't interrupt the pacing of the book at all.
But remember you love Kermit the Frog and Gonzo for them, not because it's Jim Henson and Frank Oz moving them.
So if you're a fan of the Gorillaz, this is a must have. If you're a fan of great pop art, great storytelling, and great music this is a must have as well. The Gorillaz can't be considered the "best" animated band, because technically they really are the only animated band. But at the same time, they shouldn't be considered that either.
They're really just another band. They put on shows, they do interviews, they do photo shoots they get drunk, they get beat up etc. Because in the end the music is what it's all about. And watching them live and create is a luxury all fans and spectators get to have.
*Get the accompanying DVD Slowboat to Hades and the new vinyl figures from Kid Robot out now as well if you're a die hard fan like meself!*
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
'Rise' Above, November 12, 2006
Gorillaz, the best animated band in the multicolor world, have released an awesome hardcover, 300 page, thick-enough-to-kill-someone-if-you-knocked-them-over-the-head book, written, of course, by themselves. 2D, Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle all have stuff to say, and they don't hold back on saying it (what do you expect? They're cartoons.) This lavishlly illustrated... er... photographed book is amazing. The drawings... er... photos show parts of Gorillaz you've never seen, and they all have wonderful things to show, tell, and elaborate on. It's a wonderful book.
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