How One Man Changed Music Forever...TWICE┃Blur and Gorillaz
This video essay is about how Damon Albarn managed to form both Blur and Gorillaz and managed to define the music of 2 generations and how he went from Britpop to Grunge to Electronic to Hip Hop and much more. Here's how one man became an icon of both the 90s and the 2000s.
HUGE SHOUTOUT TO THE FAN MADE MUSIC VIDEOS I HAD TO USE BECAUSE WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE ACTUAL GORILLAZ MUSIC VIDEOS THE VIDEO GOT BLOCKED WORLDWIDE:
Gorillaz Re-Hash (Fan Made Music Video) - • Gorillaz - Re-Hash (Fa...
Gorillaz - Rhinestone Eyes Fully Animated Music Video (Fan Made - 6 years of work!!!) - • Gorillaz - Rhinestone ...
0:00 Intro
0:40 Blur's Formation and Leisure
2:34 Modern Life Is Rubbish
3:38 Parklife and Boys and Girls
5:41 Oasis and The Britpop Battle
8:05 Blur's Self Titled and 13
9:32 Gorillaz Formation and Lore Explained
13:04 Gorillaz's Self Titled and Clint Eastwood
14:09 Demon Days and Feel Good Inc
14:50 Plastic Beach and On Melancholy Hill
16:42 Blur and Gorillaz Now
17:12 Outro
Check out my other video: • The Genius Soundtrack ...
Misclick: www.youtube.com/@MisclickGrou...
#gorillaz #blur #videoessay #damonalbarn
Huge shoutout to the fan made animations I had to use for this video on the Gorillaz part because when I tried to use the actual music videos the video got worldwide blocked like 3 times lol. kzhead.info/sun/hbFwoqihkaerbIE/bejne.htmlsi=O5g180cqVP4wQnlP kzhead.info/sun/ZJGigNVrqImbhIk/bejne.htmlsi=fquUEwIdHRUI8hLV
Changed music forever? Is his name John lennon? No? Making a genre of music popular briefly is not changing music forever lool there was really nothing original or innovative about gorrilaz or blur lool
@@jadebel7006 lool
I'm PRETTY sure they also changed animation. Because I don't think the Gainax revolution would have fully happened without that era of trying out their new digital equipment with FLCL, The Pillows soundtrack, and the launchpad of Imaishi into redefining US-Japan collaboration through Panty and Stocking, Kill La Kill and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. For reference he cites many Western inspirations such as comic books and Drawn Together. The UK wave of Grant Morrison and Alan Moore truly changed comic books and I have hard time trying to ignore the same westernization now in Japan, to follow the previous era when USA funded TopCraft that would eventually become Studio Ghibli, moving from adapting The Flight of Dragons and Lord of the Rings to adapting Kiki's Delivery Service and Tales of Earthsea. Money is nice, but the art is nicer. What TV animation IS THERE without the early Japanese industry? Batman? NOPE. Animaniacs? NOPE. Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles? Nnnnnnnnope. Velma? That's just asian people recruited through Australia, but they aren't granted their own meme genre like manhwa or anniemay.
OH YEAH and Imaishi's Dead Leaves is inspired by Tank Girl.
@@jadebel7006 George Martin deserves more credit over the music rather than John Lennon, you need to credit the right person, Tool. And yes, collaborating with various artists through experimentation and pioneering new soundscapes through unconventional methods is still pioneering. Don't come up with pseudo-intellectual statements if you don't know what you are writing about. Even Paul McCartney and Elton John have respect and saw what Blur and Gorillaz have done for modern music.
I see gorillaz. I click.
same
I see Blur. I click.
I see blur. I click.
I see both Gorillaz and Blur. I click.
Same
blur is just so underrated, coming from 1 of their 3 fans from outside the UK
Naaa Blur are huge in Latin America. They recently performed here in Chile, they’ve been here 3 times, and I’ve been to all of those shows plus a Gorillaz one. Damon is one of my favorite artists ever
in murica yes, everywhere else they sold all their concerts in th last tour.
im another one of those 3 hi
Hi I’m another 1/3 that isn’t British. America go brr
i'm an ultrablur fan form Argentina, since 2002
you have no idea how happy i am to see people talking about how amazing damons work is, especially with blur. it just isnt talked about enough
it's sad that it got overshadowed by the whole oasis thing bcz blur's whole discography is amazing
His solo work is amazing as well
I would never call his “work” amazing.
He’s definitely reached so many other artists. Like when Billy Ellis brought him on stage at the very Coachella you mention.
fr I actually like blur better than gorillaz
I heard a reporter once said to oasis “are you the new Beatles and blur the new Rolling Stones “, to which Gallagher replied, “no, we are the Beatles and the stones, blur are the monkeys “. And so Damon created the gorillaz.
I mean the Monkees being a fake band really is fitting for Gorillaz
the best thing that pair of tossers ever contributed too, imagine a 1 hit wonder talking shit about other bands lmao
@@ANUBASS yeah it's a real bad look being a no-hit wonder talking shit about other bands... so silly of yo... i mean them
@@ruumuur I've made songs that have 1 million+ views cross platform and produced for chart topping artists and artists I grew up listening to... all self taught, produced, engineered, designed and marketed by myself you can't even make a youtube thumbnail for your shitty gaming lets plays, we aren't even close to being in the same lane don't type to me...
@@ANUBASS Who is the one hit wonder here, Blur?
Im not going to lie, i thought i was watching a massive youtuber. Good editing dude
thank youu
I literally thought the same thing until I was going to subscribe and saw the sub count. Great stuff!
I wonder why Damon has not been deemed a legend among musician, the portfolio is so interesting and expansive. Over the years, he has adapted and module his voice plus totally different projects and excelling in everyone. Man has a flood of creativity and tireless energy
This is the greatest blur crash course ever made I applaud you
thank you thank you
He’s so babygirl
he's the most babygirl
oh he is
real
hes so find i wont him
always
Damon is so underrated sometimes, he is a lyrical and musical genius
Damon Albarn>Thom Yorke
Plastic Beach truly is one of the greatest concept albums of all time
Would have to agree
I don't know why people say blur won the battle but lost the war because blur are still together with the same line up and are still releasing records, but oasis haven't been relevant for a long time now and have changed band members. Noel even went to the other side, he has played live with Damon on blur songs like Tender.
Most people know Oasis and Wonderwall,not all people know Blur and song 2 ,that's how they won.
@@garbagio6587 depends where you are, most of Europe knows blur and they are still selling out their shows and are usually main headliners at festivals. I think the whole world knows song 2 , especially the yanks on their reaction videos, because they've heard it in a commercial or sports game, even if they don't know it's from blur.
@@garbagio6587 Though Wonderwall is becoming more and more generally disliked hehe
I think it’s just generally in the uk oasis are considered the much bigger band and the break up helps with that “rock ‘n roll” image. Cause if they were to reform the tickets they would sell would be unreal whereas there probably isn’t the hype around blur playing live despite selling out shows. Put it this way when blur were doing their tour in the uk it wasn’t national news but if oasis were to reform and tour/release new music it would be mainstream news.
@@bobhoskins9539 Blur headlined Glastonbury, the biggest festival in the UK and the following year Damon headlined Glastonbury with Gorillaz, so there was a big buzz for both of Damon's bands. Blur has had number 1 albums since parklife in 1994 up until their latest album release in 2023. They just have a big loyal fan base and have achieved more than Oasis in the long run.
I feel like blur's work post-gorillaz was worth mentioning as well, particularly the increased Electronic influence on Think Tank after graham had left
Oh yea definitely, I just wanted to have the Blur and the Gorillaz parts of the video separated to make it easy for the new KZhead viewers
Also his solo work. Everyday Robots is a beautiful album
Additional Information, Noel and Damon both collaborated on Gorillaz song “We Got The Power”, the song was about power of loving each other.
I knew they toured together but I never knew about the song, I'm glad they got over the dumb fight
Apart from playing in an album, Noel also already joined Gorillaz in several ocasions…
I love Damon Albarn, and I'm really happy about the recognition these comments bring. I've watched him perform live once with his bandmates, Blur, during their reunion tour in Portugal last year, and it was a magical night! I'm a big fan of both their works. It's really hard to get relevant in two different generations with 2 different bands, he's one of the best British artists of all time. Great video mate! I'm rooting for your success!
His musical reach is insane, I really don't know how he does it. Also thanks lol :)
Mexican fan of Damon Albarn work here
I'm an albanian fan of his work, its tough out here
Igual igual
it's always a great day when i remember beetlebum exists and is the best song in the world
i see hot men i click
me when I'm on the hub
@@Krysiss relatablee
pretty boys*
@@Krysissyou get a subscriber for that
my dream video essay
thanks lol
Ironically, Damons least favourite Blur pieces are my favourites. I adore TGE with my whole heart, its an album that means a hell of a lot to me, and I've based multiple art pieces around it and the band as a whole. Absolutely no skips on there for me, even the B-sides. On the topic of B-sides, there are some on Leisure that are total masterpieces and I think if they were included as A-sides, the album would be much stronger. I was a fan of Gorillaz before I was a fan of Blur, but Blur has had such an impact on my life that they overshadow my love for Gorillaz by miles
I couldn't find the interview but I remember Damon talking about how the label didn't allow them to put some of the B-sides on the main album, but I love Leisure and I wish they had the chance to experiment more with that sound back then
Very nice video! I never connected Blur and Gorillaz, although I listened both of them. I would like to see you telling more about this crossings between different popular groups. Keep doing great stuff!
I'm gonna try to make similar videos pretty soon, thank youu
I had the opportunity to see him live with both bands, Damon is just unique can't get tired of him.
This video was great! I'm so glad someone agrees with me on this. Also the intro is SO TRUE AND RELATABLE. I feel like American Blur fans are hard to find unless they're like a Gorillaz fan that went through the pipeline of slowly getting introduced to Damon's work and becoming a Damon superfan. His solo work is CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED and Blur's later work has got to be my favorite!
Bold of you to assume a Blur fan has friends
I've been a Gorillaz fan since around 2006. I got my best friend at the time into them as well a few years later. And then she got me into Blur afterwards. I remember there was a time after Plastic Beach when Gorillaz was seriously considering ending their run and I was so sad. I'm so glad they're still off and running now. I don't love all songs on every one of their albums, but I do end up extremely loving a few and liking many. New Gold is my fave off their latest album, followed by Tormenta. And recently I've really started digging Oil. Anyways thanks for the video. I still love seeing people talk about Gorillaz after all these years.
I do resonate with Damon’s perspective on always wanting to do something else that will make some big change in the world. The whole concept of Gorillaz is insane to me. Great video. (Empire ants is my Gorillaz favorite song lol)
both empire ants and to binge are amazing
Great video, Two bands i would recommend checking out are Kyuss and TOOL
I know TOOL but I'll check out Kyuss bcz it kinda sounds like my name
I FEEL NOTHING SAID I DONT FEEL NOTHING
i hate slow songs by big name artists
Kyus! That first album?? That was all one track on the CD, I liked it 11:13 min into the CD. heehee good times.😊
Great work, mate! I was really surprised when I've noticed that my like under this video was #46
thanks man, im glad youtube is showing the video to people
very well researched. huge props!
I had no idea about Gorillaz characters backstories, this is amazing.
Thank you so much for this video man! It was amazing, good commented and of course a love letter to Damon! Thanks again!
Thank you for making this video. I saw Gorillaz live in October 2022 and it was so surreal to experience Damon's energy live. Have been listening to his voice for so many years that the familiarity of his presence feels like home.
23 yeas old Blur fan here, from Brazil. I can say a lot of brazilian teenagers from the 90's knew Blur and enjoyed it.
50k views on your first video is insane, keep on :)
I know, its insane. If it keeps going like this I'll try to put some effort into uploading consistently
Video is really well done, well written, it's very informative and thorough, and also the kind you instinctively take for trustworthy... While also being hilarious and witty. If you can, you really should try to post more content, this was really enjoyable and I can just tell this channel has an immense potential.
Thanks a lot, I am planning on uploading consistently because there are a lot of topics and bands I wanna talk about. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Damon makes me feel alive Thank you for talking about his work, i literally was wagging my feet when i saw the title
I always wiggle my feet in the air when I think of Damon
And let not forget The Good, The Bad and The Queen (one of Billie Eilish favourite bands) and the Africa Express project (where McCartney played)…and that Noel Gallagher also collaborated with Gorillaz!
He's so girly pop
i love this video and i haven’t even finished it yet!!! so happy to see a deep dive on two of my favourite bands
Thank you, this video was so fun to make bcz both of the bands have so much substance
Great video! I learned a lot about one of my favorite artists. I’ll be looking for a video about Beck.
I really like blur, but boy, early gorillaz it's just... diferent to every other feeling, you know what I'm saying?
Great video. Was very surprised to see this was only the 2nd on this channel!
Thank you, I'll try to start making videos consistently because I have a bunch of ideas
WOW!!! I didn't know all that about the Gorillaz and Blur!! Thanks!!! I was always a Gorillaz fan, but never knew about the history behind them. Now I'm going to have to go back and check out all the music by Blurr.
what an amazing video!! i watched it in bits throughout the day and ended up making two playlists in between!!
dude this makes me so happy, I'll try to make playlists for future videos but definitely check out the full albums bcz they're great
My grandma's alarm clock woke me up at 5am every morning to Feels Good Inc. so i conic
Great documentary, can't wait to brag about finding this channel when it blows up! By the way, at 13:15 that is *MISSINFORMATION!!!!* THAT CLIP IS OUT OF CONTEXT Watch the original interview, that preset came like that after the song blew up.
WHAT? I got clickbaited, I've seen that clip get reposted so many times saying that they took it from the sample.
@@Krysiss i know it's all over the place, but i think we would have heard of a massive lawsuit about ot if it were true
such a good video! i hope to see more of you!
There is an echelon in the entertainment industry where everyone just accepts your greatness and the competition dies down. It makes me beyond happy to see Damon achieve this level of success from sheer passion.
Excellent video! Glad to see Blur getting some love. 😊
Thankss
early to say this, but from your only two videos i can tell this is gonna be a sick channel
thank you thank you
Great video bro, love both bands equally, really enjoyed this, much love to all the other fans out there
thanks bro
Huge video, congratz, greetings from spain!
amazing video idk what the band was about but i liked the racing game
blur goated
The yappening
blud yappin
Thanks for this. I really didn’t know anything about Gorillaz but loved the music!❤
What a well-done video, thanks mate! 👍👍 My only critique is you get a better mic when possible so you sound more clear. But maybe you prefer the current sound. Either way, thanks for this dive into Gorillaz! They're the only artists I'm a huge fan of outside of EDM artists/producers 🙏
Ayo? This is the first time I've ever gotten a donation. Also, I'm saving up for a new mic and a camera so the videos are gonna get even better. Thanks a lot dude.
Do you think that Tony Soprano would be chill with Damon Albarn?
hell yea, they listened to The Kinks together
Thank you for the quality video!!
My comment is yes. Now I like Blur and Gorilla even more. What an amazing video and you were doing your best to keep it short (I had to pause and rewind a few times because of the editing). Well done.
Thank you very much!
Damon Albarn is the most prolific artist of our time. Great video! I just also watched the Lyristoric video on the meaning of El Manana. Also a great vid to check out for any Gorillaz fans out there.
this video just made me want to relive this whole exciting musical era which i wasn't even there at the first place 😅 good job mate hope to see more stuffs like this - from the 1 out of 2 asian fans here
Seeing the Gorillaz perform live is amazing. So many talented people are involved on, musicians, singers, dancers, the whole production is just an incredible experience and absolutely worth seeing.
I heard Song 2 on the radio all the time but I missed out on a lot of the other Blur songs. However watching tv channels that showed video clips and seeing the incrediby entrancing Clint Eastwood, getting sucked into this world of Gorillaz and even playing the 19-2000 game was just so different and more compelling than other bands to me.
i rlly luv this videop, i think is the band than we all should listen sometime in our lives
fantastic video once again
Thanks for reminding me of them, heard some new tunes because of your vid. They were and still are amazing...
Glad you like them!
THANK YOU for appreciating the 3 of the fans that live outside the UK! I have been a Blur fan for several decades. This was very well done, a brilliant breakdown.
thank you
I don't usually comment on videos, but this one made me do it and Thank you! for answering a question I had in the back of my mind for many years!
Thanks man, glad you liked it
He also formed a supergroup - The Good, The Bad & The Queen, which included Tony Allen (Fela Kuti) and Paul Simonon (The Clash). Their first album is very good.
Really a a cool video thanks. 👏🏻
Great observation, both bands are mega*
great video, really good editing and really engaging!!!! i hope you post more soon 😁😁
I'll try to lol
Fantastic Video!!! I didnt know Damon was sooo amazing
Omigoodness the musical talent of Damon is BEYOND!!!! ❤❤❤❤ Gorillaz music is so stellar. Thanks for making this. I know you tried to cut for time but if anyone hasn't listened to Humility or watched the video lately I suggest you do... it's the culmination of everything Gorillaz to me, it is pure beauty thru music. Also look forward to your Trainspotting vid if you make it ~ I saw it 2x in theaters in USA when it came out (I am old haha!) And the soundtrack with New Order coming 1st to mind after Born Slippy is really a splendid collection of songs beginning to end. Anyways thanks for reading. ❤🎉
Man, i really love that u include the subtitles on the video. English isnt my first language so this really makes things easier for me.
Glad you like them!
Really good video, I had no clue they were connected
Great Video, thanks for making 🍻
seeing a picture of my school on a youtube video from someone who’s not from stanway let alone the UK is trippy. Fun fact, although our school produced these two chaps, they spent most of their time celebrating the fact that Steve Ritchie (former x factor contestant) went there instead…
💀💀💀
I’m glad there’s someone talking about how amazingly talented Damon is for being able to reach success with two completely different bands! Also I could yap endlessly about just this part alone: 8:11 there’s so much Gramon lore lol; they’re adorable
Never quite knew how all the pieces of Blur, Damon and Gorillaz all fit together. This is a great video that explains it all.
Great video! I'm more of a Blur fan, because of Graham (who has an amazing solo career BTW), he is one of my favorite guitar players. But, man this three Gorillaz first 3 records are incredible, my favorite is Demon Days, is a masterpiece.
I was just going through Blur's music, realising hey, this isn't just some trash I listened to when I was a kid because it was familiar and I grew up with it. This is really, really good. It totally holds up. Then I find out he's responsible for Gorillaz? You just blew my mind.
I think people tend to overlook "happy sounding" music just because they think these songs are just made to sell record, but if you dive deep into Damon's work you can see that there's so much more to explore
@@Krysiss Yeah, and pop in general. I used to think like that, into grunge and thinking I was alternative... till I realised it was just another popular genre with different aesthetics. It's always nice to go back to old songs and discover the ones that are actually REALLY good :)
Great job man, cheers from Montevideo, Uruguay. Did you know that Damon composed a song named "The Tower of Montevideo"? He loves the city, it was the first place of their gig in 2022.
this is exactly the video i needed
Thanks - thats an awesome job of you 😀
Thank you!
Great video, great job!
Thank you!
Rock, pop, alternative, experimental with numerous sub genres through out.. it's taken me decades to realise how amazing Blur's whole catalogue is.. much more than just some singles and the stand out album 13 that I originally saw them as... Probably my favourite band now while I also get more and more into Gorillaz. Melbourne 🇦🇺
this video become one of my faves for sure!
thank you!!!
Being in India,i got introduced to Gorillaz just last year, that too with Clint Eastwood, and from then, they became my favourite bands of all time.
Best era ever for music! I wish I could turn back time and live those days again.
This as so well explained!! Take my sub! :DD
thank youu
- [00:40] 🎶 Blur's Formation and Leisure: Blur's formation began 36 years ago with Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon forming Circus, later renamed Blur, along with other members. Despite mixed reception, their debut album "Leisure" marked their entry into the music scene, albeit driven more by commercial pressures. - [02:34] 💥 Modern Life Is Rubbish: The band's American tour led to homesickness, inspiring a shift back to their British roots with "Modern Life is Rubbish," positioning Blur as a prominent Britpop band with hits like "For Tomorrow." - [03:39] 🎡 Parklife and Boys and Girls: "Parklife" and "Girls & Boys" propelled Blur to new heights in the Britpop scene, setting the stage for a legendary rivalry with Oasis. - [05:42] 🎸 Oasis and The Britpop Battle: Blur faced stiff competition from Oasis, especially during the "Battle of Britpop" in 1995 when both bands released singles simultaneously, intensifying the rivalry. - [08:05] 🎭 Blur's Self-Titled and 13: Post-Britpop, Blur underwent significant changes, culminating in their self-titled album and "13," embracing experimentation and departing from their Britpop roots. - [09:33] 🦍 Gorillaz Formation and Lore Explained: Damon Albarn's collaboration with Jamie Hewlett birthed Gorillaz, a virtual band offering a fresh musical direction and groundbreaking visual storytelling. - [13:05] 🌅 Gorillaz's Self-Titled and "Clint Eastwood": Gorillaz's debut album garnered widespread acclaim, especially with the iconic track "Clint Eastwood," marking Damon Albarn's breakthrough in America. - [14:51] 🎤 Demon Days and "Feel Good Inc": "Demon Days" solidified Gorillaz's status with hits like "Feel Good Inc.," demonstrating Damon Albarn's musical versatility and collaborative prowess. - [16:12] 🏝 Plastic Beach and "On Melancholy Hill": Gorillaz continued their success with "Plastic Beach," blending diverse musical styles and expanding their lore, further establishing their influence. - [17:12] 🎶 Blur and Gorillaz Now: Both Blur and Gorillaz have released recent albums, showcasing Damon Albarn's enduring impact on the music industry across multiple generations.
I'd pin this if it wasn't for those fan animations
@@Krysiss What fan animations?
@@dameanvil the ones I linked on the pinned comment on this video
@@Krysiss oh, yes. the copyright can get so abusive. i have not noticed the pinned comment. anyway, thank you for your video, and keep up the good work!
@@dameanvilthank you thank you
Informative and funny video! I knew all that, but it's always a pleasure to see Damon appreciation, especially in such a lovely form. He's one of the most influential musicians of our time and I hate it when people discredit him. Man is literally always tirelessly creating something. Also was very entertained by the dramatic reading of that fragment of an interview about bisexuality. So funny of him to get competitive over who's more bi with his girlfriend's ex. Great video, keep them coming, please!
Thank you, I literally couldn't stop laughing when I found that Damon interview lmao
Thanks for the captions in the video! It’s good cuz im watching in School lmao.
lmao glad I could help
Nice work
Thanks
Excellent video, thank you so much for it! I had no clue about the fact that Gorillaz and Blur are somehow connected!
thank you
Wow, that was a really entertaining video, congrats on it doing so good! You could tone down the subtitles a little, as they are very dominant and don't fit with your great editing stile that much, but that's just taste.
I'm getting mixed messages with the subtitles because some people like them and some people don't but I'll maybe try to slow them down so they're not too distracting? I'm still trying to figure out what the best system would be
@@Krysiss I wouldn't particularly say slow down, but rather give them your own style. Right now, they remind me of those typical loud and annoying yt shorts and TikTok creators. Maybe put them a little bit lower and smaller? Anyways, I'm excited for your next video, you earned a subscriber!
Well done. Good vid.
Great video!
Thanks!
Oh cool, i actually saw your sopranos video months ago completely seperate to this, have a sub buddy that was great and so is this
thank youu