The following is an exclusive interview held through Instagram by Gorillaz Wiki admin HectorThe501st with Zombie Flesh Eaters founding member and Get The Freebies/Phoo Action co-creator Mat Wakeham, with questions submitted by members of our Discord server, in addition to never-before-seen insight on the whereabouts of the Cafe Cat. Huge thanks to Mat for his time, attention and for answering our questions!
Interview[]
Hector: For how long have you known Jamie? Were you already friends before making Get The Freebies?
Mat: So, I cover this in quite some detail in the upcoming Phoo Action book. Indeed, the five chapters of the book and my introduction tell the story through the lens of our friendship and our professional collaborations. We studied at the same art school, in my home town of Worthing. He was a couple of years above me, leaving the year I started, but he remained living in the town and working on comics there with other artists who went to the same school, Philip Bond and Alan Martin. I met him in 1988 and the rest, as they say, is history.
H: Was the interactive Kong Studios website planned from the start (while the debut album was still being worked on) or was this an idea that came later?
M: It was kicked off almost immediately once the deal was done with Parlophone. Jamie hired me to work on everything alongside him so that he could focus on the mountain of drawing he had to do for the launch. The site was priority number one, the rise of the internet as an entertainment platform burgeoning synchronously with the birth of this virtual band. It’s well documented that Jamie and Damon lived together and that this cohabitation led to them conjuring up the concept of Gorillaz. The story has been told about the giant plasma flat screen TV they had installed and that watching MTV on that together was a genesis moment for Gorillaz, but what a lot of people might not know is that they also played a shit ton of Resident Evil on it too on Jamie’s PS2 and that this was the basis of their brief to me for Kong. There is an NME interview that came out recently where I go into more depth about that. Well worth checking out.
H: Who was your favourite character to write or work with? Is there something that, looking back, you would have done differently with them?
M: Well, this needs some context. I’m often ascribed the job title of ‘Phase 1 writer’ in the fandom. However, this was just a small part of my job and one which I didn’t - and don’t - see in the same light as the work that Cass and any other subsequent writers went on to do. There’s a view sometimes that there wasn’t as much writing in P1, but I didn’t set out to write lore or grand narratives. The characters had no voice whatsoever until I ascribed them to them, before the voice actors came along, and before it became ‘the Murdoc Show’. I always pictured them first and foremost as a band, and wanted their story only to play out in the real world - and I include the online in that term - and as a satirical parody of the music industry. So it was more about a strategic approach, worked out with Jamie, Damon, management, PR and the record company about how we could make that happen.
Getting them on the cover of Dazed at the beginning and ending up with a Channel 4 documentary, while having written for nearly all the major music and news outlets at the time, realised that vision perfectly. I never favoured writing for any one of them. To me, I wrote them not just as a band, but also as a dysfunctional family: Murdoc as the crabby, overbearing and self-involved, filthy, asshole, reprobate uncle; Russel as the voice of family reason and wisdom; 2-D as your idiot brother who you can’t help but love and get into trouble with and Noodle as the child prodigy little sister. Looking back, I wouldn’t have done anything differently with them, but I would have handled the complications that came up in the dynamics around the work differently and stayed on board for one more album to flesh out the work and make it less one-sided than it became with Cass favouring Murdoc as much as he did. When he and I wrote together, we had some really great things and a lot of laughs.
Murdoc’s bullshit knows no end, and I think that perspective got a little lost later. That he was just saying anything to steal the limelight, and most of it was absolutely bollocks. Cass probably never lost sight of that, but perhaps some in the fandom did, and Murdoc definitely got high on his own supply and took it all as verbatim. Especially as his voice more and more took centre stage and Russel and Noodle’s voices of reason and warmth got drowned out by his cynicism and 2-D’s idiocy.
Edward: Whose idea was it to put the key to Murdoc's Winnebago on the CD-ROM of the debut album?
M: Well, that was part of a long line of working with the record company to figure out ways to best incorporate technology and online content into the products. The funny thing was that we had a major technical setback the day before the release that meant we couldn’t have the new room for Kong live and so necessity was, as it always is, the mother of invention, and the hunt for Murdoc’s Winnebago was born. In retrospect, we couldn’t have planned it better and it was a wonderful expansion of the band narrative but one that emerged in real time, rather than a planned and staged strategic rollout. That’s emblematic of the intentions we always had for the band, wanting them to be up-to-the-minute and respond as much as they could and the technology allowed at the moment to events around them. That was always the Achilles heel for the band, that they couldn't walk and talk and do real, live promotion, but also the thing that made us push and invent and create new ways for them to interact, respond and appear across different mediums and in different ways. It was, as it was called back in the last century, a ’Transmedia Narrative’, and one which prefigured social media by about a decade.
H: What is the story of Mr. Maggits, better known as the Bongo Ape? He appeared on early concept art for the band and in a few pieces of promotional material but faded out entirely after the release of the debut album, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.
M: Jamie’s a bit like that. He throws a lot of ideas at things. Some stick. Some fall by the wayside and he doesn’t ever look back. He’s like a creative shark, He only ever moves forwards. Like with the Phoo Action book for instance. I wrote to him, way back in 2017, when people first approached me about it and said I was considering doing it. He said, great, go for it, but you’ll be doing the work on it. I had his blessing, but he was not about to do a retrospective of things. Sure, I know the contradiction there. He did the big Taschen book, but, really, Jamie is always looking ahead and there are a lot of ideas and characters that fall by the wayside, even in successful franchises like Gorillaz, who get brought up and then jettisoned if he loses interest in them. This is one of the reasons that the Gorillaz lore-bores get so brain-fragged, as there are just so many loose threads, such as Bongo Ape. Frankly, he was merely a cool drawing that never served an ongoing purpose. Don’t overthink it.
H: Was the 'Game of Death' G-Bite inspired by the incomplete Bruce Lee movie of the same name? In the animation, Noodle is dressed just like Bruce Lee is in the scenes recorded before his death that made their way into the final cut of the movie, and both of them take place in a similar setting as well. And how did this idea come to be? In addition, this particular G-Bite also has a different background tune from all other G-Bite animations. Do you recall what the history behind these tunes was? And who recorded them; was it Damon, Cass or someone else over at 13?
M: It’s no big mystery. The game music on that bite is stock before it reverts to the normal Bites theme, which Damon did record. As for Bruce’s Game of Death jumpsuit, it’s just that it’s iconic and also a reference to such fight games as Tekken which has a character - Marshall Law - who’s very much a tribute to him.
H: On Rise of the Ogre, it is stated that 2-D, Murdoc and Russel all hated Rock the House and that it was only included on the debut because the label told them to. Was this also the case in real life? Did Damon and Jamie not like this track either?
M: Yeah, kind of. I wouldn’t say they hated it. The tone the characters take is always more of an exaggeration, and Cass liked the acerbic take on them a lot more than I favoured. I preferred there to be a balance in their dialogue, with Murdoc being the bitter, deluded one and antagonising the others for his own edgelordery. I mean, it was ultimately on the album and it was one among many tracks that could and could not have made the cut, so that speaks for itself, but perhaps it wasn’t the vision they had for singles. I think that was more the issue, at least as I remember it. I mean, who’s correct on this one? Should the label not have done the remixes and also gone with 5/4 instead of 19/200? I don’t think so, not if you want Gorillaz to be the phenomenon it became and Jamie and Damon envisioned. Also, I don’t think Russel would have disliked Rock the House either. Sure, the video with Murdoc doing his best Serge Gainsbourg impersonation from Mr. Freedom would have pissed his hip-hop purist head off, but I think it’s more emblematic of a Russel-influenced musicality, and probably 2-D too, than that of Murdoc.
Jamie was a lot less hands-on on the music video for this one too. He did the key drawings but left the staging and direction of the animation more in the hands of Pete Candeland after their successful previous collaborations. Not that he didn’t oversee it or care about it, but it was the end of the release cycle and time for Jamie to focus elsewhere in the project with live tours looming and success very much building.
H: Kong also had plenty of original characters scattered around the rooms, like the Evil Twins and the Café Cat, but not all of them have had their name revealed. Would you mind if I sent you some pics of these characters to ask who they are?
M: This character [image 1] is called Chien, and he’s one of a few that we included in the site that were originally Phoo Action characters. He’s Terry’s master and features heavily in the new prose story I have written for Phoo, based on a 25-year-old story treatment Jamie and I wrote together in ‘97. Jimmy Freebie famously appeared in the corridor of Kong, outside Russel’s room, and Terry and Whitey appeared in the Chatomatic as ‘playable characters/avatars’ there. The thing was, there was a lot of art needed for the website and so we raided Jamie’s surviving sketchbooks at the time - he had thrown a lot away before leaving Worthing! - and also what were the remnants of the development work he had done for the cancelled second season of Phoo Action comics. This is something we did elsewhere for Gorillaz, such as the live show projections. I go into this practice in more depth in the Phoo Action Silver Jubilee book, with all the original artwork and Gorillaz references shown there amid its 464 pages.
H: Lastly, was a proper commercial release for the single 911, which you're credited for producing the video and making the artwork for, ever seriously considered or was it always meant to be just a free download?
M: While I primarily worked on the visual side of Gorillaz, I had the unique experience of being in the studio when both D12 and Terry Hall recorded their parts for “911”. Damon had been working with Terry for a while, and it was an incredible time for all of us—especially since we had all grown up as fans of his music. Terry’s impact and influence on Gorillaz were undeniable, and having him involved in this project felt like a real full-circle moment. When D12 showed up, it was like a whirlwind. They were in the country, and suddenly the energy in the studio just galvanized around creating an anti-war protest song. Damon was already making anti-war statements publicly, including some with 3D from Massive Attack - whose band name was censored at the time! The collaboration on 911 between all three of us became an impassioned response to the global situation.
During the height of the Iraq War push, when Bush and Blair were driving the pro-war agenda despite massive global protests, it was incredibly frustrating to see the BBC censoring any anti-war voices. With the public so clearly against the war, the media’s restrictions made it impossible to release 911 officially. Given the risk of the song being suppressed, it was decided to release it as a free download, ensuring that its anti-war message could still reach people without being silenced.
On the visual side, I worked closely with Jamie and the Zombie Studios crew, just as we did on other Gorillaz projects. What was different this time, though, was that I received official credit for my contributions, which was a big moment for me personally. The visual elements were designed to reflect the intensity and urgency of the song’s message, and I’m proud of how everything came together to support the protest that the song represented.
Please remember these are my recollections, not necessarily the ‘truth’ verbatim but a personal persped with this health warning. If any of it contradicts or jars with the official account, that doesn’t mean I disagree, or I’m contesting anything already held as lore; these are just my memory and my opinions.
Limee: What do you think happened to the Café Cat following the first 'shutdown' of Kong Studios after Phase 1 ended?
M: I think Murdoc would be better placed to answer that…
Murdoc: Ah, the Café Cat, eh? You’re diggin’ deep into the archives of the Gorillaz universe with that one, aren’t ya? Right, gather 'round and let me spin you a tale of feline mischief and international escapades.
2-D: Oi, Murdoc, you talkin’ about that fluffy blue cat that used to hang ‘round the studio? Always thought it was a bit spooky, like it knew somethin’ we didn't with that tongue of his.
Murdoc: Spooky? Nah, mate, that cat wasn’t spooky — it was a bloody genius! Probably smarter than half the people I've met. So when the studios shut down after Phase 1 — and everyone living rent-free in that freezer was thrown out — the Café Cat knew it was time to scram. No more free milk or a warm lap to sit on. It had to find a new gig, right? And who does it run into? Top Cat, Benny, Choo Choo — the alley cat mafia! They take it in, and soon enough, it's pulling off heists with the best of ‘em. Ocean's Eleven, but with whiskers and furballs.
Noodle: Murdoc-san, are you saying the cat became a criminal mastermind? But how could a cat plan such things? It doesn't have thumbs.
Murdoc: Noodle, my dear, when you've got a mind like that cat, you don’t need thumbs. It's all about the brains and the charm. And let me tell you, that cat had both. They were stealing jewels, outsmarting the cops, living the high life. But when things got too hot — after a heist involving the Crown Jewels or some such nonsense — it pulls a Houdini and vanishes to Argentina. New identity, new life. Probably goes by Señor Gato Misterioso now.
Russel: Man, this is getting out of hand. You've been watching too many movies, Murdoc. The Café Cat was just a cat. It probably just found a new home somewhere peaceful, away from all the craziness you bring with you. Doesn't have to be some kind of international cat burglar.
2-D: Yeah, like, maybe it just found a nice lady to give it tuna every day, or maybe it got back to that family that used to run the place. I’d like that if I was a cat… Tuna’s good, innit?
Murdoc: Tuna's good, innit? That's your takeaway from this, 2-D? Tuna?! You’re missing the point! The Café Cat had a taste for the thrill, for adventure. It wasn't about to settle for some old biddy's lap and a can of fish. Nah, it was destined for bigger things.
Noodle: But maybe, Murdoc-san, the greatest adventure for the Café Cat was finding peace. The journey of a wanderer can end with the comfort of a warm home. Perhaps that is its true heist — stealing a quiet life.
Murdoc: Finding peace? Warm home? Oh, come on, Noodle! Where's the fun in that? That's just… boring! The Café Cat's out there living large, I’m telling you! Probably running an empire by now. Feline mafia, secret underground lairs, the whole shebang.
Russel: Murdoc, you really need to get a grip. You're always chasing drama, but sometimes the simple life is the best life. Maybe the Café Cat figured that out. Maybe it didn't need all that chaos you’re always stirring up.
2-D: I still think the tuna sounds nice… And maybe, like, a sunny window to nap in, listening to one of our records. That’s all a cat really needs, right?
Murdoc: Oh, for the love of— tuna? Napping? You lot wouldn’t know a good story if it bit you on the arse! But whatever, believe what you want. Me? I like to think the Café Cat's out there, pulling the strings, planning the next big heist.
Noodle: Murdoc-san, you should take your own advice sometimes. You've had your fair share of adventure. Maybe it's time for you to steal some peace and quiet too.
Murdoc: Peace and quiet? You're all mad! But fine, I'll admit, if I ever run into that crafty cat again, maybe I'll ask it how the quiet life's treating it. And maybe I'll even give it a can of tuna for old times' sake — just to keep 2-D happy.
Russel: You do that, Murdoc. And who knows? Maybe you’ll learn something from that cat after all.
2-D: Yeah, and maybe I’ll get some tuna too…
Phoo Action: Silver Jubilee, a book by Mat and Jamie from Titan Comics is available for preorder now. Phoo Action is the missing g link between Tank Girl and Gorillaz in Jamie'e career and the collaboration that lead to Mat working alongside Jamie and Damon on the roll out of Phase 1. Check it out here: https://linktr.ee/Phoo_Action (not sponsored).