This is the fifth instalment of Pirate Radio, hosted by Murdoc in 2011, on Plastic Beach. This show also includes 2-D.
(sounds of wind and waves plays until the muffled noise of speakers interduces the first track)
(“Midnight, The Stars and You” by Al Bowlly plays)
(the track is interrupted by sounds of a radio being tuned and the opening of “The Parish of Space Dust ” by Gorillaz and Murdoc speaking)
Murdoc: It’s coming up… Yeah, com- up… it’s coming up… it’s coming up… and… we’re here!
(the music is replaced by the backing track of “Midnight, The Stars and You” which Murdoc continues to speak over)
Murdoc: The strange, green fog has descended. (sharp breath intake). The night time's rolled back in. And we’re here on Plastic Beach, broadcasting live out into the ether.
Ah, yes! There's a tune we haven't heard for a while, sounds like something from The Shining, doesn't it?
(long breath) So, if you're listening to this, it means you must've managed to solve the riddle, the mazes, and online game inanities of Mission 2 on Gorillaz.com on Plastic Beach, and this is your prize: a fantastic, original, and thoroughly tailored radio show broadcast from yours truly, me, Murdoc Niccals. Aren't you lucky? (raunchy chuckle) So, pull up a stool, put up your feet and relax, because I'm going to play you a whole bunch of music, most of which I'll be, y’know, talking over while you're trying to listen. (cheeky chuckle) Yeah. And right, I will be taking you through some tracks from the very latest Gorillaz release, The Fall! Yeah, with our very own Gorillaz singer 2-D. Sounds like fun, eh kids? Here, let's, uh, kick off with this one then. This, uh, pretty well sums up what it's like to be trapped on a plastic island, with only the rain and a blue-haired twerp for company.
Here's the Sex Pistols with "Lonely Boy".
("Lonely Boy" by Sex Pistols plays)
(part of the song "Nice Work If You Can Get It" performed by Billie Holliday and Teddy Wilson with His Orchestra, it's played in the background as Murdoc speaks)
Murdoc: (jump scare, speaking quickly) HI, this is Murdoc Niccals from Gorillaz, you’re listening to me from Plastic Beach, Point Nemo FM, And I've just gotta go grab something really fast, um, I’ll be back in a minute. Here’s, uh, PJ Harvey in "Let England Shake".
(the sounds of bullets being fired through glass can be heard) Christ! What the f-? Get out of the way!
("Let England Shake" by PJ Harvey plays)
Murdoc: (speaks as though he is sat on a washing machine on spin) Oh, yeah, lovely tune... (‘normal’) Eh, that was PJ Harvey with, uh, "Let England Shake". Which, I’m sure, given the terrible weather over there, is a distinct probability back in Blighty.
So, you’re listening to me, Murdoc Niccals, beaming live from Plastic Beach. Filthy, floating, ghetto landfill in the middle of the ocean, teetering on the edge of the world... I lost signal there for a moment, well, ‘bout nine months actually, while my band Gorillaz stomped their way right ‘round the world. What a year we had last year, eh? World tours, videos, huntings, maimings, assassination attempts, and having my glorious Gorillaz band hijacked by a bunch of dirty sailors. Flesh and blood charlatans. Bleh. (spits in disgust) More of that later.
Meanwhile, let’s move on with this. Um, what do you get if you cross The Munsters with The Rolling Stones? Yeah, that’s right, it’s the New York Dolls! Here they are playing their 1973 proto-environmental classic "Trash", from their self-titled debut LP record. Remember LPs? Ugh, yeah, me neither, not anymore. Take it away, boys.
("Trash" by New York Dolls plays)
Murdoc: Thaaaat... was the New York Dolls there with "Trash". And, uh, pretty soon I’m gonna be joined by a creature that we all know and love, 2-D, singer of my band, Gorillaz. He’s uh- he’s just downstairs getting ready at the moment (single laugh), taking off the old, uh, gimp mask and combing his hair all nice for you. He’s gonna be here in the studio in my lighthouse tower on Plastic Beach, and he’ll be playing tracks and selections from the new Gorillaz LP, The Fall. This is the record he made using just his face and an iPad last year while the Gorillaz band were on tour. Amazing, isn’t it? It’s been described as a kind of, uh, well, y’know, sort of sonic tour diary. His musical memento of the journey across the states. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?
So, while we wait for him to put on his clothes and tie his special needs shoelaces, I’ll play you this. This is from a Jamaican Act called Boris Gardiner and the track’s, uh, kind of uh, Elizabethan reggae. It’s called... well, "Elizabethan Reggae". Here we go.
("Elizabethan Reggae" by Boris Gardiner plays)
("Fai Yen" by Ream Daranoi plays)
Murdoc: You just heard a lovely piece of snakey, smoky, Siamese jazz there, by Ream Daranoi and that’s off The Sound of Siam album, a collection of Siamese, luk thung, jazz and molam from Thailand from 1964 to 1975. ('sexy' hum) Nice...
(old man cough) Right. (deep breath) Here’s the moron you’ve all been waiting for.
(sounds of torpedoes hitting the island followed by gunshots) Whoops, oh, Christ. Sorry, it’s just that we’re, um, y’know, we’re under attack at the moment. (more war noises continue) The island's under attack, uh, (awkward intake) airborne pirates. It’s been going on a while now. This place is riddled with bullets. Fact, uh, most of the island’s in pieces now. Not sure how much more we can last... Still, let’s not let that get in the way of a good time.
He’s here! 2-D!
(the opening of "Y.M.C.A." by Village People plays, continuing as the two men speak)
Murdoc: Go on 2-D, say something. The world awaits with bated breath (yawn).
2-D: Err... ‘ello. Alright?
Murdoc: Oh, he’s alive, oh... So, yeah, it’s um, great, uh- to have you on the show. Really, really- y’know, great. (intake) You’re, uh, you’re here today to, uh, tell us about a fascinating project that you’ve been up to, yeah, hm? The, uh, The Fall, y’know. Let me just, uh, fill the listeners in on that, uh. While we were away, watching Damon Albarn and his grubby two-faced cohorts steal our stage last year, we—namely, my good buddy and Gorillaz cohort 2-D here—managed to put together a little tour diary album, uh, y’know. A sonic reminder of the power of the original Gorillaz, y’know? Entitled The Fall. (sharp intake of breath) 2-D, uh, would you like to tell us a little bit about the record?
2-D: It’s, uh, something I did on the, uh, iPad, initially.
Murdoc: Right…
2-D: Yeah, just started sketching out ideas, in each town that we played in.
Murdoc: Or didn’t. I- I don’t know what happened there, really. Uh, I mean, we went on that tour, right, arrived at each venue and sound checked every night. But then, each and every dressing room in each and every venue the door was jammed. Jammed shut! So, I never made it to the stage. I just had to put up with listening to that sodding Gorillaz live tribute band play every night. I mean, y’know, they sounded good... really good. But not a patch on what they would have been with me in the line-up, of course. (dry cough) So, mm, yeah where were we? Oh yeah! Yeah, yeah, yeah, The Fall. Gorillaz tour guide. I need more rum, mm...
2-D: Some of it was, uh, recorded in dressing rooms (Murdoc talks over 2-D, Oh, yeah), some (Yeah, yeah right) in the mountains, some in the back of the bus, going through all of the towns. (Yeah, right, yeah) The Fall, it like- it’s like each tracks a little music polaroid of another stop on the Gorillaz US tour, like a snap shot, y’know? It’s not meant to be (Mm, yeah) too detailed, or anythin’. It’s just an impression of where we were, or the mood I was in on that day, or, y’know, just- just weather or something I saw. It’s more like a scrapbook with some cuttin's and sketches in (Yeah, right), a diary! Yeah, it's- it’s a tour diary, uh, I mean, someone’s said it’s like a sketchbook full doodles you find lyin’ about on the pavement. Uh, I don’t know really. It’s just a record I made with some gadgets. Innit?
Murdoc: And what did the doctors say about all this?
2-D: (generally confused) Huh? Uh, what...?
Murdoc: Never mind! Shall we hear a track off the album? What do you wanna start with?
2-D: I thought we could start at the beginnin’ (Where else?) This track, okay, is called "Phoner To Arizona", and it’s got a, uh, well- it’s like a train journey or a soundtrack to a train journey. It’s a horror train, actually (small laugh) uh, going from stop, one station, into a sun scorched horrible descent into darkness, nighttime, trouble and mayhem. As the tour progressed and got messier and messier, this relentless train is still hurtlin’ through the night, er, like, you know, smashing its ghostly way from town to town and city to city, an unstoppable juggernaut of hedonism, chaos and mayhem.
Murdoc: Available as a download kids. If ya still listening.
2-D: Actually, Jamie Hewlett did a video to this track. It shows what I’m talkin’ about a bit. It’s up on our website, I think. It’s definitely out there somewhere. So this track, it’s a horror score I guess-
Murdoc: Mind ya coco folks, here it is. Gorillaz, "Phoner To Arizona". (dry, classic chuckle)
(“Phoner to Arizona” by Gorillaz plays)
Murdoc: Okay, that was "Phoner to Arizona" by Gorillaz and that's the first track from the new Gorillaz release, The Fall.
Moving swiftly on, here’s a song about a train, too. And this one’s a nice train, not one filled with rum and madness. Here’s Peggy Seeger with "Freight Train". I’m ge- I’m getting the fear... I s- I swear, I- I- I need something to blot it all out. Just give me some medication, pleeease, knock out drops-
("Freight Train" by Peggy Seeger plays)
("The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass plays, the two men speak over it)
Murdoc: (is startled awake) Huh? 'Ey? What's that? Oh no, urh, no, it's the trumpets...!
2-D: Ah! Yeah, this is that Herb Alpert tune that the Gorillaz live band would play in the dressin' room before takin' the stage (MY stage!). Every night.
Murdoc: It’s bringing back the visions! Make it go away...
2-D: I quite like it.
(the track continues)
Murdoc: (sounds of relief) Phew. They’re gone. (panting) Yeah... Oh, yeah, right. (clearing his throat). This is me, Murdoc Niccals from the actual Gorillaz, talking to 2-D from the... actual... Gorillaz (sharp breath) about the, uh, new Gorillaz release, The Fall. A 15 track album of tunes, tracks, ambience, and noodlings, all recorded while one the recent Gorillaz American tour last year. It- it was originally given away as a free gift to all of our lovely Gorillaz fans on, uh, Christmas day last year. How nice. And now, and only now, it’s getting a proper release. On CD too, something you put in your car, y’know. Or download straight onto your hi-fi. Ingenious. Shall we have a listen to another track off the album? Which one do you wanna play next, mate?
2-D: Oh! Uh, I thought maybe we could go for "Revolving Doors" (Mm, yeah), actually…
Murdoc: So, uh, what inspired this track, then?
2-D: Uh, er, a set of revolving doors…?
Murdoc: (sarcastic sounding) Ah, yeah, brilliant. Go on.
2-D: Well, this came from a thought, yeah, a feeling I had while I was away. As I was walkin’ into a hotel, through the doors, the revolving doors, and the dislocation of bein' away, y’know, out of sorts, away from home, and... this image of this door permanently revolvin’. The endless repetition and the pointless rhythm of it all... (Oh yeah, yeah) I guess struck quite a melancholic image within me. (Really?) Y’know, just- just the routine of-
Murdoc: (interrupts) Can I stop you there? Thanks. You know who I really fancy at the moment? Um, Kara Tointon from EastEnders, the TV program. You seen that? I think she’s really got something going for her, y’know? I think- what I’d like to do is get her on the island, this island here, and um, y’know... do her. (immature chuckle) Y’know, think that would be great. (more chuckling) Anyway, sorry what- what were you saying?
2-D: Uh... yeah, I was watching these doors spin 'round, just revolving gently ‘n’ the feeling I got was quite-
Murdoc: (interrupts again) Here’s "Revolving Doors" from the new Gorillaz release, The Fall. Out on April the 18th. You know what? You’re really weird, you are. I don’t know what’s going on in your head half the time. I don’t think you should talk anymore.
2-D: You did ask.
Murdoc: Go and mix me a drink. I’m gonna put you back in the cellar in a minute. "Revolving Doors", strewth.
("Revolving Doors" by Gorillaz plays)
("America" by Simon & Garfunkel plays)
Murdoc: It’s a fascinating process isn’t it folks, y’know? The idea of searching for the heart of America. (sharp breath) Dear old Dennis and Peter Fonda did it in Easy Rider. Didn’t really work out for them in the end though, did it? He got blown off his motorcycle by a couple of gun-toting, toothless rednecks at the end of the film. (slow breath)
We just heard the track "America" there by, uh, Simon and Garfunkel. Art Garfunkel actually did walk right across America. He walked right across, from East to West coast. It was, y’know, over a period of about five years, and at the end of each leg, he’d fly home and then fly back to where he'd left off some months later and continue the journey. And, uh, the whole thing actually took him about five years. At the end of it, um, in an interview, he was asked what he’d learnt, y’know, what had happened, y’know, I mean did anything of, uh- uh, any real note happen. And, y’know, at first, he was silent, pensive, thoughtful. And then he said “no, not really.” But then, when pushed, I mean, there must be something, surely. He then said “well, one time some rowdies drove past in a car, and threw a can at me, and it hit me in my chest.” Really? “Yeah! It hit me, and bounced off my chest.” And that was about the sum total of his experience, being hit in the chest with a beer can. So, I guess really another unsuccessful mission. Not really worth five years of traversing the states for really, that, is it? Not as easy as it looks folks, looking for the heart of America. (small laugh)
Here’s Mercury Rev with "Snowflake in a Hot World".
("Snowflake in a Hot World" by Mercury Rev plays)
Murdoc: Right then Face Ache, it’s my turn to choose a track off this record, and I’m gonna go for the song "Amarillo". Which I think may be the stand out number on this album, actually. It’s all in my bass line I think, y’know, it’s the glue, the glue that really holds this track together. (sharp breath) This is nice though, "Amarillo". Featuring Charley Sheen on maracas, I believe. He was quite high when he did this. Baked off his head on 100%, pure, uncut Charley… Sheen.
2-D: Um... Uh, I don’t-
Murdoc: (interrupts) That’s right! We had a bunch of famous collaborators again for this one. There was, err, Boneo- Bono, uh, in the corner watching with his big shoes and his shades on, and What’s-His-Face out of Pink Floyd just going bald on the sofa. The Everly Brothers popped in to do backing vocals. Omar(?) Sharif on drums. Billy Butlin, spoons and looking very relaxed. Adolf Hitler on vibes, nice. Princess Anne on zeusaphone, mm. And introducing Liberace there on clarinet. Lord Snooty and his pals, tapdancing. (the music begins to drown Murdoc out) And in the grove with Harold Wilson on violin. And over there on the ukulele, Eric Clapton everyone, thank you Eric…
("Amarillo" by Gorillaz plays)
Murdoc: Mm, that’s wonderful, lovely little number there. That’s Amarillo folks, by us, Gorillaz. Featuring a standout vocal there by you, 2-D. Your voice really is your saving grace, isn’t it? I mean your, well, your singing voice. Not the one you use for talking, which, quite frankly, is irritating. It’s amazing, isn’t it, how many people singing and talking voices are, y’know, so very different to each other. Sometimes, totally opposite.
2-D: W- what do you mean?
Murdoc: Well, for example, Prince, the pint-sized purple sex magnet, his singing voice (does as high a voice he can) is all right up here, falsetto! (does as low a voice as he can) But his talking voice is very deep. (‘normal’) Michael Jackson too, y’know, a very high singing voice but a very deep talking voice. Well behind the scenes, apparently. Well, it was (rip sigh). And you, in here, you sound like Joe Pasquale.
2-D: Right, okay.
Murdoc: And on record, totally different. Totally listenable. Strange.
Anyway, must move on- oh, my leg's gone to sleep, so, I’m gonna wake it up with this track by The Damned. This is "Neat Neat Neat".
("Neat Neat Neat" by The Damned plays)
Murdoc: Bobby Womack (2-D speaks: Yes). Dear old Bobby Womack (Yes). Legend, soul pioneer, singer extraordinaire... (deep breath) What the hell did he wanna get mixed up with you for?
2-D: I, uh... just thought... while we were-
Murdoc: Still, whatever the circumstances surrounding this strange union, it did at least produce this little piece of magic. Can you, uh, tell us, uh, anything about this track, 2-D?
2-D: Yeah, it’s a track that we recorded with Boddy Womack. In Phoenix.
Murdoc: And it’s called?
2-D: Uh, "Bobby in Phoenix".
Murdoc: Say what you see then 2-D, it’s as simple as that. Here’s "Bobby in Phoenix". (the track starts to play) Can you, uh, can you bring your face a little closer for a second?
2-D: Uh, okay, why? (sound of 2-D being punched) OW!
Murdoc: Uh, just wanted to see if that would have any effect.
("Bobby in Phoenix" by Gorillaz ft. Bobby Womack plays)
Murdoc: "Bobby in Phoenix" there with uh, Bobby Womack. He worked with The Rolling Stones, he wrote and recorded "It’s All Over Now", y’know. That was their first number one hit, it’s one of my favourite songs by my all-time favourite band.
2-D: Umm…
Murdoc: Right, right, (cough) this is, uh, really testing the limits of my patience. (sharp intake and clearing of throat) I’m gonna fix myself a nice warm armful while you guys ‘n’ girls out there can groove away on this. This is The Rolling Stones with "Around and Around". Hit it, Keith!
("Around and Around" by The Rolling Stones plays)
("Alala" by CSS plays)
Murdoc: The thing about having your own radio station and being trapped on an island is that you don’t have to adhere to any of the normal scheduling restrictions imposed by the usual stations. (sharp breath) You can play what you want from any era for as long as you want. Here’s Windy & Carl with "Though the Portal". (small snort) I went through a portal once. It belonged to a wizard. But that’s another story (thoughtful noises). Here’s Windy & Carl.
("Through the Portal" by Windy & Carl plays)
Murdoc: (record scratch) Look out, incoming.
(sound of a torpedo hitting the island with a lot of aftermath, including more firing)
("The Snake in Dallas" by Gorillaz plays)
Murdoc: This is Murdoc Niccals, from Gorillaz, beaming out live from Plastic Beach and talking to our singer 2-D. Uh, which is rare, because, well, frankly, I’ve never liked him and done everything I can to avoid talking to him over the years. (clears throat) But today, I’m talking to him about the new Gorillaz release, The Fall. Which was recorded behind the scenes on the recent American Gorillaz tour, mainly by this blue-haired plank sitting next to me.
2-D: (very cheery) Hello!
Murdoc: So, you just heard the track "The Snake in Dallas" from the album, a squiggly little number there. "The Snake in Dallas", yeah, yeah, I like it, it’s very… well y’know, using the music to conjure pictures of animals, and- have you heard this?
2-D: What’s that?
Murdoc: "The Battle of the Locusts". It’s by Aphrodite’s Child, it goes like this-
("The Battle of the Locusts" by Aphrodite's Child plays)
Murdoc: Anyway, you get the idea.
Right then, now, here’s something rambunctiously Congolese. This one’s, uh, rumbled it’s way all the way out from the Congo and is now sashaying out of your speakers. And if you listen carefully, you can hear me joining in on my small plastic trumpet. Um, I’m not sure the uh, musicians were, uh, particularly happy with my little performance, as, uh, well, they did throw me out. But I managed to sneak back in to finish off the track with them about a minute later, which was good. Have a listen, see what you think. Uh, this is "Nzorba", and it’s by Franco. With me, Murdoc Niccals, on toy trumpet.
("Nzorba" by Franco plays)
Murdoc: Right then, what’s in the news today on this wicked evil planet Earth?
(cheery game show music plays in the background as Murdoc continues)
Murdoc: Mm, right, let’s see, uh… (breath) President Obama resigns from the music industry stating he can understand why everyone hates him and his success with Genesis in the 80's. Meanwhile wonky-titted cock juggler Katie Price (sharp breath) has entered Libya at 130 miles an hour. Amy Winehouse, Iran's chief nuclear negotiator resigns having been cleared of ex-Big Brother contestant Lady Princess Dianna’s car crash; she’s all right, y’know, whatever. Mass murderer Peter Andre is all geared up for his Summer election and (?) T.V. presenters Prince William and Harry will attend the final in Moscow, co-hosted by my partner, David Furnish. In other news, President Sarkozy chucks up his oil spillage into another no-fly zone, Sarah Palin is jackknifed on the M4, and finally, as always, Kate Moss. And that's the news as it happens; all the time, every time.
Right, enough of all that kind of rubbish, let's come back from that with something else. This is a track from the brand new Kills album, Blood Pressures, (the sound of guns firing) and this song's called "The Last Goodbye". Nice strings. (the sound of an explosion leads into the next tune)
("The Last Goodbye" by The Kills plays)
Murdoc: Okay, you're listening to me, Murdoc Niccals, live in isolation on my Plastic Beach hellhole, surrounded by rum, pirates, missiles, and records. Slowly going insane and talking to my partner 2-D from Gorillaz about the Gorillaz Fall record. This next track is for our drummer Russel Hobbs who recently returned to the Gorillaz fold. His great big frame loomed out of surrounding waters and placed our long-lost guitarist Noodle back safe on dry land, too. He’s been missing for a while has Russel. Noodle, too. They both missed out on the whole Plastic Beach era of Gorillaz. Writing, recording the album, anything to do with the recent world tour, all of it. But, y’know, it’s good to have ‘em back now. And Russel, he’s enormous! Unfortunately, so is this tune. Here’s Harvey and the Phenomenals with "Soul and Sunshine".
("Soul and Sunshine" by Harvey & the Phenomenals plays)
Murdoc: Actually, while I’m on that, uh, tip, uh, I’m gonna drop this. (the track begins to play) This is a classic, featuring probably all the greatest musicians that were playing at the time, all in one place. Here’s King Curtis, live at the Fillmore West. It’s "Memphis Soul Stew". I’d, uh, introduce the musicians, but that’s what King Curtis does himself here. (sharp breath) Cheers, Russel.
("Memphis Soul Stew" by King Curtis plays) (not the exact version as in Pirate Radio, couldn't find it)
Murdoc: Right 2-D, The Fall: sound of America.
2-D: Okay, well no it’s not sound of America, it’s the sound I made in different places in America.
Murdoc: So it’s the sound America makes…
2-D: Uh, no it-it-it’s just recordin' different cities, uh, different tour busses, uh, different dressing rooms. I was using apps on the iPad, testing ‘em out and just messing around with them when-
Murdoc: What kind of apps?
2-D: Well, loads of stuff, like Speak It! which is a voice generator. Sound[y]Thingie which is… a sound thingy. Keyboard apps like the Moog, uh, Filatron, S’lo Synth, M3000 X[H]D, bs-16i, Dub Siren Pro-
Murdoc: Fat Booth, Face Ache, iBeer, Instant Album.
2-D: Um, Mugician, Electrive(?), Harmonizer-
Murdoc: Digi Booth, Timewaster, Nerd Synth, iGeek, YouTwat.
And with these, you made a scrapbook album on America. If you had to sum up Detroit in one... sound, what you think that sound would be?
2-D: I think maybe it'd be a sound... something like this, (coughs in preparation)
(the first ‘noise’ from “Detroit” plays, the track then continues with Murdoc and 2-D ‘creating it’ as it goes along)
Murdoc: Okay, that’s good, I see. (2-D speaking over him: right, well) And then what next?
2-D: And then I do this.
Murdoc: Okay, yeah, I’m with you.
2-D: Yeah, then I'd add a bit of this.
Murdoc: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s good- that’s good (yeah, aha)
2-D: Yeah, ya see? Ah? You get- yeah, right yeah. I do that a cu’pla times.
Murdoc: Okay. Nice, really nice.
2-D: And then, right, I get into a bit of this… Yeah, eh?... Mm? See that, eh? Ya feelin’ that? Ya feel me?
Murdoc: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, no that’s great!
2-D: Yeah, yep, thought you’d like it. And then I do a bit like this.
Murdoc: WOW! That’s excellent! Nice one, can I join in?
2-D: Yeah! Yeah, why not?
Murdoc: Well can I do some vocals?
2-D: Yeah, use this. This thing- that thing there, yeah just-just, just speak into it.
Murdoc: (clears throat) Oh, uh, yeah. Uh, right, right, I think I’ve got it. Okay, here goes.
2-D: Nice vocals… Good stuff, good stuff… Okay, I’m gonna bring this in now, yeah? Step tune, and fade in, now.
(the track draws to a close)
Murdoc: Phew, a bit puffed out now. (deep breath) Thanks. That was great, 2-D. That really explains a lot.
2-D: I’m just glad to help, really…
Murdoc: That was Detroit, uh, track from the new Gorillaz release, The Fall. (the sound of a ships horn and gun fire) Right, um, shall we play some music? This is Lee Hazlewood and "My Autumn's Done Come." (weary breath) I know how he feels. Oh, I need a glass of water. Feeling a bit giddy.
("My Autumn's Done Come" by Lee Hazlewood plays)
Murdoc: (more war noises can be hear from outside Murdoc’s lighthouse) Okay, looks like we’re coming to a close now and, uh, you have been lucky enough, uh, to have been listening to me, Murdoc Niccals, from Gorillaz, of Plastic Beach, Point Nemo FM, Gorillaz.com, at the end of mission 2. Talking to 2-D from Gorillaz about The Fall, the new release from Gorillaz. This little iPad assisted tour diary across America.
And the next track I’m gonna play is, well, (some up-close gunfire, breaking glass) I seem to remember playing this quite some time ago. January 2009, on a little station called Radio One over in London, in the UK. I think Steve Lamacq was there and uh, I made some, uh, honking horn noises over some band's track. A track, I think, called America, ironically enough. Huh, happy days. Seems so long ago now. (dreamy sigh)
And now where are we? Stuck on an island, being shot at by Pirates with only a mysterious book to reveal the meaning. I-I should really mention that too, uh- I found the beginnings. The first couple of chapters of that history book I was talking about. Riveting stuff, it really is! Starts with the Big Bang and moves on from there, so, it’s quite in-depth.
Anyway, on a different note, I thought maybe I should revisit that track I played all that time ago on Radio One and maybe bookend this period, as you never know when, or if, you’ll hear from me again. (the music from the track starts, the war can still be hear) You never know. Here’s Leslie Sarony with "Ain't it Grand to be Blooming Well Dead".
("Ain't it Grand to be Blooming Well Dead" by Leslie Sarony)
Murdoc: (The war is still heard) Well, it looks like they are closing in on me folks! The dark is rising, the storms are kicking off, the island’s cracking and jackboots are filling up the corridors! I’m pretty sure they’ll be catching up with me soon. Though if I do get the chance in the next and maybe the last instalment, I think I’ll be telling you, no, the world, the truth behind all this, the real truth, about the island, the live band, the boogiemen, the contracts, the tours, the world tours, the bounty hunters, everything! These will be my memoirs, the greatest story ever told, by the greatest band who have ever walked the globe! And I’ll broadcast it to the world. It'll be out there, in the ether, floating around the universe forevermore. In fact, I might even put in a book! A big, big book full of pictures photos and images, just illustrate my point! Well, that’s it, say goodbye 2-D!
2-D: (sounding oblivious to the now loud sounds of gunfire) Oh. Goodbye!
Murdoc: Goodbye, cruel world! For now! (speaks into the microphone) I’ll be back though. I’ll be back!
(loud sounds of gunfire until nothing but the sound of the ocean can be heard)
("I Wanna Marry a Light House Keeper" by Erika Eigen plays)
Audio Video[]
Pirate radio 5, The fall