| “ | Better than the Bible. ★★★★★ |
„ |
| ~ Murdoc Niccals |
Rise of the Ogre is the autobiography of Gorillaz, written by Cass Browne and illustrated by Jamie Hewlett and Zombie Flesh Eaters. It was first published on 26 October 2006 in the United Kingdom by Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin BooksW and later on 2 November 2006 in the United States by Riverhead BooksW. A paperback edition would later be released in the US on 6 November 2007.
Description[]
The following description was taken from Penguin Books' official website:[1]
| “ | I tell you what, right, I can guarantee you're going to get some real juicy bits of Gorillaz info. I'll probably slag off loads of people, too. It'll be packed full of great shots from the sets of our videos, gigs, rehearsals, interviews...you name it. It's all in there. So place your order up front kids, this book going to be a scorcher! | „ |
| ~ Gorillaz bass-slayer Murdoc Niccals |
This stunning, full-colour hardback will be the most unique rock autobiography ever published. Gorillaz have always been as much about the visuals as they are about the music, and the autobiography will be a feast for the eyes. Featuring brand new art from and designed by Jamie Hewlett, this is the full story of Murdoc, 2-D, Noodle and Russel Hobbs for the first time. Included will be their emailing with their motley crew of collaborators, from Ike Turner to Shaun Ryder, and accounts of the gigs, the movie (for the first time), the videos and the website - including the low down on Kong Studios, their legendary HQ. It is an essential purchase for a legion of fans.
Contents[]
Prelude[]
Chapter 1: Nature Adores a Vacuum[]
Chapter 2: Unto the World a Band is Born[]
Spawn of Stoke / In the Suburbs, They're Spooked / D-Day / Waking the Slumbering Giant / A Very Special Delivery / Camden Brownhouse / The History of Kong Studios
Chapter 3: How to Build a Monster[]
Gorillaz: Song by Song / Unleashing the Beast / Virtual Crack for the Stereo / Clint Eastwood / Night of the Living Dead
Chapter 4: Gorillaz on the March[]
Paris and Dublin Shows / Gorillaz Released in America / 19-2000 / Award, Take Me To A Ward / The British Dates
Chapter 5: A Storm is Brewing[]
Gorillaz and D12 / Rock The House / Gorillabitez / Charts of Darkness
Chapter 6 The Rubber Mallet of the Gods[]
Brit Awards / North American Tour / Mexico: The End of The Road / Hollywood and Bust / Hear No Evil / The Film That Time Forgot
Interlude[]
Chapter 7: A Season in Hell[]
Murdoc Goes to Mexico / Russel Hobbs: The Breakbeat Breakdown / Noodle: Down and Out in Osaka, Japan / 2D: Awright, Darling
Chapter 8: Live Tonight: Zombies![]
Meanwhile, Back in Hobbstown / Jailbreak! / Eastbourne to Essex: Tickets Please!
Chapter 9: The Making of Demon Days[]
Who Put the Chemicals in the Foodchain? / Demon Days: Song by Song / Rock It / Grand Re-opening of Kong / Search for a Star / Reject False Icons
Chapter 10: Feel Good Inc.[]
Tales of the Unexpected / Demon Days Released / Demon Days Album Reviews / Shaun of the Dead: The Night Ryder
Chapter 11: The Demon Detour[]
The Slowboat to Hades / Dirty Harry: The Dust-Up in the Desert / DARE Released / Manchester International Festival / The EMAs: Live from Lisbon / Gorillaz MTV Cribs / The Queens Speech
Chapter 12 The Light at the End of the flannel[]
Grab-A-Grammy / Brit Awards /The Set Up / El Manana, El Extremo / New York Apollo Shows
The Aftermath[]
Audiobook[]
An audiobook of Rise of the Ogre was released in four parts; making it the first audiobook in the world to be released in a singles format.[2]
The four singles were narrated by Joss AcklandW (and the band). Initially iTunes exclusive, one part was released every week for four weeks beginning 5 December 2006. The singles were eventually compiled in February 2007.[3]
However, the audiobook remains incomplete, as only the first few chapters of the book were ever narrated.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
The back of the paperback
- The back cover of the book features Jamie's interpretation of what all of the band would look like combined.
- The audiobook features the only existing recording of Paula Cracker's voice.
- At the front of the book, there is a 'Demon Disclaimer' stating the information is not all true, 'especially the stuff Murdoc says'.
- The original idea for the book was to be a compilation of all press interviews with Gorillaz from Phases 1 and 2.
- The title of the sixth chapter, The Rubber Mallet of the Gods, is a reference to an unauthorised 1985 Led ZeppelinW biography, Hammer of the GodsW, written by Stephen DavisW.
- An early first day edition of the book sold only at a pop up shop at a South Bank Centre on October 27th 2006 included a fictitious library checkout card with signatures of famous fictional characters and real life figures such as Barney Rubble, Frank Sidebottom, Serge Gainsbourg, Margot Kidder, and various others.
- Gisanh, creator of Sea-Sides ver. 3, has spent 4 years directing a continuation of Rise of the Ogre entitled Dawn Of The Ogre. Including excerpts from official interviews, lost character quotes, behind the scenes information from collaborators and 'lore plasters' to fix contradictory statements made by the cartoon characters.
- According to former Gorillaz writer Mat Wakeham, it took 3 months for Browne to write Rise Of The Ogre.[4]
- From 2020 to 2021, fan-continuations of the audiobook covering chapters 3, 4 and 5, directed by Beck Waters and Supa Bros, were released on YouTube channel Pazuzu Pictures. The videos have recently been unlisted for unknown reasons.
- Another fan-video covering chapter 6, directed and uploaded by LeftHandGorillazMethod on YouTube, was released 5 months after the last video by Pazuzu Pictures and is still up to this day.
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ "Rise of the Ogre". Penguin Books. Archived from the original on 15 September 2007. Retrieved on 22 March 2025.
- ↑ "JACKAGORY!". fans.gorillaz.com (2 December 2007). Archived from the original on 10 December 2006. Retrieved on 26 December 2019.
- ↑ "Rise Of The Ogre compilation audiobook released". Gorillaz-Unofficial (18 February 2007). Retrieved on 30 October 2024.
- ↑ Jake Zawlacki (18 March 2025). "'You can't just let them fucking take over': The Mat Wakeham interview". The Comics Journal. Retrieved on 22 March 2025.