Zombie Flesh Eaters was the former creative agency and design team created by Jamie Hewlett made specifically for Gorillaz content. They were a part of Gorillaz from 2000 until its disbanding in 2012.
Role in Gorillaz[]
Zombie Flesh Eaters is the company that was set up by Jamie Hewlett and Mat Wakeham specifically to cater to the heavy work demands of the Gorillaz project. The Zombie Flesh Eaters realized Jamie's vision for the visual side of the Gorillaz project. Projects that Zombie Flesh Eaters have undertaken are: constructing, designing and maintaining all aspects of the Gorillaz.com, writing the responses to email interviews with the Gorillaz that are published in magazines, designing the sleeves for Gorillaz records, making the official Gorillaz postings on the Gorillaz message boards, performing the role of Gorillaz in the official chats, drawing all the Gorillaz official artwork and pictures, and designing and doing a lot of work for the Gorillaz DVDs, 'Celebrity Take Down' and 'Slowboat To Hades'. Their offices were right next to Damon Albarn's at Studio 13 until Christmas 2010, when Hewlett would later move to Paris and go through a 4 year falling out with Albarn - ZFE would disband after this.
Biography[]
Zombie Flesh Eaters was founded in 2000 (they share their name with a 1979 Lucio Fulci zombie film). Initially, Jamie had recruited just Mat Wakeham, but it soon became clear the project would need more hands. Mat would reach out to Matt Watkins for an interview, who recommended his brother Tim Watkins in to work on the technical aspects of the website. Kate McLauchlin was working in the same studio as Lucy McLauchlin, Matt's girlfriend at the time, so they brought her in as a graphic designer. Later, even more personnel were brought in. Gorillaz was the primary focus of the group from 2000-2002, but after the release of the self-titled album they worked on a variety of other projects. These projects include interactive menus for a John Lennon DVD and promotional work for Freq Nasty, an artist on the Skint label. The company has had little projects since, and their role in the Gorillaz project has declined over the years. On the 24th April 2012, Zombie Flesh Eaters shut down, as Jamie Hewlett moved to France during his 4 year falling out with Damon Albarn. Since Gorillaz' return in 2017, Hewlett now does Gorillaz' design work himself or with the assistance from Stars Redmond, Siobhan Battye, Eleven Management or LuckyMe Studios.
Members[]
- Jamie Hewlett - Director
- Mat Wakeham - Creative Director (2000-2003)
- Matt Watkins - Webmaster
- Tim Watkins - Web Programming or "Functionality Aesthetician"
- Kate McLauchlan - Core Graphic Designer
- Mike Robinson - Web-designer
- Cass Browne - Lead Scriptwriter
- James Coore - 3D Animation
- Tom Thorne - Business Manager
- Seb Monk
- Susan Oppong-Wiafe
- Anthony Dillon
- Warren Hewlett
- Stephen McDonagh
- Benjamin Sims
- David J. Bennett
- Jack Gladstone
- Kersti Bergstorm
- Susan K.
- Adam Gale
- Joshua Sanders
- Chris Garbutt (2000)
External links[]
- Zombie Flesh Eaters (Official website)
- Zombie Flesh Eaters (2001 Archive)
- Zombie Flesh Eaters (2002 Archive)
- Zombie Flesh Eaters (2005 Archive)