The Good, The Bad & The Queen Are Not A "Band"
If you've heard Damon Albarn do a radio interview, you know his M.O.: be as contrary as possible, demean every question, throw the interviewer off her game. And ya know what? He's fookin' great at it. This time Damon and Paul Simonon chat with Minnesota Public Radio's Steve Seel, who tries his best to chat about The Good, The Bad & The Queen. Only, it's not called The Good, The Bad & The Queen. In fact, it's not even a band! A sample exchange:
Steve Seel: Joining us via satellite from London, two members of the much ballyhooed new band The Good, The Bad & The Queen -- none other than Damon Albarn and Paul Simonon. Gentlemen, welcome to The Current.See, you gotta break free of your perceptions. Damon later corrects the DJ by letting him know that Gorillaz is not a "project," they "are a band, they are very much of a band!" It isn't long before Steve concedes, "See now you've thrown me all off, you've done your job of throwing me off." Not as contentious as it sounds, but poor Steve! MPR can't pay enough for that. Listen to it here. (Thanks, Sarah!)Damon Albarn: Welcome, welcome. But before we go any further, we're not called The Good The Bad And The queen. That's the name fo the album. We haven't got a name.
Steve Seel: So the band has no name. Really?
Damon and Paul: No.
Steve Seel: [laughs] I thought you were pulling one over on me. Okay ... the no-name band that is the musical project known as ...
Damon Albarn: But it's not a band, it's more like an orchestra.
Steve Seel:: Well I suppose it is now, isn't it? Is that Damon saying that?
Damon Albarn: That is.
Steve Seel: Okay Damon, explain to me ...
Damon Albarn:Well, a band is like four or five or three people. But I mean, we're already, we're not at full strength, but we're already playing with like another five strings, and somebody plays the organ, and the moogs and the celeste, and the electric piano, and I play the acoustic piano... so ya know we're up to 11 already, so that's more like an orchestra, really. And it can only get bigger. Ya know, really. To call it a band is not quite... I mean we are, but that's the way people perceive things ...
Posted at 11:00 AM
Tags: Damon Albarn | Gorillaz | The Good The Bad And The Queen
that guy steve is actually a really nice guy. its true.
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Hold on, John Phillip Sousa on the line, what's that? He says bands often have more than 5 people and orchestras are typically acoustic. Hold on, someone's on the other line,[CLICK] It's Jeff Lyne... uh huh, yeah of course. Jeff says orchestras can be electric and he recommends lighting them, also electrically -- I'm going to conference these guys together -- [click] -- everyone there? Sweet, yeah totally Jeff, he's being a complete douche for no reason other than being a douche old school Britpop style… what's that Sousa? Oh yeah, Parklife is totally effing rad, can't front on that.
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Phew. At least it wasn't just us. http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article?article_id=3645
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"Damon, are the Clash going to get back together with you as the lead singer?"
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I agree with Not From Minneapolis - Steve Seel is a nice guy and a fine on-air talent. Hell, he even answers his own e-mail.
If you get a chance, tune in to hear Steve on MPR's 89.3 The Current (www.thecurrent.org). The station has a format similar to KCRW, but 89.3 has a much better Brit DJ (Nic Harcourt is overrated - Mark Wheat is the man! ).
The Current celebrates two years on the air today. And thousands of Minnesotans are thrilled to have a decent radio station to listen to.
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"Simon Timonon"
Is that purposely a mixture of Paul Simonon and Simon Tong or just a typo?
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GQ did a brief article on them recently, and the "non-band" said that after growing up, they no longer need a name, as they no longer need a symbol to stand under to make them feel as a group.
It's in the January issue of this year. It's less than a page long, so you could read at the news stand, put it down, and walk away without feeling that you've sold out.
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Hey Paste, at least your writer got a nice free junket to England!
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damon isn't a twat, he's an imbecile.
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For a record with Tony Allen and a guy from the Clash, it sure is fucking dull. Why even HAVE Tony Allen if you aren't gonna let him cut loose?
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OK - I'll be the only one to acknowledge the brilliance of Gorilla's comment. Well played.
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Every thing Damon Albarn has done in any band, project, orchestra, or circle-jerk whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter because it is all boring IMO.
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Every thing Damon Albarn has done in any band, project, orchestra, or circle-jerk whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter because it is all boring IMO.
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Every thing Damon Albarn has done in any band, project, orchestra, or circle-jerk whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter because it is all boring IMO.
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I agree with Not Mary Lucia. Nic Harcourt is over-rated. KCRW might be the most smug radio station with questionable taste in the country.
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