Gorillaz celebrate 20 years with new hardback 'almanac' lookbook
It has been two decades since Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett first introduced their virtual band to the world. Since then, Gorillaz have redefined the confines of what a band can be time and time again, and now the group’s visual history will be brought together in a comprehensive new 120-page “almanac” book.
The full color hardback lookbook will include a wide array of special artwork, comic strips, games, puzzles, and more featuring Noodle, Murdoc Niccals, 2D, and Russel Hobbs’ cartoon outfit along with a host of Gorillaz collaborators from over the last 20 years. On the new almanac project, Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett described the band’s visual evolution over the years to Rolling Stone,
“Twenty years of drawing the same characters you cant avoid change, I think I tried to draw more realism into them around the 4th album but now I find myself looking back at the original style, which reminds me of 1970’s Hannah Barbera cartoons which I grew up on. Ultimately I would love to create an animation style as good as Chuck Jones’s style during the late 70’s. Also, I can afford to buy better pens now.”
The Gorillaz Almanac is due out October 16 Z2 Comics. Revisit Gorillaz recent at-home performance of “Aries” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! below.