Double Bass

While exploring “Double Bass,” one of the tracks from Gorillaz’s debut album, we came across a curious recording anecdote that reveals part of the band’s creative essence. According to virtual drummer Russel Hobbs in his autobiography *Rise of the Ogre*, a small suction-cup microphone purchased at Tandy—designed to capture and convert thoughts into musical sounds—was used for this song. This unique feature is complemented by a single vocal line, performed by Damon Albarn, although it was initially thought to belong to the fictional bassist Murdoc Niccals—a confusion clarified in the same publication. With a runtime of 4:45, “Double Bass” is the ninth track on the album.

“Double Bass” is part of Gorillaz’s debut album, released in the United Kingdom on March 26, 2001, via Parlophone. This album was characterized by notable experimentation, incorporating a variety of musical genres including trip hop, rap rock, art rock, hip hop, dub, reggae, Latin music, psychedelic music, and punk rock. Jason Cox and Tom Girling served as engineers for the recording, while production was a collaboration between Jason Cox, Dan the Automator, Tom Girling, and the band Gorillaz itself.

The band Gorillaz was conceived in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, who brought their four fictional members to life: 2-D, Noodle, Murdoc Niccals, and Russel Hobbs. Their artistic vision takes shape through animated music videos, interviews, and short films, creating a unique narrative universe. Although Albarn is the only permanent musician in real life, the band has evolved, incorporating Remi Kabaka Jr.—who had been the voice of Russel Hobbs for several years—as an official member in 2016, a notable addition featured in the 2019 documentary *Gorillaz: Reject False Icons. The success of their debut album was such that it reached number three on the UK charts and sold around seven million copies worldwide, an achievement that earned them a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful virtual band.