Gorillaz Attack Chart As Label Gives Nod Of Approval

06/29/2001 1:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Darren Davis

(6/29/01, 1 p.m. ET) -- Gorillaz, featuring the animated characters Murdoc (bassist, leader), 2-D (frontman poster-boy), Russel (drummer, hip-hop hardman), and Noodle (kick-ass female guitarist), has surpassed Virgin Records' sales expectations. The self-titled album is set to enter the Billboard 200 album chart at Number 39. In addition, the Gorillaz tune "Clint Eastwood" debuted on the Radio & Records Alternative chart this week at Number 48.

The band is really directed behind the scenes by Blur's Damon Albarn, who told LAUNCH what his expectations are for Gorillaz, and how success in America affects the animated band. "We'd like to see what would happen to the band and how we'd react to that and how we'd develop the whole character of what we're doing if we're successful in America," Albarn said. "That's the exciting thing about it--it's just going with the flow and reacting to that, and watching the characters reacting to that."

Gorillaz and its creators are working on a half-hour special for air in the U.K. and possibly in the U.S., and a North American tour is forthcoming.

-- Darren Davis, New York

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