New Gorillaz album out beforeChristmas

Mon 15th Nov, 2010 in International News

Damon Albarn has been busy touring with Gorillaz and revealing very exiting tidbits about his upcoming plans, which include a new Gorillaz album he wants to release before Christmas, a new side supergroup side project and even ‘something’ for Blur in January.

Albarn is planning to drop his follow-up to Plastic Beach, which he has recorded while touring with Gorillaz across America, before Christmas. The new record will be made up of new material Albarn has produced on his iPad during the tour, rather than the 64 tracks left over from the Plastic Beach sessions . “I guess it’s my love letter to America,” he told New Zealand’s Stuff, “I used to be baffled by this place, and I guess I still am in some ways; America confused me enormously. But right now, with all that’s going on, this is a good place to be and this has been a great tour.”

With the fourth Gorillaz album set for release before the end of the year, Albarn is keen to return to work with Blur, telling Sky News that he has spoken to the other members of the band about “doing something in January, something small, no career-based world domination ideas.”

In addition to new Blur and Gorillaz work, Albarn has also formed a new band featuring The Good, The Bad & The Queen’ drummer Tony Allen and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea. The unnamed band is centred around what Allen’s Afrobeat sounds and are “three-quarters finished” a debut album.

Those Afrobeat sounds have also been influencing the new Red Hot Chili Peppers record , with Flea, drummer Chad Smith and new Chilli Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer recently traveling through Nigeria, Ethiopia and Lagos. Smith told Spin after the trip that the “music just moves to a different groove, it’s not your typical Western four-four. The rhythms are so infectious. We’re not trying to cop that thing, but we’re just doing our take on it. Hopefully we’ll come up with something new.”

Although Albarn has several projects on the go he insists that “There won’t be another world tour for me, for anything, for five to six years. I have a young daughter and it’s just not feasible, it’s too long away from home.” So if you want to see Albarn before 2015 you’d better head along to see him when Gorillaz tour in December.

FasterLouder’s interview with Damon Albarn is coming very soon.