Gorillaz co-founders Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett recently sat down with Zane Lowe on Apple Music’s Zane Lowe Show to discuss their career and new album, "The Mountain." The conversation revisited one of their most ambitious and challenging live moments: their 2006 Grammy Awards performance.

The High-Concept Challenge of Gorillaz

Formed in 1998 by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, Gorillaz established themselves as a unique entity. The virtual band blends experimental indie rock with four distinct characters created by Hewlett: 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs.

This approach placed visual presentation on equal footing with the music, resulting in a high-concept experience. Their sound has consistently evolved, featuring collaborations with diverse artists like De La Soul, Snoop Dogg, and Bobby Womack.

Recalling the 2006 Grammy Disaster

Pulling off this complex act live has not always been seamless. A prime example was their widely criticized hologram performance at the 2006 Grammy Awards. During the event, they performed their hit “Feel Good Inc.” and joined Madonna for a duet of “Hung Up” using the Musion Eyeliner System.

Lowe noted that the holograms looked “awful in the room,” though they “kind of worked on TV.” Albarn agreed, stating the television broadcast was a “win” and “brilliant on TV. But awful in the room.”

Technical Failures Behind the Illusion

Hewlett explained the core technical issues that plagued the live execution of the hologram. The technology required the music volume to be kept very low during the performance.

“It was too expensive and the technology hadn’t been developed well enough,” Hewlett stated. He elaborated that turning up the bass and drums caused the invisible screen to vibrate, disrupting the animations.

Because the performance was so quiet, many in the audience were unaware the show had even begun. Albarn recalled that the initial concept involved the ability to stage 12 simultaneous shows globally, an ambition predating ABBA’s later hologram endeavors.

Daft Punk Comparison and Albarn’s Visibility

The discussion also touched upon the connection between Gorillaz and the masked techno duo Daft Punk, who broke through around the same late-1990s period. Hewlett noted that both acts shared an element of incognito presentation.

Albarn observed that Daft Punk members Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo had literal masks to conceal their identities. However, Albarn felt he was at a disadvantage because fans knew the famous face behind Gorillaz’s lead vocals.

Lowe teased Albarn about this, joking that he was the “victim of your face,” a sentiment they have apparently discussed for decades. The wider interview covered their 2010 Glastonbury set, challenges with in-character interviews, and a scrapped plan for a Gorillaz movie.