As if today wasn’t already slammed enough with awesome music news, Damon Albarn just dropped about eight different bombshells in a new interview with Stuff (via Spin). You think Bono is busy? Albarn’s current endeavors include everything from a new Gorillaz album to a collaboration with a certain high profile bassist.
Where do we start? How about the band currently blowing our minds. Despite the fact that Gorillaz’s third LP, Plastic Beach, is less than a year old, Albarn revealed he is close to completing its followup. “I’ve actually taken a mobile studio with me on this tour, because it’s the longest I’ve been out on the road since, as I say, the days of Blur at its peak, so I have that luxury now of recording as I go. It’s basically a tour-diary as a record, I guess it’s my love-letter to America,” he explained.
Albarn also detailed another exciting venture, this in the form of a new band with Red Hot Chili Pepper bassist Flea and afro beat drummer Tony Allen, who previously collaborated with Albarn in The Good, The Bad, and The Queen. “[It’s] another band with Tony Allen; centered around what he does,” said Albarn of the project. “But this time it’s him and me and Flea from the Chili Peppers and some of my favorite African musicians will be involved also. Flea of course is an anagram for Fela and Flea is so into this music – so that’s been great.”
And if all that weren’t enough, Albarn also teased the possibility of another The Good, The Bad, and The Queen album as well as his first ever solo effort. But in regards to Blur and the possibility of a world tour, Albarn noted, “There won’t be another world tour for me – for anything – for five to six years; it would seem unlikely. I have a young daughter and it’s just not feasible, it’s too long away from home.” It can’t be all good news, kids.
Albarn didn’t share any specifics as to when we might hear these releases, so stay tuned. In the meantime, there are still a few more opportunities to see Gorillaz on the road before the New Year.
Gorillaz 2010 Tour Dates:
11/02 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena ^
11/03 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena ^
11/11 – Dublin, IE @ O2 Arena
11/12 – Manchester, UK @ Evening News Arena
11/14 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
11/15 – Amsterdam, NL @ Heineken Music Hall
11/16 – London, UK @ O2 Arena
11/17 – Birmingham, UK @ NIA
11/18 – Brighton, UK @ Centre
11/21 – Berlin, DE @ Velodrom
11/22 – Paris, FR @ Zenith
11/23 – Paris, FR @ Zenith
11/25 – Antwerp, BE @ Lotto
12/03 – Hong Kong @ Asia World Arena
12/06 – Perth, AU @ Burswood Dome
12/08 – Adelaide, AU @ Entertainment Centre
12/11 – Melbourne, AU @ Rod Laver
12/16 – Sydney, AU @ Entertainment Centre
12/19 – Brisbane, AU @ Entertainment Centre
12/21 – Auckland, NZ @ Vector Arena
^ = w/ N.E.R.D.