The Gorrilaz-verse- The story of a band from another universe

Credit: Far Out / Parlophone Records / Gorillaz

Why is the Gorillaz song named ‘Clint Eastwood’?

Mon 14 October 2024 21:45, UK

In 2001, something new emerged. At the turn of the millennium, in the MTV age, when everything was becoming less real and more digital, a band took it one step further. Made up of cartoons and powered just as much by visual art as the music, Gorillaz were a response to the new world as Damon Albarn shook off Britpop and went virtual. ‘Clint Eastwood’ was the song that started it all.

People were instantly hooked. Only five years prior, Albarn had been locked into the ‘Battle of Britpop’ as Blur and Oasis fought for number one. He was one of the leading figures of the world’s reignited passion for guitar music, so this sudden switch-up as he not only embraced the digital world but dove right into it caught his attention. The Fred Perry shirts and boyish brawls were long gone. Suddenly rock was out, even pop was out. Instead, the launch of Gorillaz embraced a mix of electro, hip hop and a whole range of global sounds.

But while Damon’s musical switch up caught the attention of the ears, it’s Jamie Hewlett that caught the eyes. The visual world of Gorillaz is just as essential as the music itself as it’s the cast of cartoon band members that take centre stage. When they first started out, they were utterly committed to that, as rather than doing a classic tour, they did a somewhat virtual one with Albarn concealed behind a screen while his character of 2-D performed. It was an odd experience, as the musician said, “For someone who had just spent the last ten years out front being a frontman [with Blur], it was a really weird experience. And I have to say, some nights I just wanted to get a knife and just cut [the screen] and stick my head through.”

Now, years on, Gorillaz has undergone many changes. The lineup has seen major rearrangements, with Albarn standing as one of the only enduring members and the leading force behind the group. Eight albums in, the virtual band has also been on quite a journey, moving with the times as the technologically advanced band has kept up with technological advances, ensuring that Gorillaz’s online energy remains engaging.

But in 2001, it all began with one song. When ‘Clint Eastwood’ dropped, the reaction was instant and obsessive. It’s certified double platinum and held up as a beloved track that crowd still clamber to hear live today.

But why is it called ‘Clint Eastwood’?

Despite being named after the iconic American actor, the ‘Clint Eastwood’ lyrics have absolutely nothing to do with Clint Eastwood. The actor is famed for starring in western flicks, becoming a key part of America’s obsession with cowboy films in the 1950s and ‘60s. But since then, he’s had an enduring career as one of Hollywood’s most respected players. Even if you haven’t seen a Clint Eastwood movie, it would be tough to find someone who didn’t at least know his name.

But when it comes to the song, it really has nothing to do with the actor. Instead, it’s about the strange way that his presence seemed to haunt the track’s creation.

It began right when Albarn began crafting the track. The group were working on the song and the debut album over in Jamaica where the musician began hearing about a local artist around there who released his stuff under the American actor’s moniker.

“We were recording in Jamaica and listening to a lot of dancehall music, and we imagined a cool moniker to have would be Clint Eastwood,” he said, capturing the energy of the place with the lyric, “I got sunshine in a bag.”

Once that idea was planted in his head, it seemed he couldn’t shake the thought of the actor off as another influence came in. He added, “I’m a great fan of the actor and of Sergio Leone and Ennio Morricone,” referencing the famed director and composer who worked together on The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, Eastwood’s most famous project.

So, while the song has absolutely nothing to do with Eastwood, his legacy lingers on the track in two roundabout ways, through his most famous film and a Jamaican imitator.