Gorillaz, the animated band created by Damon Albarn (music) and Jamie Hewlett (graphics), promoted their second album in April 2005 with an animated music video, ‘Feel Good’, building on the success of their 2001 debut album, Gorillaz. The video opens with a cityscape, sirens in the background and two helicopters flying over a through the smog. We follow the vertical line of a tower through the clouds to the ‘Feel Good Inc’ nightclub.
A red glow washes over the sleeping punters from an all night party. 2D sits awake on a chair centre stage. The band starts up with ‘Feel Good’ lyrics: “Feel good, sh-shake it, shake it, touch.” Murdoc plays bass lying in the crowd, a female punter twiddling with the cross around his neck. Russel gets the percussion going.
2D pushes out the first verse through a megaphone: “Satan’s breakin’ down on a camel’s back. They just have to go ‘cuz they dont know whack. So all of you in the streets, though it’s appealing to see, you wont get out the caddy ‘cuz you’re dead and free. You’ve got a new horizon – it’s ephemeral style – melancholy town where we never smile. And all I wanna hear is the message beep. My dreams, they gotta kissin’ ‘cuz I don’t get sleep, no.”
As 2D looks through the barred windows he hears a beep and sees a windmill flying through the clouds, pursued by the two helicopters. The face of Noodle is superimposed on the scene as 2D sings: “Windmill, windmill for the land. Turn forever hand in hand. Take it all in on your stride. It is sticking, falling down. Love forever – love is free. Let’s turn forever you and me. Windmill, windmill for the land. Is everybody in?”
It’s back to the Feel Good Inc. nightclub where De La Soul is rapping the next verses on the big screens. “Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats, Linin’ em up like ass cracks, Ladies Homies Outta Track, It’s my chocolate attack. Shit, I’m stepping in hotter this year, Care bear bumpin’ in the heart of this here, Watch me as I gravitate, hahahahahaaaa. Yo, we gonna go ghost town, this motown, with yo sound you’re in the blink. Goin to bite the dust. Can’t fight with us. With your sound you’ll kill the Inc. So don’t stop. Get it, Get it. Until you cheader header, Now watch the way I navigate, hahahahahaaaaa.”
Now we see Noodle flying through the air, playing accoustic guitar with feet dangling over the edge of her island, complete with tree and windmill, green grass, dappled sunshine and butterflies. 2D gives us the lyrics: “Windmill, Windmill for the land, turn forever hand in hand. Take it all in on your stride. It is sticking, falling down. Love forever love is free. Let’s turn forever you and me. Windmill, windmill for the land, Is everybody in?”
2D retreats to his chair as De La Soul come back with the taunting words: “Don’t stop, get it get it. We are your captains in it (feel good), Steady, Watch me navigate, hahahaaaaa (feel good) Dont stop, get it, get it, we are your captains in it (feel good), Steady, Watch me navigate, hahahahahaaaa!”
The windmill island disappears through the clouds. The video ends with the two helicopters zooming past, still in hot pursuit.
Click on the image below to play the video.
Production Background
‘Feel Good’ was directed by Jamie Hewlett (Gorillaz co-founder and artist) and Australian-born Pete Candeland from Passion Pictures. Executive Producer was Cara Speller, with Emilie Walmsley as Producer. Post production was done at Rushes, with producer Carl Grinter, VFX artists Duncan Malcolm, Marcus Wood and Brian Carbin.
The video uses a fusion of drawn and computer animation, painted backgrounds and treated live action. All the animation was done in house at Passion Pictures where co-director Pete Candeland directed a team of 35 animators, designers and compositors.
All the band members and party crowd were drawn and animated by hand and scanned and coloured in Toonz. The Feel Good Inc tower and Noodle’s island with the windmill were all modelled, animated and lit in CG using computer software Lightwave. The sense of space and freedom outside the tower is suggested by huge bright painted cloud formations designed by art director Daniel Cacouault using Adobe Photoshop. For the live action performance from De La Soul, a camera on a body rig was attached to the performers to achieve some of the distorted perspectives of their faces. This footage was treated at Rushes to create the lens flare in some of the shots. All these elements were composited at Passion Pictures using Adobe After Effects.
Feel Good Inc was the first single to be taken from the album, Demon Days which was released by Parlophone. The video premiered on Top of the Pops, BBC1, April 1, 2005. The single hit the shelves on May 9 followed by the album on May 23.
Feel Good Inc. Lyrics
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Feel good, sh-shake it, shake it. (8x)
touch (8x)
satans breakin’ down on a camel’s back.
They just have to go ‘cuz they dont know whack
So all of you in the streets though it’s appealing to see.
You wont get out the caddy ‘cuz you’re dead and free
You’ve got a new horizon it’s ephemeral style.
Melancholy town where we never smile
And all I wanna hear is the message beep.
My dreams, they gotta kissin’
‘cuz I don’t get sleep, no.
*BEEP*
Windmill, Windmill for the land.
Turn forever hand in hand.
Take it all in on your stride.
it is sticking, falling down.
Love forever love is free.
Let’s turn forever you and me.
Windmill, windmill for the land.
Is everybody in?
yea! yea! yea!
Laughing gas these hazmats, fast cats,
Linin’ em up like ass cracks,
Ladies Homies Outta Track,
It’s my chocolate attack.
Shit, I’m stepping in hotter this year,
Care bear bumpin’ in the heart of this here,
Watch me as I gravitate,
hahahahahaaaa.
Yo, we gonna go ghost town,
this motown,
with yo sound
you’re in the blink
Goin to bite the dust
Can’t fight with us
With your sound
You’ll kill the Inc.
So don’t stop
Get it, Get it
Until you cheader header,
Now watch the way I navigate,
hahahahahaaaaa. touch (in background)
Hahahahahahahahahaha!
Windmill, Windmill for the land.
Turn forever hand in hand.
Take it all in on your stride.
it is sticking, falling down.
Love forever love is free.
Let’s turn forever you and me.
Windmill, windmill for the land,
Is everybody in?
Don’t stop, get it get it
We are your captains in it (feel good),
Steady, Watch me navigate,
hahahaaaaa (feel good)
Dont stop, get it, get it, we are your captains in it (feel good),
Steady, Watch me navigate,
hahahahahaaaa (feel good). (2x)
Sh-shake it, shake it, Feel good. (4x)
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa…(etc)
Love this video. I think the art is getting better and better.