Top 25 Damon Albarn Quotes

No, every album is something like a snapshot. It only shows one moment in time. It shows what we feel and think right at that point in time, nothing more and nothing less.

Whether people like it or not, China is incredibly important to the future of mankind. For me, this is something that we all need to have intelligent discussions about in America, in Britain, in Europe.

I was approached by Oxfam to go to Mali as their ambassador and get involved in their various initiatives out there. But I felt that was missing the point of using me, a musician.

I’m not a monarchist. But I’m English. And I have an irrational emotion for my country.

The Gorillaz cartoons seem more real to me than the actual people on TV. Because at least you know that there’s some intelligence behind the cartoons, and there’s a lot of work that’s gone into it, so it can’t all be just a lie.

It’s not like my old self – I’m not in character anymore, I’m me. I’m not hiding behind that anymore.

I enjoyed history at school. I’d always had a sense of pagan England.

I’m not really one of those people who believes that if you’re a musician you can just leave that behind and start getting into politics.

I hope we can keep doing it this way – making music and art that are pure products of our influences while not really having to let the whole celebrity side of it get in the way. Then maybe more virtual bands will come out and do the same thing.

I’m English, and I started off as a songwriter, so I can’t really escape that – it’s there.

As a musician usually music is your way out.

You know, there are many alter egos and Gorillaz is a collective of alter egos, really. I think anyone who gets involved in it has to sort of accept that nothing is really as it seems.

It always struck me that Africa was, in a strange way, a futuristic place and had elements and vibes and spirits that were going to inform the future. Africa Express is an attempt to engage that power outside Africa, and for everyone to benefit from it.

Trying to write music that’s sensitive to 400 years ago takes a bit of madness, as it’s such a long stretch of time.

China is one of those vast, continental conglomerates that… I mean, if they were to start a tourist trade in China, they’d just bus people in from another province, you know what I mean? They’re very self-contained.

The things that make me happy most are my family and working.

When you’re doing a deal with someone in the southern Sahara, it’s a very different way of doing business than in London. You can’t sign them in the usual way because they’d end up getting ripped off, which would defeat the object of setting up a label like this.

The cartoon is a metaphor really for the fact that it’s almost impossible in our celebrity obsessed culture to move around genres and sort of change you ideas, change your face, you know?

Being in Blur has allowed me to travel and hear the music that’s being made all over the world.

The whole period has taught me that I enjoy being part of an ensemble rather than just a front man. Don’t get me wrong – I enjoy that too, but I get more enjoyment out of really listening to everyone.

What you learn from working with other performers and musicians is invaluable, really, and can only help you grow. I mean, if you spend your whole life focusing on yourself, you’re not really learning much.

As soon as it sounds fine, I’m on to the next thing, man.

Music is something that should speak for itself, straight from the heart. It took me a long time to understand that.

Whenever you’re writing something that’s reflective, you have to put yourself through some sort of ordeal just to understand the way you’re feeling.

I want to be a better person in every aspect. I really don’t feel I’ve in anyway fulfilled my potential in every area of my life. But I’m optimistic.