The Good, the Bad & the Queen

Last updated

The Good, the Bad & the Queen
The Good the Bad and the Queen mg 6474.jpg
The Good, the Bad & the Queen in 2007. From left to right: Simon Tong, Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Tony Allen.
Background information
Genres
Years active
  • 2005–2008
  • 2011
  • 2014–2019
Labels
Past members
Website thegoodthebadandthequeen.com

The Good, the Bad & the Queen were an English art rock supergroup composed of singer Damon Albarn of Blur and Gorillaz, bassist Paul Simonon of the Clash, guitarist Simon Tong of the Verve, and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen. They released their self-titled debut album in 2007. Their second album, Merrie Land, coproduced with Tony Visconti, was released in 2018. They disbanded in 2019, and Allen died in 2020.

Contents

History

Formation and debut album

The Good, the Bad & the Queen began as a solo project by Damon Albarn with production by Danger Mouse. However, by July 2006, the project had become a band, [5] with bassist Paul Simonon of the Clash, guitarist Simon Tong of the Verve, and Fela Kuti drummer Tony Allen. Albarn met Simonon at the wedding of Clash singer Joe Strummer in 1997, and Tong had worked with Albarn on Blur's 2003 Think Tank tour, filling in as guitarist following the departure of Graham Coxon. [6] Allen contacted Albarn after hearing the 2000 Blur single "Music Is My Radar", which references him. [6]

The Good, the Bad & the Queen played their debut gig in a village pub in Devon on 20 October, followed by a performance at the London Roundhouse on 26 October as part of the BBC Electric Proms. [7] They released their first single, "Herculean", on 30 October. [8] On 12 December, the band performed a secret launch gig exclusive to 300 chosen fans for Myspace's new feature The List in Wilton's Music Hall, East London. [9]

The band released their self-titled debut album on 22 January 2007. [10] It was voted by the Observer Music Magazine as the Best Album of 2007. [11] At this point, Albarn said The Good, the Bad & the Queen was only the album title and that the band was "nameless". [7] Simonon said "we didn't properly name the band, because a name is for a marriage". [11]

Albarn said the group had "permanently finished" in 2007; however, they reunited to perform at the 2008 Love Music Hate Racism carnival. [12] Tong and Simonon appeared on Albarn's next project, the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach (2010), and participated in the Plastic Beach tour. In November 2011, the Good, the Bad & the Queen played a show at London's Coronet Theatre for the 40th anniversary of Greenpeace, the first time they had played together in almost three years. [13] Allen and Tong appeared on Albarn's soundtrack for the opera Dr Dee (2012), and Allen and Albarn collaborated on the 2012 album Rocket Juice & the Moon . [14]

Merrie Land and disbandment

In October 2014, Albarn announced that a new album had been written and was waiting to be recorded. [15] In April 2017, in a new interview with Q , it was reported that an album was still in the making but that recent events had caused the group to start afresh. Albarn told Q that Brexit had "given us a wonderful starting point". [16]

Their second album, Merrie Land , produced by Tony Visconti, was released on 16 November, as “the right circumstances came about”, under the new label Studio 13 created by Albarn. [17] [18] Albarn described the album as "a series of observations and reflections on Britishness in 2018" and "a reluctant goodbye letter" following the Brexit vote. [19]

The band performed the first gig for the album in Tynemouth on 26 November 2018, which was the start of an eight-date warm-up tour in UK. They toured Europe from March to August in 2019.[ citation needed ] At a performance at Lowlands Festival on 16 August 2019, the last show of the tour, Albarn told the crowd it would be the band's final performance. [20] Allen died in April 2020. [21]

Discography

Studio albums

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorillaz</span> English virtual band

Gorillaz are an English virtual band created in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in media such as music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz's music has featured collaborations with a wide range of featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Albarn</span> British musician (born 1968)

Damon Albarn is an English musician and composer. He is the frontman and main lyricist of the rock band Blur and the co-creator and primary musical contributor of the virtual band Gorillaz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Simonon</span> English musician and artist

Paul Gustave Simonon is an English musician and artist best known as the bassist for the Clash. More recent work includes his involvement in the supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen and playing on the Gorillaz album Plastic Beach in 2010, which saw Simonon reunite with The Clash guitarist Mick Jones and Blur frontman Damon Albarn – and which also led to Simonon becoming the live band's touring bassist for Gorillaz's Escape to Plastic Beach Tour. Simonon is also an established visual artist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Allen (musician)</span> Nigerian musician (1940–2020)

Tony Oladipo Allen was a Nigerian drummer, composer, and songwriter who lived and worked in Paris, France. Allen was the drummer and musical director of Fela Kuti's band Africa '70 from 1968 to 1979, and was one of the founders of the Afrobeat genre. Fela once stated that "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". He was described by Brian Eno as "perhaps the greatest drummer who has ever lived".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Tong</span> English guitarist and keyboardist

Simon Tong is an English guitarist and keyboardist who was a member of the Verve between 1996 and 1999. He has played with Damon Albarn on tour with his bands Blur and Gorillaz, and as a member of the Good, the Bad & the Queen. He ranks in BBC's "The Axe Factor" as the 40th greatest guitarist of the last 30 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music Is My Radar</span> 2000 single by Blur

"Music Is My Radar" is a song by British band Blur. As a single, it reached No. 10 in the UK. It was released in support of the band's greatest hits compilation, Blur: The Best Of, on which it was the only song that had not previously appeared on an album. An alternative version called "Squeezebox" appeared in 2012 on one of the rarities CDs from the Blur 21 box collection, released to celebrate the 21st anniversary of their debut album release, Leisure.

<i>The Good, the Bad & the Queen</i> (album) Self-titled 2007 album

The Good, the Bad & the Queen is the debut studio album by the English supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen, comprising Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen, and produced by Danger Mouse. The album was released in January 2007. The album debuted at number two in the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold in the UK within days of its release despite little media recognition and airplay. In the United States, the album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 49.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Herculean (song)</span> 2006 single by The Good, the Bad & the Queen featuring The Sixteen

"Herculean" is the debut single by the Good, the Bad & the Queen, an alternative rock band fronted by Damon Albarn. Though Albarn later claimed that the band was unnamed, and that "The Good, The Bad & The Queen" was merely the name of band's first album, this single clearly credits the artist as "The Good, The Bad & The Queen", and was released several months in advance of the album. At the time, neither Albarn nor anyone else was claiming the band was unnamed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingdom of Doom</span> 2007 single by The Good, the Bad & the Queen

"Kingdom of Doom" is a song by the British alternative rock supergroup the Good, the Bad & the Queen, made up of Damon Albarn, Paul Simonon, Simon Tong and Tony Allen and is the fourth track on their 2007 album The Good, the Bad & the Queen.

Demon Strings are a British stringed instrument group. They are best known for being the in-house string section for musician Damon Albarn, having recorded and performed live for several of his projects including The Good, the Bad & the Queen, Gorillaz, Blur and Monkey: Journey to the West.

<i>The Fall</i> (Gorillaz album) 2010 studio album by Gorillaz

The Fall is the fourth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. It was announced on 20 December 2010 and released as a download for members of the Gorillaz fan club on 25 December 2010. This was followed by a wider physical release of the album on 19 April 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Wootton</span> English musician (born 1987)

Jeffrey Wootton is an English musician, guitarist and songwriter from Manchester. He has been the lead guitarist in the Gorillaz live band since 2010.

<i>Rocket Juice & the Moon</i> 2012 studio album

Rocket Juice & the Moon is the only album by the supergroup of the same name, formed in 2008. The group consisted of Damon Albarn, Flea, and Tony Allen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Albarn discography</span>

The solo discography of British musician Damon Albarn consists of four collaboration albums, four soundtrack albums, three extended plays and twelve singles. Also included are releases by Albarn's various side-projects and groups such as Mali Music, The Good the Bad & the Queen, Monkey, DRC Music and Rocket Juice & the Moon. Most of Albarn's work is either released by Honest Jon's Records, Parlophone or EMI Records.

<i>Everyday Robots</i> 2014 studio album by Damon Albarn

Everyday Robots is the debut solo studio album by British musician Damon Albarn, best known as the frontman of Blur and Gorillaz. Described by Albarn as his "most personal record", the album was co-produced by Richard Russell and released on 25 April 2014. It features guest contributions from musician and producer Brian Eno, singer Natasha Khan and the Leytonstone City Mission Choir. It was nominated for the 2014 Mercury Prize for best album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr Tembo</span> 2014 single by Damon Albarn featuring The Leytonstone City Mission Choir

"Mr Tembo" is the fourth single released by English recording artist, songwriter and Blur/Gorillaz frontman, Damon Albarn, from his debut solo studio album Everyday Robots. Its release as a single was limited to the United States. The track features The Leytonstone City Mission Choir and contains a sample of "Lions", from the 1959 album Way Out Humor as written and performed by Richard Buckley. The track is produced by both Albarn and Richard Russell, whom Albarn had previously worked with on Bobby Womack's comeback album The Bravest Man in the Universe and on the DRC Music album, Kinshasa One Two.

"The Selfish Giant" is a song recorded by English recording artist and songwriter and Blur frontman & Gorillaz creator, Damon Albarn, from his debut solo studio album Everyday Robots. The track features Natasha Khan, known professionally as Bat for Lashes. The track is produced by both Albarn and Richard Russell, whom Albarn has previously worked with on Bobby Womack's comeback album The Bravest Man in the Universe and on the DRC Music album Kinshasa One Two.

<i>Merrie Land</i> 2018 studio album by The Good, the Bad & the Queen

Merrie Land is the second and final studio album by English art rock supergroup The Good, the Bad & the Queen. It was produced by Tony Visconti and released on 16 November 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Good, the Bad & the Queen discography</span>

The discography of The Good, the Bad & the Queen, a British art rock supergroup formed in London in 2005. The group consisted of vocalist and instrumentalist Damon Albarn, bassist Paul Simonon, guitarist Simon Tong, and drummer Tony Allen. Consists of two studio albums, an extended play, five singles, a box set, four music videos and ten promotional music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Far?</span> 2020 single by Gorillaz featuring Tony Allen and Skepta

"How Far?" is a song by British virtual band Gorillaz, featuring Tony Allen and Skepta. The track was released on 2 May 2020 without any prior announcement as the fourth single for Gorillaz' seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. It is part of the Song Machine project, a web series involving the ongoing release of various Gorillaz singles and music videos featuring different guest musicians over the course of 2020, though it is not considered an official episode of the series. The single marks the first posthumously released material featuring Tony Allen, as well as the final song to be recorded during Allen's lifetime.

References

  1. ↑ Ankeny, Jason "Damon Albarn Biography", AllMusic, Macrovision Corporation
  2. ↑ "The Good, The Bad & The Queen @ EartH, London | Live Music Reviews". Musicomh.com. 6 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Albarn's The Good, The Bad, and The Queen". Npr.org. 16 February 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  4. ↑ Neil McCormick (5 December 2018). "The Good, The Bad & The Queen, EartH, review: Damon Albarn's Brexit-inspired blast of psychedelia". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  5. ↑ "Damon Albarn forms new band". NME . 28 July 2006. Retrieved 28 July 2006.
  6. 1 2 Williams, Murphy (20 January 2007). "Songs of experience". The Telegraph . ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  7. 1 2 NME (21 October 2006). "Damon Albarn launches new band with tiny pub gig". NME. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  8. ↑ Uncut (Nov. 2006, pp. 86–88)
  9. ↑ "Damon Albarn's new band announce new single". NME . 28 November 2006.
  10. ↑ MacBain, Hamish (12 January 2007). "The Good, The Bad & The Queen: The Good, The Bad & The Queen". NME. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  11. 1 2 "2007: The best 50 albums". The Observer. 9 December 2007. ISSN   0029-7712 . Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  12. ↑ NME (24 April 2008). "The Good, The Bad And The Queen reforming after secret split". NME. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  13. ↑ BlurBalls. "Damon Albarn to revive The Good, The Bad and The Queen for Greenpeace charity gig". BlurBalls - Latest Blur, Gorillaz, Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon news. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  14. ↑ Reed, Ryan (28 March 2012). "Rocket Juice and the Moon: Rocket Juice and the Moon". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  15. ↑ Minsker, Evan (19 October 2014). "Damon Albarn Prepping New Gorillaz and the Good, the Bad & the Queen Albums". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Young, Alex (10 April 2017). "Damon Albarn is working on The Good the Bad & the Queen's long-awaited new album". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  17. ↑ Young, Alex. "The Good The Bad & The Queen to release new album, Merrie Land, in November". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  18. ↑ Webber, Darryl (8 November 2018). "Damon Albarn talks about how Brexit inspired his new album". essexlive. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  19. ↑ "Damon Albarn's band The Good, The Bad & the Queen announce new Brexit-inspired album and Glasgow date". Scotsman.com. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  20. ↑ Daly, Rhian (16 August 2019). "Damon Albarn says The Good, The Bad & The Queen have played their "last gig" at Lowlands Festival". NME. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  21. ↑ Snapes, Laura; France-Presse, Agence (1 May 2020). "Tony Allen, legendary drummer and Afrobeat co-founder, dies aged 79". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 1 May 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.