Damon Albarn joins Matt Wilkinson on Apple Music 1 to discuss Gorillaz and new War Child single ‘Flags’

Damon Albarn has sat down with Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson today to discuss Gorillaz and his contribution to the new War Child charity record. In the interview, Damon talks about collaborating with Grian Chatten and Kae Tempest on the track ‘Flags’, recording at Abbey Road alongside an all-star cast, ending up in a choir for a Pulp song, and more…

Damon on the origins of ‘Flags’ and bringing in Grian Chatten and Kae Tempest…

Okay, it’s called ’Flags’. I’ve been writing a lot of songs recently and trying to write more in a major key. Well, I did for a while, I’ve given up again, but I tried. One of the more successful outcomes was this sort of idea for a song called ‘Flags’. I didn’t want to develop it really, and then I was speaking with James and Toby. And I thought, well, I’ve got something if you’re interested that we could have a look at. We just took it from there really, and then Grian got involved and then Kae got involved.

Damon on the studio sessions at Abbey Road and being conducted by Jarvis Cocker in a choir…

Yeah, no, it was great. It was great. Studio 2. Well, I was in Studio 2. Everyone was doing something everywhere. I ended up in a choir for one of Pulp’s songs. It was nice. It was really nice. And just like lots of younger bands, you know. It was a good spirit.

Damon on returning to War Child after featuring on the 1995 album…

I look back and I don’t really understand what I was doing. We did some sort of weird kind of obscure music. It’s like an instrumental. But I think that song was a song I just didn’t finish properly. Anyway, this time it’s, you know, I had a fantastic time. And actually wrote a song and we all wrote it together. It was really nice. And I think there was a real sense of musicians enjoying hanging out with each other. Which obviously I’m always an advocate of.

Damon on the young filmmakers documenting the project…

The best thing really for me was that Jonathan Glazier had employed loads of eight-year-olds to do the filming. We just met some really interesting kids there. I mean, really, really, really interesting, and the way that they were using their cameras and what was taking their interest within the space, you know, because there’s a lot going on. And just having chat, I was just chatting with them all.

Damon on how impressed he was by them…

Honestly, the kids were fantastic. I don’t know how they found such an interesting set of kids. Or maybe all kids are like that, you know, I don’t know, but. In that context, maybe they are, you know. Uh, it’s just brilliant. I was so impressed how smart they were, you know.