“What’s important isn’t what’s coming next. It’s what’s happening now, because that’s the only thing you can actually control.”
— Russel Hobbs
Russel Hobbs is the drummer and percussionist of the virtual band Gorillaz. Throughout the band’s story, he acts as its moral centre. Balancing Murdoc’s reckless behaviour, 2-D’s innocence and Noodle’s determination with a calm, thoughtful personality.
Development
Russel’s character grew out of Jamie Hewlett’s admiration for hip-hop culture. Hewlett has said that the character was loosely inspired by rapper Ice Cube. Reflecting the confidence and presence he associated with hip-hop artists.
Another defining part of Russel’s character is the idea that he carries the spirits of dead rappers inside him. Particularly his close friend Del. That concept helped shape the way Gorillaz approached collaborations, allowing real musicians to appear as if they were performing through Russel’s supernatural connection. Damon Albarn has described this as one of the ideas that opened the door to working with artists from almost any musical background.
Background
Russel Hobbs was born on 3 June 1975 in Brooklyn, New York. Well-spoken, intelligent and polite, he attended the Xavier School for Young Achievers. His life changed dramatically after becoming possessed by a demon, causing him to violently attack several classmates. Following the incident he spent four years in a coma before a priest, Father Merrin, successfully performed an exorcism.
Russel struggled to accept what had happened until he was shown a photograph of the words “Russel wuz here!” written in blood on the walls of his old school in his own handwriting.
Unable to return to his previous school, he enrolled at Brooklyn High School. There he became close friends with several talented young hip-hop musicians, a group he later credited with helping him rebuild his life.
That peace didn’t last. One rainy evening outside a convenience store, his friends were caught in a drive-by shooting carried out by a gang travelling in a black Humvee. Russel later recalled seeing a mysterious hooded figure among them that he believed was the Grim Reaper. After the attack, the spirits of his friends entered his body, with the ghost of his best friend, Del, becoming the strongest presence. From that moment onward, Russel’s eyes permanently turned white.
For his own protection, Russel was sent to live with his uncle in Belsize Park, London. He found work at Big Rick Black’s Record Shack in Soho, where he first crossed paths with Murdoc Niccals. What started as an unusual encounter quickly became something much bigger when Murdoc brought him to Kong Studios. Impressed by the music being created there, Russel agreed to join the band.
Phase 1 (1998–2001)
Russel became known as the band’s dependable backbone. While his supernatural passengers occasionally emerged to deliver ghostly rap verses, Russel himself remained calm, thoughtful and level headed. He was an accomplished musician with a sharp sense of style, and often acted as the person holding Gorillaz together whenever everything else around them descended into chaos.
When several attempts to turn Gorillaz into a feature film collapsed, the group eventually split apart. Each member went their own way. 2-D returned to work at his father’s fairground, Noodle travelled back to Japan to learn more about her past, and Murdoc found himself in legal trouble in Tijuana.
Russel’s own life became increasingly difficult. The spirit of Del was taken from him by the Grim Reaper, leaving him emotionally shattered. Hoping to recover, he isolated himself in Ike Turner’s basement, where he began writing a solo record. Constant visions of demons emerging from the speakers made it impossible to finish the project.
Eventually Noodle contacted him after returning to Kong Studios with new material for what would become Demon Days, asking Russel to take his place behind the drums once again.
Phase 2 (2005–2008)
Following the attack on the floating windmill during the events of El Mañana, Russel and 2-D believed Noodle had been killed. The loss weighed heavily on him, prompting another personal journey as he tried to come to terms with everything that had happened.
As the band once again drifted apart, Murdoc began assembling the project that would become Plastic Beach. Unable to track Russel down, he recorded the album’s drum parts using a drum machine instead of the band’s longtime drummer.
Phase 3 (2010–2012)
In 2010, Russel disappeared into the Pacific Ocean after leaving behind a handwritten note describing his desire to escape the demons that had haunted him for years.
During his journey across the sea, he survived by eating radioactive fish, causing his body to grow to an enormous size. Eventually he reunited with Noodle near the wreck of the M. Harriet, before continuing toward Plastic Beach.
After arriving at the island, Russel joined the battle against the Black Clouds and helped defend his bandmates. Following Plastic Beach’s destruction, Murdoc escaped while the future of Gorillaz became uncertain once again.
Russel spoke very little throughout this period. Aside from the letter he left before entering the ocean and a brief promotional interview connected to DoYaThing, he remained largely silent. Because he never reached Plastic Beach during the album’s recording sessions, the drums on the record were performed by a machine rather than by Russel himself.
Phase 4 (2016–2017)
After the events at Plastic Beach, Russel escaped the pirate attack by placing Noodle inside his mouth and swimming away from the island. Somewhere near Japan, he was mistaken for a whale and struck by harpoons. Although he managed to break free, Noodle was swept away into the sea during the struggle. Exhausted, injured and drifting without direction, Russel eventually lost consciousness before washing ashore on the coast of North Korea.
He was taken to Pyongyang, where the government displayed him inside a giant glass enclosure. Officials claimed they had captured Pulgasari, the legendary monster from Korean folklore, turning Russel into one of the country’s biggest attractions. As food shortages caused him to shrink back to his normal size, the illusion fell apart. Once it became obvious he was simply a man, the regime declared Pulgasari had been defeated and released him. Russel eventually returned to London, where Gorillaz collaborator Jeff Wootton offered him a place to stay.
Not long afterwards, Murdoc contacted Jeff, leading Russel to move into the band’s new home in West London as Gorillaz reunited once again.
Humanz era
On the cover artwork for Humanz, Russel returned alongside the rest of the band with his familiar imposing appearance.
In the Saturnz Barz music video, Russel attempts to settle down for the night inside the haunted Spirit House before unknowingly awakening its supernatural residents. After escaping the house, Murdoc suggests stopping for breakfast, prompting Russel to reply, “Oh yeah. I got a real appetite.”
During Strobelite, Russel spends most of the video asleep on a sofa while the party unfolds around him. Early concepts for the video reportedly included extra dialogue and even a boxing match between Russel and his voice actor, Remi Kabaka, although these scenes never appeared in the finished release.
Garage Palace
The Garage Palace visual follows Russel fighting zombies alongside the rest of Gorillaz. Throughout the video he is shown both at his regular height and as a giant once again, with one memorable scene showing Noodle standing on his stomach while using a flamethrower.
Outside the music videos, Russel also appeared in several promotional campaigns. In Pandora’s Sounds Like Gorillaz advert, he finishes last in a driving race against the other members, while promotional material for The Lenz app shows him joining the rest of the band as they cover buildings in bright magenta paint before breaking into a security room.
Russel also appeared during an off screen phone call in an interview between Murdoc, 2-D and BBC Radio 1 DJ Mistajam. During the conversation he discussed Gorillaz’s long history of collaborations before becoming increasingly suspicious, accusing the others of abandoning him in Brooklyn and questioning whether they were copying him. Overwhelmed by paranoia, he abruptly ended the call.
During this period Russel also released a mixtape titled Sounds of Chicago, celebrating artists and musicians from the city that had influenced him over the years.
Like the rest of the band, Russel appeared in numerous interviews throughout the Humanz era, including several where he was interviewed on his own or alongside 2-D.
Phase 5 (2018–2019)
As Phase 4 came to a close, Russel launched his own podcast, Things I Like, where he spoke with a variety of Gorillaz collaborators, including members of De La Soul, Jenny Beth, Little Simz, Pauline Black, Peven Everett, Cheick Tidiane Seck and live drummer Gabriel Wallace.
By the beginning of Phase 5, Russel’s appearance had noticeably changed, with Remi Kabaka confirming that the character had slimmed down. His wardrobe also shifted towards hoodies and jackets, although he occasionally returned to wearing T shirts in videos such as Humility and Tranz.
In Humility, Russel briefly trips 2-D while he is roller skating through Venice Beach. The video also features a live action cameo from Remi Kabaka, who can be seen playing chess with Noodle.
The Tranz music video places Russel firmly behind his drum kit, smiling throughout the performance as the band play together.
Russel also drives the band’s vehicle in the first G-Shock × Gorillaz advertisement, transporting everyone into outer space.
Artwork included with The Now Now also depicts Russel playing a ukulele alongside the rest of the band, making it one of the very few occasions where he is shown playing something other than drums or percussion instruments.
As in the previous phase, Russel remained a regular presence in Gorillaz interviews, both with the full band and in smaller conversations featuring only him and 2-D.
Phase 6 (2019–2021)
On 21 September 2019, Russel mailed a postcard to the rest of Gorillaz from Mexico, where he was working on his own business, Hobbs Hot Sauce. In the note he promised the band he would be seeing them “REAL soon.” The postcard arrived at Studio 13 on 4 October.
When Gorillaz announced Song Machine, Russel described it as a completely different approach for the band. Rather than following the traditional album format, the project would unfold as an ongoing series of songs and videos featuring an ever changing line up of collaborators.
In the first Machine Bitez episode, Russel joins Murdoc and 2-D in discussing the arrival of punk duo Slaves. After 2-D admits he knows very little about them, Russel jokes by asking whether he at least knows their “foregrounds.”
For Désolé, Russel travelled with the band through a portal to Lake Como, where he amusingly played the drums using carrots. He also praised guest vocalist Fatoumata Diawara, describing her as someone whose contribution gave the song its beauty. Murdoc later joked that the strange monsters seen in the video were simply another of Russel’s visions, supposedly brought on by watching too much Stranger Things.
In Aries, Russel races the rest of the band around a golf course while ignoring messages from Noodle. After discovering Murdoc had injected 2-D with a truth serum, Russel responded by punching Murdoc in the face, leaving him with a bloody nose before Noodle stepped in.
During PAC-MAN, Russel spends his time training with a heavy punching bag while Murdoc experiments with portal technology and 2-D and Noodle play arcade games.
Strange Timez
The Strange Timez video takes Russel and the rest of the band into space, where they explore the Moon together. Although he does not appear in The Pink Phantom, as he is said to be on holiday in Atlanta, he returns for The Valley of the Pagans, where the band travel through a portal back to Plastic Beach. In The Lost Chord, Russel briefly transforms into a giant once more before returning to his usual size.
To promote Song Machine Live, Russel hosted his own Apple Music Radio programme from Kong Studios, reflecting on his experiences with collaborators such as Skepta, Tony Allen and De La Soul. Shortly afterwards, he reportedly fell from a ladder while helping construct the stage for the livestream performance.
In May 2021, a demonic sinkhole opened beneath Kong Studios, forcing the band to leave while repairs were carried out. Travelling together in Murdoc’s Winnebago, Gorillaz continued recording music on the road, eventually releasing the surprise EP Meanwhile later that year.
Phase 7 (2022–2024)
During July 2022, Gorillaz began work on their next album in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, while restoration work continued at Kong Studios in London.
Around this time, Murdoc developed a fascination with the occult and announced that the band should start their own cult. Russel immediately dismissed the suggestion, telling Murdoc to “shut up,” but as Murdoc continued talking about his strange prophecy, both Russel and Noodle gradually became convinced there might be some truth behind it. They eventually joined what became known as The Forever Cult.
Russel was given the title “Seeker of Truth,” making him one of the cult’s High Elders. His role was to analyse Murdoc’s often confusing prophecies using what Murdoc described as Russel’s intelligence and impressive internet research skills.
The Forever Cult
Much of Russel’s time was spent staring at television static, believing that if he watched it long enough the answers to the universe would eventually reveal themselves. Although he jokingly claimed he was simply trying to improve the television signal, he later became convinced he had uncovered evidence of a mysterious event that he called The Rupture.
As his theories developed, Russel concluded that the members of The Forever Cult needed to travel to the Hollywood Sign, which he believed was the cult’s “Promised Land.” The rest of the band refused to join him, so Russel made the journey alone on New Year’s Day. After waiting for something significant to happen and seeing nothing at all, he quietly returned to the mansion.
Searching for 2-D
When 2-D disappeared from the mansion for several weeks, Russel and Noodle began investigating his whereabouts.
Noodle discovered an old film starring an actress named Lady Hollodown and noticed a striking resemblance between her and their neighbour, Moon Flower. After researching the film and finding very little information beyond negative reviews, Russel expanded the theory further. He became convinced that Moon Flower, Lady Hollodown and The Forever Cult were all connected through a ritual performed every twenty five years to preserve their youth, with 2-D becoming the ritual’s next target.
After presenting their theory, they persuaded Murdoc to help rescue him.
Silent Running
The events of Silent Running see Russel, Noodle and Murdoc infiltrating The Forever Cult disguised as members. Their cover is eventually blown, leading to a confrontation between the band and the cult.
While Noodle and Russel fight the cult members, Murdoc teams up with Moon Flower after she changes sides. The ritual is interrupted when Murdoc accidentally drops his fragrance bottle, bringing the ceremony to an abrupt halt. As police arrive, the cult members disappear, Murdoc escapes, and the remaining members of Gorillaz are taken into custody.
Cracker Island
In the Cracker Island music video, Russel appears dazed and detached from reality. Dressed in a hospital style gown, he spends most of the video watching broadcasts from the mysterious Static Channel. When the transmission finally ends, he looks away from the screen with bright pink pupils, appearing confused and asking those around him what has happened.
Realising the transmission had not delivered the answers he had expected, Russel decided to leave civilisation behind for a while. Travelling alone into the California desert with only the essentials, he took time to reflect on recent events, describing the experience as the first time in years he had genuinely felt at peace.
Selected Quotes
“It’s still so vivid. I remember hearing the car pull in behind us. Me and my friends were outside a 7-Eleven while the rain was pouring down. We weren’t bothering anybody, but when that black Humvee rolled up, we knew something was wrong.”
“Stay sharp. Stay focused. That’s the only way we’re getting through this.”
“You can’t go around dressed like a Nazi, Murdoc!”
“People tell me I’m paranoid. I tell them, ‘Who are you, and how did you get my number?'”
“Every day begins in darkness and ends in darkness. It’s everything in between that matters.”
“We’re all connected. Every decision creates another possibility. The question is which future you choose.”
“Time keeps moving whether you’re ready or not, so make it count.”
“As space dust, we’re here forever. That’s a long time. Music is part of that journey.”
Other essays can be read here & music related content can be found here.
