Damon Albarn Condemns Celebrity Culture

I agree with him though.
The way celebs act is completely disgusting to me.
I once had ambitions to be an actor.
and that's changing day by day just because of the way celebs today think they should portray themselves.
I think it's despicable.
I won't lose sigt of my acting ambitions but have changed the way i'll go about it and deal with it when it happens.

like whatever, man, I'd maybe care if a *real* celebrity said this...

Celebrity should not be the end unto itself but the biproduct of sharing what you love to do or create. Being famous just for fame's sake creates a really vapid culture. I definitely would have to disagree with you about Damon not having much success lately. His involvement in Good, Bad, and the Queen, the Gorrilaz, and Deltron 3030 shows that he is still part of what's new in music. If Alex continues to do what he is doing, he will just become a caricature of himself -- he'll be that guy that was in Blur and big the 90's. Damon is staying relevant.

Matt, I'm not entirely sure what your credentials are that you would (want to) mock Damon and Alex, however I would suggest to you that you "keep with the times" so that such a mockery is not made of you next time.

Damon as a creator of Gorillaz is not only incredibly talented (with an ability to sell millions of records worldwide) but also a forward thinker. So much so that he and Jamie Hewlett (the illustrator behind the success) have a Gorillaz opera in the pipeline. He is a talking head for popular culture and although I am not a massive fan of his, I believe he has earnt his status. FYI - He has been recently invited to guest edit the Today programme - the flagship show of BBC Radio 4, which as I hope you are aware is an international institution. With a new Blur album on its way, I can guarantee he along with his band members will deliver it in style (with discounts for digital heads) so why mock? He is spot on what he says about celebrities, I agree wholeheartedly and allow him that as he has never been one to harbour or manipulate the media in the way that others have.

Alex James too is a mover and shaker, writing regularly for The Independent, Q and many other influential publications, collaborating with leading contemporary artists such as Damien Hirst, co-writing and producing music for a number of artists and also appearing as a talking head because he knows what he is talking about. He may be fronting an unsigned talent show, alongside Jo Whiley (Also a huge noise and persuasive in the future and longevity of a bands success) so tell me, is there something wrong with giving something back? Neither seems to think so, neither do I and I am pleased to see people supporting talent rather than mocking it.

AND I feel I should also mention that Damon's side project "The good, the bad and the ugly" recently won the Observer Music Magazine album of the year - not bad for a man who is not really part of the British music scene, dont you think?

Hear hear!

Thom Yorke says the same thing all the time.

I've never understood the pedestal celebrities are put on here in the US. I've never understood why so many people devote so much time reading US Weekly and similar crap. Who cares?

There are real issues in this world. Edify yourself and get involved. Americans know more about Brad Pitt's love life then the Iraq War.

Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole, Lindsay Lohan. No talent among them. Jessica Simpson? Ashlee Simpson? Please. Famous for being famous. Please go away now.

Its even interrupting my football now. I had to listen to all the wasted words about how Jessica might have been distracting Romo by being at the Cowboys game. Who gives a crap?

Then there are shows like American Idol and Making the Band. Sure, lets let TV executives and people who watch junk like this and spend their money to call in votes decide who gets #1 albums. If they have talent they can work hard and get discovered like every other real musician to date.

Anyway, go Damon.

ManOfSteele your words are wonderful. Why the hell are so many people obsessed with celebrity culture? I suppose the fact that they sell media and thats where consumers are to blame. The fact that the Lohans, Beckhams and Britneys of the world dominate columns inches doesn't mean we need to support them. If we all stopped buying the trash that prints them then we would finally receive the news that matters and affects all of our lives. I hate the new found celebrities that refuse to wear knickers to get "papped" and the useless specimens that milk their last reality experience. I am a true believer that pure talent shines through eventually. I also hate more than anything, those that mock people worthy of where they are now, hence my last rant.
I think Thom Yorke is a legend and I love "In Rainbows" Heres to all of us forward thinkers and believers in those that should be believed in.