  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
|
| “ | Snobs look down on people, and I look down on everyone. Not in a sooty classist way. I mean because I'm better than everyone else. I don't give a shit about good manners. | „ |
| ~ Murdoc Niccals |
Murdoc Alphonse "Faust" Niccals is the fictional official bass guitarist, self-proclaimed leader and founder of the popular British Virtual band Gorillaz.
He is voiced by Phil Cornwell.
Appearance[]
Murdoc is a green-skinned, medium length black-haired 57-year-old man with long fingernails and a wonky nose due to getting punched in the face quite frequently as a child and adult. He is 5 ft. 4 inches tall with heels and has a rather skinny body although does have a slightly prominent pot-belly. He always wears a golden reversed cross necklace (the symbol for the anti Christ) and his attire usually consists of simple jeans, Cuban heels and a black shirt, and in phase 4 it was a striped shirt; however he does change his attire from time to time in some music videos. His tongue is long and pointed and his teeth are uneven and spiked.
Personality[]
.gif){kind=link}
Murdoc is extremely short-tempered, arrogant, grouchy, and just plain rude. While he gets along with bandmates Russel and Noodle (he says Noodle is his daughter), he particularly likes to pick on 2-D. As seen in the Do Ya Thing music video, Murdoc is extremely lazy and even uses a chair lift to go down the stairs in his, 2-D, Russell and Noodle's flat despite being perfectly capable of walking normally without assistance. During the video, he is also shown to be even more grouchy in the mornings as evident from his behavior towards 2-D (i.e. growling at him for no apparent reason and whacking him over the head with a Converse shoe). While escaping jail in Phase 5, he drowned and died in the sewers. He was revived by Satan and has a new outlook on life now. He still does shifty and mischievous behaviors but no longer abuses 2-D. He regrets how poorly he treated his own friends and is seen crying on a couch in desole because he was left out of the trip to the lake and knows it's because of how he's treated people. So he's currently in a redemption arc.
History[]
Childhood[]
Murdoc Niccals was born in Stoke-On-Trent on June 6, 1966. Although the exact whereabouts were never verified, it was rumored that his mother gave to birth him at the Belphegor Sanatorium, a halfway house for "the sick, the needy and the incredibly bored." As an infant, he was dumped on the doorstep of his father's house one night and was discovered by him as he was returning home from the pub. Murdoc went on to a very abusive childhood. It has been proposed that his many addictions and his sour attitude were due to his abusive childhood. His father, Sebastian Jacob Niccals, (or Jacob Sebastian Niccals, depending on who's asking) was a spiteful drunk of a man who often verbally abused and exploited Murdoc and his half older brother, Hannibal. He forced young Murdoc to go to the pub with him to preform various embarrassing karoke songs and wear demeaning costumes (including a Pinocchio costume) to win talent show money for his drinking habits. This is what made Murdoc desire to have his own band as he wanted to be the only one in control of what he played on stage.
He was educated at Sodsworth Comprehensive School where he gained quite the reputation for his pranks, poor personal hygiene, and his terrible behavior. His rival at school was a bully named Tony Chopper of whom constantly bullied Murdoc, he later got revenge on Chopper however by calling him several offensive, rude names when right afterwards Tony punched him in the face which give Murdoc the first fracture of his signature broken nose. Murdoc dreamt of becoming a musician ever since his father forced him to participate in talent contests in order to win drinking money. At age nine he was raped by a school lunch lady, which he claims made him in a bad mood ever since.
Leaving Home, Meeting 2-D, and forming Gorillaz[]
.gif){kind=link}
Once Murdoc left his home town he became a Satanist and made a deal with the devil being that if he were to become a famous rockstar then Satan could take his soul. Upon making the deal he was given Satan's bass guitar El Diablo. Murdoc played in countless bands before Gorillaz all of which went nowhere and faded into obscurity, one evening in 1997 he and a gang of criminals were on a vicious crime spree and stole a Vauxhall Astra. The gang and Murdoc were going to next invade Uncle Norm's Organ Emporium where a young 2-D (originally known as Stuart Pot or Stu Pot by his family and friends) was working. Murdoc crashed the car into the shop and hit Stuart directly in the face, putting Stuart in a coma and giving him severe 8-ball fractures to one of his eyes. As punishment for the crash Murdoc was forced to do 30,000 hours of community service by taking care of the injured Stuart, however one night when skidding his car in a Tesco Car Park in Nottingham, Stuart flew straight through the windshield and his other eye suffered an 8-ball fracture giving him his signature look. Impressed by Stuart's appearance when he stood up, Murdoc named him 2 Dents (2-D for short) and later went on to recruit Russel Hobbs as his band's drummer after kidnapping him from Big Rick Black's Record Shack in Soho. The band also hired 2-D's girlfriend at the time, Paula Cracker, as their guitarist, but was soon fired after she was caught having sex with Murdoc in the studio toilets by Russel who later give 5 more punches to his bandmate's nose. They later received Noodle through a mysterious Fed-Ex package containing her and the band was finally named Gorillaz.
Life with Gorillaz[]
After Noodle joined the band and they were finally named Gorillaz, Murdoc organized a gig at the Camden Brownhouse and invited Mr. Wiffy Smiffy from EMI Music to see them. He and the rest of the band were successfully signed after their first gig in November that year.
.jpg){kind=link}
With the success of the band's self titled first album in 2001, the band launched a disastrous world tour. While in the United States, Murdoc established a cult of personality with various seedy individuals, chief of which being Little Jimmy Manson, a psychopathic midget dangerously obsessed with either killing Murdoc or falling in love with him. In a hotel room one night, Murdoc summoned a black-skinned demon boy that ended up siding with Jimmy and stalking the band ever since. After achieving fame, fortune, and several nasty hangovers, the alcoholic bassist relocated his band over to Los Angeles so they could begin production on a movie.
.jpg){kind=link}
Unfortunately, this was never to be. They were conned by a movie director (who it turns out, was just an insane man) while Murdoc attempted starring in a television program (he was too old for the part), and they ventured unsuccessfully into scriptwriting. Murdoc took off to a Tijuana brothel after strangling 2-D (who, like the rest of the band, went their separate ways) and was eventually thrown in prison with a 30-year sentence for giving counterfeit checks to prostitutes. It was during this sentence that he was acquainted with his raven Cortez, the "jailbird with a chilling reputation". While serving his sentence Murdoc acquired some prison ink (in the form of the seven deadly sins tattooed across his back), and also took an Open University course: "Amateur Administration of Pharmaceutical Medicines" and managed to pass a medical exam, earning the title 'Dr. Niccals'. He escaped with the help of two Mexican criminals as well as a paper-mâché mannequin of himself and a taped loop of himself moaning.
After returning to the brothel to make a final point to the Mexican authorities, Murdoc loaded up on duty-free tequila and a few sombreros and made his way back to Kong, finding that Noodle had written the second album by herself (which he tried to take the credit for).
The new album, Demon Days, made the band into even bigger superstars. After several number-one videos, Noodle was apparently "killed" during the "El Mañana" music video shoot. The El Manana video was a set up to kill Jimmy Manson since he had been attacking the band. Murdoc intended for Noodle to escape safely and reassured her of this, and gave her a parachute. The parachute worked, but she fell into a hole to hell, similar to the hell hole in Kong Studios basement.
After the El Mañana conspiracy, 2-D and Russel were frantic about Noodle's supposed death, but it turned out to be a hoax. Murdoc revealed the truth about the "El Mañana" video in the Gorillaz official autobiography book, Rise of the Ogre. He told 2-D and Russel that Noodle was relaxing on the beach, despite not actually knowing where she was.
While spending many years on an around-the-world bender, Murdoc began running low on cash, he became a gun runner and was selling faulty weapons in Mexico in order to make fast money. He took further measures by burning down Kong Studios on July 25, 2008 and attended Jamie Hewlett's opera as an alibi. After blaming the fire on some local kids, Murdoc cashed in on the insurance money and fled the country. His reason for leaving the UK was because he was on the run from a gang of pirates called "The Black Cloud" who purchased the broken weapons from Murdoc the last time he was in Mexico. Now armed with new, working weapons, they began to hunt Murdoc down as an act of revenge for ripping them off.
While sailing the world for a somewhere to hide, Murdoc had discovered an island made entirely out of floating landfill which he would call Plastic Beach. He would also use the insurance money to erect a new Gorillaz HQ on top of the island and began working on demos for the Plastic Beach album. Murdoc has since revealed various disturbing truths about Gorillaz' history via his "Pirate Radio" broadcasts on Gorillaz.com. Among them include the revelation that Noodle was never rescued; upon entering Hell and searching wildly for her, he discovered that she was not there and that he had no idea where she was. He was striken with guilt and grief, and returning to Earth, he created a clone-cyborg version of her from DNA that he collected around the wreckage on the site of El Mañana, and used the new Noodle clone as his bodyguard against the Black Cloud, who were pirates and mercenaries that Murdoc had been selling bad weapons to since at least his time in Mexico. She was not the same friendly girl he had grown fond of, Cyborg couldn't even talk and acted very agressive and creepy. At a radio interview, Murdoc confirmed that he burned down Kong Studios and used the insurance money in order to create his hideaway/recording studio on a tiny island named the "Plastic Beach", located at Point Nemo. It was an island made entirely of social and cultural garbage. He is presently located on Plastic Beach, where he's kidnapped 2-D and began production of the Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach. During the interview, Murdoc also hinted at a possible fourth album for Gorillaz.
.jpg){kind=link}
Murdoc smiling at the Boogieman.
It appears from the music videos of Stylo and On Melancholy Hill, an evil force known as the Boogieman is chasing Murdoc and is after him to claim his soul. The Boogieman also appears in several other pieces of Gorillaz artwork and is also seen in the 2-D ident, though the motives of the character are still unknown. However, on the Gorillaz website, it was noted that the Boogieman is a physical manifestation of Murdoc's evil side, with the Evangelist being a lighter side, though all we know of the Evangelist is that it was created for the sole purpose of saving Murdoc from himself. As it turns out, the devil was getting impatient, waiting nearly forever to get Murdoc's soul. He sent the Boogieman to collect it, but of course, he was unsuccessful.
Murdoc attempted and failed to appear at live shows around the world such as Coachella and The Roundhouse, but many things have stopped him, such as being deported from America. He said in an iTunes interview that he "wasn't 100% sure he really exists..." and that Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett have been trying and failing to stick him back on a piece of paper. The ever-so pesky "Gorillaz Tribute Band" has been blocking his way and preventing him from taking the stage (See the Murdoc Dressing Room video shorts where, when preparing for a concert, Murdoc, 2-D, and Cyborg Noodle get trapped inside.) Murdoc had said that the "Gorillaz Tribute Band" was actually a group of people made by Lucifer, in punishment for not allowing him to take his soul.
Murdoc got together a group of collaborators in 2010 and went out to look for Noodle, and although they still haven't found her, she is now confirmed to be alive after the "El Mañana" incident, as she appears in the "On Melancholy Hill" video. This relates to Murdoc and the collaborators looking for Noodle, as they are in submarines in the ocean at the same time as Noodle, although the video also shows the arrival of the gang to the island of Plastic Beach.
In a 2011 XFM Broadcast, Murdoc stated he left his pirate-infested Plastic Beach to live in Hawaii. It is evident by his detailed "story" that he is there alone, though, some fans are convinced he is lying about 2-D's "sudden death" (which didn't happen in an uncut version until he said it again was true) and the appearance of Russel and Noodle, as well as the destruction of the Cyborg Noodle. He also revealed that he faked his death by putting a Murdoc look-a-like in his place and killed him to fool the Boogieman. Satan was satisfied by the soul and was once again on Murdoc's side and left him alone. He finally escaped Plastic Beach via rowboat, until he got caught up in a typhoon and was blown thousands of miles across the ocean and ending up in Hawaii.
After nearly a year underground (or lurking in the dark corners of who-knows-where), Murdoc resurfaced and was again wreaking havoc — this time over the airwaves. It seems in fact that, following a dramatic exit from Gorillaz’s Plastic Beach HQ, the miserable despot created yet another pirate radio station and was now sending transmissions from a brand new mystery location.
After escaping the Plastic
.jpg){kind=link}
Murdoc, while taking a leek, and Cyborg Noodle escape Plastic Beach.
Beach ruins in his submarine, taking Cyborg Noodle along with him (her destruction by Noodle is implied to be a lie on Murdoc's part). The two were captured by the EMI Battleship Ringo, and imprisoned in "Dungeon Abbey", underneath Abbey Road Studios. Soon after, Murdoc was approached by an Entertainment Internal Affairs representative, who releases him with orders to write songs for the next Gorillaz album. This album became Humanz, he started writing it with Russel. He wrote Humanz about emotions of the aftermath of Donald Trump being elected. Murdoc hates and is triggered by just hearing the name Trump. Hearing it gives him Tourettes like tics and seizures. At some time Noodle, who had been stranded in Japan and had been hunting demons, mailed herself in a box to Murdoc. He was relieved to see that she was alive, for the second time after her second dispearance. 2-D comes back from a resort and the band is reunited and finishes Humanz. The band rents 'The Spirit House' to live in, and they all encounter ghosts within the house. At some point during Phase 4 Murdoc is blackout drunk on absinthe and tries to cook a pot roast in the middle of the night. He grabs his pet raven Cortez and shoves him in the oven (or microwave, some sources say differently). Cortez after a struggle escapes and flies out of the house and away. Murdoc wakes up in the kitchen, seeing feathers everywhere. He starts sobbing, thinking he killed his faithful companion evn though he didn't.
Sometime after Humanz had been released and the band made music videos, Murdoc was arrested. It was really only for unpaid parking tickets, but he invented a conspiracy theory about being framed for attention and pity. 2-D got very arrogant and cocktail and stepped into the role of leader of the band and wrote an album by himself. Murdoc reccomended his old friend, Ace Couplar, an actor in 'The Powerpuff Girls' to be the temporary bassist. Fans tried to pit them against each other but Murdoc spoke fondly about Ace, saying he liked him and trusted him with his band. 2-D released and created music videos for The Now Now. From jail, Murdoc sent messages out to his fans and you could even chat with Murdoc via a #FreeMurdoc chat campaign. 'You' helped him gain respect at the prison and helped him escape through the sewers. He apparently died, drowning in the sewers when he pulled a wrong lever and the tunnel flooded. The day he was supposed to be released was the day he escaped ironically. He had invented this 'El Mierda' character who framed Murdoc. He sent Noodle on a wild goose chase to find El Meirda's criminal hide out in the Himilayan mountains. Noodle was the only one willing to to go help Murdoc, and she didn't mind anyway since she loves hiking. The map to the criminal hide out just led to luxury wellness spa, and Murdoc showed up, strapped to a yak he named Madonna. He admitted to Noodle the El Mierda story was just that, a story. Both of them were relieved the other was alive and happily reunited. During this time he also claimed Noodle as a daughter to him and told her he loved her. Later when they got back he said he didn't beat up 2-D, he 'gave the Little Tike a hug'. Murdoc said that he had been regenerated, saved by Satan and saw it as a second chance on life. He had a new perspective, saying he was. 'Changed Man' and he regretted being so terrible to his band, his family. Now that the whole band was back together they began working on a new collaborative effort album, 'Song Machine.' a
Quotes[]
| “ | Well, we went through a lot of names but seeing as musically I wanted to swing through the jungle baring my arse, I thought Gorillaz was a perfect name. | „ |
| ~ Murdoc on why he named the band Gorillaz. |
| “ | He don't feel too good, he feel eel. | „ |
| ~ Murdoc to Russel after melting the eel's face. |
| “ | I'll tell you what I've seen quite a few episodes of MTV Cribs and EVERY house is the same. What's all that about? The first thing these peasants do when they get their hands on some money is buy some tacky show home, and fill it up with all this s--t. They call it culture. They wouldn't know what culture was if jumped up and bit them you know, an' took em on holiday. Peasants, slag, scumbags. | „ |
| ~ Murdoc in the Gorillaz: MTV cribs short. |
| “ | THE BATH! | „ |
| ~ One of Murdoc's lines in Saturnz Barz (which has now became a popular meme). |
| “ | Would you pleeease stop playing that sodding BANJO?! (2-D: But it helps calm my nerves before the show!) If you strum another bum note on that hillbilly instrument, I'll stick it in your mouth! | „ |
| ~ Murdoc to 2-D |
Trivia[]
- Murdoc was created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett
- During Phase 1, Murdoc is shown to have heterochromia, as his left eye iris is light red and is then darkened during Phase 2 but turns back to red during Phase 4 and 5.
- In a video by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett titled "Gorillaz - ASK:REPLY", Jamie states the reason Murdoc is green is that he is an "immortalist" and he has been around since the dawn of time, so his body is a "rotting carcass", hence the green skin.
- However this conflicts with the fact that his confirmed birthday is June 6, 1966, making him in his early 50s as of 2016, and proving this as being incorrect. Despite this, Jamie also thinks that Murdoc has played a part in every major historical event; for example, he says the Great Fire of London was probably started by Murdoc throwing a cigarette out of a horse and carriage. Although Murdoc says in his radio show that "they" tried to pin it on him, but in actuality, he helped put it out by digging a trench.
- Other reasons given for Murdoc's skin being green is that it is a strange kind of tan, or that it is caused by his alcohol consumption.
- His voice changed drastically during the transition from Phase 1 to Phase 3. Initially, Murdoc's voice was higher-pitched and nasally but in later phases, his voice is lowered in octaves and became a mix between nasally and raspy.
- Murdoc is the oldest member of Gorillaz as he is in his early 50s.
- Murdoc has his own Twitter account. Formerly, the account was inactive since 2012, but later became active years later following his imprisonment in 2018.
- When Murdoc was nine years old, he was raped by a dinner lady, and "he'd been in a bad mood ever since".
- Murdoc is the only mixed member of the band due to his mother being Romani.
- Murdoc has a half brother named Hannibal. Nothing else is known him except that he is older than Murdoc.
- Murdoc's prisoner number 24602 was a possible and likely reference to the novel and musical Les Miserables, with the main character Jean Valjean's prison number being 24601.
- One of Murdoc's many nose breaks was caused by Russell after he caught him having an affair with Paula Cracker, 2-D's ex-girlfriend in the Kong Studios toilets, a furious Russell punched him in the face, breaking his nose in 5 places.
- A line Murdoc said in Saturnz Barz (The Bath) became a popular meme. He is aware of the meme's existence and remarks about it occasionally in interviews.
See also[]
- Murdoc Niccals in Heroes wiki
[]
 Villains
|
|---|
| Protagonists
Murdoc Niccals | Ace D. Copular |
| Enemies |