Pitchfork

Animated multi-platinum act Gorillaz are following the success of last year's Demon Days with a DVD (their second), four iTunes-only EPs, new toy figurines, and an autobiography. Not too shabby for a bunch of cartoon characters.

The DVD, Phase Two: Slowboat to Hades, is the follow-up to the Phase One: Celebrity Takedown DVD that followed the release of their self-titled debut, and it is scheduled for an October 31 release.

According to a press release, Phase Two "rounds up the Demon Days era's award-winning videos, hi-tech performances, inventive animated shorts, acceptance speeches, and more," including "a brand-new 3D DVD reconstruction of Gorillaz' online hangout, Kong Studios. Viewers can wander through this decaying palace of sin and watch the breathtaking live performances in the cinema, visit the band's bedrooms, tour the corridors and find games, original animatics [?!], cameos from some of the Demon Days guests, and off-color jokes galore." It also comes with a CD-ROM full of 16 games, 45 desktop wallpapers, eight screensavers, and "hidden, achievement-based extras."

The four EPs that come with "previously unreleased videos and a digital booklet with images and access to bonus content like wallpaper, buddy icons, and more" are as follows: the Dare EP, due out October 24, the Dirty Harry EP, due out November 7, the El Mañana EP, due out December 5, and the Feel Good Inc. EP, due out December 26. They will be available exclusively via iTunes.

The band is also teaming up again with toymakers Kidrobot to release a new run of "soft vinyl figures...of band members 2D, Murdoc, Noodle, and Russel, [which] will be available in three different color variations: 60,000 [of the] basic edition, 1,000 [of the] two-tone [edition], and 4,000 [of the] white edition." So complicated! The basic set will come out on October 16, the other two on November 2, in all Kidrobot stores (including online) and at "other select retailers." Gorillaz' last run of Kidrobot figures sold out.

Also coming out on November 2, via Penguin Books, is the 256-page Gorillaz: Rise of the Ogre, the band's "first official autobiography...as told by all four members of the band assisted by writer Cass Browne. Designed by Jamie Hewlett and his studio team at Zombie Flesh Eaters, the book will contain a wealth of new and unseen images; contributions from the band's collaborators; stolen moments behind the scenes; pictures from Gorillaz' personal albums; and all the gossip, innuendo, and scandal you'd expect from a best-selling pop group."

Except that this one is sort of imaginary.

Dare EP tracklist:

01 Dare (Demon Days live in Harlem video)
02 Dare animatic (video)
03 Clint Eastwood live, featuring De La Soul & Bootie Brown
04 People (Dare original demo)

DVD tracklist:

01 Feel Good Inc. video
02 Dare video
03 Dirty Harry video
04 El Mañana video
05 Feel Good Inc. animatic
06 Dare animatic
07 Dirty Harry animatic
08 El Mañana animatic
09 The Swagga
10 Bill Murray
11 Spitting Out the Demons
12 Kids With Guns
13 People
14 Samba at 13
15 Murdoc Is God
16 Demon Days album ad
17 Demon Days live DVD ad
18 Demon Days live Manchester mashup
19 Dare ringtone ad
20 GES mobile games trailer
21 Celebrity Takedown DVD trailer
22 MTV Europe Music Awards performance
23 Feel Up live performance
24 Brit Awards 2006 performance
25 "El Mañana" live in Harlem
26 Brit Awards rehearsals
27 Gorillaz live in Harlem sting
28 Hip Hop Machine ident
29 Mexican Jailer ident
30 Fairground ident
31 Capsule Hotel ident
32 On the Island G Bite
33 The Lost G Bite
34 Noodle VMA acceptance speech
35 Murdoc alternative Queen's speech
36 Murdoc record company thank you
37 Noodle "Dare" interview
38 MTV "Cribs"
39 Monk's montage
40 Polar bear gags