Damon Albarn

Damon Albarn (/ˈdeɪmən ˈælbɑrn/; born 23 March 1968 in Whitechapel, London) is an English musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He is best known for being the frontman of the alternative rock band Blur as well as the vocalist and principal songwriter of virtual band Gorillaz. Raised in Leytonstone, London and around Colchester, Essex, Albarn attended Stanway Comprehensive School where he met Graham Coxon and eventually formed Blur whose debut album, Leisure, was released in 1990 to mixed reviews. After spending long periods of time touring the United States, Albarn's songwriting became increasingly influenced by British bands from the 1960s. The result of these influences came in the form of Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993), Parklife (1994) and The Great Escape (1995). All three albums received widespread critical acclaim while Blur gained mass popularity in the UK, aided by a rivalry shared with Oasis. Subsequent albums contained influences from lo-fi, electronic and hip hop music.