Phase 1 of Gorillaz lasted from 2000-2002 and is named after their debut self titled album, Gorillaz (the name Celebrity Take Down is the name of the documentary covering the self titled album and its creation).
On the 15th of August, 1997, Murdoc Niccals decided to crash his car into Uncle Norm's Organ Emporium, a keyboard store, so he could steal some keyboards. Previously, he had been in several bands, none of which were succesful because he was the frontman (who was a bad singer and not conventially attractive). Stuart Pot worked at the organ shop, and he was their best salesman. But Murdoc's car crashed straight into Stuart's face, which knocked one of his eyes out and put him into a coma. Murdoc was arrested, and sentenced to 30,000 hours of community service. As part of his service, Murdoc had to look after Stuart, so Murdoc took him to a carpark and did donuts in his car, which he crashed again. Stuart finally got out of his coma when he went flying through the windscreen of Murdoc's car, which took out his other eye out. When Stuart stood up again, Murdoc thought that he looked like the perfect singer to be the frontman of his new band. Murdoc gave Stuart the nickname "2-D," standing for 2 dents, after the new holes in his face. Gorillaz and fans now call the date which Murdoc met 2-D "D-Day".
Murdoc decided that the music studio for his new band would be Khong Mansion (renamed Kong Studios): a building built on top of an old cemetery which housed bodies from the the Great Plague of London (1665-1666). Kong's previous owners, a group of Hells Angels (a motorcycle gang) who called themselves "The Nomads," hosted a party there in 1993 with thousands of other members. Someone mysteriously locked all of the doors, and a fire started when the party got chaotic. Every biker died in the fire, leaving Kong Studios to be haunted.
On the 27th of November, 2000, Gorillaz released their debut EP Tomorrow Comes Today.
Gorillaz released the single Clint Eastwood on the 5th of March, 2001.
On the 26th of March, 2001, Gorillaz released their debut self-titled album, Gorillaz.
Gorillaz released the single 19-2000 on the 25th of June, 2001.
Gorillaz released the single Rock the House on the 22nd of October, 2001.
Gorillaz released the single 911 on the 7th of December, 2001.
On the 26th of February, 2000, Gorillaz released B-sides album G Sides.
On the 1st of July, 2000, Gorillaz feat. Spacemonkeyz released the album Laika Come Home.
Gorillaz feat. Spacemonkeyz released the single Lil' Dub Chefin on the 22nd of July.
The Gorillaz documentary, Phase One: Celebrity Take Down, released on the 18th of November, 2002.
