The Grey Album also got the attention of Damon Albarn, who enlisted Danger Mouse to produce the Gorillaz' second studio album, Demon Days. Danger Mouse was also named among the Men of the Year by GQ in 2004 and won a 2005 Wired Rave Award. He discussed his feelings about any controversy the album may have created in the documentary Alternative Freedom. The remix album, originally created just for his friends, spread over the Internet and became very popular with both the general audience and critics, with Rolling Stone calling it the ultimate remix record and Entertainment Weekly ranking it the best record of that year. While the Danger Mouse debut was well-received by critics, he did not rise to fame until he created The Grey Album, mixing a cappella versions of Jay Z's The Black Album over beats crafted from samples of The Beatles' White Album. Burton's first original releases under the name Danger Mouse were his collaborations with rapper Jemini, including the album Ghetto Pop Life, released in 2003 on Lex Records. While there, he sent a demo to Lex Records, which signed him. 2001–2004īurton moved to Britain for a couple of years, living in New Cross in London and working at the Rose pub near London Bridge. It would be several years before the pair made contact again, but the two would eventually collaborate as Gnarls Barkley. Afterwards, Burton approached Cee Lo Green, a member of Goodie Mob, and gave him an instrumental demo tape. While in Athens, Burton took second place in a 1998 talent contest and was asked to open for a concert at the University of Georgia featuring OutKast and Goodie Mob.
#Gorillaz demon days album controversy series
He performed in a mouse outfit because he was too shy to show his face, and took his name from the British cartoon series Danger Mouse. From 1998 to 2003, Burton also created a series of remix CDs and records under the stage name Danger Mouse. He also remixed work by several local artists, including Neutral Milk Hotel and DJ'd for University of Georgia radio station WUOG-FM. Burton also lived in Athens, Georgia for a while, where his trip-hop work was released under the name "Pelican City". He spent much of his childhood in Spring Valley, New York. īrian Burton was born in White Plains, New York. In 2010 he began producing an album for U2. The group's first album was released on March 9, 2010.ĭanger Mouse was listed as one of Esquire magazine's seventy-five most influential people of the 21st century. In 2009 he collaborated with James Mercer of the indie rock band The Shins to form the band Broken Bells. Danger Mouse most recently produced and co-wrote albums by The Black Keys El Camino, Norah Jones " Little Broken Hearts" and Electric Guest " Mondo". In addition, Burton worked with rapper MF Doom as Danger Doom and released the album The Mouse and the Mask. He has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the Producer of the Year category five times (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011), and won the award in 2011. He produced the second Gorillaz album, 2005's Demon Days, as well as Beck's 2008 record Modern Guilt and the album Attack & Release with The Black Keys in 2008. He formed Gnarls Barkley with Cee Lo Green and produced its albums St. He came to prominence in 2004 when he released The Grey Album, which combined vocal performances from Jay-Z's The Black Album with instrumentals from the Beatles' White Album. Piano/ keyboards, organ, guitar, bass guitar, drums, Percussion, synthesiserīeck, The Black Keys, Broken Bells, Cee Lo Green, Danger Doom, Electric Guest, Gnarls Barkley, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, Gorillaz, Jack White, Jemini, Joker's Daughter, MF Doom, Norah Jones, POP ETC, Sparklehorseīrian Joseph Burton (born July 29, 1977), better known by his stage name Danger Mouse, is an American musician, songwriter and producer. Hip hop, alternative rock, neo-psychedelia, electronica, neo-soul, alternative hip hop, indie rock, folk rock, ambient For the British cartoon series, see Danger Mouse (TV series). This article is about the music producer.