Curtains for Gorillaz?

Damon says they've peaked

The future of Gorillaz is in question after Damon Albarn sparked rumours of a split, following their gig in New York last night (5 April).

He told 6 Music he feels the happiest he has ever felt with the band, and likened their current relationship to a family, but says he's not sure he can beat their last album efforts:

"At the moment we're like, that's probably the last album we make, I don't think we could make a better album than Demon Days really, for what this is and how it works."

The Demon set went down a storm at the Harlem Apollo last night where the band are playing a five-night residency, with the grand finale hitting the stage there tonight.

Dennis Hopper joined the band on stage to preach the apocalyptic Fire Coming Out Of Monkey's Head, live for the first time in the US .

But it hasn't all been plain sailing for the band. Their opening night was plagued with trouble after a technical glitch left them without their trademark visuals, and prompted a stinging attack from one US critic.

The man from the Hollywood Reporter described them as, "mediocre, sadly one-dimensional and lacklustre", but last night they fully redeemed themselves.

Regular guests De La Soul, Ike Turner, Neneh Cherry, Shaun Ryder, Roots Manuva and Martina Topley-Bird all joined Damon Albarn's band and Jamie Hewlett's astounding animations to run through Demon Days live for the penutimate time.

But whether this is the last live show we'll see from the band remains a mystery, with even Damon telling our reporter he's unsure whether they'll continue:

"Last night we thought surely this isn't the end, and I don't know we're saying it's the end again, but it's quite a hip hop thing to retire and come back you know."

Jo Youle

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