Editing Damon Albarn (section)

==Politics and activism==
In 2005, Albarn, among others, criticised the London [[Live 8]] concert for not featuring enough black artists; among the few included were [[Ms. Dynamite]], [[Snoop Dogg]], and [[Youssou N'Dour]]. Eventually the organisers added a separate concert at the [[Eden Project]] in Cornwall to the programme to showcase African musicians. Albarn said he did not want to perform at Live 8 because he thought it was too "exclusive" and may have been motivated by self-promotion.<ref name="NME website"/>

Albarn has been a vocal critic of [[celebrity culture]], saying: "We need to dismantle very significant parts of our culture and really re-examine them. I suppose you start with the celebrity thing... you have to get rid of things like ''[[The X Factor]]'' immediately."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7161966.stm|title=Albarn condemns celebrity culture|date=27 December 2007|work=BBC News|access-date=2 January 2010|archive-date=2 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081202032559/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7161966.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Albarn was a vocal critic of the United Kingdom's [[Brexit|withdrawal]] from the [[European Union]], describing it as "wrong" and saying that "it doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/damon-albarn-brexit-has-revealed-terrible-truths-about-the-mental-health-of-the-english-1.3704717|title=Damon Albarn: 'Brexit has revealed terrible truths about the mental health of the English'|date=22 November 2018|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108104247/https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/damon-albarn-brexit-has-revealed-terrible-truths-about-the-mental-health-of-the-english-1.3704717|url-status=live}}</ref> Albarn was a signatory on a 2018 editorial advocating for a "Citizen's Assembly" to resolve the [[Parliamentary votes on Brexit|parliamentary deadlock over withdrawal terms]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/blurs-damon-albarn-demands-citizens-13744016|title=Blur's Damon Albarn demands 'citizens' assembly' to fix Brexit|date=17 December 2018|work=The Daily Mirror|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108093806/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/blurs-damon-albarn-demands-citizens-13744016|url-status=live}}</ref> Albarn stated that the Good, the Bad & the Queen album ''[[Merrie Land]]'' (2018) was inspired by Brexit and his reaction to it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.essexlive.news/whats-on/music-nightlife/damon-albarn-talks-how-brexit-2197986?cmpredirect=|title=Damon Albarn talks about how Brexit inspired his new album|date=8 November 2018|work=Essex Live|access-date=2 November 2020|archive-date=16 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416042145/https://www.essexlive.news/whats-on/music-nightlife/damon-albarn-talks-how-brexit-2197986?cmpredirect=|url-status=live}}</ref>

Albarn has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights, cancelling concerts in [[Israel]] following the [[Gaza flotilla raid]] in 2010<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/pixies-pull-out-of-israeli-concert-1.921777|title=Pixies pull out of Israeli concert|date=6 June 2010|work=CBC News|access-date=26 April 2023|archive-date=27 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427001147/https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/pixies-pull-out-of-israeli-concert-1.921777|url-status=live}}</ref> and played a concert at the [[Labour Friends of Palestine and the Middle East]] Gala Dinner in 2014. During [[Glastonbury Festival 2024]], Albarn gave a pro-Palestine speech, labeling the [[Gaza war]] an "unfair war" and encouraging people to vote in the upcoming UK general election.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-28 |title=Glastonbury 2024: Damon Albarn Gives Pro-Palestine Speech |url=https://consequence.net/2024/06/damon-albarn-palestine-glastonbury-2024/ |access-date=2024-06-29 |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Anti-war activism===
Albarn is [[anti-war]], holding views shared by others in his family, including his grandfather Edward Albarn, who died during a [[hunger strike]] in 2002.<ref name=Mulholland /><ref name="Inside Out">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series6/lincolnshire_peace_community_conscientious_objector.shtml|title=LINCOLNSHIRE PEACE COMMUNITY|date=6 September 2004|publisher=BBC Inside Out|access-date=18 September 2012|archive-date=27 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427034124/http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/eastmidlands/series6/lincolnshire_peace_community_conscientious_objector.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2001, shortly after the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan]] in response to [[September 11 attacks]], the [[MTV Europe Music Awards]] were held in [[Frankfurt]], where Gorillaz won awards for Best Song and Best Dance.<ref name="guardianemas01">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/09/1|title=Brits take six MTV Europe awards|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=9 November 2001|access-date=9 October 2012|archive-date=25 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825214900/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/09/1|url-status=live}}</ref> As Albarn and Jamie Hewlett walked onto stage to make a speech after receiving the latter award, Albarn wore a T-shirt with the [[Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament]] logo on it. In his speech, he said "So, fuck the music. Listen. See this symbol here, [pointing to the T-shirt] this the symbol for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Bombing one of the poorest countries in the world is wrong. You've got a voice and you have got to do what you can about it alright?"<ref name="ALL EYES ON GORILLAZ">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtJOhdsFVQ0| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140501151834/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtJOhdsFVQ0| archive-date=2014-05-01 | url-status=dead|title=Gorillaz – EMA's 2001 ("Best Dance" Award)|via=YouTube|access-date=9 October 2012}}</ref><ref name="Rock Crusaders">{{cite news|title=Damon Albarn and [[Robert del Naja]] interview, Rock Crusaders|work=The Independent on Sunday|date=9 February 2003}}</ref><ref name="JAM! Music 1">{{cite journal|title=MTV winners Gorillaz protest U.S. bombing|journal=Jam! Showbiz|date=9 November 2001|url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gorillaz/2001/11/09/745450.html|access-date=9 October 2012|publisher=canoe.ca|location=Canada|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130101013804/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/G/Gorillaz/2001/11/09/745450.html|archive-date=1 January 2013}}</ref>

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|quote = "Each individual has their own opinions about whether war is an answer to any problems. Personally I think it's a waste of time, but I think more importantly, that it's an issue that we haven't had any say in. That's why I feel so strongly about it. I don't feel like we've really been given any choice in this matter. I think if you had a referendum tomorrow, [[Tony Blair]] would have no choice but to call off the war."
|source =—Albarn on Britain's involvement with the Iraq invasion<ref name="XFM (Albarns Protest)">{{cite web |title=Damon Albarn's Anti-War Protest |date=2 July 2003 |url=http://www.xfm.co.uk/Damon-Albarns-Anti-War-Protest?spid=16525 |access-date=15 September 2012 |publisher=[[XFM]]}} {{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
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In 2002, [[Iraq]] was under threat of invasion from a [[Multi-National Force – Iraq|United States-led coalition]]. [[Opposition to the Iraq War|Opposition to the planned invasion]] led to [[Protests against the Iraq War|protests]] being organised by a number of organisations. Albarn spoke out against the invasion.<ref name="Anderson">{{cite web|last=Anderson|first=Errol|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/10-things-you-never-knew-about-damon-albarn|title=10 Things You Never Knew About Damon Albarn|date=16 September 2011|access-date=19 November 2011|archive-date=27 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127184128/http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/10-things-you-never-knew-about-damon-albarn|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="NME 20 August 2002">{{cite journal|title=WAR ON WAR!|journal=[[NME]]|date=20 August 2002|url=https://www.nme.com/news/blur/12332|access-date=15 September 2012|archive-date=20 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220223806/http://www.nme.com/news/blur/12332/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Smith (Martin)">{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Martin|title=Musicians who won't be silenced|url=http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=3298|newspaper=[[Socialist Worker]]|access-date=15 September 2012|archive-date=16 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016153709/http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=3298|url-status=dead}}</ref> Albarn teamed up with [[Robert "3D" Del Naja]] of [[Massive Attack]] and worked with [[Stop the War Coalition]], [[CND]] and the [[Muslim Association of Britain]] to organise campaigns to oppose British involvement in the war.<ref name="XFM (Albarns Protest)"/> This included spending £15,000 on anti-war adverts which ran in the ''[[NME]]'', featuring quotes from [[Tony Benn]] and the former US Attorney-General, [[Ramsey Clark]].<ref name="Rock Crusaders"/>

Albarn revealed that originally, many people whom he knew were against the [[Iraq War]] were reluctant to take a stand, stating "to be honest with you when [[Robert Del Naja]] and myself started really stepping up prior to the war it was very difficult to find anyone. And I don't want to name any names because they are people who I respect but they were really, for some reason, very reticent to stand with us. A lot of people who you would now associate with being anti-war at that particular point didn't seem to be prepared to do it."<ref name=Kennard/>

He was due to speak in [[Hyde Park, London|Hyde Park]] on the rally in February 2003 when a million people took to the streets of London in protest at the imminent war. In the event, he was too emotional to deliver his speech.<ref name=scotsman03>{{cite journal|title=Deconstructing Damon|journal=The Scotsman|date=16 November 2003}}</ref> Albarn later revealed that he had "this image of my grandad in his slippers reading the paper, knowing that his grandson had been involved in something which he'd put so much of his life into" and "got over-emotional". He also stated that "it obviously wasn't the best moment to get in that state, when you're at the head of the biggest peace march in the history of this country."<ref name=Mulholland /> Albarn also attended a protest in November where he commented on the diversity of people in attendance, saying that "It represents everybody. It's the voice in our democracy and that's why we should be listened to."<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/oGi2jF5T8Tg Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20150904100450/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGi2jF5T8Tg Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web|title=Damon Albarn @ Anti Bush Protest (2003)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGi2jF5T8Tg|via=YouTube|access-date=17 November 2012|author=TracyJackAlbarn2|date=6 October 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Speaking about the experience in 2008, Albarn stated:<blockquote>I think in this case the only reason we went to war was the result of our individual apathy in the end. You know, our inability to really express what was I think was a consensus that this was a terrifying idea and a very badly thought-out one.<ref name="Kennard" /></blockquote>