Names like Mark E. Smith, Lou Reed, Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Bobby Womack, De La Soul and Gruff Rhys (of Super Furry Animals) are involved in the album, as well as Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of Clash in the track 'Plastic Beach' .
On how they managed to convince such major names to agree to participate on the album here's what Murdoc Niccals stated in NME: "Leeching is the wrong word now isn't it? It's not like I've drawn blood or anything. No, I think the word 'coerced' sings the deal a little better. Although, yes, the coercion did come via chloroform and rohypnol."
The story that accompanies the recording of each album by Gorillaz is that the band members live and record in HQ Plastic Beach, a secret island floating in the South Pacific, made of debris and remnants of humanity, which is in the most remote and abandoned spot in the world.
Songs of 'Plastic Beach' , with the contributions, are:
'Orchestral Intro'
'Welcome To The World Of The Plastic Beach' (feat. Snoop Dogg )
'White Flag (feat. Kano & Bashy )
' Rhinestone Eyes'
'Stylo' (feat. Bobby Womack and Mos Def )
'Superfast Jellyfish' (feat. Gruff Rhys and De La Soul )
'Empire Ants' (feat . Little Dragon )
'Glitter Freeze' (feat. Mark E Smith )
'Some Kind Of Nature' (feat. Lou Reed )
'On Melancholy Hill'
'Broken'
'Sweepstakes' (feat. Mos Def & Hypnotic Brass Ensemble )
'Plastic Beach' (feat. Mick Jones & Paul Simonon )
'To Binge' (feat. Little Dragon )
'Cloud Of Unknowing' (feat. Bobby Womack )
'Pirate Jet'
The first single, 'Stylo' will be released on January 26 but you can already hear it from the official site of Gorillaz.
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc.