Monkey - Journey to the West

For those who are familiar with the British music scene, the name Damon Albarn will definitely ring a bell. He was the frontman of Blur. After disbanding Blur he created the virtual band Gorillaz with Jamie Hewlett (the artist who did the artwork).

In year 2007, Damon together with Jamie started an Opera based on the classical chinese literature epic, Journey to the West. This is a story of a buddhist monk, Xuan Chang's epic journey to the west (presumably India) in search of sacred Buddhist scripture and also the story of the Monkey's King reformation from a bad ass to a demi god. Along the way, Xuan Chang would had found 2 more diciples namely Piggy (Zhu Ba Jie) and Sandy (Sa Zheng). For this opera production, Damon wrote the score and Jamie did the art work, just like in Gorillaz.

Never the one who shy away from bold musical experiment, the soundtrack of this opera piece is really a delight. A fusion of modern alternative beats and classical Chinese opera music melded into perfection. The name of the tracks basically describe all the important chapters of all the epic:

1) Monkeys World

The Monkey King's birth from stone and his quest for immortality

2) Monkey's Travel

The Monkey's King search for the ultimate weapon

3) Into the Eastern Sea

His search of the ultimate weapon brings him to the Eastern Sea, the home of the Dragon Emperor

4) The Living Sea

His encounter with various mythical sea beings in the Eastern Sea

5) The Dragon King

His confrontation with the Dragon Emperor

6) Iron Rod

His discovery of the Iron Rod, the ultimate weapon weighing 8400 pounds that will shrink and expand at his command. Apparently, this rod was the pillar of the sea. After the Monkey removed the rod, the waves started to roll in the seven seas

7) Out of the Eastern Sea

*self explanatory*

8) Heavenly Peach Banquet

The heavenly queen was throwing a party to celebrate her birthday. Monkey was angry that he was not invited. So he gate crashed the party, ate the heavenly peach reserved for the Empress.

9) Battle in Heaven

A host of heavenly beings tried to stop this Monkey but he was too powerful.

10) O Mi To Fu

Only the mighty Buddha was able to stop this amok Monkey, imprisoning him under the Five Finger Mountain for 500 years.

11) Whisper

Guan Yin (messenger goddess of Buddha) informed the Monkey that salvation will come in the form of Xuan Zhang, where Monkey will have to act as a body guard on the monk's journey to the west. Protection needed as there are many monsters will want to eat Xuan Zhang's flesh to gain immortality.

12) Tripitaka's Curse

Due to the mischievious nature of Monkey. Guan Yin place a crown on the forehead of Monkey. When he is naughty, Xuan Zhang will recite a mantra and the crown will shrink causing Monkey unbearable pain.

13) Confession of Pig

The story of Zhu Ba Jie. Zhu Ba Jie was formerly a heavenly general but his fornicating ways caused him to be reincarnate into mortality. Something went wrong and he incarnated into a pig.

14) Sandy the River Demon

Sha Zheng was also a heavenly general but he accidently broke a vase and was punished by the Jade Emperor into a man eating sand demon.

15) The White Skeleton Demon

One of the main nemesis of the protaganists

This is not the complete track listing but basically the trio and the faithful white horse named White Dragon (who was formerly the son of the Dragon Emperor, punished die to misdemeanor) overcame all odds to reach the west and ascended into demi gods.

It is worthy to mention that Journey to the West is one the most widely adapted Chinese Literature Epic. There are numerous movies and series adaptation to it. But from what i had read and saw on the web, this is the most unique adaptation, thanks to the vision and bold experimentation of Damon Albarn. Watching this production had been added into my list of Things to Do before i Die.

btw, Stephen Chow did a few spoofs of this literature master piece and this scene is one of my all time fave