Gorillaz Creators take over YouTube's home page with "Monkey"

If you can't imagine an ape taking the lead role in a Chinese Opera, then you can't have heard about the new project from the masterminds of virtual alternative music act, The Gorillaz. Their new CD is based on the 21st century production of a Mandarin Opera reinterpreted by Gorillaz creators Damon Albarn (music) and artist Jamie Hewlett (visuals). In celebration of simian-starring project "Monkey: Journey to the West", the duo will premiere their "Monkey Bee" video and curate related featured videos on YouTube's homepage for 24 hours.







Other highlights of this monkey-themed takeover includes a BBC produced feature-length documentary on staging the "Monkey: Journey to the West" opera that is currently touring the UK, titled "Damon & Jamie's Excellent Adventure." Damon (also the vocalist behind Blur and The Good Bad & The Queen) and Jamie (co-creator of the comic strip Tank Girl) have recorded a personal introduction describing the additional videos they have selected that relate to the themes and inspirations behind the project, which involves 40 Chinese circus acrobats, martial artists and singers, and an orchestra of both Western and traditional Chinese instruments. See them share the details about puppetry, kung fu, "flying" and their enthusiasm for YouTube here:







Head over to Damon & Jamie's YouTube channel for more Mandarin-influenced Monkey madness and enjoy this homepage themed takeover, which links a 16th-century Chinese epic saga with animation, opera and modern music.



Cheers,

Michele K-Tel

YouTube Music