Introduce yourself…
We're 2 Sick Monkeys, a 2 piece, bass and drums, Punk Rock band from Wootton Bassett, South West England
Fred - Drums/Vocals
Pete - Bass/Vocals
How did the band start?
(Pete) Fred teaches drums and every now and then he puts on drum masterclasses.
He had one booked for December 2000, featuring Darrin Mooney from Primal Scream,
and he asked me if I'd have a jam with him to come up with a couple of tunes to play at this event.
We started practising and it sounded pretty good, then we played the gig, which was great (and a bit nerve-wracking) and decided to keep it going.
And here we are over 600 gigs later!!
How did you come up with the name?
(Pete) In the 90's I was in a band called Acoustic Junkies and we couldn't get a gig in a local venue coz I was always falling asleep or throwing up (or both!) when I was pissed. So we booked one as 'A Few Sick Monkeys'.
When we started this band and needed a name I said "Well, there's 2 of us, what about 2 Sick Monkeys?"
Who would you say are your influences?
(Fred) My influences as far as the band is concerned: From Nomeansno, Green Day, Killing Joke, Discharge, to ska and jazz.
(Pete) Nomeansno, Crass, Subhumans, Rudimentary Peni, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Daphne & Celeste, Right Said Fred, Toni Basil and Bis.
Love a bit of '60's Garage and early Motown too.
What was the punk scene like in 2000?
(Pete) Not sure to be honest, I didn't really have much to do with it back then (round 1997 - 2001)....spent most of my time working or in the pub and a lot of my drinking buddies weren't into Punk. I would, from time to time, go to London, Bristol, Reading Festival etc on my own...to catch bands like Rancid, Agnostic Front, Supersuckers, Bad Religion, Rocket From The Crypt, Dropkick Murphys...loads of bands...too many to remember.
I know that the Rebellion Festival was going back then (first called 'Holidays In The Sun' then 'Wasted') but didn't go to one 'til 2002 and as I wasn't in a band leading up to and around 2000 I have no idea what the DIY scene was like then.
How do you feel it has changed?
(Pete) Well for me, personally, it changed quite dramatically as I was in a band that was doing more and more gigs so I got to see things in the DIY scene first hand. And I love it!!
The Punk scene, like any other, has peaks and troughs...busy for a while, then quiet for a while...it's been like that since the late '70's....and will, more then likely, continue to be that way.
I suppose the main things that have changed for me are that I now get to see new bands all the time and meet old friends made through this band.
Describe the song writing process…
(Fred) I guess bass riffs mainly. Pete will play riffs during rehearsals and I'll start jamming on drums.
We record our practises, so when we listen back we can pick out stuff that we like and could maybe use at a later date.
Or alot of times Pete will have pretty much most of the music written, with ideas for tempo, structure and groove.
We both share lyric writing duties.
Your first release was the ‘Full Flavour Behaviour’ CD, tell us about the CD…
(Fred) A learning process!!
(Pete) Certainly was!! I don't think any of us (me, Fred or Rich - the bloke recording us) knew what we were doing or even what we were after.
We'd always been just 2 people playing live in a practice room or playing gigs and had never thought about how we'd record it or what we wanted it to sound like...and I think it shows!!
It's a shame really as I like the songs on there, it's just that the recording doesn't do them justice...oh yeah and my vocals are bollocks!!!
You followed that up with the ‘Nothing Nowhere’ CD, how do you feel that differed?
(Fred) We recorded that at a small studio run by Peter Lamb in Potterne, Wiltshire. It was recorded in one day, with backing vocals and mixing done on another day.
It was a great time. We could perhaps have mixed the songs slightly better, given them more punch but I'm really proud of the songs. Peter Lamb is such an easy guy to work with.
Your first album was ‘Curse of the Monkeys’, tell us about the album…
(Fred) Another learning process! It was pretty good fun. We recorded it ourselves in a rehearsal room at Studio 6, run by Stu McKay.
His old studio was in a small industrial unit on a farm. So we'd be slaving away and rocking out in this dark recording studio, then walk outside into the bright sunshine of the quiet Wiltshire countryside.
(Pete) We definitely learnt a lot from recording this album, although as with most things the learning is always done afterwards.
On the whole though it's a pretty good recording considering it was our first real attempt and we still play the majority of the songs from this album at gigs.
In 2008, you released the ‘Why?’ EP, Tell us about the EP…
(Pete) This was our 2nd attempt at recording and, for me, it's my favourite one so far (although I reckon the new album will trump it!!).
I think it's got the best sound of all our recordings, similar to 'Nowhere Nothing' but louder and punchier. This is where we put the lessons learnt from 'Curse of the Monkeys' in to practice.
We have always tried to make sure that there aren't duplications on any of our releases...if it's on an EP, it doesn't need to be on an album...why should people pay twice for the same songs?
But we felt we had to re-record 'Retro Age' from 'Full Flavour Behaviour' for this EP because the original version was definitely not the best!!
We also try to do at least one instrumental on every release and 'Walk A Fine Line' on this EP is my favourite 2SM recording.
Tell us about the current lineup…
(Fred) As far as I know I'm still in the band! I haven't been replaced by a drum machine. There was a rumor that Dave Grohl heard one of our early demos and wanted to work with us. He's a big Killing Joke fan too.
(Pete) Yeah, he got in touch but couldn't commit to more then one tour...rock stars, eh? (even nice ones)
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
(Pete) The beauty of being in this band is the amount of bands we get to share stages with...and there's been some bloody good 'uns!!!
In no particular order - The Something Somethings (RIP), The Dead Class, Rabies Babies, Eastfield, Global Parasite, Autonomads, Smash It Up, Dead Subverts, Rash Decision, Power Is Poison, Dangerfields, Nobodys Heroes, Charred Hearts, John Q Public, Hacksaw, Subhumans, GBH, Discharge, The Varukers, UK Subs, Inner Terrestrials, The Buzzcocks, Goldblade, Citizen Fish, Neville Staples, Lord Bishop Rocks and about a thousand others!!
Do you prefer to do shows at large venues or small clubs?
(Fred) I don't think we've played a large venue! We once played a venue in Eastern Germany where Rammstein played the week before. True.
We really kick when we're on a larger stage and everythings mic-ed up. Pete's bass really brings the walls down.
(Pete) I like them all, big or small. Going through a big PA is great, when you hit a chord and the floor is rumbling under your feet it fells ace.
But also smaller venues when the people are up really close is great too, especially when it starts to get a bit crazy in the crowd.
Where have you toured?
(Fred) Everywhere except Japan. And the U.S.A.
(Pete) Yep, seems like it.
We've been all the over the UK several times and we've done 8 European Tours covering France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Bosnia, Serbia, Lithuania and Latvia.
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
(Fred) Sugarbabes are cool....Oh, and Wonk Unit. And The Dead Class.
(Pete) I loved every gig we did with The Something Somethings...brilliant!! And we've done some good tours with Dead Subverts, Rash Decision and Wonk Unit.
And The Dead Class are ace too.
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
(Fred) Europe. They really look after you.
Backstage dressing rooms, somewhere to sleep, crate of beers, friendly smiles, big pot of food to eat for everyone (including backstage staff, sound engineers, lighting guys) everyone gets taken care of.
Need I say more?
(Pete) Always look forward to going to Europe, love playing out there. Closer to home, always enjoyed Sawyers, Kettering (RIP), The Duke in Neath and The Bird's Nest, Deptford, London.
In Swindon we've always had fun at Riffs Bar, The Rolleston and The Victoria.
What do you see is the future of 2 Sick Monkeys?
(Fred) New places to play. Go back to Europe again. Also the release of our second album, that we've been recording with Matt at Pumpkin Records. It's gonna ROCK. Man!
It's sounding great and there's a real progression in the songwriting. I had a great time recording it, no pressure, someone else to record it.
Matt looked after us, fed us, found us somewhere to stay, and made sure we had the finest wines and alchoholic beverages known to man to drink. Diamond.
(Pete) The new album, which we can't wait to get out, and hopefully a tour of Japan. I'd also like to think that we could hit the 1,000 gigs milestone...that would be brilliant!!!
How can people contact the band?
(Fred) Flag us down on their nearest motorway, we're bound to be driving along it!
(Pete) Or you could find us at one (or more) of these links...it's slightly less dangerous...
http://www.2sickmonkeys.com
http://www.myspace.com/2sickmonkeys
http://www.facebook.com/pages/2-Sick-Monkeys/6848254978
http://www.youtube.com/user/2sickmonkeys
http://www.pumpkinrecords.co.uk
http://www.smegmarecords.com
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