Monkey (band)

Monkey is a third wave ska band from the San Francisco Bay Area of California.

Musical inspirations include Skatalites, Toots & the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, and Elvis Costello. Rocksteady and ska dominate their sound, while elements of rock, rockabilly, Latin, and soul music are also present. As of 2007, the band was signed with Asian Man Records, also based in the Bay Area.

Monkey has released three albums as of 2007. The first two were independently released, and the third was released by Asian Man Records. Their debut album Changito! has sold over 6,000 copies, without any record label support or distribution, and was listed as San Jose's Best Independent Release for 1998. The band has had songs on over 20 international compilation releases, has had music on a PlayStation soundtrack, and has had songs added to independent film soundtracks.

Monkey has toured the United States over 10 times, as well as touring Canada and parts of Mexico, bringing the band's big beat, horn-driven, dancehall sound to people all over the continent. The band has typically performed between 150 and 200 concerts per year. As of 2007, Monkey was performing concerts in several parts of California, namely its home, the Bay Area.

Monkey has earned several nominations and awards, including the California Music Award (Bammie 1999). Monkey continued touring internationally and releasing records on labels like Deluxe Entertainment and Asian Man Records long after the fall of third wave ska. It is believed that there have been at least 30 different members since the band was initially formed. Michael Valladares of Critical Mass has recorded saxophone for Monkey on both their Changito and Station Wagon Living CDs, as well as performing live with the band on occasion.

History
MONKEY formed in summer 1996, by Curtis Meacham and high school friend Kevin Miller, in the basement of a party house on 15th street in downtown San Jose. The band got off to a shaky start, as members seemed to fall off the tree as fast as they climbed on... However, combining the tenacity of driven musicians, the band immediately continued to work through lineup changes until achieving their goals.

In 1997 Monkey's first full length release Changito was hailed as a ska classic and brought the group immediate success. That year, the band also won the coveted Bay Area Music award (then referred to as the BAMMIES).

The album was out and the band tried their hand at touring, but the first tour was rough. Under-promoted shows and rip-off clubs scorched down on the band as hot as the Arizona sun, but somehow the group continued on. Then... tragedy struck. Some of the band members had thought that the touring lifestyle was going to be all fun and no work. However, the rigors of the road finally caught up and two members found themselves quitting in Breckinridge Colorado (drummer & trombone).

Monkey was determined to not only live through this, but to continue and complete the tour without missing any more dates. Lead singer Curtis Meacham grabbed the phone and spent hours searching through contacts to find a replacement drummer to complete the mission. He finally found his spare wheel in a young crazy drummer, named Jimmy Boom (Kongo Shock, and later The Phenomenauts). Jimmy had 3 hours to rehearse in the basement of the bar before performing a 3 hour gig. The show was scary, but fun and proved to the remaining members that Monkey was ready for more action.

Jimmy Boom, seemed like the perfect addition to the group, but as he lived in Arizona, he could only dedicate himself to short tours and special events. So, Monkey finished the tour and came home to hire Micah Turney as their new drummer. Micah was only 17 years old and anxious to play with one of his favorite bands as the permanent drummer.

Monkey then embarked on their second self-released album. Dense with musical changes and thick layered sounds, Station Wagon Living bore all the hallmarks of a band that had gone pro. However, the album was released into a landscape of bad economy, self-destructing record labels and the crash of 3rd Wave Ska... the very same wave that had originally brought them to their brief climax in the national music scene. The album (albeit an amazing selection of music), seemed to just sit at the merchandise table, as the shows dwindled in size and America seemed to lose interest in music in general. Station Wagon Living has since been labeled as the band's "lost album."

Finally, the failing industry proved to be enough to convince more members to jump ship. Co-founding member, Kevin Miller and long term guitarist Adam Brioza found that they could no longer justify their efforts, quitting the band in 2001. The band seemed to be destined for atrophy, but there was one thing that kept the fire burning. Monkey had sunk several thousands of dollars into the recording of Station Wagon Living and the entire debt laid upon the shoulders of the final founding member, Curtis. So, the only way out, was to get a new back-up band and start touring like mad.

From 1999, to the early 2000's, Monkey was pulling over 200 shows per year as an unsigned act. The band toured all over America, Canada, and Mexico, and continued to write and record music. The lineup changes had finally convinced lead singer and organ player, Curtis Meacham to move to the center stage as the guitarist for the band. The change was for the better as the band finally had a true front man.

Due to the band's continuing efforts and extreme work ethic, they were finally signed in 2004, and released their first supported album Cruel Tutelage on Asian Man Records. The album was a mix of free living-room recordings and low fidelity studios. The songs were raw and organic, but they were also a clearly defined change in how the band wrote, recorded, and managed their music. The quest for fire was back and Monkey continued to tour the US and finally found themselves in Europe.

In the U.K., the band had made a connection with the manager of the legendary 2-tone ska band Bad Manners. They returned to the states with an immediate mission: spend the next 3-4 weeks, preparing to perform as the backing band for Bad Manners on their first U.S. tour in over 5 years.

The tour was hard... Poorly promoted shows, ridiculous drives and booker rip-offs seemed to discourage all of the effort that it had taken. The band had had enough. Upon the return, back to the bay area, the band took a 6 month break. No more music, no more shows, no more bullshit.

When the hiatus had completed the band booked a 9-day session at Rockwell Sounds and lived in the studio until they completed recordings on as many ideas as possible. 23 tracks emerged from the Rockwell sessions and the band was about to reinvent themselves, with an over-abundance of music to unleash on the world.

In 2009, the band released Lost at Sea. The album was immediately hailed as the "Pet Sounds" of Monkey's career and changed the band from ragged tour dogs, to an intensely artistic foundation. The album featured Kincaid Smith from Hepcat on trumpet, and the artwork was supplied by Parker Jacobs of Yo Gabba Gabba fame.

Current lineup

 * Curtis Meacham: Vocals/Guitar
 * Micah Turney: Drums
 * Dustin James: Trombone/Organ/Vocals
 * Brian Lockrem: Trumpet/Vocals
 * Donelle Cory: Bass
 * Dan Root: Saxophone

Previous members

 * Aaron Blanding: Trumpet    (from 1997 - 1998)
 * Adam Brioza: Guitar/Vocals (from 1997 - 2002)
 * Allen Teboul: Drums        (from 1996 - 1997)
 * Bob Furber: Saxophone      (from 1997 - 1998)
 * Bob Wilms: Saxophone       (from 1999 - 2000)
 * Bobby Miller: Saxophone    (from 1998 - 1999)
 * Chad Tamashiro: Trombone
 * Chucky Woods: Saxophone
 * Danielle: Saxophone (1996)
 * Dave Borton: Trombone
 * Dave Richards: Trombone
 * Dave: Saxophone
 * Dustin: Drums (1996)
 * Erik Liljenwall: Guitar
 * Eric Davis: Trumpet
 * George Colón: Vocals
 * Greg Saul: Trombone
 * Jeff Gutierrez: Saxophone
 * Jerimiah Owyang: Trombone
 * Jimmy Boom: Drums (1999)
 * John Cormay: Guitar
 * John Roy: Saxophone
 * Kevin Miller: Bass/Vocals (1996 - 2001)
 * Leeanne Early: Trumpet
 * Manos: Percussion/Drums
 * Matt Kolb: Drums (1998 - 1999)
 * Mike Merril: Trumpet
 * Mike Valadares: Saxophone
 * Nikki Arias: Trombone/Flute
 * Ross Peard: Saxophone (1996 - 1997)
 * Rick McKinney: Congas
 * Sean Shippley: Bass
 * Sergio Bernal: Trumpet
 * Sherry Biondi: Euphonium
 * Todd Bryan: Bass
 * Vic Wong: Guitar

Discography

 * Changito (1997) Full Length Album *Deluxe Entertainment
 * Station Wagon Living (2002)Full Length Album *Deluxe Entertainment
 * Cruel Tutelage (2005)Full Length Album *Asian Man Records
 * Lost At Sea (2009) Full Length Album *Asian Man Records

EP's


 * Jammas In Pajammas 2-Song Sampler *Deluxe Entertainment
 * Monkey/Unsteady 7" Vinyl *Asian Man Records
 * Monkey Ska Full Length Compilation *Disc Union released in Japan by Ska in the World Records

Compilations

 * Bay Area Ska Bay Area Ska
 * Freedom Sounds Shanachie Records
 * F@#ing Free! Bayareaska.com
 * Groovin' In The Grass U of AZ
 * Infinite Diversity Section 31 Records
 * It'll Look Good On You Jump Up Records
 * Live From Mars Random Order
 * Mail Order Is Fun Asian Man Records
 * Mario From Italy Green Fridge Records
 * Potluck Ska Stub-Daddy Records
 * Primo Sonic Rhythms Vol. II Rivercidal Syndicate Records
 * Puro Eskañol 2 Aztlan Records
 * Reggae Soundsystem Live 105 Presents
 * Ska, Rocksteady & Reggae Steady Beat Records
 * Skamageddon III Moon Ska Records
 * Sofa's Choice Little Lucky Records
 * Soundoff 2001 Ultravibe.com
 * Still Standing Jump Up Records
 * West Coast Skampolation Full Stop Industries
 * What'd You Expect for Free? Skratch Magazine
 * Who's the Man? Full Stop Industries
 * Winners Vol. I I.M. Magazine

SOUNDTRACKS

 * Pervert The Movie Stag Films
 * Big Air Playstation Game
 * Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow Starving Artists Films

AWARDS

 * 1997 Wammie Nomination (SF Weekly)
 * 1998 Wammie Nomination (SF Weekly)
 * 1998 Bammie Nomination (Bam Mag)
 * 1999 California Music Award Winner for 'Outstanding Ska Artist'
 * 2000 Independent Music Award Nomination
 * 2000 Winner of the Ernie Ball Vans Warp Tour Contest
 * 2002 Winner of the Alice 97.3 fm Now & Zen Garage Band Competition
 * 2003 Winner of the I.M. Magazine Band Search