Band of the Day: Jukebox Monkey

We last talked to this bunch in the run-up to Bloodstock 2016 where they featured on the Jagermeister stage. Time for a catchup with Jukebox Monkey…

Simple things first – where are you guys from?

We’re from all over Kent. We have two Men of Kent, and two Kentish Men. That only makes sense if you’re from Kent.

How did you meet?

In the usual dull ways that musicians meet other musicians – someone dragged them down to the rehearsal studio once. Nothing cool or sexy like on Grindr or anything.

How long have you been playing as a band?

Seven years. We’re old.

Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?

Missed the boat on that one, my friend! Got sick of being asked that sometime in 2011. Haha! But we really can’t remember – it was just a cool phrase that came up in conversation. It was better than “Big Nasty” which we were gonna be called for about a week…

What are your influences?

Clutch, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age, Mastodon, Black Sabbath, Monster Magnet, AC/DC, Orange Goblin, Motörhead, Gentlemens’ Pistols, Karma To Burn, Airbourne, Black Label Society. If it’s heavy, beardie and groovy, we like it!

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Well people have started calling us “metallic stoner rock” which makes sense. It’s groovy and heavy, but with edges and pace! We also try to inject some intelligence in there, both lyrically and musically – it’s not just pummelling.

Do you have any particular lyrical themes?

Yeah, it’s a little bit social and political these days… or more specifically, it’s about the cognitive dissonance that the state of the world causes in individuals.  It’s a bit more interesting than “smoke weed!” or “shagging is great!”, which is kinda where a lot of stoner stuff ventures.

What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?

It’s brilliant, obviously. Intense, energetic and groovy. With massive singalong moments! We’ve done around 100 shows. I’ve lost count.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?

Well one time we played a show on the same bill as a stripper who performed with a snake, and the snake escaped during our set and started trying to climb up our bass player. That was pretty wild.

What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?

Right now, we use Orange, Blackstar and Ampeg amps, Tama drums, Zildjian cymbals, Gibson guitars, Fender basses. But that could change if free stuff isn’t forthcoming.

What are your plans for the rest of 2017?

We’re promoting the hell out of Grey Skies Red Planet, our debut album, and gigging around the UK. Buy it and book us!

If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!

Under Clutch, and above Famyne. Brilliant Kentish Doom. Actually it would technically be Doom of Kent. Check them out.

Courtesy of previous Band of the Day artist Ruben Hultman: What phase of the creation process do you find most difficult and how do you cope with that?

We’re very slow at writing. It just takes us a long time to craft the material – we tend to write and re-write things a number of times before they take shape. It’s always been that way, but to be honest that’s probably where the quality comes from.

Jukebox Monkey: facebook | twitter | instagram | youtube | bandcamp

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments