Monkeypig

https://www.facebook.com/monkeypigofficial

Christian Ryan's Monkeypig is a music project based in Newcastle, Australia. The sound takes it's influences from indie Australian, Detroit, surf, punk, power pop and garage rock styles. Sometimes subtle, sometimes in your face, it's a twin guitar rock n roll attack.

Monkeypig's debut album "March of the Jack Boots" has been out since 2016 and is still enjoys regular airplay on indie and community radio. Lyrically it it has some introspective explorations, sometimes dark, sometimes irreverent, often based on past experiences especially childhood. It also touches on the state of the world we live in today. I can't help but be offended by the hypocrisy that pervades our society, in our schools, our workplaces and our politics. And these things provide great material for song lyrics. I played all the parts on the record myself as well as doing all the recording and mixing, it goes with my sometimes obsessive attitude. Sometimes I can get carried away with things and it probably makes it hard for other people who are part of my projects.

The album was critically well received and is available on CD, Vinyl and download via the Monkeypig Bandcamp page as well as some of the larger digital download services. You definitely wont find it on Spotify. It's also well liked by a lot of my musical peers, which I consider the greatest compliment. There's a possibility a remixed and mastered version with a new sleeve design may become available in the near future.

At the time of writing this the follow up album is currently in production too. There is no set release date as the album production is competing for time with other recording and performance commitments not least of which is playing bass in another local Newcastle band the Not Nots. I'm also now running my PA system which is installed in-house at a brand new band venue "Backroom at the Bowlo" in Mayfield, NSW.

The next album is shaping up to be a bit more rock in a pure sense I guess you might call it. But the songs will always have the punk irreverence and need to comment on hypocrisy and irony that is part of the way I am. As with the first album it's a mix of songs from my distant past and material that is being written and evolving now. There's no album title at this stage.

The band was actively gigging in 2016-17 but is not active at present due to a lack of available personnel for shows. I hope to get something going again when I get the time to dedicate energy to putting something together. Six other people have played gigs with Monkeypig at one time or another and the live line up usually consists of two guitars, bass and drums ideally with a couple of backing vocalists to take care of the abundance of harmony backing vocal parts. I was doing gigs as a three piece for a while which seemed to work ok too.

I've been playing music on and off since I was around 11 years old and been in a string of bands over the years doing various styles. I listen to all kinds of music and like to keep an open mind because I think you can find good ideas in almost anything. But my love is definitely for guitar bands and styles that root them selves in punk and rock n roll.

Started: 2016

Members:
Christian Ryan - Vocals / Guitar
Trent Lamborn - Drums
Luke "Stu" Brydon - Bass

Location: Australia

Influences: Garage, classic rock, punk, there's too much music that has affected me in different ways to list really.

Sounds Like: Familiar but unique

Next Shows: