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On the occasion of the release of its album "Not Dead Yet", the band Garage Monkeys took the time to answer a few questions for us!
Garage Monkeys - Photo credit: Anne etcaetera
Hi Garage Monkeys. To start this interview, we'll let you introduce your band to our readers!
Hi Distrolution Merch team! Garage Monkeys is a rock power trio from Saint-Quentin in Aisne. We deliver wild Rock' N' Roll on amphetamines, Stooges, MC5, Motörhead vibes, and also a whole bunch of 90's bands that shaped us when we were teenagers.
How was Garage Monkeys born?
Garage Monkeys was born from the desire to make music with friends, always with a will to have people and camaraderie at the heart of the process.
The first rumblings date back to 2012, but the band took its final form in 2023 with Alex's arrival on drums.
Where do you draw your inspiration from on a daily basis?
We've always had a special affection for losers and the lost, for those who have no voice. In this sick world where the majority bows down to performance and "the win", these people are most often despised, mocked, or conscientiously ignored. In our modest way, we try to give them a voice through our songs.
You recently unveiled your album "Not Dead Yet". Tell us about the composition process.
The tracks are most often born from a riff proposed at rehearsal. Sometimes it falls flat and we forget it without regret. Other times we immediately manage to jam on it without being able to stop, we know then that we probably have the embryo of a new track.
The lyrics always come in a second step depending on the "mood" that emerges.
You also released a music video for the track "Not Dead Yet", 100% DIY. Tell us about this filming experience!
We're very attached to the DIY side, it seems to us the best way to have maximum control, and therefore maximum freedom.
The production of this music video was therefore entirely handled by us, from the writing to the final editing, including location scouting, casting extras, shooting…
It's a very rich experience, but also necessarily very demanding. The advantage is that the finished product is totally faithful to what we wanted to tell, we're very happy about it.
Nearly 300 people attended your release party last November 15th. This evening must have been full of emotions for you!
A release party is an important moment in a band's life. It's also an event that's difficult to organize, especially in a rather rural area like ours.
Thanks to our friends at Reivax tour who handle most of the organization, this magical moment was able to take place at the Salle des Arts et Loisirs in Tergnier.
We invited friendly bands to join the party (Eko and Calimucho), and also artist/artisan friends from our area to present their work in various booths (lutherie, photography, sculpture).
The evening had the feel of a mini-festival, and proved to be a great success with these 300 people present. We were absolutely fulfilled, this moment seemed touched by grace to us.
The next day, one of the people present wrote this sentence that seems to perfectly sum up the moment: "If you missed the Garage Monkeys release party, we're not going to lie to you: it's done, you'll never be able to make up for it. We experienced things that our smartphones could never capture."
Let's talk about Merch. Is there an item (Merch, pressing, stage equipment) that you attach particular importance to and why?
First I want to say that we went through Distrolution merch for our backdrop, a bass drum head and CD pressings, and each time we were delighted with the work and the exchanges with your team!
If I had to favor one element, it would necessarily be albums in physical format (CD, cassette or vinyl): simply because these objects constitute what will remain of the band when we're all in nursing homes (lol).
Finally, what can we expect from Garage Monkeys for this new year?
We hope to continue our journey in this same authentic and positive spirit, and perhaps do a few nice dates to present this new album to all those who want to hear something other than the sanitized soup served by mainstream media.
