Space Monkeys
Encyclopedia
The Space Monkeys were a four-piece alternative band from Manchester
, England
, signed to Factory Too and Interscope Records
in the US
. The band members were Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes, Dom Morrison and Chas Morrison. After working with the band for a number years, Neil Walsh (guitar and keyboards) later joined the band.
Their musical style was often compared to baggy
and acid house
music, some would even call their music post-Madchester
.
and featured hip hop
legends Rock Steady Crew
. The band toured the US and Europe with Smash Mouth
and Third Eye Blind
. The song "Drug Soup" was recorded especially for and features in the soundtrack of the Gwyneth Paltrow
movie Sliding Doors
.
The band went on to record a second album, Escape from the 20th Century, which included tracks produced by legendary hip hop producer Prince Paul
. However, due to the collapse of Factory Records and other problems, this album was never released and resides somewhere in a studio vault. The group disbanded shortly after this; Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes and Neil Walsh went on to release an EP under the guise of "Munki", and Chas Morrison joined avant-garde
drum and bass
group RSL.
McNevin-Duff, Pipes and Walsh also produced remix
es for the Space Monkeys and others, under the name The Chopper Squad.
Richard McNevin-Duff has recently returned to music with his band "Socrates".
The band were in the headlines in 2010 after bassist Dom Morrison was involved in a bare knuckle boxing match with ex-Happy Mondays dancer Bez.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, signed to Factory Too and Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The band members were Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes, Dom Morrison and Chas Morrison. After working with the band for a number years, Neil Walsh (guitar and keyboards) later joined the band.
Their musical style was often compared to baggy
Baggy
Baggy was a British dance-oriented music genre popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s.The scene was heavily influenced by Madchester, although it was not geographically confined to Manchester. Many Madchester bands could also be described as Baggy, and vice versa...
and acid house
Acid house
Acid house is a sub-genre of house music that emphasizes a repetitive, hypnotic and trance-like style, often with samples or spoken lines rather than sung lyrics. Acid house's core electronic squelch sounds were developed around the mid-1980s, particularly by DJs from Chicago who experimented with...
music, some would even call their music post-Madchester
Madchester
Madchester was a music scene that developed in Manchester, England, towards the end of the 1980s and into the early 1990s. The music that emerged from the scene mixed alternative rock, psychedelic rock and dance music...
.
Overview
They released their first album, The Daddy of Them All, on November 4, 1997. The single "Sugar Cane" from this album reached 58 on the Billboard chart. The single edit remix of the song was frequently played on American radio in place of the LP version and is available as a separate CD single. The music video for this single was the second video from famed photographer David LaChapelleDavid LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
and featured hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
legends Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew
Rock Steady Crew is a b-boying crew and hip hop group that was established in the Bronx, New York City in 1977. The group was initially formed by b-boys named Jimmy D and Jojo. In subsequent years, Rock Steady Crew became a franchise name for groups in other locations. The Manhattan branch was...
. The band toured the US and Europe with Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell, Greg Camp, Paul De Lisle and Kevin Coleman as lead vocals, guitar, bass and drums respectively...
and Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind
Third Eye Blind is an American alternative rock band formed in the early 1990s in San Francisco. The songwriting duo of Kevin Cadogan and Stephan Jenkins signed the band's first major label recording contract with Elektra records in 1996 resulting in two multi platinum albums. The band's lineup...
. The song "Drug Soup" was recorded especially for and features in the soundtrack of the Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress and singer. She made her acting debut on stage in 1990 and started appearing in films in 1991. After appearing in several films throughout the decade, Paltrow gained early notice for her work in films such as Se7en and Emma...
movie Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors
Sliding Doors is a 1998 British-American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Peter Howitt and starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah, and featured John Lynch, Jeanne Tripplehorn and Virginia McKenna. The music was composed by David Hirschfelder...
.
The band went on to record a second album, Escape from the 20th Century, which included tracks produced by legendary hip hop producer Prince Paul
Prince Paul
Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...
. However, due to the collapse of Factory Records and other problems, this album was never released and resides somewhere in a studio vault. The group disbanded shortly after this; Richard McNevin-Duff, Tony Pipes and Neil Walsh went on to release an EP under the guise of "Munki", and Chas Morrison joined avant-garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
drum and bass
Drum and bass
Drum and bass is a type of electronic music which emerged in the late 1980s. The genre is characterized by fast breakbeats , with heavy bass and sub-bass lines...
group RSL.
McNevin-Duff, Pipes and Walsh also produced remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
es for the Space Monkeys and others, under the name The Chopper Squad.
Recent Activity
Tony Pipes is now a multi award winning Creative Director, working in Advertising, Broadcasting and Design. He is responsible for designing the current incarnation of the Doctor Who logo with colleague Matt Rhodes.Richard McNevin-Duff has recently returned to music with his band "Socrates".
The band were in the headlines in 2010 after bassist Dom Morrison was involved in a bare knuckle boxing match with ex-Happy Mondays dancer Bez.