Monster Monkeys came outa an old blues riff that Bob would play now and again on guitar. I put it down on the old meat counter and chopped it up into a nice bite size chunk and looped it. I added that guitar melody line at the beginning and a track spluttered into life. Other bits and pieces seemed to slip in and with a bit of seasoning it formed into a cool groove. It had a temporary title “Electric Groove”. Bob tried a few lyric ideas but nothing would quite work. One thing he put down had the line ‘’Don’t Ya want Me Babe” This kinda sat in nicely and I sprinkled it randomly through the track. I was slow to pick up the bass and eventually grabbed a bass ukulele and it all kinda just flowed out. It’s got weird rubber strings on it and sounds very deep, bit like a double bass. I left it to simmer for a bit.
The track was cookin’ now and it just needed that final vocal from Bob which he strolled in and slapped down one day. He wandered off with an independent air and left me with a serious hottie to take to the band. Gaz gets the silver axe out and lays down the main riff perfectly. Daz does the great licks on the outro. Myself and Simon do the backing vocals . We're done!
I love the groove on this and it grows on you the more you play it. I appreciate it’s not a typical Rats track but it’s becoming one of my favs. If you’re not that keen on out give it a few more plays and I bet it’ll seep in.
H. Hooper
Thanks Jackie. Means a lot to hear as well
Brilliant track as well as the best album of the decade and I mean that
I love Monster Monkeys. To be fully appreciated it has to be played at Max. Volume. I hear a bit of Beatles and Rolling Stones influence in it, ( 2 people I know have mentioned Come Together) but that's a good thing because I love both bands. Not as much as the Rats of course!!
This is my favourite track on the album. I really like it. An online mate who is a Rats fanatic really dislikes it. He loves KISS. I hate KISS with a vengeance (sorry Pete I know it's your 'baby')😀
Lesson today is there's no objective way to listen to music, one man's meat is another man's poison.
I particularly like the 'stream of consciousness ' , surrealist lyrics in an attempt to make the unconscious consciousness. Though musically different it's reminiscent of Please Dont Go, which I really love.
It's my fave on the album too. I'd love a go at that bass ukulele!
It's a great song and it's awesome to have an insight as to how it came about.
Definitely my fav song on the album, reading about how it was made is even more fascinating!!! Great work as always guys 💕🐀
Great recipe and finished offering.
Harry, awesome and exactly what makes COB.com unique for the fans. And what is a typical Rats song? The variety of styles recorded over the years (I can make it (a ‘ballard’ on a ‘punk’ album?), Mondays - Has Bob has gone solo screamed the press, Wind Chill, House on Fire, Mood Mambo, Never in a Million Years.....you get the idea) has always been what the band have done. There is something special when you guys play music together and this is a fine example of that. Love this track and the album. Let’s hope we get to hear it live soon.......ish!!
Monster monkeys grabbed me from the very first listen and it's just grown and grown.
After being a fan of the band's music for so long and wondering how the song writing process works, it's really good to get this insight. I had no idea the was such a thing as a ukelele bass....I'll have to listen again now.
I disagree about it not being a typical Rats' song - it's clearly blues and for me is a progression of stuff from the first album and bands like Dr Feelgood, who I understand were an inspiration in the early days.
.....thanks for sharing Harry
Thank you for inviting us into your kitchen and sharing the recipe / cooking lesson... One of my favourite tracks... 💚
It's my favorite track, and I like the fact that the Rats tackled it together based upon your shape. It's fun to know that's a uke bass, too. Not always so easy to keep in tune! The great axiom of all ukuleles: "You spend half your time tuning them, and the other half of your time playing them out of tune." Thanks for this story.
It's great detail. I'm really enjoying the posts. Citizens of Boomtown has got me through lockdown!
it is an excellent song..... and your post about it, makes me think more of it, so much, i'm just about to play it :D