Arts & Culture

Words by Ed Dyer

The term “Legend” get’s bandied about all too freely these days, but in the case of Wiltshire DIY Punk two-piece outfit 2 Sick Monkeys, it’s a fitting epithet.

For over 10 years they have been playing their way around venues, dives and squats not only all over the UK, but most of Europe, and even as far afield as Japan, peddling their own brand of drum and bass punk noise to eager crowds. However, this latest release is their swansong, their last hurrah, as they call time on this epic journey. But what a final statement it is, for a band used to spitting out sub 2-minute rants has created a behemoth double album chock full of special guests and even a track that weighs in at a hefty 6 minutes.  The band has really chucked everything at this album, ensuring it is crammed full of everything that made them the band they were. Elements of classic Punk Rock are woven with Hardcore, Oi and their own version of Pop-Punk, ensuring the music thrashes around with abandon but still manages to nail a groove down and dig up some slick melodies. But don’t think for one minute these means they have made a break for the mainstream, as this is still a grubby, outspoken piece of work; the vocals have more gravel than the drive of a stately home and the lyrics take aim at a variety of subjects including racists, bigots, politicians, oppression, mental illness and in the memorable speed-rant of “These Are The Things That Don’t Seem Like Fun To Me” pretty much everything else. If you have yet to experience 2 Sick Monkeys and you are not too faint of heart, I suggest you do yourself a favour and check this record out; as well as a hell of final statement it also works perfectly as an introduction to one of our most significant and truly heroic underground bands, icons of a scene and jolly nice lads to boot. Or even better, catch them at their last ever gig on December 16 at Swindon’s Level III.  Take a bow Pete and Fred, this is a superb full stop. You will be missed. Read The Ocelot’s interview with 2 Sick Monkeys HERE.