Powder Monkeys
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The Powder Monkeys were an Australian punk/indie rock band, based in Melbourne, who existed from 1991 to 2002, led by Tim Hemensley. They were renowned as a live act.
History
Tim Hemensley and John Nolan were members of Bored! in the late 1980s. Both left Bored! following that band's 1990 tour of Europe. Nolan then played with Hoss for a time, and the first five-piece Powder Monkeys played in early 1992, with a lineup of Tim Hemensley (bass, vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar), Adyn Hibberd (rhythm guitar, vocals), Jed Sayers (harmonica) and Timmy Jack Ray (drums). Adyn Hibberd left around June 1992, though he did play on their first single, "Yin Yang", released February 1993 on Dog Meat Records. Aydn's guitar tracks were left on only a few songs on the band's first album, Smashed On A Knee, recorded in 1992, but one song he penned and sang, "Ugly", was included and the album finally came out on Dog Meat in March 1994.
They put considerable effort into live performance and touring in this time. Jed Sayers had left by the end of 1994, and the band stayed a three-piece until the end. Their next release, in February 1995, was the five-track EP Straight Until Morning, which was recordings for a Triple J live broadcast.
The band released the single "The Supernova That Never Quits" in December 1995, with the second album Time Wounds All Heels following in February 1996. The second album is considered a much more coherent example of the band's sound.
Hemensley and Ray also played with the Pete Wells Band in 1996. There was some music industry interest in Time Wounds All Heels, but nothing resulted. The band reemerged in August 1997 with the 7" "Get The Girl Straight"/"Wasn't Born Yesterday" (400 copies, red vinyl) on the Death Valley label.
Most of 1998 was spent touring. A live album, recorded at an April 1998 Melbourne gig, Blood Sweat & Beers came out in early 1999 on Safety Pin Records (Spain) and on CD from Butcher's Hook Records (UK). They then went on another European tour, on which they recorded "Two Tub Man" and "Check This Action", both released as split 7" singles with the Hellacopters. They also released a 6-track EP Talk Softly & Carry A Big Shtick in 1999 on Punch Records.
2000 saw the release of their fourth album, Lost City Blues, on the White Jazz label.
The band played its last show in 2002, after John Nolan had suffered a stroke from heroin use. Tim Hemensley died of an accidental heroin overdose in July 2003.
External links
- Official home page (http://www.geocities.com/johnolan_66/powdermonkeys4.htm)
- Discography (http://www.geocities.com/johnolan_66/pmreleases.htm)
- Powder Monkeys (http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=646) (Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop by Ian McFarlane)