Iron Monkey (band)

Iron Monkey is an English sludge metal band that formed in Nottingham in 1994. The original members were Justin Greaves (drums, ex-Bradworthy), Johnny Morrow (vocals), Jim Rushby (guitar, ex-Ironside, Wartorn), Steve Watson (guitar, ex- Cerebral Fix ) and Doug Dalziel (bass, ex-Ironside). The group's sound was influenced by the doom metal and sludge metal genres and in particular by bands such as Grief , Black Sabbath and Eyehategod .

History [ edit ]

In 1996, the group wrote a six-song EP that was released on the small imprint Union Mill. It was reissued in 1997 when the band signed to Nottingham label Earache Records . Before the deal was made however guitarist Watson was fired and replaced by Dean Berry. The band's second release Our Problem received high acclaim. ^[1] In July 1999, the band released a split CD/10" with Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery that was put out by Man's Ruin Records . The same year the band played the Dynamo Festival in the Netherlands and shortly after Jim Rushby left the band and was replaced by ex- Acrimony guitarist Stu O'Hara. Due to a variety of personal and industry problems the band split in September 1999.

Post-split [ edit ]

Justin, Jim and Johnny went on to form the short-lived Armour of God while Dean, Doug and Stu formed Dukes of Nothing. Steve has played in Cerebral Fix , Drown , Helvis and Raven's Creed. Johnny then formed My War and Murder One before suffering a fatal heart attack in the summer of 2002. Justin has since played in Borknagar , Silver Ginger Five, Hard To Swallow, Teeth of Lions Rule the Divine , Electric Wizard and now plays in Crippled Black Phoenix . Dean played in The Dukes of Nothing and Capricorns , while Stu went on to play in Black Eye Riot. He is now ^{[

when?

]} playing with Acrimony members in Sigiriya , a stoner rock band. Jim played in Hard to Swallow , Armour of God, Phantom Limb Management and Geriatric Unit.

Reunion [ edit ]

Iron Monkey reformed in January 2017 as a trio featuring Watson playing bass, Rushby singing and playing guitar, and new member Scott Briggs. The band wrote and recorded the album 9-13 which was released on Relapse records in October 2017. Scott Briggs was replaced on drums by Steven Mellor aka Ze Big from the band Widows in January 2018. ^[2]

Members [ edit ]

Current members [ edit ]

Jim Rushby – guitar (1994–1999, 2017–present) , vocals (2017–present)
Steve Watson – guitar (1994–1997) , bass (2017–present)
Steven "Ze Big" Mellor – drums (2018–present)

Former members [ edit ]

Scott "Brigga" Briggs – drums (2017)
Justin Greaves – drums (1994–1999)
Johnny Morrow – vocals (1994–1999, died 2002)
Doug Dalziel – bass (1994–1999)
Dean Berry – guitar (1997–1999)
Stu O'Hara – guitar (1999)

Timeline [ edit ]

Discography [ edit ]

Iron Monkey (Union Mill, 1996)
Iron Monkey ( Earache , 1997) (reissue)
Our Problem ( Earache , 1998)
We've Learned Nothing ( Man's Ruin , 1999, split CD with Church of Misery and 10")
Ruined by Idiots (Maniac Beast, 2003)
9-13 ( Relapse , 2017)

References [ edit ]

^ Santos, Jose Carlos (September 2009). "The Birds, The Bees & The Iron Monkeys". Terrorizer (188): 52–53. ISSN 1350-6978 .
^ "IRON MONKEY Signs With RELAPSE RECORDS" . Blabbermouth.net . 25 January 2017.

External links [ edit ]

Iron Monkey at AllMusic
Earache Records

[Santos-1] Santos, Jose Carlos (September 2009). "The Birds, The Bees & The Iron Monkeys". Terrorizer (188): 52–53. ISSN 1350-6978 .

[2] "IRON MONKEY Signs With RELAPSE RECORDS" . Blabbermouth.net . 25 January 2017.

[1]

[2]