See Monkey Do Monkey

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See Monkey Do Monkey is a record label [1] based in Cardiff, Wales, alongside its publishing arm, See Monkey Songs. [2]

Cardiff Capital and largest city of Wales

Cardiff is the capital of Wales and its largest city. The eleventh-largest city in the United Kingdom, it is Wales's chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural institutions and Welsh media, and the seat of the National Assembly for Wales. At the 2011 census, the unitary authority area population was estimated to be 346,090, and the wider urban area 479,000. Cardiff is a significant tourist centre and the most popular visitor destination in Wales with 21.3 million visitors in 2017. In 2011, Cardiff was ranked sixth in the world in National Geographic's alternative tourist destinations.

Wales Country in northwest Europe, part of the United Kingdom

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon, its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.

Contents

See Monkey Do Monkey was set up in 2009 by Aimee Jade Hayes from Bangor, North Wales to release music by her Irish husband Richard Hayes' band, The Method. The company has its own recording studios and rehearsal rooms at Kings Road Arts Studios in the Canton area of the city.

Bangor, Gwynedd city in Gwynedd, Wales

Bangor is a city and community in Gwynedd, northwest Wales. It is the oldest city in Wales, and one of the smallest cities in the United Kingdom. Historically in Caernarfonshire, it is a university city with a population of 18,808 at the 2011 census, including around 10,500 students at Bangor University. It is one of only six places classed as a city in Wales, although it is only the 25th-largest urban area by population. At the 2001 census, 46.6 per cent of the non-student resident population spoke Welsh.

North Wales unofficial region of Wales, United Kingdom

North Wales is an unofficial region of Wales. Retail, transport and educational infrastructure are centred on Wrexham, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno and Bangor. It is bordered to the rest of Wales with the counties of Ceredigion and Powys, and to the east by the English counties of Shropshire, Merseyside, and Cheshire. People from North Wales are sometimes referred to as "Gogs", derived from "gogledd" - the Welsh for "north".

Canton, Cardiff district of Cardiff, Wales

Canton is an inner-city district and community in the west of Cardiff, capital of Wales, lying 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the city's civic centre. Canton is one of the most ethnically diverse of Cardiff's suburbs, with a significant Pakistani and Indian population. The total population of Canton increased to 14,304 at the 2011 census. It is also the most Welsh-speaking district of central Cardiff, with 19.1% of the population speaking Welsh.

The label's focus is 1960s influenced and psychedelic music. The label has released music by The Method, The Broken Vinyl Club, Houdini Dax, The Keys, The Moles, Colorama and Kizzy Crawford.

Aimee also publishes the Cardiff-based online music magazine "The Miniature Music Press". [3]

The Method

The Method are a psychedelic garage influenced band with elements of reggae, soul and ska in their music. They are fronted by Richard Hayes, husband of the founder of See Monkey Do Monkey. [3] Their debut album Dissidents and Dancers was released on the label in 2011.

The Method played their last gig in London on 5 April 2012.

Houdini Dax

Houdini Dax were discovered by the record label through their Myspace site. See Monkey Do Monkey arranged a gig for the Cardiff-based band and, after watching them play an acoustic set, they were signed immediately. The band's average age is about 21. The band's songwriting has been compared by the record label to The Kinks. [3] Their debut album You Belong to Dax Darling was released on the label in 2011. The band plan to release a second album in the summer of 2013.

The Kinks English rock band

The Kinks are an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, in 1964 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned "You Really Got Me", became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States. Their music was influenced by a wide range of genres, including rhythm and blues, British music hall, folk and country. They gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies' wittily observational writing style, and are considered one of the most influential groups of the period.

The Keys

The Keys include former members of Murry the Hump who had some success in the late 1990s. The band approached the record label with an album of songs they wanted to release, The Fire Inside. [3] Their follow up album Bitten By Wolves was released in 2011.

Murry the Hump were a Welsh indie rock and "urban folk" band. They were active from 1999 until 2001. Since then they have continued to release music under the name The Keys.

The Broken Vinyl Club

The Broken Vinyl Club were discovered on Myspace and were featured in Miniature Music Press. Their style is described by the label as "exciting '60s rhythm 'n’ blues and freakbeat." [3] Their debut single I Want You Girl was released on the label before the band went on to sign to Acid Jazz Records. [4]

The Moles

The Moles are the label's first non-Welsh signing, coming from Bristol. They are described as "a very classic psychedelic band" and compared to early Flaming Lips or Blur. All members play in other bands and have a Grammy award winner in bassist Billy Fuller who co-wrote Robert Plant's Mighty Rearranger album." [3]

This band is not to be confused with The Moles.

Colorama

Colorama are fronted by multi-instrumentalist / singer-songwriter Carwyn Ellis, who has collaborated with artists such as Oasis and Edwyn Collins. The band, who are described as 'psychedelic dream pop' released their album Box on the label in 2010 and followed it up with the Christmas single, Cerdyn Nadolig (Christmas Card) which garnered them the Welsh Christmas Number 1 on the BBC Radio Cymru chart.

Kizzy

Kizzy is a Bajan-Welsh singer songwriter from Merthyr Tydfil, who sings in both English and Welsh. [5] She performed her song "The Starling" live on the Bethan Elfyn show in August 2013. [6] This was then released as her debut single in November 2013 followed by her EP Temporary Zone in December.

Releases

See Monkey Songs

See Monkey Songs is a music publisher set up in 2013 by Aimee, Rhiannon Morgan-Bell and Charlotte Church. The remit of the publishing company is to develop and support established and emerging talent.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Archived 27 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ↑ "See Monkey Songs". Smsongs.com. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Owens, David (1 July 2010). "There's no Monkeying around for Cardiff record label". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  4. ↑ Bethan Elfyn. "Wales Music: Interview: Broken Vinyl Club". BBC. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Kizzy". Kizzymerielcrawford.com. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "BBC Radio Wales – Bethan Elfyn, 03/08/2013, Kizzy Crawford – Starling". BBC. 3 August 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
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