Monkey Swallows the Universe (MSTU) were an
acoustic/
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
band from
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire a ...
, England. Their sound has been described as "
folk tinged" and "twee." MSTU were active from 2004 to 2008. They took their name from an episode of the Japanese TV series ''
Monkey''.
History
Nat Johnson and Kevin Gori established MSTU in 2003 after meeting at the
University of Sheffield
, mottoeng = To discover the causes of things
, established = – University of SheffieldPredecessor institutions:
– Sheffield Medical School – Firth College – Sheffield Technical School – University College of Sheffield
, type = Pu ...
. In the band's first incarnation they both sang and played
acoustic guitars, with Gori adding extra touches with instruments such as the
recorder
Recorder or The Recorder may refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper
* ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
* ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...
and
glockenspiel. The band later expanded to include Catherine Tully on
violin
The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...
, Andy George on
cello
The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a bowed (sometimes plucked and occasionally hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually tuned in perfect fifths: from low to high, C2, G ...
and Rob Dean on
drums. Johnson became the main singer and songwriter. In February 2006, the band released its first album “''The Bright Carvings”'', on the small independent record label
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation
Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation, or Thee SPC, is an independent record label based in Sheffield, UK. It is one of the most influential labels in the Yorkshire area, having given early breaks and support to many bands in the so-called Ne ...
. The band had been featured a number of times in
''Sandman'' magazine.
On 11 April 2006 the band appeared on
Gideon Coe
Gideon Jon Quantrill Coe (born 22 September 1967 in Canterbury, Kent) is a radio DJ, presenter, sportscaster, voiceover artist and journalist.
Early career
He began his broadcasting career in 1976 as a child presenter on the BBC One TV program ...
's
BBC 6 Music morning radio show, and played two songs live in session. In May 2006, the band supported
Richard Hawley
Richard Willis Hawley (born 17 January 1967) is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer. After his first band Treebound Story (formed while he was still at school) broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longp ...
on three dates of his UK tour. Later that year, the band supported The Long Blondes on five dates of their UK tour. In July 2006 MSTU released "Science" (b/w "Happiness & Florence") as a CD single, and on 7" vinyl (b/w "Happiness") also on
Thee SPC.
The band signed to
Loose
Loose may refer to:
Places
* Loose, Germany
* Loose, Kent, a parish and village in southeast England
People
* Loose (surname)
Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums
* ''Loose'' (B'z album), a 1995 album by B'z
* ''Loose'' (Crazy Horse album ...
Records to release a second album, ''The Casket Letters'', in August 2007. The band also released a single from the album, "
Little Polveir
Little Polveir (1977–1999) was a race horse. He won the 1989 Grand National steeplechase ridden by Jimmy Frost, beating West Tip by seven lengths. The horse had previously finished ninth in 1986 and did not finish in 1987 and 1988 (where he ...
", a song named after a racehorse which was an unlikely winner of the British
Grand National
The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, England. First run in 1839, it is a handicap st ...
. The band performed further live radio sessions, including an appearance on Radio 4's ''Loose Ends''. The band appeared at several festivals in the UK, including Latitude, Green Man, Truck, Secret Garden Party and End of the Road. A download-only single, "Bloodline", was released in September 2007, backed with a cover of
Jonathan Richman's "Ice Cream Man". The band performed these songs live on
Marc Riley
Marc Riley (born 10 July 1961 in Manchester) is an English radio DJ, alternative rock critic, musician, and former music businessman. He currently presents on BBC Radio 6 Music.
Formerly a member of the Fall, he co-owned a record label, In-Ta ...
's 6 Music show.
On 4 December 2007, the band announced via its official website that it would be taking an indefinite hiatus after touring. Monkey Swallows the Universe played their last show in Edinburgh on 11 February 2008. After the announcement of hiatus, Nat Johnson began a solo career and released the single "Dirty Rotten Soul" in 2008. In 2009, she and Kevin Gori formed Nat Johnson and the Figureheads, who released albums on Damaged Goods Records and Thee Sheffield Phonographic Corporation.
Nat Johnson appeared on the
David Rotheray
David Rotheray (born 9 February 1963, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England) is an English rock and pop musician, best known for being the lead guitarist for The Beautiful South.
Rotheray was born the last of five children. His parents were ...
album ''The Life of Birds'' on the track "Flying Lessons" and on the album ''Another Sleepless Night with Rory McVicar'' by Rory McVicar. She released solo singles "DOG" in May 2014 and "Not Now Horse" in September 2014. Her seven-song album ''Neighbour of the Year'' came out in November 2014.
MTSU reformed for a one-off gig at Queens Social Club in Sheffield in March 2016 to mark the 10th anniversary of the release of their first album.
Discography
Tracklisting of ''The Bright Carvings''
# Sheffield Shanty
#Martin
#Jimmy Down the Well
#The Chicken Fat Waltz
#Down
#You Yesterday
#Wallow
#22
#Fonz You!
#Still
#Beautiful Never
#Secret Word Is Groucho (
hidden track)
Tracklisting of ''The Casket Letters''
#Statutory Rights
#Bloodline
#Science
#Matterhoney
#Gravestones
#Little Polveir
#Elizabeth & Mary
#Ballad of the Breakneck Bride
#Paper, Scissors, Stone
#When the Work Is Done
Critical acclaim
*"Delightful indiepop" – ''Daily Telegraph''
*"Roll over Charles Darwin and tell those musical evolutionists the news – there's yet more Sheffield Monkeys beside the Arctic variety." – ''The Mirror''
References
External links
The band's official websiteLoose RecordsNat Johnson's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monkey Swallows The Universe
British indie folk groups
English folk musical groups
Musical groups from Sheffield
Musical groups established in 2003
Musical groups disestablished in 2008