Monkey Steals The Drum

Monkey Steals The Drum was an English indie band from Ormskirk, West Lancashire, formed in 1998. The group were named after an African folk tale and only produced 2 singles, before disappearing in the early 00's.

In 2001, a debut album released on the Shifty Disco label was supposed to be coming, but failed to materialise. In 2006, singer/guitarist Christian Ashcroft tragically committed suicide.

Links to Peel
In an interview with the Liverpool Echo, published in April 2000, singer Christian Ashcroft mentioned how Peel first heard his band's record:

"'We did a demo on our own little eight-track, and sent it off to John Peel. Then, to be honest, I just forgot about it. The next thing I knew, I was lying in bed one morning and the phone went. It was him, saying how much he loved the demo. And it's not the kind of voice that you don't recognise, is it? He's played it a lot, we've done a session for him, and he also included us in his Peelennium - his end-of-the century best band round up. It has been really amazing recently, especially as we have only been together for about a year.'"

Later in October 2000, the band did a second session, but after 2002, no music from the group ever got played by Peel.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1999 Festive Fifty: Injured Birds #51

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1999-12-12. Broadcast: 08 February 2000, 15 June 2000 2. Recorded: 2000-10-18. Broadcast: 09 November 2000
 * My Chinese Burns / St Germaine / Disco Kill / Galileo
 * Four By Zero / Mars Moss / That's A Cool Picture / Person Of The Year

Other Shows Played

 * 1999
 * Monkey Steals The Drum on John Peels Music November 1999: Injured Birds
 * 07 November 1999 (BFBS): Injured Birds
 * 11 November 1999: Injured Birds
 * 11 November 1999 (Radio Eins): Injured Birds
 * 18 November 1999 (Radio Eins): My Chinese Burns
 * 24 November 1999: Injured Birds (JP: 'Well, I tell you what, if I was a record company, I'd have that out as a single before sun-up.')
 * 25 November 1999: My Chinese Burns
 * 25 November 1999 (Radio Eins): My Chinese Burns (7”) Action
 * 28 November 1999 (BBC World Service): My Chinese Burns
 * 23 December 1999: Injured Birds FF #51
 * 27 December 1999 (BFBS): 'Injured Birds'
 * 2000
 * 19 January 2000: Injured Birds (Peelenium 1999)
 * 17 August 2000: Disco Kill (single - My Chinese Burns) Action
 * August 2000 (FSK): My Chinese Burns (CD Single) Action
 * September 2000 (FSK): My Chinese Burns (CD Single) Action
 * 13 September 2000: My Chinese Burns (Single)
 * 26 September 2000: Disco Kill (EP - My Chinese Burns) Action
 * 01 November 2000: My Chinese Burns (EP) Action
 * 2001
 * 18 January 2001: Injured Birds (CD Single) Shifty Disco
 * 24 January 2001: Injured Birds (CD Single) Shifty Disco
 * 08 February 2001: Injured Birds (CD Single) Shift Disco
 * 20 February 2001: Galileo (CD - Injured Birds) Shifty Disco
 * 27 February 2001: Injured Birds (CD Single) Shifty Disco
 * February 2001 (FSK): Galileo (CD - Injured Birds) Shifty Disco
 * 2002
 * 29 January 2002: Injured Birds (single) Shifty Disco