
The Mono Men were an American garage punk band, based in Bellingham, Washington. Their sound contained elements of grunge (distortion-heavy guitars, sneering vocals), but the Mono Men filtered these through a mimicry of 1960s Washington proto-punk, garage rock bands such as The Sonics.
The Mono Men rose up from the ashes of another Washington band, the Roofdogs. John Mortensen came from the Dehumanizers and Game For Vultures before joining the Mono Men. The band came together in late 1987. They played shows in Europe, Mexico, Japan, Canada, and the United States. They were featured in the Northwest Rock & Roll documentary Hype!. Their albums all received generally positive reviews.
The band split in 1998, though in 2006, the Mono Men reunited to play a series of concerts called the "Spanish Attack." The band reunited in 2013 to play shows in Bellingham and Seattle in the US, plus a tour in Latin America with shows in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil.
Links to Peel[]
Peel seemed to have first started playing the Mono Men in early 1991 and would continue playing their material until 1996. He chose their track, 'Reset', for his Peel Out In The States programme in 1993.
As well as the Mono Men, the DJ also played numerous other releases on the Estrus label run by band guitarist Dave Crider, including records by session outfits Baseball Furies, Immortal Lee County Killers, Man Or Astro-Man? and Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet.[1]
Shows Played[]
- 02 March 1991: I Don't Care (7") Estrus
- 23 March 1991: I Don't Care (7") Estrus
- 29 September 1991: Watch Outside (7" - Booze) Estrus
- 11 October 1991 (BFBS): 'Watch Outside (7"-Booze)' (Estrus)
- 13 October 1991: 'Watch Outside (7"-Booze)' (Estrus)
- 17 October 1991 (Radio Mafia): Rumble (7" EP - Booze) Estrus
- 23 November 1991: Right Now (LP - Stop Draggin' Me Down) Estrus
- 23 November 1991: Boss (LP - Stop Draggin' Me Down) Estrus
- 23 November 1991: Ain't No Friend of Mine (LP - Stop Draggin' Me Down) Estrus
- 07 December 1991: Right Now (LP – Stop Draggin’ Me Down) Estrus
- 14 December 1991: Boss (album - Back To Mono) 1+2
- 26 December 1991 (Radio Mafia): Stop Draggin' Me Down (album - Stop Draggin' Me Down) Estrus
- 1992
- 22 May 1992: Lie Detector / Jack The Ripper (7" - Don't Know Yet) Lucky
- 30 May 1992 (BFBS): Lie Detector/Jack The Ripper (7" - Dont Know Yet) Lucky
- 15 August 1992: Warm Piston (v/a 3x7" - Estrus Gearbox) Estrus
- 22 August 1992: Warm Piston (v/a 3x7" - Estrus Gearbox) Estrus
- 31 August 1992 (BFBS): Warm Piston (Box Set - Estrus Gearbox) Estrus
- 07 September 1992 (Ö3): 'Warm Piston (3x compilation 7 inch-Estrus Gearbox)' (Estrus)
- 1993
- 31 July 1993: Reset (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 06 August 1993: ‘Wrecker (10" LP – Shut The Fuck Up)’ (Estrus Records)
- 07 August 1993: ‘Phantom On Lane 12 (10 inch LP – Shut The Fuck Up)’ (Estrus Records)
- 10 August 1993 (BBC World Service): Reset (CD Album - Shut Up!) Estrus
- 13 August 1993: 'Switchblade (10" LP-Shut The Fuck Up!)' (Estrus)
- 14 August 1993: Mr. Eliminator (10" - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 14 August 1993 (BFBS): Wrecker! (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 20 August 1993: 'Wrecker! (LP-Shut The Fuck Up!)' (Estrus)
- 21 August 1993 (BFBS): Switchblade (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 27 August 1993 (BFBS): Wrecker! (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 06 September 1993 (Ö3): Reset (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 08 October 1993: Reset (album - Shut The Fuck Up!) Estrus
- 1994
- 18 November 1994: Hexed (7") Trash Shity Rekids
- 26 November 1994 (BFBS): 'Skin & Bones (LP-Skin & Tonic)' (Estrus)
- 1995
- 16 June 1995: 'Wrecker (Compilation tape-Don't Fuck With The Blues)' (Dishy Recordings)
- 24 June 1995 (BFBS): 'Wrecker! (7")' (1+2)
- 1996
- 13 April 1996: Another Way (7") Estrus
- 23 April 1996 (Radio Mafia): Another Way (7") Estrus
Estrus Records Compilations[]
(Plays by Peel of various artists (v/a) compilations released by the Estrus label run by Mono Men guitarist Dave Crider, in order of first play.)
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(LP / CD – !!!Here Ain't The Sonics!!!)
- 25 April 1990: Surf Trio: Strychnine
- 26 May 1990 (BFBS): Surf Trio: Strychnine
- 26 May 1990 (BFBS): Thee Headcoats: You've Got Your Head On Backwards
- 29 May 1990: Surf Trio: Strychnine
- 09 June 1990 (BFBS): Screaming Trees: Psycho
(CD / 3x7"EP box - Estrus Halfrack-The 12 Drunkest Bands In Showbiz)
- 17 August 1991: Phantom Surfers: 6 Pack
- 17 August 1991: Marble Orchard: Munsters Theme
- 17 August 1991: Kings Of Rock: Little Girl Be Good
- 17 August 1991: Mudhoney: March To Fuzz
- 26 August 1991 (Radio Bremen): Phantom Surfers: 6 Pack
- 26 August 1991 (Radio Bremen): Marble Orchard: Munsters Theme
- 26 August 1991 (Radio Bremen): Kings Of Rock: Little Girl Be Good
- 26 August 1991 (Radio Bremen): Mudhoney: March To Fuzz
(CD / 3x7"EP box - Estrus Gearbox)
- 07 August 1992: Marble Orchard: Nova ‘69
- 15 August 1992: Fastbacks: Hot Rods To Heaven
- 15 August 1992: M-80's: '57 Nomad
- 15 August 1992: Gas Huffer: Road Runnah
- 15 August 1992: Mono Men: Warm Piston
- 22 August 1992: Mono Men: Warm Piston
- 24 August 1992 (BFBS): Fastbacks: Hot Rods To Heaven
- 24 August 1992 (BFBS): Gas Huffer: Road Runnah
- 31 August 1992 (BFBS): Huevos Rancheros: Burrito Grande Prix
- 31 August 1992 (BFBS): Mono Men: Warm Piston
- 07 September 1992 (Ö3): Mono Men: Warm Piston
- 11 September 1992: Muffs: Brand New Chevy
(CD / 3x7"EP box - The Estrus Cocktail Companion)
- 27 January 1995: Man Or Astro-Man?: Corbonated Comet
- 04 February 1995 (BFBS): Man Or Astro-Man?: Corbonated Comet
- 22 June 1996: Teengenerate: Let's Take Another Booze
- 29 June 1996 (BFBS): Teengenerate: Let's Take Another Booze
(CD - Excellent 26 Estrus Spicey Sizzlers Sampler)
- 29 December 1998: Drags: Explosives
- 05 January 1999: Fells: You're Making Me Sick
- 06 January 1999: Insomniacs: Don't Turn Away
- 24 January 1999 (BFBS): Volcanos: Deora
- 26 January 1999: Switch Trout: Psychodestruct
(CD - The Estrus 100% Apeshit Rock Sampler Vol. 2)
- 14 August 2001: Soledad Brothers: Gimmie Back My Wig
- 15 August 2001: No Talents: I Want Some More
(CD - Estrus Double Dyn-O-Mite Sampler Vol 3)
- 29 January 2002: Immortal Lee County Killers: Preachin' More Fuckin' Blues
- 30 January 2002: Total Sound Group Direct Action Committee: Any More Than I Do
- 31 January 2002: Soledad Brothers: Break 'Em On Down
- 07 February 2002: Gas Huffer: Aldedly Blues
- 17 February 2002 (BBC World Service): Soledad Brothers: Break'em On Down
- 28 February 2002 (Radio Eins): Immortal Lee County Killers: Preachin' More Fuckin' Blues
- 07 March 2002 (Radio Eins): Fatal Flying Guilloteens: Call The Draw
- 04 April 2002 (Radio Mafia): Immortal Lee County Killers: Preachin' More Fuckin' Blues
- 04 April 2002 (Radio Eins): Immortal Lee County Killers: Preachin' More Fuckin' Blues
- 18 April 2002 (Radio Eins): Man... Or Astroman?: Wayward Meteors