EMQ’s With MONKEY INTRUSION

EMQs with MONKEY INTRUSION

What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?

Hi guys, we are Monkey Intrusion an independent rock band based in Trieste, a small town by the sea in northeastern Italy. Marco Plesnicar (bass guitar) and I (Vincenzo Reina guitar and voice) met at school and started playing very early, discovering that we had very similar musical interests but above all that we wanted to compose our own music, something we have not stopped doing until today. In 2013, Enrico J. Goti, our lead singer, joined the band and we added a second guitar. In 2022, our drummer Marco Bertoli arrived, with whom we took an important step towards defining the band’s sound. This year, Sara Cova joined us as the third vocalist, having already sung on our debut album, Pussycats and Monkeymen.

How did you come up with your band name?

When we formed Monkey Intrusion and were looking for a name, I happened to be taking a trip to Asia. I was staying at a Singapore hotel in Rasa Sentosa between the beach and lush jungle vegetation, and on one door In my room I read ‘Due to monkey intrusion, please keep the balcony door locked at all times. When I got home I told this story to my bandmates and we said, awesome Monkey Intrusion is the right name for us. The monkey that gets into listeners’ heads to unleash the wildest side of everyone.

What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?

We are all from Italy. The rock and metal scene here is very developed. And now all generations play it, even the very young ones. There are influences obviously from UK and the US, Scandinavia and the Balkan countries where the genre is highly appreciated.

What is your latest release? 

Our Album Pussycats and Monkeymen, was released in 2024. This year we released some videos from our live concerts, and we are recording new songs for our next album.

Who have been your greatest influences?

Many great artists and bands have shaped our musical taste and are very diverse in their genres. To name a few, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, The Police, Dead Kennedys, Soundgarden, Megadeth, Foo Fighters, Dream Theater, and Angra.

What first got you into music?

All the band members started playing as children, and we listened to rock music when we weren’t even teenagers. We grew up with music in our blood, and I think we’ll never stop; it’s part of us.

If you could collaborate with a current band or musician, who would it be?

I would love to collaborate with the Foo Fighters; they manage to stay fresh and modern while maintaining a rock tradition that is now over 50 years old and they manage to do so while still remaining very original and unmistakable.

If you could play at any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?

Hard question, there are so many, Reading and Leeds, Rock am Ring and Rock im Park in Germany and Sziget Festival in Budapest just to name some of them.

What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?

Water pistols fired at us during a gig in a hot Italian summer.

If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?

Stay curious and listen to new music; there are so many wonderful bands to discover.

If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?

David Bowie. Until the end, he never stopped researching and proposing new music while always remaining himself.

What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?

Continually seek something new and share emotions with the band and the audience. Hate…uh…carry 20 kilos amplifiers up the stairs.

If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

The concentration of the entire world market is in 3 majors, which now make 80% of the entire market. The streaming market is not better, but at least it is a bit less concentrated.

Name one of your all-time favourite albums?

Peter Gabriel III ‘Melt’. I was blown away when I first heard it, and every time I listen to it, it never ceases to move me. It’s still very modern today.

What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?

Definitely vinyl but without streaming most of the actual independent bands would not exist.

What’s the best gig that you have played to date?

Our gigs are always very engaging. I would tell you I hope the best one is always the next one.

If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?

I would study quantum physics.

Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?

I would invite your editorial staff to continue talking about music and drinking wine together.

What’s next for the band?

Record the next songs for our Album. I hope in 2027 we will be ready to publish it.

 

What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people? 

Monkey Intrusion on streaming platforms and social media:

https://youtube.com/@MonkeyIntrusion-oh8xv

https://spotify.link/7iyVkZmvxBb

https://music.apple.com/it/artist/monkey-intrusion/1692368979

https://www.facebook.com/monkeyintrusion

https://instagram.com/monkeyintrusion?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==

https://www.twitter.com/monkintrusion

Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?

A Barm Cake with butter and black pudding or scrambled eggs and bacon.Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, unless you have the strict permission of said party. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant