Trashmonkeys

A German based garage rock band, the Trashmonkeys managed to score an NME Single of the Week with their first single, "Sundays," in 2000. Formed by guitarist and singer Andreas Wolfinger and drummer Gunnar Riedel during an evening of jamming in 1996 in Bremen, Trashmonkeys were soon rounded out into a trio with the addition of bassist Daz Fralick, who joined upon his arrival from London. The trio got an instant jolt of garage rock credibility when they landed an opening spot for the king of all skeletal, stripped down guitar rock, Link Wray, in 1997. Soon after, the band released their debut album, Trashmonkeys, on the Karate Club Meier and Weser labels. The album led to opening slots with other garage rock giants such as the Cramps and the Hellacopters. The Trashmonkeys expanded their sound by taking on keyboardist Offer Stock in 2000, and went into the studio to record album number two. The established indie label Acid Jazz scooped up the finished product, and Clubtown was released in 2002. Containing the aforementioned "Sundays," Clubtown was a cult hit, and landed the band some lucrative television exposure. The German label LADO was next on the Trashmonkeys' radar, and the label released the band's third offering, The Maker, in 2004. Massive touring ensued, and the band built up a large following, and re-entered the studio in 2005. The sessions would make up their fourth full-length, also released on LADO, entitled Favourite Enemy. The album hit stores in 2006, and contained a bonus DVD.