Hail and salutations, my brothers and sisters in rock ‘n’ roll.
For more than 15 long years I have kept my silence, but now I am silent no more. I have been away, but not, as I have been watching and listening, from afar and from upon near, and now I have returned. To here. And to now.
That here and now is, quite simply, Paradise City.
Several months ago, the seed was sown about the possibility of Monk stepping out of the darkness of retirement and into the limelight once more. Slowly, that seed took root and germinated: discussions took place long into many a night, and many a candle was burned as the idea that is now Paradise City was hatched and allowed to grow, almost organically.
It is as if Paradise City always has been my destiny. And it has arrived.
On Thursday 28 January, I step back behind the decks, in front of an audience, for the first time since 1993. I am nervous and excited. More so the latter. I have felt the hairs on my neck stand on end as I spend hours listening to my old album and singles collection putting together that vital first three-hour set. Songs have been selected, and then rejected, sometimes several times, as I strive to bring together a collection which summarises what Paradise City, to me, is going to be all about – good old fashioned, good time, old school, classic rock and metal. The sort of stuff I last played way back in 93 – and a lot of which probably hasn’t been heard in public since then!
By way of a taster, the first night so far will feature tracks by Guns N Roses (well, they do provide our title track), Teaze, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, The Almighty, Uriah Heep, The Wildhearts, Tesla, AC/DC, Ratt, Cheap N Nasty, Def Leppard, The Quireboys, Faith No More, Hanoi Rocks, Faster Pussycat, Dio, The Black Crowes and Golden Earring. I still have a very long list of material still under consideration, but it is virtually certain that there will be material from Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, UFO, Iron Maiden, Anvil, Badlands, Warrant, L A Guns, Bon Jovi and Dan Reed.
Be warned about one thing: the tracks played may not be the ones you’ll automatically expect – I’m digging out rare cuts, obscure early recordings and a few surprises.
Also, if there’s any artist you would like to hear, stick a comment on our Facebook page before 15 January and I’ll take it under advisement, as they say in certain trashy US cop programmes.
I have been away too long. But I am back. I am glad you can join me. It’s going to be one helluva ride.
Yours in rock, brothers and sisters,
Monk
For more than 15 long years I have kept my silence, but now I am silent no more. I have been away, but not, as I have been watching and listening, from afar and from upon near, and now I have returned. To here. And to now.
That here and now is, quite simply, Paradise City.
Several months ago, the seed was sown about the possibility of Monk stepping out of the darkness of retirement and into the limelight once more. Slowly, that seed took root and germinated: discussions took place long into many a night, and many a candle was burned as the idea that is now Paradise City was hatched and allowed to grow, almost organically.
It is as if Paradise City always has been my destiny. And it has arrived.
On Thursday 28 January, I step back behind the decks, in front of an audience, for the first time since 1993. I am nervous and excited. More so the latter. I have felt the hairs on my neck stand on end as I spend hours listening to my old album and singles collection putting together that vital first three-hour set. Songs have been selected, and then rejected, sometimes several times, as I strive to bring together a collection which summarises what Paradise City, to me, is going to be all about – good old fashioned, good time, old school, classic rock and metal. The sort of stuff I last played way back in 93 – and a lot of which probably hasn’t been heard in public since then!
By way of a taster, the first night so far will feature tracks by Guns N Roses (well, they do provide our title track), Teaze, Led Zeppelin, Ozzy Osbourne, Motley Crue, The Almighty, Uriah Heep, The Wildhearts, Tesla, AC/DC, Ratt, Cheap N Nasty, Def Leppard, The Quireboys, Faith No More, Hanoi Rocks, Faster Pussycat, Dio, The Black Crowes and Golden Earring. I still have a very long list of material still under consideration, but it is virtually certain that there will be material from Aerosmith, Black Sabbath, Alice In Chains, UFO, Iron Maiden, Anvil, Badlands, Warrant, L A Guns, Bon Jovi and Dan Reed.
Be warned about one thing: the tracks played may not be the ones you’ll automatically expect – I’m digging out rare cuts, obscure early recordings and a few surprises.
Also, if there’s any artist you would like to hear, stick a comment on our Facebook page before 15 January and I’ll take it under advisement, as they say in certain trashy US cop programmes.
I have been away too long. But I am back. I am glad you can join me. It’s going to be one helluva ride.
Yours in rock, brothers and sisters,
Monk
