Monkey Killer Records' Third Birthday

Monkey Killer Records’ Third Birthday

One of the cool things about Dunedin is that people tend to get on with getting things done and do it themselves. That’s pretty much the back story behind Monkey Killer Records, which just celebrated its third birthday with a little show at Bennu (which, by the way, does really good pizzas) in the heart of Dunedin. The label is basically the work of one man, David Ager, who started seeking out bands he loved in Dunedin a couple years ago and putting their music on vinyl (the label also does digital downloads).

So far the label has four releases: the second album of the now-defunct Onanon, the debut album of the visceral Operation Rolling Thunder, a 7” single from Mountaineater and the debut EP of Ager’s brand new post-rock band, Idiot Prayer.

Their little birthday show last Sunday afternoon was stunning. Instead of Onanon there is now Kilmog, the new project of Glen Ross, featuring Sam Valentine and Richard Ley-Hamilton of Mr. Biscuits. Operation Rolling Thunder are on a baby hiatus so didn’t play, but Idiot Prayer and Mountaineater were, as always, amaze. Plus Dale Cotton, sound engineer extraordinaire – who was HDU’s unofficial ‘fourth member’ as their sound man and has engineered bands such as Beastwars, Die! Die! Die!, Dimmer and Knives at Noon – played with The Retrophonic Funk Machine’s Aiden Fraser in a project called Conray. It was a good day for Dunedin music.

You can buy the vinyl from Too Tone Records in Dunedin, and also on the label’s website, www.monkeykillerrecords.com.

Here’s some photos from the label’s big day.

Dale Cotton as Conray