UK punk rock legends The Adicts are celebrating their thirty-fifth anniversary this year. If that isn't impressive enough, the band’s tenth full length album, All The Young Droogs, drops today. Ever since the release of their debut record Songs of Praise in 1981, the punk rockers have gone on to become one of the most influential punk bands in the world. The Adicts- Monkey (vocals), Pete Dee (guitar), Scruff Ellis (guitar), Kid Dee, (drums), Fiddle Dan (fiddle), and Shahen (bass)- continue to deliver in-your-face riffs, powerful melodies, and delightfully sarcastic lyrics. The band members, Monkey in his signature jester's outfit and the rest clad all in white, will take the stage at the Marquis Theater in Denver on Thursday, September 13th. I got the chance to ask Monkey a few questions about the new record, strange song inspiration, and playing by his own rules.
How do you like performing in Denver? Are the fans good to you? Does the altitude really affect you?
We always have a good time there, altitude is not a problem, we like being high.
Your tenth studio album, All The Young Droogs, comes out on September 11th. How will you celebrate the release?
Having a party in LA and continuing the party in Denver and onwards.
What was your goal for the album?
Write good songs, be proud of it, please the fans.
Is there a song on the album that you were initially wary about releasing, perhaps because it pushed your musical boundaries or you weren't sure how people would react to it?
No we don’t have those fears about song writing, can’t let yourself be artistically shackled.
What's the strangest thing to ever inspire a song?
Maybe "Love Lies Bleeding" is the one, the motivation was a dark memory that a kid has from a time in Japan...too graphic to explain here.
You are celebrating your 35th anniversary as a band this year, which is incredible in any industry, especially the music industry. What is the key to The Adicts longevity? How do you manage to stay relevant in a music industry where people's attention spans change by the minute?
That’s hard to define. We just do what we do and don’t give a crap about industry or trends.
Be honest...how much better are UK fans at shows than American fans?
I don’t think they are.
If you could have anyone in the world as the #1 fan of The Adicts, who would it be and why?
David Bowie...does it need explaining?
Don't miss The Adicts at the Marquis on Thursday, September 13th. It's an all ages show, tickets are $16, and doors open at 7:30pm. Opening acts include local bands The Bad Engrish, The Trade Ins, and Truckasaurus.
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