Feature / One Question Interviews
30,000 Monkies

Words: Loren • February 17, 2015

30,000 Monkies
30,000 Monkies

Ruben (30,000 Monkies – vocals/guitar)

SPB: What is the worst reunion concert you ever saw? 

Ruben: I've never really seen a bad reunion concert actually, but there is one that I attended that had some shitty consequences for us. In 2009, at Pukkelpop festival, My Bloody Valentine played their first concert in Belgium since their reunion. All in all it was a pretty awesome concert: very loud and the physical wall of sound that My Bloody Valentine is known for (including a 15 minute 'Holocaust section' in “You Made Me Realise”). They reached decibel levels between 125db and 130db, which caused some kind of outrage in Flanders and, ultimately, the Flemish government passed a very strict law to limit sound levels at concerts (a maximum mean of 100db over 15 minutes). So thanks to My Bloody Valentine, we're now unable to play loud concerts which we always thought was an important element of our live show. We did get an honorable mention as a bad example in the presentation that aimed to teach live sound techs how to cope with the norm though, which at least was a little funny to us. Oh well, luckily there are still some venues that don't follow the regulations too closely.

Loren • February 17, 2015

30,000 Monkies
30,000 Monkies

Related features

Little Low

One Question Interviews • August 6, 2025

Christine Atturio (Little Low) SPB: What is your favorite Disney soundtrack? Atturio: Aladdin, hands down. Robin Williams singing "Friend Like Me" is fire! The soundtrack as a whole goes from hopeful to scary to funny and back again, sometimes even sounding like the music from Indiana Jones when he's exploring … Read more

Normal Park

One Question Interviews • August 5, 2025

McKinnon (Normal Park) SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better? Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus … Read more

Foolsmate

One Question Interviews • August 4, 2025

Alex Gilliam (Foolsmate) SPB: What does the term “Midwest emo” mean to you? Gilliam: After getting this question, I immediately asked the other guys in Foolsmate for their input. Though their answers varied drastically, they all touched upon inclusion. Midwest emo has always been about being vulnerable about yourself and … Read more

Sell The Heart Records – History 101

Music / History 101 • August 3, 2025

Like most independent labels, Sell The Heart started to document a scene without really asking themselves “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” In 2010, founder Andy Pohl was barely even thinking about vinyl. In “History 101” tradition, Scene Point Blank picked out some of the label's notable releases … Read more

The Planet Smashers

One Question Interviews • July 23, 2025

Matt Smasher (The Planet Smashers) SPB: How did the collabs on the new album come to be? Did you reach out to the artist with a specific idea, or just ask “hey is there something you want to do here?” Matt: It started out super simple, just a “would you … Read more

Related news

Brand new 30,000 Monkies

Posted in Records on September 3, 2022

The return of 30,000 Monkies

Posted in Records on September 8, 2019

Related reviews

30,000 Monkies

Somewhere Over The Painbow
Consouling Sounds (2013)

Somewhere between rock, stoner, sludge and noise, 30,000 Monkies manage to find a point of equilibrium and they are now unleashing their latest EP, Somewhere Over The Painbow. The malice of the Melvins merges with the spirit of Sonic Youth to bring four songs that will leave you stunned. With their furious sound, heavy riffs and relentless groove, this release … Read more

More from this section

Little Low

One Question Interviews • August 6, 2025

Christine Atturio (Little Low) SPB: What is your favorite Disney soundtrack? Atturio: Aladdin, hands down. Robin Williams singing "Friend Like Me" is fire! The soundtrack as a whole goes from hopeful to scary to funny and back again, sometimes even sounding like the music from Indiana Jones when he's exploring … Read more

Normal Park

One Question Interviews • August 5, 2025

McKinnon (Normal Park) SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better? Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus … Read more

Foolsmate

One Question Interviews • August 4, 2025

Alex Gilliam (Foolsmate) SPB: What does the term “Midwest emo” mean to you? Gilliam: After getting this question, I immediately asked the other guys in Foolsmate for their input. Though their answers varied drastically, they all touched upon inclusion. Midwest emo has always been about being vulnerable about yourself and … Read more