Getting to Know… Monkey Intrusion | Interview

In the 499^th Q&A in our Getting to Know… series, we get the inside scoop from Trieste-based indie rock band Monkey Intrusion.

Oh, snap, Monkey Intrusion! In response to our first burning question, Vincenzo Reina, a vocalist and guitarist within the band,  adds that Monkey Intrusion’s songs feature “Heavy guitars, unusual rhythms, three harmonizing voices singing about weird stories and dystopian settings.” Reina provides the inside scoop on the Trieste indie rock band’s genesis (including the origin of their name), goals, musical influences, and current and future musical endeavors. So, without further ado, let’s jump right into Getting to Know… Monkey Intrusion: Interview No. 499!

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For those who may not be familiar with you, what would you say makes Monkey Intrusion distinct or unique? How do you rock the audience’s socks off?

Hi folks, we are one female and four playing monkeys, crazy about rock in all its forms; every song is very different from the other. Heavy guitars, unusual rhythms, three harmonizing voices singing about weird stories and dystopian settings.

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Okay, let’s explore some juicy backstories. How did Monkey Intrusion form, and what were some of your goals or visions early on?

Marco Plesnicar (bass) and I (Vincenzo Reina, voice and guitar) began playing together early in school and formed our first band. Years later, we met Enrico J. Goti (voice and guitar) and decided to start the Monkey Intrusion project. The name of the band was inspired by a warning sign on a hotel window I saw in my room in Rasa Sentosa, Singapore, that said, Due to monkey intrusion, please keep the balcony door locked. Three years ago, Marco Bertoli joined the band on drums, and recently, Sara Cova blessed us with her gorgeous female voice. We wanted to build a killer rock band where the songs are at the center of everything.

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Let’s talk more about goals.  Have your goals or perspectives changed since first starting? What do your aspirations or goals look like now?

We are all composers in the band, the most important thing for us is write original songs that move audiences. The release of our first album Pussycats and Monkeymen, last year was a game-changer. It was a big challenge for us, but we did it, overcoming all the inevitable issues you encounter recording in a professional studio – it was the Jork Studio, the most important in Slovenia – and promoting the baby you are so proud of. Now we want to continue to write beautiful songs and release albums. And naturally, playing them live the more we can.

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Everybody is influenced by somebody else. Who would you consider some of your biggest musical influences, and how are they influential?

We have a very diverse background. Marco, Sara, and I grew up with classic and hard rock, progressive and punk – Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, Dead Kennedys – Marco Bertoli and Enrico are progressive rock, grunge, and metal fans, Dream Theater, Symphony X, Megadeath, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains. They are undoubtedly influences we are happy to have, but at the same time, we try to get over them to create our own sound.

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Ah, the fun stuff.  What’s your craziest tour story or the wackiest thing that’s happened during a performance?  Feel free to be creative.

Just last week, an already completely drunk man fell asleep leaning on our stage. Then he woke up, and after the show we shared our phone numbers. He was a local poet so in love with our music that and wanted to send us some lyrics.

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To this point in your career, what would you describe as your favorite song you’ve recorded or performed live? What makes that song special?

“Bad Love” stands out as our most complex and representative song, featuring a beautiful intro, powerful chorus, bridges, a spoken section, and a great voice solo by Sara. We love this song.

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Is there anything else awesome, cool, or left-of-center we should know about Monkey Intrusion? Secret talents or surprising tidbits?

We have a great fanbase in Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. When we promoted our album, it was a surprise to find out that our music is very popular in South America! It seems that our Italian roots connect with our Latin brothers.

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What is Monkey Intrusion currently working on or promoting that you can share? We love secrets, but there’s no pressure. 

We are composing new songs for an EP we want to release next year. We are already testing the songs live, and they work very well.

Thank you so much for sharing and taking the time to answer these questions, and best of luck moving forward.   

Monkey Intrusion on music streaming platforms and social media 🔻

• https://youtube.com/@MonkeyIntrusion-oh8xv
• https://spotify.link/7iyVkZmvxBb
• https://music.apple.com/it/artist/monkey-intrusion/1692368979
• https://on.soundcloud.com/rPuqCBqKsPsaEjp6A
• https://www.facebook.com/monkeyintrusion
• https://instagram.com/monkeyintrusion
• https://x.com/monkintrusion
• https://linktr.ee/monkeyintrusion

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Getting to Know… Monkey Intrusion: Interview No. 499 [📷: Monkey Intrusion]

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