Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches

Shawn Ratches
  • 3.8 (6)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

Welcome to Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches which is a show that explores all genres of music. As someone with autism, I bring a unique perspective to my interviews, aiming to create an authentic and engaging experience for both artists and listeners.Thanks for watching and please subscribe to help me keep bringing new content to you!

  1. Ep 667 Circus Of Power Alex Mitchell talks Double Album out soon and many more shows coming!

    21H AGO

    Ep 667 Circus Of Power Alex Mitchell talks Double Album out soon and many more shows coming!

    Alex Mitchell remains one of the true survivors of the late-’80s New York hard rock scene. As the founder and voice of Circus of Power, Mitchell helped build a band that mixed street-level biker culture, sleaze rock attitude, and bluesy hard rock into something distinctly their own. Formed in New York City in 1987, Circus of Power quickly developed a reputation for loud, dangerous live shows and albums that stood apart from the polished glam metal dominating MTV at the time. The band earned strong support from the rock press and toured with major acts including Black Sabbath during the “Tyr” era. Now back living in New York, Mitchell is entering a new creative chapter with a forthcoming double album scheduled for release this summer. The new material reportedly reflects both the grit of the band’s early years and the perspective gained from decades in music. Mitchell has also been revisiting stories from the classic Sunset Strip and New York club days, including memories involving David Lee Roth and the larger-than-life rock scene that surrounded bands in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Those stories capture an era when clubs, biker bars, and backstage chaos were all part of everyday life for touring hard rock bands. Despite lineup changes and long industry shifts, Circus of Power has continued to maintain its outlaw-rock identity. Mitchell remains the constant driving force behind the band, carrying forward the same raw energy that made their early records cult favorites among hard rock fans. Along with the upcoming album, the band also has several live appearances and shows being lined up, giving longtime fans another chance to experience the music in its natural environment — loud, unapologetic, and straight from the streets where Circus of Power first began.

    42 min
  2. Ep 666 Venom INC has new music coming, BLS tour and more planned in 2026

    4D AGO

    Ep 666 Venom INC has new music coming, BLS tour and more planned in 2026

    Venom Inc. are entering a new chapter with a refreshed lineup, new energy, and new music in the works. This is not just about looking back at the history of Venom or replaying the past. The band is focused on what comes next. Led by Tony “Demolition Man” Dolan, Venom Inc. continue to carry the blackened, aggressive, old-school metal sound that helped define generations of extreme music. The current lineup features Tony Dolan on bass and vocals, Curran “Beleth” Murphy on guitar, and Marc “JXN” Jackson on drums. The band’s last studio album, There’s Only Black, was released in 2022, and Dolan has confirmed that writing has been underway for the follow-up. He described the next phase as feeling like “a new beginning,” with demos, artwork, production plans, and new material already being worked on.   The focus now is on the current band standing on its own. Venom Inc. still brings the fire, speed, darkness, and raw attitude fans expect, but the new material is about moving forward with this lineup as a real working band. Dolan has also spoken about wanting to record the current three-piece as a band, which gives the next release a different kind of importance: it will represent where Venom Inc. are now, not just where they came from.   Fans can expect the classic Venom Inc. ingredients: heavy riffs, blackened atmosphere, punk-edged aggression, speed-metal attack, and that dirty, dangerous feeling that made the name matter in the first place. But this new era is also about proving that the band still has something fresh to say. In this episode, we talk about the new lineup, upcoming music, writing plans, touring, the band’s legacy, and what fans can expect from Venom Inc. going forward.

    1h 18m
  3. Ep 665 Carnivore A.D. talk new E.P. plus some Q & A with Joe Cangelosi and Chuck Lenihan

    APR 30

    Ep 665 Carnivore A.D. talk new E.P. plus some Q & A with Joe Cangelosi and Chuck Lenihan

    I recently interviewed Joe and Chuck from Carnivore A.D. to talk about the band’s new EP, their current touring plans, and the creative process behind the new material. The conversation dug into how the songs came together, what drives the writing, and how the band balances honoring the brutal legacy of Carnivore while still pushing forward with its own identity. Joe and Chuck shared insight into the energy behind the new release, the chemistry within the band, and what fans can expect when they bring the songs to the stage. We also went back into the early history of the band, discussing the roots of the Carnivore sound, the New York metal/hardcore attitude that shaped it, and how that history continues to influence Carnivore A.D. today. From songwriting stories to touring memories, the interview gives fans a closer look at the people behind the music and the mindset that keeps the band moving. It is a strong episode for anyone into heavy music, underground metal history, and the raw, confrontational sound that made Carnivore’s name stand out.

    41 min
  4. Ep 662 Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat is back on & he shares next the chapter of band in 2026!

    APR 22

    Ep 662 Taime Downe of Faster Pussycat is back on & he shares next the chapter of band in 2026!

    Taime Downe is back for his first interview in a while, and the conversation covers exactly what Faster Pussycat fans want to hear: touring, the band’s legacy, the writing and recording process, and what is next. Rising out of the mid-1980s Hollywood rock scene, Faster Pussycat built its reputation on a sound that sat somewhere between glam, punk, and sleaze rock, with early staples like “Babylon,” “Bathroom Wall,” “Cathouse,” and later “House of Pain” helping define the band’s identity.   In this interview, Taime looks back at the history of Faster Pussycat and the staying power that has kept the band going for four decades. The band’s self-titled debut and its follow-up, Wake Me When It’s Over, established Faster Pussycat as one of the standout names from the Sunset Strip era, while later releases like Whipped! and The Power and the Glory Hole showed that the band was never interested in standing still creatively. Even after all these years, Faster Pussycat has continued to tour extensively, keeping the songs alive onstage for longtime fans and newer audiences alike.   Taime also talks about the current chapter of the band, including new music. Faster Pussycat released the single “Motorbike” in May 2025, with Taime saying he had started writing it about a decade earlier and that the band recorded it more than once before landing on the version that felt right. The release also featured a cover of the INXS song “Don’t Change” as the B-side, giving fans both a new original track and a reworked favorite through the band’s own dirty, swaggering lens.   It is a conversation that connects the past to the present: the history, the records, the road stories, the tours, and the new single that proves Faster Pussycat is still moving forward. For fans of Taime Downe and the band, this one is a chance to hear directly from the voice that helped shape one of the most distinct acts to come out of the late-’80s hard rock scene.

    53 min
  5. Ep 664 Armored Saint's John Bush on "Emotion Factory Reset" & playing Anthrax solo shows!

    APR 17

    Ep 664 Armored Saint's John Bush on "Emotion Factory Reset" & playing Anthrax solo shows!

    Talking with John Bush was a reminder of why he remains one of heavy metal’s most respected frontmen. In our interview, Bush discussed Armored Saint’s new album, Emotion Factory Reset, due May 22, 2026 via Metal Blade, describing it as a record that pushes the band forward while still sounding unmistakably like Armored Saint. The band’s official bio frames it as a new chapter built on diverse songwriting and a willingness to stay adventurous, while Bush has said the material expands on Punching the Sky and Win Hands Down but carries its own distinct sound and vibe. We also looked back at the history of Armored Saint, one of Los Angeles metal’s most durable and underrated bands. Formed in the early 1980s, the group built its reputation with albums like March of the Saint and Delirious Nomad, then delivered what many fans consider a defining statement with Symbol of Salvation in 1991. Over the years, Armored Saint has endured lineup changes, industry shifts, and tragedy, including the loss of guitarist Dave Prichard, yet the band never lost its identity. That resilience is a huge part of why Armored Saint still commands such loyalty decades later. What came through most in this conversation was Bush’s loyalty to the band and the brotherhood behind it. Even with his long and celebrated run in Anthrax, Armored Saint has always remained central to his musical identity. Now, with Emotion Factory Reset set to become the band’s ninth full-length studio album, Bush sounds energized by where Armored Saint is right now: still heavy, still evolving, and still doing things on its own terms. Not bad for a band that has spent more than forty years proving that cult status and class can hit just as hard as mainstream fame.

    15 min
  6. Ep 663 Autopsy Chris Reifert new music, select dates and reflection back on the genre!

    APR 16

    Ep 663 Autopsy Chris Reifert new music, select dates and reflection back on the genre!

    Chris Reifert remains one of the most important and recognizable figures in death metal history. After first making a major mark as the drummer on Death’s Scream Bloody Gore, he went on to found Autopsy in 1987, helping shape a far filthier, darker, and more depraved branch of the genre. With Autopsy, Reifert became central to the band’s unmistakable identity, combining savage drumming, sickened vocal delivery, and a songwriting approach that fused raw death metal with doom-laden atmosphere. Records like Severed Survival and Mental Funeral helped establish Autopsy as one of the most influential acts in extreme metal, with a sound that was ugly, crawling, primitive, and completely their own. What has always separated Reifert from many of his peers is that Autopsy never felt like a museum piece. Even after decades in underground metal, the band has continued to create new material with the same diseased spirit that made them legends in the first place. Rather than simply trading on early classics, Autopsy has kept pushing forward, releasing later albums that still carry the band’s signature rot, heaviness, and warped sense of horror. Reifert’s long-running dedication to the genre has made him not only a pioneer, but also one of death metal’s most enduring lifers. In my interview with Chris Reifert, he also made it clear that Autopsy is not standing still. He said the band plans to start work on a new album toward the end of the year, a detail that should excite longtime fans who have followed the group’s relentless run of grotesque and punishing releases. That comment speaks to what has always defined Reifert’s career: even after helping build death metal from the ground up, he is still focused on creating the next wave of sickness rather than living in the past. For an interview introduction, Chris came across exactly as fans would expect: grounded, direct, and still completely committed to the underground spirit that made Autopsy essential in the first place. His reflections on the band’s legacy, past records, and future plans show that Autopsy continues to operate with purpose, and with the same morbid heart that has kept them vital for so many years.

    52 min
  7. Ep 661 SVARTTJERN New 2026 interview with HansFyrste and Erik “HaaN” Sæther of Svarttjern.

    APR 15

    Ep 661 SVARTTJERN New 2026 interview with HansFyrste and Erik “HaaN” Sæther of Svarttjern.

    In this interview, I spoke with HansFyrste (vocals) and Erik “HaaN” Sæther (guitars) of Svarttjern, the Oslo black metal band they founded in 2003. The conversation digs into the band’s history, their evolution from early demos into full-length releases like Misanthropic Path of Madness, Dødsskrik, and Shame Is Just a Word, and the path that has kept Svarttjern a respected name in Norwegian black metal. No filler. Just a proper talk with both men about the band, the records, and the road behind Svarttjern.

    40 min
  8. Ep 660 Kenny Hickey talks new band Sun Dont Shine and Type O Negative news

    APR 10

    Ep 660 Kenny Hickey talks new band Sun Dont Shine and Type O Negative news

    For heavy music fans, Kenny Hickey needs little introduction. Best known as the guitarist and vocalist from Type O Negative, Hickey helped shape one of the most distinctive sounds in gothic and doom metal. Now, he has returned with a new project, SUN DONT SHINE, a band that brings together veteran musicians from Type O Negative, Crowbar, and Down. Alongside Hickey are Johnny Kelly, Kirk Windstein, and Todd Strange, creating a lineup rooted in doom, sludge, and classic heavy rock sensibilities.  SUN DONT SHINE is not just another side project. The band has been described as a meeting point between the bleak weight of doom metal and a broader, more dynamic songwriting approach. Hickey has said he did not want the music to be one-dimensional or trapped in one mood, emphasizing contrast, depth, and songs that feel lived-in rather than performatively dark. He has also spoken about wanting lyrics with more real-life weight, reflecting where he is now rather than trying to recreate the mindset of earlier decades.  That perspective makes this project especially interesting for longtime Type O Negative fans. There is naturally a connection through Hickey and Kelly, but SUN DONT SHINE appears aimed at being its own entity rather than a nostalgia exercise. The group’s debut, From Birth To Death, positions itself as a fresh chapter built by musicians who have already left a permanent mark on heavy music and are now pushing into something more mature, reflective, and collaborative.  What makes the band compelling is the chemistry of its members. Hickey’s melodic darkness, Kelly’s unmistakable rhythmic identity, and the Crowbar/Down side of the lineup give SUN DONT SHINE a foundation that feels both heavy and seasoned. Reports on the band’s formation describe it as growing out of collaboration among artists with shared roots but different regional and stylistic histories, especially the New York and New Orleans traditions that each member brings into the room.

    24 min
See All (669)

3.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches which is a show that explores all genres of music. As someone with autism, I bring a unique perspective to my interviews, aiming to create an authentic and engaging experience for both artists and listeners.Thanks for watching and please subscribe to help me keep bringing new content to you!

Information

You Might Also Like