3 Daft Monkeys

Formed in 2000, 3 Daft Monkeys began as a trio featuring Tim Ashton on vocals, guitar, percussion and whistle alongside Athene Roberts on fiddle and vocals and Rich Mulryne on drums and percussion. Although widely viewed as a folk act, their unusually broad array of influences has made any strict genre classification nearly unworkable. Cornwall, their adopted home in southwest England, supplies the primary Cornish and Celtic folk traditions that anchor their sound, which they further blend with Balkan and Gypsy elements as well as dance and reggae rhythms. Operating on their own 3DM label, the group issued a succession of EPs and live albums after formation, with Jamie Waters taking over on bass beginning with the debut release Brouhaha. In December 2004 they unveiled their first full studio album, Hubbadillia, again on the independent imprint. Lacking outside financial support, they built awareness solely through word-of-mouth promotion and an unrelenting schedule of international concerts. Whether performing at major festivals or in intimate local pubs, the band has always placed special value on its high-energy, electrifying stage presence, routinely drawing entire audiences—large or small—onto the dance floor. The steadily selling album earned strong praise from folk reviewers and secured rotation on BBC Radio 2.