Saucy Monky

The origins of whimsical indie rock outfit Saucy Monky stretch back to the moment singer, guitarist, and songwriter Cynthia Catania left her native Ireland behind for New York City. Steady live work across N.Y.C. generated favorable coverage yet produced no recording agreement, prompting a move to Los Angeles. A year spent as a background singer on The Larry Sanders Show, together with membership in the Sugar Junkies, occupied her time, though a hoped-for major-label arrangement never appeared. When the Sugar Junkies disbanded, Catania took matters into her own hands, drawing inspiration from Ani DiFranco’s independent approach to the music business and electing to establish her own imprint, Olive Oil, rather than continue pursuing a contract with a large label.

Her first solo release emerged in 1999, yet she continued searching for collaborators. That search ended in 2001 upon meeting fellow singer, guitarist, and songwriter Annmarie Cullen. Bassist Carson Cohen and drummer Adam Marcello soon completed the lineup of Saucy Monky, leaving a backlog of songs written by Catania and Cullen ready for recording. The group’s first album, Celebrity Trash, surfaced in 2003, though only in Ireland, where its single “Disco Ball” achieved indie-rock success. Turbulence followed a year later, still issued solely in Ireland, and attracted the attention of the U.S. label 429. The imprint brought the record out domestically in 2005, fronted by a freshly recorded take of “Disco Ball.”