Laughing Monkey with Shawn Ratches

Henry Rollins has spent the better part of a year buried in tape from October 1977 — a finished Cramps album, produced by Alex Chilton at Ardent Studios in Memphis, that sat on the shelf for nearly fifty years. It's coming out August 21 as Gravest Gravy on Vengeance Records.
Rollins and Ian MacKaye handled the restoration and mixing together through their RAM Prod. partnership. "I sent the mixes and my notes to Ian MacKaye, whose ears I trust more than anyone I know," Rollins says. MacKaye agreed with every call.
The two saw The Cramps together on April 20, 1979, at a small DC bar. "I've never recovered," Rollins says. "Ian was standing next to me.”

* **00:00** – A Student of Life and Music Librarian
* **00:45** – The Fragility and Preservation of the Past
* **02:00** – Restoring The Cramps' Lost Tapes with Ian MacKaye
* **03:11** – Curating the *Gravest Gravy* Release
* **04:44** – Unearthing More Unheard Cramps Material
* **05:48** – The Archival Mission: Saving History from the Garage
* **07:52** – Driving 34 Hours for the Love of the Game
* **08:52** – The Art of Paper Preservation and Mylar Forehead Tattoos
* **10:53** – Being a Trusted Steward of Musical History
* **11:53** – Upgrading Your Archival Game: Hiring the Experts
* **13:43** – Rescuing Tapes from Black Mold and Rotting Boxes
* **15:04** – Spending Weekends with Sponge Sticks and Toothbrushes
* **16:40** – Lessons from the Library of Congress
* **17:40** – Ian MacKaye’s Incredible Organization Skills
* **18:43** – Scoring Rare Punk Artwork at Auction
* **19:13** – Putting the Dinosaur Bones Together at Night
* **22:38** – A New Chapter of Friendship: Mixing with Ian
* **23:20** – Ian MacKaye as the "Lincoln Cold Sober Judge" of Production
* **25:12** – Recording *Lifetime* in England on a Budget
* **27:11** – Defining Success as Sustainability
* **27:46** – The Three-Year Process of Writing a New Book
* **30:45** – Moving Forward into "Old Ass Man” Projects
* **32:18** – Singing "Rise Above" with Cyndi Lauper
* **35:05** – Navigating Fitness and Aging
* **37:12** – Leaving a Trail: The Importance of Provenance
* **39:40** – Excitement for the *Gravest Gravy* Release
* **41:35** – Ian MacKaye’s "Fishbowl" Philosophy on Internet Comments

The final chapter of The Alarm carries a weight that goes far beyond music. Before his passing, Mike Peters completed what stands as a powerful final statement — an album shaped by perseverance, reflection, hope, and the same unbreakable spirit that defined his entire career.
For decades, Mike Peters was more than just the voice of The Alarm. He became a symbol of resilience inside and outside of music, openly facing cancer battles while continuing to create, perform, and inspire people around the world. His songs always carried themes of survival, belief, unity, and finding strength even in the darkest moments, and this final work feels deeply connected to that legacy.
Recently on Laughing Monkey, I had the privilege of speaking with Jules Peters, whose honesty and strength brought even deeper perspective to Mike’s journey. Our conversation explored not only the music itself, but the human side behind it — the challenges they faced together, the hope they continued to carry forward, and the way music became both a lifeline and a message to others going through difficult times.
What makes this final album especially meaningful is that it doesn’t feel like a goodbye built around sadness. Instead, it feels like Mike Peters doing what he always did best: turning struggle into connection and reminding listeners to keep moving forward no matter what life puts in front of them.
The Alarm’s music has always balanced passion, defiance, melody, and purpose, and this final release stands as both a continuation of that spirit and a lasting testament to Mike Peters’ impact on generations of listeners. Through every challenge, he never stopped creating, never stopped believing, and never stopped reaching people through music.
This conversation with Jules Peters is more than an interview — it’s a reflection on legacy, love, endurance, and the lasting power of music to give people hope when they need it most.

Former Hüsker Dü bassist Greg Norton returns to the spotlight with his hard-hitting new band UltraBomb, bringing punk rock energy, melodic aggression, and raw intensity back to the forefront. Featuring an all-star lineup of veteran underground musicians, UltraBomb is quickly making noise with new music and an expanding tour schedule that reconnects fans with the spirit and urgency that made Hüsker Dü legendary.
In this interview, Greg discusses the formation of UltraBomb, the band’s songwriting approach, upcoming releases, and life on the road again. We also dive into reflections on the lasting influence of Hüsker Dü, the evolution of punk and alternative music, and what still fuels his passion for creating loud, honest music decades later.
For fans of classic punk, underground rock history, and high-energy modern releases, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Legendary Voivod drummer Michel “Away” Langevin joins the show to discuss the band’s powerful new release, Symphoniqïne. In this interview, Away talks about the creative vision behind combining Voivod’s progressive metal sound with a full symphonic experience, revisiting the band’s classic material in a completely new way while still pushing forward artistically.
We also discuss the evolution of Voivod through the decades, the challenges of arranging complex metal compositions for orchestra, the visual concepts tied to the project, and what continues to drive one of metal’s most innovative and respected bands.
A must-watch conversation for longtime Voivod fans, progressive metal listeners, and anyone interested in the intersection of heavy music and orchestral experimentation.

Legendary psychedelic punk innovators Butthole Surfers are finally preparing to release their long-lost album After the Astronaut, a record originally shelved in 1998 following the commercial success of Electriclarryland. In a recent conversation with drummer King Coffey, he described the album as a return to the band’s experimental roots, driven by electronic textures, industrial rhythms, and the bizarre sonic chaos that made the group underground icons. Coffey explained that the band intentionally moved away from the alternative rock trends dominating radio at the time, instead diving deeper into psychedelic sound manipulation and digital experimentation. Nearly three decades later, the album is finally being released exactly as the band originally intended.  
Set for release on June 26, 2026 through Sunset Blvd. Records, After the Astronaut represents the first official studio release of new archival material from the band in over twenty years. Early singles including “Jet Fighter” and “Imbuya” capture the surreal, unhinged atmosphere that has always defined the Butthole Surfers’ sound. Coffey noted that making the record felt similar to the creative insanity surrounding their landmark 1987 album Locust Abortion Technician, with the band embracing every strange idea possible in the studio. The album’s release also follows renewed interest in the band after reunion performances and the documentary The Hole Truth and Nothing Butt, reintroducing a new generation to one of alternative rock’s most unpredictable and influential acts.