Chimp rock
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Chimp rock is said to be a style of music distinguished by lack of formal training and/or aspirations for commercial potential. The "chimp" portion of the name implies that it is a style of music perhaps less evolved than its more commercial counterparts, whereas the "rock" component suggests that it is a subset of rock and roll. The term was coined in the early 1990s by members of the Boston-based band Kudgel, and "popularly" applied to or co-opted by various bands (i.e., Sebadoh, Swirlies[1]) at a time when lo-fi recording was gaining credibility in the independent music industry. Musical artists such as Hasil Adkins, the Shaggs, and Daniel Johnston were championed as some of Chimp Rock's chief progenitors, while these pioneers were certainly not aware of the term.[citation needed]
The death of so-called chimp rock was first heralded in 1994 on the Kudgel track "Chimp Is Dead (Guess Who Killed It?)",[2] released on their Sea Monkee 10" record. The song features numerous Swirlies samples over a squalling "chimp rock" instrumental, a seemingly clear gesture towards the guilty party. However, the liner notes feature an alternate name for the song -- "Chimp Is Dead (Mark E. Killed It)" -- perhaps identifying band leader Mark Erdody as the murderer.
