Unfinished Monkey Business

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Professional reviews
Unfinished Monkey Business

Studio album by Ian Brown
Released	February 2, 1998
Recorded	?
Genre	Alternative Rock
Length	53:02
Label	Polydor Records
Producer(s)	Ian Brown
All Music Guide:
Ian Brown chronology
	Unfinished Monkey Business (1998)	Golden Greats (1999)

Unfinished Monkey Business is the first solo album released by Ian Brown after the break-up of The Stone Roses. The album was self-financed and produced by Brown. Ex-Roses including Mani, Reni, Nigel Ippinson, Aziz Ibrahim and Robbie Maddix helped pen and perform the instruments on many tracks. "Ice Cold Cube" which premiered at The Stone Roses final concert was officially released in this album.

Much of Unfinished Monkey Business focuses on the acrimonious split between Brown and former Roses' guitarist John Squire. Brown shares his unabashed opinion of his ex-bandmate on tracks like "Can't See Me", "What Happened To Ya" and "Deep Pile Dreams", focussing in particular on John's self-centredness, two-facedness and dependence on drugs, specifically cocaine.

The track "Intro Under The Paving Stones: The Beach" was inspired by a slogan from the French May 1968 protests, an event that also inspired the song "Bye Bye Badman" from The Stone Roses (LP). A popular protest slogan at the time, "Sous les pavés, la plage!" is translated into English as "Beneath the pavement, the beach!", and refers to the sand found under paving stones ripped up by rioters to use as projectiles aimed at the police.

Many critics consider "Corpses In Their Mouths" to be Brown's best musical output in the 1990's.