Rock`n`roll`s essence, it means shocking trio from Israel.

Monotonix are singer Ami Shalev, guitarist Yonatan Gat and drummer Ran Shimoni. They hail from Tel Aviv, a city not necessarily famous for its rock'n'roll scene. Ami, Yonatan and Ran all knew each other and wanted to do something together. When their previous bands started breaking up, it felt like the right time, and Monotonix started playing together in 2005. Most of the music there draws from Russian, Greek, Arab and Mediterranean folk; contemporary Israeli music is a combination of cheap 80's pop, Mediterranean licks and soft rock. According to Yonatan, most rock shows there still occur in front of a seated audience eating hummus.

Monotonix wanted to do the complete opposite from what was going around them. Their inspiration is the raw energy and awesomeness of all the great classic rock bands, vintage pop and indie rock. Since their first time they did it in Tel Aviv - the trio, together, on the floor among people. Unfortunately, they police were being called on so often, that finally their concerts were banned and they decided to move to New York. They started their first tour of the East Coast awakening wild reactions in audiences. There's the guy who set himself
on fire, some woman drank beer out of Ami's shoe and another time the audience lifted the entire band in the air, including the drums and guitar amp, for the last song of the set.Over a year and a half of nonstop playing in the United States and in Europe and nearly 300 equally wild shows.

In one of the concert`s relation, Spin`s journalist wrote: “(...)  I'm afraid my pants are going to catch fire. Not figuratively, like the bassless Israeli trio are so hot they're igniting my loins, but literally: Moving from one side of the beer-soaked venue to the other, the band actually set the concrete floor ablaze, and singer Ami Shalev can't decide whether he should squeeze out more lighter fluid or climb up to the ceiling. This is a common occurrence for the most exciting live band in rock'n'roll.”"I'm trying to get people laughing and dancing and wild," says Shalev"That's the purpose, to get people free. The rules at a rock concert say, 'The band is here. You need to claps your hands.' We want people to have a good time without any rules."In a similar way they approach to the recording: "Our goal is that the recorded music will drive people crazy like the show does," says Gat. "Like somebody could listen in his living room and freak out."

Monotonix tried to record their songs a couple of times in Israel, but were never satisfied. During their last tour they thought that if they tried to record in a studio in the States after playing all those shows, they might be able to pull it off. And pull it off they have with their first Drag City EP, "Body Language." Since the release of the "Body Language" EP, Haggai Fershtman has replaced Ron Shimoni as the drummer for Monotonix.

Monotonix European tour promoting their last album "Where Were You When It Happened" (Drag City, 2009) has started 17th of November. For the finale Monotonix will play two concerts in Poland as a part of December edition of Off Festival Club series.
 
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