Earth Monkey Productions is run by a group of experienced community artists and workshop leaders who can facilitate many wonderful sessions for groups of any age

We can show you how to write and perform electronic and experimental music, remix tracks, how to improvise, write soundscapes for installations, write music for film, theatre, dance and how to help use modern music technology to create new work.

Our artists have worked for such organisations as Sonic Arts Network, Creative Partnerships, Youth Music, Manchester Museum, Barrow Borough Council, Welfare State International, Whitewood and Fleming Music and Theatre, The Sage Gateshead & The National Trust

All our artists hold Enhanced Disclosures and have Public Liability Insurance

For more information or to book our artists contact info@earthmp.org or phone Shaun on 07743822114

Past Projects

Monkey Noises - Phase 1 (2006-7)

A project supported by Awards For All, working with young people in sonic art and poetry. This project included:

60 Minutes - Pupils from St Bernards School, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, UK worked with Earth Monkey Productions to produce an album of music concrete and electro-acoustic compositions using field recordings from 24 hours in the life of the school.

EMP044 | St Bernards School | 60 Minutes

Download: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Stream: Hi-Fi - Lo-Fi :: Download: 60 Minutes Cover Art - Disc Art : Demos Cover Art - Disc Art

Tracklisting: 60 Minutes: 1. Morning | 2. The Chanting School | 3. Unlucky Billy | 4. Distortion In The Night | 5. 5 Minutes | 6. 24 minutes | Demos: 1. Matts 'A Lesson A Minute' | 2. The Last Sigh Of A Flickering Brain | 3. Escape From The Mindless Thousands | 4. Patterns Of Life

60 Minutes @ The Internet Archive :: 60 Minutes @ Last.fm

'I fired up the St. Bernards school piece while I worked Friday. I thought it was great that the project focused on found sound and the musique concrete nature of creation. It's so important that we all learn all the modes to experience sound and music, as that is one of the things that gives the life that saves us.' - Comment on Myspace by Gurdonark, Texas USA

a different angle (Review of 60 Minutes on The Internet Archive 4/5)

'I liked this album, both conceptually and aurally. The sounds on the album are both soothing and disconcerting (a contradiction I know). I like the idea of having kids work on making a record for serious listening. There are so many options in terms of who could make a record and its too often just men and some women between 18 and 40 that get released. Mike Patton working with the mentally disabled is another example of breaking this pattern. My only complaint with the record is it gets a bit repetitious, but I suppose it's supposed to be that way. Coming from the US it's a little weird hearing the British accents of the children...kind of keeps things fresh.'

Led by John Hall | Supported by Awards For All & St Bernards School

Summer Mix - Beats, Rhymes and Lyrics @ forum twenty eight

Ann Wilson workshop leader said - We had a fantastic week making songs and sounds of pirates, sea monsters and creatures that live in the sea. 

We played lots of games and played lots of different instruments and things that weren't instruments like stones, shells and whirly pipes.  We used our voices to sing and make sounds as well and we had a lot of fun. Andrew recorded sounds and stories by individuals and the whole group.

Everyone who took part contributed to the finished sound scape.  It's a shame we couldn't include everything from the week but I'm sure you'll agree Andrew has made a fabulous piece that captures the essence of the sounds we created. 

Thank you to everyone that took part.  We hope you continue to enjoy the Summer and we'll look forward to meeting you again soon.

Beats, Rhymes and Lyrics was part of forum twenty eight’s Summer Mix Programme in collaboration with Earth Monkey’s Monkey Noises project. The finished soundscape formed part of an installation in the foyer of forum twenty eight.

Led by Ann Wilson (words) & Andrew Deakin (sounds) | Supported by Awards For All & Barrow Borough Council

Monkey Noises @ Barrow & Kendal Library

Music Remixing & Creative Writing workshops for 14-18 year olds

We had a fantastic time working with young people in Barrow and Kendal on reworking music from The Resting Bench and writing new words inspired by photographs from The Resting Bench project.

Music from the Barrow sessions can be found on The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 1.

Music from the Kendal sessions can be found on The Resting Bench Remix Project - Volume 3 (coming soon).

If you like this track and want to know more about The Resting Bench Remix Project or hear other contributions from around the world, or even download the original samples and have a go at remixing it - click HERE

'i like your music. i think it's great that you're putting kids into this kind of music' - Sounds Like Music

Led by Shaun Blezard (sounds), Ann Wilson (words) & Kate Davis (words) | Supported by Awards For All, Cumbria Library Service & Cumbria County Council

Halal Kebab Hut @ Barrow Island Community Primary School (2007)

As part of their visit to Barrow to play an Open Circuit night at The Canteen, Halal Kebab Hut performed to 120 staff and pupils at Barrow Island Community Primary School and then led a workshop for 2 classes in contemporary composition and performance using tin cans.

The pupils experimented with the sounds cans can make and learnt how to compose as a group and then perform as a 40 piece band with pupils taking turns to conduct the ensemble.

A great morning was had by all with pupils, staff and artists working hard together to make a tin can orchestra

Led by Halal Kebab Hut | Supported by Barrow Island Community Primary School and Barrow Arts Forum

Monkey Noises press @ Socialtext

The Creative Commons netlabel provides the latest way for people to share culture, following in the tradition of mail art, tape exchange, and the pre-digital era of folk singers sharing songs. Although no one pigeon-hole defines what is released on netlabels, it often features music which is electronica, avante-garde and sometimes a bit outre'.

Netlabels are a valuable way for people with non-mainstream musical tastes, whether artist or listener, to link up via the internet. Some consider this movement almost the definition of virtual community. But what if the virtual community becomes real?

Earth Monkey productions is a netlabel which operates in the small English Lakes Districts community of Barrow-in-Furness. Its artists tend to be ambient, found-sound, and electronica artists, along with a separate Talking Monkey division which features poets and remixes of poets.

Yet Earth Monkey Productions has not been contented with being an avant-garde label on the 'net "out there". Instead, through the Monkey Noises project, Earth Monkey has become involved in the community. Seminars in music-making and remixing for local kids are sponsored by Earth Monkey. Musique concrete albums featuring found sounds at the local schools result. School-age remixers learn how to use up-to-date software studio devices. Rather than being apart from its community, Earth Monkey is using the new tools of technology to be part of its community.

Shaun Blezard, who records as Clutter, is a primary force behind EMP. He would make a good interview, about a program which defies the stereotype that internet communities are something that happen "out there", rather than being part of the "IRL" community.

He can be contacted at info@earthmp.org If you're interested, tell him that gurdonark sent you :).

by Robert Nunnally