The Powder Monkeys were an Australian punk/indie rock band, based in Melbourne, Led by Tim Hemensley, they existed from 1991 to 2002, and were renowned as a live act. 　　Tim Hemensley and John Nolan were members of Bored! in the late 1980s. Both left Bored! following that band's 1990 tour of Europe. Nolan then played with Hoss for a time, and the first five-piece Powder Monkeys played in early 1992, with a lineup of Tim Hemensley (bass, vocals), John Nolan (lead guitar), Aidan Hibberd (rhythm guitar, vocals; ex-The Philisteins), Jed Sayers (harmonica) and Timmy Jack Ray (drums). Hibberd left around June 1992, though he did play on their first single, "Yin Yang", released February 1993 on Dog Meat Records. Aidan's guitar tracks were left on only a few songs on the band's first album, Smashed On A Knee, recorded in 1992, but one song he penned and sang, "Ugly", was included and the album finally came out on Dog Meat in March 1994. 　　The Powder Monkeys put considerable effort into live performance and touring during this period. After Jed Sayers left at the end of 1994, the band remained a three-piece. Their next release, in February 1995, was the five-track EP Straight Until Morning, which were recordings for a Triple J live broadcast.