Too Many Cookes is the brainchild of Mick Cooke of Belle and Sebastian. A few years ago, Mick conceived and curated Colours Are Brighter, a compilation of children’s songs by the likes of Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand and Snow Patrol. The album was released on Rough Trade, with proceeds going to Save the Children. The Monkeys Are Breaking Out The Zoo was written by Mick for Colours Are Brighter, and recorded with the help of his Belle and Sebastian bandmates.

Inspired by the reaction to “The Monkeys…”, Mick went about writing an album of songs based at the zoo. Again he enrolled the help of his bandmates, and also a trad jazz band, a samba drummer and an operatic tenor. Richard Colburn, drummer of Belle and Sebastian, provided narration, in character as the Zookeeper.
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