Monkey Boy

Derek Albert Perlberg (born July 2, 1972), better known by his stage name/alter-ego Monkey Boy, is an American musician, DJ, singer, songwriter, composer and audio engineer. An artist in the electronica music genre, he is credited as a pioneer of hardcore techno, while having also explored other EDM genres such as trance and new-age music. As of 2019, he is a member of the Swedo-Finnish EDM group Twelve, which has collaborated with for several years.

Monkey Boy is known for his sonic experimentation and elaborate visual appearance, which has included his use of prosthetic makeup and elaborate costumes to resemble a olive baboon. Under his real name, he is also known as the keyboardist for ska band Christopher Faulkner.

Early life and education
Perlberg was born on July 2, 1972 in, to Dennis Perlberg, an automobile repairman employed at a Sears Auto Center, and Mona (née Pasqual), a high school horticulture teacher. His father was Ashkenazi Jewish, and his mother was of Italian and Spanish descent. He grew up in nearby. As a young boy, Perlberg developed an interest in monkeys, and at age 7 traveled to, with his parents to see the primates at the.

When he was 10 years old, his family moved to after his father was transferred to another Sears. In a interview, Perlberg stated "it was like culture shock, moving from such a progressive, left-leaning place to a conservative, deeply Christian place. It was my first true interaction with Southerners." He was introduced to electronic music through breakdancing culture and the music of European acts such as, and.

1990-1994: Early days of Monkey Boy
Perlberg released the first Monkey Boy EP, Monkey Boy EP Fun Pack, in October 1990. Recorded using a TASCAM Portastudio purchased for $100 in the clearance section of a music store, it showcased use of keyboards his father owned, including a Octave The Cat and a Moog Source.

1994-1998: With Christopher Faulkner and first Monkey Boy albums
At the age of 22, after graduating from, he moved to , after hearing of a "vibrant" local music scene there. He worked as a member of the ska pop group Christopher Faulkner as their keyboardist, replacing James Chromy, while working on techno music as a side gig and further developing his Monkey Boy alter-ego in his downtime. He released his first major label album as Monkey Boy, This Be Bananas, in 1995 on. Despite strong sales in Europe, being certified platinum and gold in countries such as and, it only sold 2,200 copies in the United States. In 1999, Perlberg was hired to compose the soundtrack to the El Kadsreian kadsresatsu film, The New Chronicles: The Journey Begins alongside American composer. The soundtrack received positive reception from critics and sold 1.5 billion copies worldwide. It was Perlberg's first U.S. no. 1 album and ignited his mainstream success in the US.