vegetable.machine.animal

Kieran Monaghan (he/him) is a dedicated kit drummer and percussionist of found sounds, based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington. He began his musical journey in the late ’80s, drumming in southern punk rock bands. A move north in the ’90s opened doors to experimental theatre and the free-jazz scene emerging from venues like The Space. While continuing to play assertive, improvisational music, he also sustained a living through day-jobs and, for a while, working bands.

His latest project, vegetable.machine.animal (VMA), explores the intersections of spontaneous performance, electronic music, and science-informed inter-species collaboration. He co-runs skirted Records with partner-in-art-and-life Chrissie Butler. Together, they formed the core of the outsider punk band mr sterile Assembly—named by Nick Bollinger as one of Aotearoa’s ten great rhythm sections.

He has toured extensively, both locally and internationally, and has a discography of solo, band, and collaborative work spanning various styles and genres. A semi-regular DJ on Radioactive.FM, Monaghan is also a Visiting Scholar at NZSM. Happily married, he is the father of three daughters and one mokopuna.

Links:
vegetable.machine.animal PORTFOLIO – audio, video, press photos

Acknowledgements:
Visiting Scholar, Te Kōkī/New Zealand School of Music – Victoria University. 2025-2026

Artist Residency:
– Ting Shuo Hear Say, Tainan, Taiwan, 8 Weeks, October/November 2025
– Creative New Zealand/NZSM/Toi Pōneke Sonic Artist-in-Residence 2024
– Driving Creek Railway,  Coromandel, 4 weeks, November 2023
– Audio Foundation, 30 July – 6 August 2023

Exhibitions [images]:
SOLO
– GUEST, Toi Pōneke Arts Centre, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington,6 June – 4 July 2025
– No Evidence of the Future, Pyramid Club, Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington, 8 August – September 2024
– Mundane Utopia[press], Audio Foundation, 13 June – 6 July 2024, Mundane Utopia reflection

GROUP
Use Your Words, Te Atamira, Tahuna/Queenstown, 14 December 2024 – 30 March 2025

Tours:
– Taiwan, October/November, with DSLB, 2025
– Guest album Aotearoa tour, June/July 2025, Post-tour reflections
– Jogja Noise Bombing, May 2024

Press:
RADIO :
Radio NZ, What music can we make together with machines, plants and fungi?! 27/7/25

VIDEO:
Awhiworld, Interview, 09/24

Discography:
GUEST – CD/LP/Digital – co-released skirted Records & Audio Foundation Records, 2025
My Daughter the Spider – digital demo, skirted Records, 2023