{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Tales From the Monkey House","home_page_url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk","description":"Tales From the Monkey House","author":{"name":"Tales From the Monkey House"},"items":[{"id":"the-murder-of-sal-mansi","html_content":"

A village. A whisper. A mystery...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-murder-of-sal-mansi","title":"The Murder of Sal Mansi","date_modified":"2026-04-10T09:00:04Z"},{"id":"latest-news---the-mijas-cowboy","html_content":"

I did it! šŸŽ‰

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/latest-news---the-mijas-cowboy","title":"Latest News! - The Mijas Cowboy ","date_modified":"2026-03-16T19:55:22Z"},{"id":"why-my-brain-runs-a-story-conference-at-3-am","html_content":"

So youā€™ve overcome writerā€™s block; in fact, you may have completely vanquished the foe that it is, but now there is potentially another obstacle. Your own stories.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/why-my-brain-runs-a-story-conference-at-3-am","title":"Why My Brain Runs a Story Conference at 3ā€ÆAM","date_modified":"2026-01-10T20:59:32Z"},{"id":"the-404-club","html_content":"

The wires may be sleeping, but the whispers grow

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-404-club","title":"The 404 Club","date_modified":"2025-12-27T15:00:00Z"},{"id":"happy-hour","html_content":"

Some places keep you safeā€¦ for a while

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/happy-hour","title":"Happy Hour","date_modified":"2025-11-22T17:30:15Z"},{"id":"that-bus-doesn%E2%80%99t-stop-here-anymore","html_content":"

The ticket was never the destination.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/that-bus-doesn%E2%80%99t-stop-here-anymore","title":"That Bus Doesnā€™t Stop Here Anymore","date_modified":"2025-10-17T13:23:21Z"},{"id":"house-rules","html_content":"

When the lights flicker, and the cards fall, what will you remember?

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/house-rules","title":"House Rules","date_modified":"2025-10-09T10:53:57Z"},{"id":"the-art-of-afternoon-tea","html_content":"

Flash Fiction by Michael J Phillips

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-art-of-afternoon-tea","title":"The Art of Afternoon Tea","date_modified":"2025-10-05T09:00:00Z"},{"id":"jasper","html_content":"

A Short Story

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/jasper","title":"Jasper","date_modified":"2025-08-24T11:28:28Z"},{"id":"looking-for-ray","html_content":"

Flash Fiction by Michael J Phillips

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/looking-for-ray","title":"Looking for Ray","date_modified":"2025-07-31T09:10:04Z"},{"id":"new-indie-pop-you-should-hear-%E2%80%98the-waterslide%E2%80%99-by-breezbear","html_content":"

I have been working on a music project with an old friend of mine and yesterday saw the release of our first single on various streaming platforms.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/new-indie-pop-you-should-hear-%E2%80%98the-waterslide%E2%80%99-by-breezbear","title":"New Indie Pop You Should Hear: ā€˜The Waterslideā€™ by Breezbear","date_modified":"2025-06-14T08:53:46Z"},{"id":"why-we%E2%80%99re-afraid-to-write-what-we-really-feel","html_content":"

By a chronically overthinking, emotionally allergic aspiring writer

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/why-we%E2%80%99re-afraid-to-write-what-we-really-feel","title":"Why Weā€™re Afraid to Write What We Really Feel","date_modified":"2025-06-05T10:20:00Z"},{"id":"why-vinyl-feels-like-therapy-in-the-age-of-tiktok","html_content":"

Itā€™s 2:17 AM. Iā€™ve just spent an hour swiping through TikTok. My eyes are burning, my mind buzzing, digital overload. My brain feels like scrambled eggs. Iā€™ve laughed, zoned out, liked a video of someone deep-frying spag...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/why-vinyl-feels-like-therapy-in-the-age-of-tiktok","title":"Why Vinyl Feels Like Therapy in the Age of TikTok","date_modified":"2025-05-23T22:33:30Z"},{"id":"neil-youngs-rust-never-sleeps-a-45-year-retrospective","html_content":"

On June 22nd 1979, Neil Young gifted the world with ā€œRust Never Sleeps,ā€ an album that was not merely a collection of songs but a cornerstone in the chronicles of rock. It harmonised the tunes of Youngā€™s initial forays i...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/neil-youngs-rust-never-sleeps-a-45-year-retrospective","title":"Neil Young's \"Rust Never Sleeps\" - 45 Years Old Today!","date_modified":"2024-06-22T11:00:00Z"},{"id":"the-stone-roses---45-years-old-today","html_content":"

The Stone Rosesā€™ eponymous debut album is a definitive landmark in alternative and indie rock. Released on May 2, 1989, this seminal work of musical artistry captivated audiences with its innovative sound and bold vision...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-stone-roses---45-years-old-today","title":"The Stone Rosesā€Š-ā€Š35 Years OldĀ Today!","date_modified":"2024-05-02T10:00:00Z"},{"id":"beer-and-ice-cream","html_content":"

I could tell the stranger had been on some journey to get here. He slurped at his beer, clearly a man in need. I stroked at the condensation on my ice-cold glass with my index finger.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/beer-and-ice-cream","title":"Beer and Ice Cream - A Flash Fiction Story","date_modified":"2024-01-10T15:28:00Z"},{"id":"public-image-ltd---first-edition---45-years-old-today","html_content":"

Today sees the 45th Anniversary of the release of the first Public Image Ltd (PiL) album titled \"First Issue\". The band was formed by former Sex Pistol John Lydon. The album's innovative and experimental sound had a pro...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/public-image-ltd---first-edition---45-years-old-today","title":"Public Image Ltd - First Edition - 45 years old today!","date_modified":"2023-12-08T11:00:00Z"},{"id":"the-wild-the-innocent-and-the-e-street-shuffle---50-today","html_content":"

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band -

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-wild-the-innocent-and-the-e-street-shuffle---50-today","title":"The Wild, The Innocent, And The E Street Shuffle - 50 Today!","date_modified":"2023-11-11T10:00:00Z"},{"id":"the-last-gang-in-town---give-em-enough-rope---the-clash","html_content":"

Celebrating 45 Years

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-last-gang-in-town---give-em-enough-rope---the-clash","title":"The Last Gang in Town - Give 'Em Enough Rope - The Clash","date_modified":"2023-11-10T06:23:40Z"},{"id":"quadrophenia-the-whos-magnum-opus---50-years-old-today","html_content":"

In the pantheon of rock 'n' roll legends, few bands have achieved the enduring cultural significance of The Who. Known for their explosive live performances and timeless anthems, The Who reached the pinnacle of their cre...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/quadrophenia-the-whos-magnum-opus---50-years-old-today","title":"Quadrophenia: The Who's Magnum Opus - 50 Years Old Today!","date_modified":"2023-10-26T09:00:00Z"},{"id":"the-ice-age-is-coming","html_content":"

...and the sun's zooming in! Yeah, that's right, the Clash's finest moment, London Calling, is 43 years old today. And it's aging beautifully.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/the-ice-age-is-coming","title":"The ice age is coming...","date_modified":"2022-12-14T13:42:39Z"},{"id":"nicky-bowns-back-in-townand-he-aint-happy","html_content":"

In 2016 my friend Danny Bushell and I self-published Chasing Tigers on Amazon as an e-book.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/nicky-bowns-back-in-townand-he-aint-happy","title":"Nicky Bown's back in town...and he ain't happy!","date_modified":"2022-12-07T15:24:12Z"},{"id":"unbelievable-jeffbut-its-here","html_content":"

OK, not many people like the timing, but the FIFA World Cup Finals 2022 start today in Qatar. A dubious and debatable venue, but it's beyond the control of us mere mortals.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/unbelievable-jeffbut-its-here","title":"Unbelievable Jeff...but it's here!","date_modified":"2022-11-20T09:37:22Z"},{"id":"coming-soon","html_content":"

After much toing and froing, it's on its way! The sequel to 2016's Chasing Tigers by myself and Danny Bushell, Broken Cages sees our intrepid hero Nicky Bown facing further torments and dilemma's.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/coming-soon","title":"Coming Soon!","date_modified":"2022-11-11T10:08:26Z"},{"id":"nebraska---40-years-on","html_content":"

When Bruce Springsteen began recording home demos on a 4-track recorder fourty years ago, he surely never expected the songs to become the finished album Nebraska. The songs resonated with space and sparsity. They contai...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/nebraska---40-years-on","title":"Nebraska - 40 years on...","date_modified":"2022-10-08T09:50:48Z"},{"id":"spare-parts---introducing-brandii","html_content":"

'Brandiiā€™s day was getting worse as it went on. Her hairdryer had burnt out, she had stubbed her toe on the leg of the bed, and now the batteries had gone in her vibrator. The final straw came when she laddered her last ...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/spare-parts---introducing-brandii","title":"Spare Parts - Introducing Brandii..","date_modified":"2022-10-03T16:44:56Z"},{"id":"i-know-its-only-rock-and-roll-but","html_content":"

Love them or hate them Rock stars are always good for copy. Some of us hang on their every word, their every lyric even. They're just people though, like you and me. Apart from the fact they are bat-shit famous and are d...

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/i-know-its-only-rock-and-roll-but","title":"I know, it's only rock and roll but...","date_modified":"2022-09-27T12:27:57Z"},{"id":"81828384","html_content":"

When fledgling Punk band Johnny and the Self Abusers played their first gig in Glasgow in April 1977, they could never have imagined they would one day go on to write this amazing piece of music.

","url":"https://michaeljphillips.co.uk/short-stories/f/81828384","title":"81..82..83..84!","date_modified":"2022-09-24T14:35:33Z"}]}