Through a combination of standard laboratory-based surface science methods, together with synchrotron radiation-based normal incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) experiments, the interface structure of simple alkylthiolate 'self-assembled monolayers' on Cu(1 1 1), Ag(1 1 1) and Au(1 1 1) has been investigated over the last similar to 15 years. A key conclusion is that in all cases the adsorbate produces a substantial, density-lowering, reconstruction of the outermost metal layer, although the nature of these reconstructions is quite different on the three metals. The main results of these investigations are briefly reviewed and contrasted. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.