Guys who shaved their hair like monks, a 1960s rock band with heavy influences of punk, before punk was a thing. Who exactly are The Monks?
They were an American five-piece formed in Gelnhausen, West Germany, 1964 after being stationed there. The initial name, The Torquay’s, Roger Johnston, Gary Burger, Larry Clark, Eddie Shaw and Dave Day. No, they aren’t The Three Stooges, even if they do look pretty similar. The Torquay’s weren’t really going anywhere. So instead, they killed The Torquay’s, Walther Niemann and Karl-Heinz Remy became their de-facto managers. On strict orders from Niemann and Remy, they traded their guitar for a banjo, piano for organ and clean sound for mega distortion and feedback.
The top of their head was shaved round to resemble Catholic monks, with black suits, they were stripped back, simply letting their look and sound speak for themselves. Having such a provocative look that went completely against religion and culture of the time shows the pioneering nature. A harsh appearance supports the circle of shocking elements from the music.
The Monks, looking back on it, were pretty ahead of themselves, no one was ready for the killer sound they produced. They certainly created a sound unlike anything of comparison for the era. Until, you look at Iggy Pop, punk, Krautrock and Black Midi. Now, if you hear all of them, then go back to The Monks you can hear elements of all in different ways.
Now, for those of you who know Black Midi, I have a revelation for you, The Monks sound so similar to Black Midi that at times when listening to them you wouldn’t know the difference.
Black Midi are fantastic, they are right on point for the music at the moment and I didn’t think I had heard anything like them, till I came across The Monks.
Black Midi are a relatively new band, formed in London in 2017. Very experimental rock, with a heaviness to the core with vocals that are so peculiar they draw you in to every word.
Now, The Monks. This is a group that were well before their time, they had shaved heads like monks, wore all black to resemble priests and had a sound that was similar to early punk.
Of note within the song, ‘Chant Chant’ and particularly, ‘Oh how to do now’
The disrupted guitar sound with a heavy chalking chant from the background singer. With elements of church organ pulsing in and out with excessive tapping on the guitar that creates a scientific electronic sensation.
Within, ‘Oh how to do now’ is where we really hear Black Midi. Instruments are violently played, back-up singers repeating the same lyric. With the lead-singer especially resembling an early sound of Black Midi. A constant repetition of the same lyric with a shrill lead vocal, fading in and out to create definition. The experimental layers provide a trance-like situation throughout the song. Guitar playing that sets the deepness of the song, with the organ creating the focus of the song which leads us through the lyrics. A darkness that brings in blues, alternative rock and just plain obscurity.
All songs have a hypnotic element, layers of sound built upon each other. Using manipulation to form minimalistic melodies, lead vocals that are piercing with back-up singers providing a cushion of deepness. The Monks are pioneers in avant-garde music, their levels of peculiar sound and vocals where you have to really focus in on all sound. The coats of dark sound and disruption bring in early comparative notes similar to punk and alternative. Songs that are stripped back to 5 words rather than 25, singalongs rather than harmonies with a frenetic energy and rhythm unlike anything from The Kinks or Beatles.
Exploring political realms with their headbanging attitude and explosiveness that brings a nonsensical nature.
They are one-of-a-kind, they are similar to other bands but stand completely alone for their period of time. Their look is unlike anyone else and they most definitely formed a path for experimental rock, garage, avant-garde and even punk. Their look was punk, attitude was punk and they sounded punk.