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kris · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 97

It's three in the morning and my brain is fried, so I'm going to keep this as basic as possible, especially since there doesn't seem to to be much discussion happening here. I was wondering if anyone here knows much about The Monks, an American ex GI band that played in Germany in the 60s. I've spent the last couple of hours trying to decode their lyrics, but I can't seem to figure it out. Does anyone have any insight? I can't figure out if Pretty Suzanne is about what the lead singer seems to imply when he says that the additional lyrics that the rest of the band were bs and that they were just trying to play it safe.. etc.. I've read that a lot of contempory bands were inspired/influenced by these guys, I would just like to figure out exactly what they stood for and if their anti-war songs might have been a metaphor for something more. any help would be appreciated. -Kristen

survivingthequiet · Joined: 13 Sep 2008 Posts: 51

hey, i love their album, got into em via The Fall covering them etc

there's a documentary film about them, def worth checking out

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monks-Transatlantic-Feedback-Dietmar-Post/dp/B001RBY9D0

kris · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 97

Thanks for the link! I think I'm going to buy this as a birthday present to myself. Have you seen it? Do they talk much about the lyrics or try to interpret (sp?!- sorry no spell check right now i'm using wii internet) their meaning? I spent like three hours trying to understand the lyrics to a couple of seemingly simple songs and I didn't get any sleep that night because I was so confused. =P Thanks again, I'm excited about seeing this documentary, their music is amazing! I would just like to understand it a little better and learn more about the group. -Kris

survivingthequiet · Joined: 13 Sep 2008 Posts: 51

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9dGAQy4gUA

here's the trailer.

The film is great. All the band are interviewed and talk about there history and songwriting. Not 100% if they fully go into their lyrical content, but does talk about their situations and surroundings which inspired them. Being american g.i's in germany etc post war.

misshelenc · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 943 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

I'm intrigued....never heard of them until now, but then I'm not very cool! Thanks for the heads up! xxx
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kris · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 97

"Cool" is overrated. Being a geek is much more liberating, I wasn't able to let myself enjoy the good stuff until I figured that out. (and then the ****ing hipsters came along and screwed that for me too.... heh.)
Anyway, thanks for the link.. now I have to google all the guys they interviewed, they were all kind of quirky in a charming way.

jefflewis · Joined: 21 Nov 2005 Posts: 1486

The Monks are incredible... I had a track on a mix tape someone made me back around 1995, and i loved it but I never heard the rest of the album till a few years later when Steve Espinola of the antifolk scene told me he had it on CD and made me a cassette of it. Then i discovered that the Fall covered a lot of Monks songs. I've covered Complication a number of times in my shows, though "Shut Up" is probably my favorite. I will always regret missing the Monks reunion show in NYC, I think I was out of NY at the time and I know it will never happen again. Steve Espinola said the show was amazing, and that now all the band members are old they REALLY look like Monks but playing this weird aggressive music, so he said it was even better than they probably were when they just looked young!
Actually on the other side of the Monks tape that Steve made me was a bunch of Sonics stuff, and some Wailers (the Northwest US Wailers that is), AND Richard Berry's original recording of Louie Louie. Quite an educational and awesome tape. Thanks Steve!
Oh yeah, I haven't seen the Monks documentary yet. NOR have I seen the documentary about Bruce Haack, but that's another story... has anybody heard his stuff? "The Electronic Album For Children" is a particularly strange/beautiful one, but he has lots of records to choose from, if you can find them...

jack fe · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 865

I've heard a little of the Monks but have never dived in properly. Now may be the time to try.

Bruce Haack is great. I have the Electric Lucifer record. I'd love to find a documentary about him!
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kris · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 97

Ok, I'm youtubing Bruce Haack, but I'm afraid I don't have the proper drugs one might need to experience his music to the fullest. I'm probably just being lame. He has a lot of different styles though and it does seem like the more I listen, the more I enjoy his stuff.. I think it's starting to grow on me. I've never been a huge techno fan, but of course after reading his wiki page I feel like if I were a better person I would have liked his music right from the start.

granfalloon · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 72 Location: Virginia

Bruce Haack is the best!!

if you feel like you're not quite made for electronic music and science experiments, or even if you are actually, the children's album is the first thing you should listen to by him. it's become one of my most cherished things.

...and while I should try not to throw this music suggestion page as off balance as possible (Monks to Bruce Haack?!), .......
dammit, I'm forgetting the name. there's lots of great children's albums by people though. I'll come back if I remember (it'll be a long time till I'm home to my CDs though.....)

granfalloon · Joined: 21 Dec 2007 Posts: 72 Location: Virginia

Barry Louis Polisar!

the album (the one I know) is I Eat Kids and Other Songs for Rebellious Children. music for children can be great.

jack fe · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 865

I have a Barry Louis Polisar tape. I think the album is 'Songs for Naughty Girls and Boys' or something like that. It's a much loved cassette for me. And the live album is great too!

I haven't heard the Bruce Haack childrens record, will have a hunt for it.
Kids music can be really really good.
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misshelenc · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 943 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

kris · Joined: 02 Feb 2011 Posts: 97

I had never heard of Tom Lehrer before, thanks for mentioning him! I looked him up and was happy to find a song called "poisoning pigeons in the park" because just a couple of hours ago I mentioned something about wanting to go to the park to throw rocks at pigeons. It's always nice to find a song you can relate to..=P.... Anyway, I'm am completely incompetent with math though, so a lot of his songs go way over my head.. but it's still cool to see what he does with it. Thanks again!

misshelenc · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 943 Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK

That's ok! He wrote songs for Sesame Street (I think) so they are kind of child-related.
I think he was a professor at Harvard who felt a bit mental every now and then so took leave and went on tour. Really bright, really funny. Envy envy.
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You don’t put your life into your books. You find it there.