Tracklist: 1. Monk Time 03:21 2. Oh How Do To Do Now 04:22 3. We Do Wie Du 02:55 4. Boys Are Boys 01:41 5. Pretty Suzanne 04:57 6. Hushie Pushie 02:39 7. Cuckoo 03:22 8. Complication 02:59 9. That's My Girl 04:05 10. Shut Up 03:40 11. I Can't Get Over You 02:33 12. Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy 03:16 13. Blast Off 03:26 14. I Hate You 05:57 15. Monk Jam 05:57 16. An Inspirational Message 01:43
about: Formed in 1964 by five American GIs stationed in Germany, the Monks started off as a very traditional rock n roll outfit. Initially called the Torquays, the band played the standard beat music of the day. The musicians (Gary Burger, lead guitar/vocals; Larry Clark, organ/vocals; Dave Day, rhythm guitar/vocals; Roger Johnston, drums/vocals and Eddie Shaw, bass/vocals) covered Chuck Berry tunes, surf music and various songs by British Invasion artists.
Fortunately, the band was comprised of highly imaginative musicians. They soon tired of the expected format and began experimenting with their sound, focusing almost solely on rhythm.
"We got rid of melody. We substituted dissonance and clashing harmonics," bassist Eddie Shaw said. "Everything was rhythmically oriented. Bam, bam, bam. We concentrated on over-beat." The results were electrifying. Phil Spector might have invented the legendary "Wall of Sound," but the Monks hammered out a "Steamroller of Sound.".
A residency at Hamburg’s famed Top Ten Club solidified the band’s approach. The Monks gigged incessantly, playing six hours a night on the weekdays and eight or more hours a night on the weekend. They still played some of the standard beat material, but their originals became the core of the sets. The crowds were perplexed, to say the least.
"Some of them loved us. But others . . . well," Gary Burger said, pausing to laugh. "They didn’t have a clue what was going on. I think the image confused them as much as the music. We were a freak show to them."
He recalled the city’s rock n roll fans and their affect on the Monks. "They’d been the first to recognize the Beatles. The Star Club and the Top Ten were where the Beatles really learned to play rock n roll. The same with us. Hamburg’s where we got our education. The fans made us work hard to entertain them. They knew their rock n roll, that’s for sure." In 1965 they recorded their lone classic legendary 1966 released album, "Black Monk Time". The Monks didn’t break up until 1967, but they were at their innovative peak the previous year. Modern music eventually caught up with bands like the Beastie Boys, the Fall and countless others claiming them as an influence.
In November 1999 the band, along with vocalist Mike Fornatale, reformed to headline Cavestomp in New York City, an annual event that resurrected garage bands of the 1960s. The three-day function also featured the Chocolate Watchband and the Standells, and marked the Monks' first performance in the United States—32 years after the group disbanded. On October 31, 2000, tapes of the concert were released on the live album Let's Start a Beat – Live from Cavestomp. This collection is a 2015 re-release of that recording.
released February 17, 2015
Gary Burger-Lead Vocals and Guitar Larry Clark-Organ and Vocals Dave Day-Banjo and Vocals Roger Johnston-Drums and Vocals Eddie Shaw-Bass and Vocals
Tracklist:
ReplyDelete1.
Monk Time 03:21
2.
Oh How Do To Do Now 04:22
3.
We Do Wie Du 02:55
4.
Boys Are Boys 01:41
5.
Pretty Suzanne 04:57
6.
Hushie Pushie 02:39
7.
Cuckoo 03:22
8.
Complication 02:59
9.
That's My Girl 04:05
10.
Shut Up 03:40
11.
I Can't Get Over You 02:33
12.
Higgle-Dy Piggle-Dy 03:16
13.
Blast Off 03:26
14.
I Hate You 05:57
15.
Monk Jam 05:57
16.
An Inspirational Message 01:43
about:
Formed in 1964 by five American GIs stationed in Germany, the Monks started off as a very traditional rock n roll outfit. Initially called the Torquays, the band played the standard beat music of the day. The musicians (Gary Burger, lead guitar/vocals; Larry Clark, organ/vocals; Dave Day, rhythm guitar/vocals; Roger Johnston, drums/vocals and Eddie Shaw, bass/vocals) covered Chuck Berry tunes, surf music and various songs by British Invasion artists.
Fortunately, the band was comprised of highly imaginative musicians. They soon tired of the expected format and began experimenting with their sound, focusing almost solely on rhythm.
"We got rid of melody. We substituted dissonance and clashing harmonics," bassist Eddie Shaw said. "Everything was rhythmically oriented. Bam, bam, bam. We concentrated on over-beat." The results were electrifying. Phil Spector might have invented the legendary "Wall of Sound," but the Monks hammered out a "Steamroller of Sound.".
A residency at Hamburg’s famed Top Ten Club solidified the band’s approach. The Monks gigged incessantly, playing six hours a night on the weekdays and eight or more hours a night on the weekend. They still played some of the standard beat material, but their originals became the core of the sets. The crowds were perplexed, to say the least.
"Some of them loved us. But others . . . well," Gary Burger said, pausing to laugh. "They didn’t have a clue what was going on. I think the image confused them as much as the music. We were a freak show to them."
He recalled the city’s rock n roll fans and their affect on the Monks. "They’d been the first to recognize the Beatles. The Star Club and the Top Ten were where the Beatles really learned to play rock n roll. The same with us. Hamburg’s where we got our education. The fans made us work hard to entertain them. They knew their rock n roll, that’s for sure." In 1965 they recorded their lone classic legendary 1966 released album, "Black Monk Time". The Monks didn’t break up until 1967, but they were at their innovative peak the previous year. Modern music eventually caught up with bands like the Beastie Boys, the Fall and countless others claiming them as an influence.
In November 1999 the band, along with vocalist Mike Fornatale, reformed to headline Cavestomp in New York City, an annual event that resurrected garage bands of the 1960s. The three-day function also featured the Chocolate Watchband and the Standells, and marked the Monks' first performance in the United States—32 years after the group disbanded. On October 31, 2000, tapes of the concert were released on the live album Let's Start a Beat – Live from Cavestomp. This collection is a 2015 re-release of that recording.
released February 17, 2015
Gary Burger-Lead Vocals and Guitar
Larry Clark-Organ and Vocals
Dave Day-Banjo and Vocals
Roger Johnston-Drums and Vocals
Eddie Shaw-Bass and Vocals