Black Monk Time

I couldn’t hear the actual album because it’s not on Spotify but their early releases were amazing and incredibly influential to so many artists

A lot of things on this album are ripe for sampling

Entirely forgettable but I didn't dislike it.

Not good.

There’s something very interesting happening here. It’s like hearing a language being invented. 1966 is CRAZY early for something to sound like this. That being said, it’s a little plodding. The songs feel like 2 chords being hammered out back and forth and don’t really go anywhere. I don’t care for it personally, but it’s still a super cool listen.

Just no.

This album makes me think of the 13th floor elevators.

Interesting story and I like the sound. They are very definitely Garage and Proto-punk, though I imagine that they weren't trying to be proto anything. This really reminds me of The Fall.

First doesn't always mean best - but it must have blown their minds in the 60s.

interesting i never even heard of this album/band. pretty cool

Equal parts good and generic 60s. I guess the use of reverb is a bit ahead of its time. +1 for opening with anti-vietnam rant.

It's bad

Primitive psych-rock, with a playful bent. Had to search for this as not on Spotify in its entirety. Worth digging out

Can’t listen, not available in the US.

2/4

The Monks - Black Monk Time Took two listens. First run I just wasn't getting it at all. But then towards the end of that first listen, the primal rage and simple straightforward beats and message really started to intrigue. So I went back to the beginning. Glad I did. What was first time a shouty annoyance of an opener became a defiant laying down of a manifesto born of the minds of 60s G.I.s dumped in a post-war Germany and probably thinking 'What the actual fuck are we doing here?'. The determined resolution that each song starts, continues and ends with insistent unchanging rhythm leaves no doubt that these guys aren't in the studio to mess about. This isn't the hippy free-love 60s of California. You got floor-tom based beats accompanied by growling bass, fuzzy organ and almost ukulele sounding guitar...and nothing else. And I like that proud obstinancy. There's no paisley on show here.....just black. Black Monk Time. Best Track - Oh, How to Do Now Worst Track - Love Come Tumblin' Down (nowt wrong with it though) Can see why this is revered now as a stepping stone to the MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls and, therefore, the whole US punk scene. Not the greatest album ever....but one of the most unique. 8/10

Nice 60s sound, but didn't grab me.

2. C'è qualcosa che non va in quest'album

Wasn’t available on streaming platforms so I listened to the few songs of them I could find instead No fav song

#490/1001. It is fun to think that this album was made by monks, who were locked behind monastery walls for ten (or more) years, as in Neal Stephenson's Anathema. The monks could only read in books and magazines what rock and pop music were, and based on that they developed their own genial style of creating music where every instrument - be it drums, guitar, organ, vocals, bass, or electric banjo - was a percussive instrument. I guess it is not too far from the truth, being isolated in Germany as GI anti-beatles.

Not available on Spotify...not a good sign. David Lee Roth must love this album. I don't like the lyrics or vocals, but the music is cool. They are kind of losing me with the crazy organ parts, it makes them sound like a low-rent Doors cover band. I Hate You has a definite White Stripes feel. I'm kind of ambivalent, it has its moments and its misses.

I used to play this to piss people off at hipster college parties.

Only one of the songs from this album was available on Spotify, so bring on the youtube. This album is weird and raw, seems ahead of it time for 66, I wish it was on Spotify so I could easily listen to it.

This album doesn’t exist on Apple Music, so I had to listen to a compilation on YouTube. I have no idea which song is which, but I had a good time.

5/10 - it's ok, not exactly punk but go happy

Black Monk Time was certainly an interesting album. Apparently this band was formed in Germany by 5 American GIs (aka, members of the military) that adopted loads of monk like attributes and i don't think i would have gotten that from listening to this album. I will say that the part of this album i find the most interesting (and are the best part of the album in my opinion). They are quite weighty and do have a bit of punch to them and i enjoy them for that. The rest of the album though, sounds like your fairly typical 1960s psychedelic garage rock album. There were points where i felt like i was gonna give this album a 2 but i felt like there weren't enough of them so a 3 it is. Best Song: Blast Off Worst Song: Higgle Dy Piggle Dy

I would give this a 3 as this is not an album that I would listen to again, but the history around it is so fascinating

No real complaints here. I was thinking this might be more on the psychedelic side (which I surprisingly haven't liked in this list so far) but it was much more in the proto-punk side which I really enjoy. Did have to listen on YouTube which is never preferable but that's *probably* not the fault of The Monks.

normie. seria un 2.5 el principio me gusto mas

Have I listened to this album before No How familiar am I with this album Unfamiliar How do I feel about this artist? I do not know them Pre-Listen Thoughts: I like this genre. I think I will like this album. Favorite track(s): Not sure, I had to stream on YouTube and could not see track names. Post-Listen Thoughts: I liked it a lot. I love this '60s psychedelic garage sound that went on to inspire so many great bands down the road.

now this one was different. It was very early punk! The vocals on some of these songs are influential and you can see them in the noise rocks and experimental rock acts today... the dudes use very rickety distortions, thumping and jungle rocking drum patterns and are very solid cohesively. They really impressed. I think for it's 1960s era, the anti war sentiments and early rock foundations are really cool. I think it's nothing less than a 4 on influence alone. There are a few tracks on here that maybe should've been left off, but I have no complaints. Thisssss is some of that early stuff that HAS to be listened to. The influential elements are undeniable. I think the album sloooowwwwlly unravels into some really goofy sounding song ideas, but I can't knock it for it. It's almost unsettling.

I love this so much.

Had to find this through YouTube, having struck out on all the major streamers and within seconds I was already wising I hadn’t. The second track was quite different, but still very irritating, especially the organ sound. This track also seems to firmly set the tone for what comes after. If you like lots of random organ sound, guitars that are either out of tune or just being attacked by people who cant play them and shouty nonsense vocals then you are in luck

My overriding opinion on this album is that it doesn’t sound at all like it was released in 1966. It was certainly quick and sharp, but I found myself going “one two, cha cha cha” at quite a lot of their music (particularly “Shut Up”, which I don’t think was the point). As ever when it comes to most punk music, it was fine - just not for me.

For all the "it was punk before there was punk" comments this attracts, I was hoping to to like it more. Monk Time does have hints of The Clash about it, but teeny tiny, almost imperceptible, hints. Then Shut Up was like a 1960s boy band had got a bit drunk before they decided to record a song. The warbling, screeching vocals continued throughout. I don't think my overall enjoyment of this was helped by having to listen on YouTube because it wasn't on Amazon Music - all the interspersed ads for deodorant and fast fashion did not make for a great listening experience. I'm not sure much could have helped it though, as I just really struggled to see the attraction after the 5th organ solo where it sounded like the instrument was being played by someone's elbows. I have definitely, definitely heard things I dislike more on this list, but I'm not sure I'm indifferent enough to raise this up to 2 stars. A spiritual 1.5, but an actual: 1/5

Garage rock heaven.

The music and lyrics are so simplistic. Understand why this is on the list though. It was a precursor to punk. You can hear how it’s a bridge from the music of the 60s and the punk movement. So very interesting to listen to from a historical perspective. And I guess it was bold of these guys to try this stuff. But as far as something I’d just want to listen to, can’t imagine a time or place. But glad I heard it. Points for being groundbreakers. Otherwise I’ll pass.

An okay album that feels like it was probably more of a thing in the 60s. The lyrics and style of music isn't very out there today. Some older albums that are on the list that I assume got there for their historical importance or that they influenced genres are still good today. This was fine and nothing more. Nothing stood out or wanted me to go back. Still it wasn't bad or hard to listen through.

Stand by

Well well well what to make of this. Hard to cateorigse this but overall it was enjoyable enough.

As this album came out in 1966, it's predictably psychedelic rock. The only "punk" thing about it was that the drums could be considered fast-paced. The lyrics were also pretty cheesy. This kind of music is usually just too weird for me.

Look, there are better albums, and I doubt anyone is denying that much. However, it's its own wild genre. Throughout the album, I kept wondering if my playlist was going to a different album, but to my surprise, I was listening to the same album. If nothing else, read the background of The Monks, a most unique "German Band" you will ever come across. Favorite Track: "Blast Off!".

like chirstian vibes, go to church or some.. boys are boys and girls are a CHOICE something my dad would say... so gaga maybe fun yk? not my favorite

I wanted to find something appealing about this, but i really could not. At any point a song sounded interesting they did something to make it not. It didn't not make me want to go and discover more about them or listen to any other songs. he went down to the sea was probably the best song. 2 stars

Only 1 song on Spotify.

Not on Spotify but there was a compilation of 'the early years'. If this were 1956 I would say it was ahead of its time. There is some Big Brother And The Holding Company swagger, and even a little Doors sprinkled in there. Sadly though the execution and maturity is closer to The Monkees (no pun intended). Certainly sounds like a band aiming to be... something but missing the mark. I sincerely hope that Bad Habits by the other Monks makes this list, because this is setting a pretty low inclusion bar. Everybody from Jello Biafra to the Beastie Boys site them as an influence, but that doesn't mean it's actually good. It was just different in its day. There is a gimmick to this band, right down to leaning forward in band photos so we are all aware they have monk haircuts, that makes it feel so manufactured. I am sure Malcolm Maclaren was inspired. They were called the Anti-Beatles, and I am sure that was the plan.

Thoroughly interesting listen. Never heard of this before, but can see why it’s here, even if it’s not something I need to listen to again.

#454 I gather this is formative garage rock, it was ok but didn’t do a lot for me but can appreciate the energy. Not overly happy having to go to YouTube to listen to this though. Heard before? ❌ Would I revisit? ❌ Listen before you die?❓ Fave track(s): We Do Wie Du Rating: 5/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was pretty good fun. A nice slice of slightly quirky 60s garage rock.

What an album! Had only heard a handful of tracks previously, but there is no filler here. Proto punk/krautrock masterpiece

This was great! Had to listen via YouTube and is a shame I can’t therefore listen regularly but really enjoyed it. ‘I can’t get over you’ was a highlight although looks like that was not on the original release. Enjoyed ‘Love came tumblin down’ too. 3.5

Brand new to me. Had to dig out the full album on YouTube but it was very enjoyable and worth the slightly clunky listening experience.

Fantastic stuff - if only “I Can’t Get Over You” was on the album…no matter still an absolute scorcher!!!!!! 3 stars ❤️❤️❤️ Tom.

Garage-rock uit de jaren '60. Ik vind het gewoon ouderwetse Rock'n'Roll, maar het kan aan mij liggen. Klinkt eigenlijk wel leuk (en soms zelfs grappig). Helaas staat er maar 1 nummer op Spotify, dus heb het album via YouTube geluisterd.

Not really too bothered. Intresting to see some very early punk dna but it's not well formed enough to be on a level with other simmilar records, ie Iggy or NY Dolls.

muy rock 60s mg pero en spotify solo te deja escuchar dos temas viejo

shit turned from fun and quirky to very fucking annoying fast

No, not for me.

I liked this one. It's a zany take on Garage Rock. The fact it's German makes very interested in how different the music scenes in the different European countries must have been. This is similar to their Anglo counterparts, but has completely different vibe. Key tracks: Monk Time Cuckoo (this is a bonus tracks, but I really love how proto-Sparks it sounds.)

super ahead of its time. crazy that this predates punk. silly and revolutionary at the same time, really into it

A pretty engaging and enjoyable garage rock record that fits pretty snugly alongside a bunch of its '60s contemporaries - and it's pretty damn good. There's a proto-punk feel to this record, just the strained and disjointed vocals, the upbeat and faster playing, and occasionally politically charged lyricism. Though admittedly it doesn't take itself as seriously as your typical punk record or anything, you get some really goofy songs here like 'That's My Girl' or'Cuckoo,' which I still really liked, honestly. And while they're not as aggressive as a group like The Sonics, they still have some high-octane, blood-pumping tracks here. More than anything, I adore this proto-punk sound of the mid '60s; it feels like some twisted form of punk that's still very much trapped in rock ' n' Roll song structures and instrumental palettes, but the idea is very much there...it's just sort of struggling to break out of the sounds of its time. 'I Can't Get Over You' is maybe the best example of this. Ominous and feedback-drenched guitar tones up against these more cheery, yet still very unsettling-sounding organ bits that threaten to hop into these directionless and cacophonous solos out of nowhere - how can you not love it? Great album; do wish it was more easily available, though.

Yeah this was too much garage for me

FASCINATING band that I'm not familiar with; weird backstory. Can hear some elements of punk and surfer rock.

Weird and I like it

Well at least I can say that I really dislike the Gary Burgers vocals right off the bat. Yeah, I dont get it. This isnt anything all THAT different from all of the other garage rock sounding groups of the mid 60s such as The Sonics, The Music Machine, Count Five or 13th Floor Elevators only not as good. Is it exceptional? Maybe if youre SUPER into this style of music. Is it incredibly influential? All of the above named groups also had their biggest works released in 65-56 and you could make an argument that those groups were more influential. So why is this here? Maybe someone was awed by the awesome Friar Tuck hair do's. I would go with a neutral 2.5 if I could being that I dont really care that this exists.

Kind of punky, but I'm not sure what it is I'm listening to. It's reminds me of other bands with already distinctive sounds

Yes, that s power!!!!

The version of this on Spotify is a less than 2 minute track. That can’t be right. But im at work so i cant super investigate it more. The less than 2 minute track is good.

2.9/5 - Inaccessible for starters. Bluntly speaking, I don't really want it to be "monk time" any time again for the rest of my waking hours on this planet. Started at a solid 3.4/5 and got progressively more dull and unpleasant as it progressed.

primitive

Never heard of The Monks. Very much into this record. Hope to find it in a shop someday. Dropped to 4 stars because it starts to feel a little redundant towards the end.

Eh, kinda cool then gets annoying

Finally an album that actually belongs on this list. It seems like so many albums included here are based on having a big hit single and nothing else. This band has everything. The backstory about the members seems so far fetched, the music they made sounds too modern for 1966, using a banjo with a pickup to get that crunchy tone, they shaved the tops off their heads and dressed in black robes and to top it off, the music they made is so good. All of these elements coming together is why this band should be on the cover of every edition of this stupid book.

It’s an interesting album. I guess I can hear a little of punk attitude but as it went on it kind of sounded the same. Minotaurs if I liked or disliked it it was decent but not something I would go out of my way to listen to it just sounded like garage rock that was being played in the 60s. Especially in Texas. But what do I know. I’m glad I heard the music

Очень веселый и задорный, почти панковский такой рок-н-ролльный альбом. Прочитал, что это база и основа всякого гаражного рока, с чем не могу не согласиться, звучит это именно так. Балдеж

Ok.

Bonkers but not unenjoyable. Began to get a bit tedious after a few tracks though...

Album #190: The Monks – Black Monk Time ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It's all here: mutated '50s doo-wop rock and roll, shrill, squeaky vocals, mangled, distorted guitars, simple pounding percussive drums, nihilism, dissonance. In all honesty, it sounds absolutely awful. I absolutely love it. I've heard of this album. Its reputation precedes it, though I've never listened to it, and I tend to enjoy anything that's considered proto. If you put "proto" plus a genre name, I tend to love it. But this thing is proto, proto, proto, all over the place. I'm a huge Velvet Underground fan, and this thing came out a year before The Velvet Underground & Nico, and I really can't believe what I'm hearing, because so much of what's on that album in terms of sound is on this one here. Like this kind of doo-wop style, these kind of creepy harmonies in the background, and this mangled guitar sound, screeching, pulverizing guitar, and then this huge, John Cale-style organ coming in every now and then. Now, I'm not saying that this is a better album than that. That's one of the greatest, most influential albums of all time. And I'm not saying for a minute that the Velvet Underground or anyone ripped any ideas off or anything like that. I'm sure ideas were developing concurrently at the time, and there were other influences going on. But by the merit of The Monks releasing this a year earlier, this thing is so far ahead of its time. That year makes such a difference. I don't believe in '66 anyone was making music like this. But it's not just the fact that it's far ahead of its time; it's actually just a really great album. It's kooky, it's catchy, it's got a great message, it's anti-authoritarian, anti-military, it's funny, it's creepy in places, it's really aggressive, it's playful. It's got all these things going for it, and great lyrics, great vocals, a great sound. To be honest with you, this might be the best garage rock band I've ever heard. I do like garage rock. I love 13th Floor Elevators, for example, off the top of my head, and other bands like that. This might be the best I've heard, honestly. So yeah, this one blew my mind today. It's such a find. It's such a one-of-a-kind record.

Already rated this

A couple of songs were enjoyable. I typically enjoy 1960s rock for its weird instrumentation, but this album wasn’t for me most of the songs were melodically interesting to me

not as good as Joni Mitchell’s Blue

...local newspapers labeling them "the anti-beatles"... Don't even have to listen to the album I already like it

Waaaay ahead of its time, quite nice!

Wow. This is quite a record. Musically it might be the simplest album in this entire list. The drummer can barely drum, the guitarist has no more than four chords and three licks, and singer doesn't really sing. But they don't try to do more than they can do, and just use their limited range as well as possible. WITH TOTAL CONVICTION. The energy is non-stop and fantastic. It may be the most punk thing I've ever heard. Really glad this project introduced me to this album, in any case.

Considering when this album was released, it was very prescient vis-à-vis punk rock in its tone and lyrics. Recorded in 1966, this group of U.S. service members stationed in Germany were obviously drafted and not volunteers.

Kinda fun, fairly lo-fi.

File, I guess, under circus music with a purpose. Definitely under “not likely to listen to again.”

Old and sounds it, but if I'd been around at the time , it would have been my sort of thing

Really unique sound. Feels like something you would hear walking into a random underground club in the ‘60s.

Interesting album. Not available on streaming apps. Found it on YouTube. Love the 60’s organ. 3.8

10 years ahead of its time. Bands like The Monks walked so The Stooges could run.

Ehhh I think the story is really cool. I think the story is much cooler than what is actually on the tape. The actual music was fairly unpleasant. Probably very rebellious and pushed boundaries in 1965, no doubt. But I just didn’t really like it. 3/5.

The Monks are back in town.

What a hidden gem, proto punk completely out of sync with everything else at the time

The Monks are a manic ride, creating a new kind of raw, loose and fuzzy music which breaks out of the confines of standard mid-1960s fare. Nothing quite tops the opener "its monk time!" but they are suitably crazed and creative for the entire runtime, continually finding new tricks to play. They are like a more humorous Velvet Underground which, given it pre-dates VU by a year, is impressive.

It' monk time!

the real meaning of mixed

Early rock with some psychedelics, can hear the direct line from them to velvet underground, so I appreciate that. But as an actual listening experience it kinda sucks.

shrugs...

For a Yank band, this is surprisingly good. Enthusiastic, original, well worth a few listens.