Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Discovering music like this is what keeps me going on this listening journey through all the really horrible electronic music. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
Such an innovative forward looking album that also manages to sound nice.
Je me rappelle la forte impression de ma première écoute de cet album. Des soldats états-uniens stationnés en Allemagne qui font un seul disque pour établir les jalons du rock garage... Premier album des Sonics sorti en 1965. Premier album des 13th Floor Elevators en 1966, tout comme cet album.
J'hésite entre 4 et 5, je pense pas réécouter souvent, mais le son et le côté novateur super intéressant. Un mixte entre The Ventures et Iggy Pop. Si Iggy Pop est le godfather of punk, eux c'est quoi, les parents?
Not on Spotify so had to go to Internet Archive for this one. This is absolutely brilliant, had me hooked right away. Crazy how they made one brilliant album that was far ahead of its time and that was it. Top Tracks - Monk Time and Complication
American GIs in Germany form a band. They dress as monks, replete with tonsure haircuts. They get a Hammond, a drum kit with no cymbals, a little distorted guitar, and a distorted fucking banjo, then top it off with some mad bastard shouting and wailing all over it. You couldn't make that shit up. It probably shouldn't work. But fuck me if it isn't fucking amazing. Never heard this before but ill be listening to it a lot in future.
This is some good ole hippy punk. Some good stuff here. Im giving it a 5 because it seems pretty unique.
This is number 1002 for me. 1001 was disappointing. This is awesome. I wouldn't have known about it without this challenge. It rocks and it has soul. Wild. Everything I like about music. Favorite song: I hate you.
Jesus this album is fucking wild. Shame it never got a release in Americs when it came out, I feel it'd be even moreso heradled as a classic odd album. This is punk about 10 years earlier, it's insane. I can't imagine how much it influenced rock. And it's so catchy too. Hope it comes back to spotify soon
Whoa I didn't knew about this album and it rocked so hard!!! Proto hard rock? Or whatever from the 60s. With killer songs and sound. The cuckoo cuckoo bonustrack was aberrant but the rest were super cool. The other bonus track with the horns etc sounded a bit like Love. So this album is ground-breaking at some many levels and at the same time a complete unknown.
Based on my experience with other Vietnam-era psychedelic-adjacent bands I expected not to like this one. As soon as I heard the organ I had unpleasant Doors flashbacks. But this actually whips. I re-listened to this album five times yesterday. It’s sad this is their only album, but after listening to their additional songs like Cuckoo and He Went Down to the Sea…well, maybe that’s for the best.
This is a lost gem. I haven't listened to it for years and I almost forget how great this album was. It's completely wild, raw, innovative and unique. The American GIs stationed in Germany decided to do some music after they get bored with the usual rock and roll scene. They had full artistic freedom which resulted in this highly enjoyable, heavily rhythm based proto punk, garage rock album. I can ever hear the influences on krautrock. Amazing. The album was illegally listened to on radios in Eastern Germany and they appreciated this music even more. I think if people are oppressed they can appreciate indivduality and uniqueness even more. This is a really influential album which is close to perfect, and I loved to revisit it again, so it deserves the five stars.
Wow, so gut kann Musik aus den 60er sein! Ein Vorläufer, ja vielleicht aber auch zeitlos gut.
This album feels like reward for all the shit you have to wade through on this epic thousand record journey. I’d never heard of them before and wasn’t expecting much but this is pure ground-zero straight from the source gold. I’ve seen it described as Proto-everything and that’s a great description but when I listened to it it felt like I was getting a Syd Barrett style insight of what it’s like to live in the mind of a disturbed genius.
Way ahead of its time, cool beats, cool backstory and lyricism.
Discazo disfruton. Solo habia escuchado de la existencia del grupo y que eran pioneros en el punk (proto punk en este caso, a caballo entre los Beatles y la Velvet Underground ). Se hace muy ameno aunque no sera para todo el mundo, tiene que interesarte el garage y conocer la raiz de los estilos musicales.
Out of time. A nugget of many carats.
I can't believe this is from 1966!
Enough to make a man want to shave a circle into the top of his head.
Excellent. Another one I had listened to and heard about because of the book. Impossible to find the full album to stream apart from YouTube.
This is a little gem, going against the era's grain. i am happy it's put the Monks back on my radar.
Incredible album. Not a single bad track. One of the absolute highlights of this endeavor so far. Lyrics, sound, pacing- all perfect. I cNt believe I've never heard of this album/band before.
Such a wonderfully weird record. A thoroughly enjoyable experimental proto-punk album It's strange to think they were active in Germany at the same time the Beatles were.
Like many others have pointed out, The Monks are one of the earliest examples of proto-punk, especially considering that punk as a genre wouldn’t fully emerge until nearly a decade later. But what makes this album even more fascinating is how much it foreshadows both Krautrock and No Wave. The band’s music is rhythmically intense, built around a kind of motorik repetition that gives it a trance like, hypnotic quality. There’s something futuristic in their sound. It’s stripped-down, percussive, and minimalistic in a way that feels ahead of its time. That repetition, paired with raw aggression, also aligns with the ethos of the No Wave movement that surfaced in late ’70s New York. The Monks had that same anti-pop, anti-establishment attitude, not just in sound but in spirit. What’s even more remarkable is their position as cultural outsiders. Though American, the members were GIs stationed in Germany when they formed the band, so in Europe, they were seen as foreign outsiders. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., they were completely rejected by the mainstream and largely ignored by the underground scene. Their abrasive, anti-commercial approach made them too radical for either audience, and quite simply, too far ahead of their time for the American market.
One of those singular albums that exists in its own time and space. Everything about this album rips and was way ahead of it's time. It's still has incredible to me now as it was the first time I heard it 20 years ago. Incredible artifact from a time and place when a band like this had no constraints to make whatever they wanted.
Very cool
Crazy to think this is from ‘66! Definitely need more things like this on the list.
That was banging
Volvemos al reto luego de un día de pausa con esta rareza musical que conocí por la banda sonora de "The Big Lebowski" (gran película y soundtrack). Todo lo que tiene que ver con el origen de las cosas siempre me atrapó, por lo que el proto-punk no escapa de eso. Álbum crudo, nacido de las ganas de experimentar y de reinventar el rock por un grupo de pibes aburridos de los sonidos de ése momento. Tremenda recomendación. Hasta mañana.
Probably the best thing any US soldiers did in the 60s. This album, which I'd never heard of, is a total shot in the arm - aggressive production, demented dada vocals, smashing rhythms and jagged arrangements make this one of the most refreshing and transgressive sounds of the time. Occasionally, a great little pop song breaks out. Favourite tracks: Monk Time, I Hate You, Oh How To Do Now (that bass!!!!), We Do Wie Du, Love Came Tumblin' Down
That was fun as hell. Punk rock, before even exists! 60's always manage to amaze me. 5 stars.
I am blown away. A bit like the Beach Boys meets Nirvana?? Every song is fun! They are clearly having a ball here. This band ought to be much better-known! And doing this in 1966 was extremely ahead of its time. 4.55
Absolute banger from start to finish. Standing on the shoulders of giants, these guys made something entirely new. You can take my rhythm banjo from me when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers.
Not sure how I've gone so long without ever hearing anything about this album or artist, but very glad that's been fixed now. This totally rules. Great proto-punk. Now I've got to track down a physical copy.
Feels wildly ahead of its time and crosses so many genres in a good way.
Considered experimental but somehow very accessible. Felt honest and definitely adding this to my playlist. Except I can’t find it except on YouTube. Ughhh Highly recommended.
What a blast, such great fun. An unexpected delight as this list often provides. Faves: Monk Time, Cuckoo
This kicks ass! A great surprise discovery from the list. I'd apparently listened to a track or two of theirs before, but very grateful to be introduced to the album, cracking stuff. And from 1966, too - mindblowing! Imagine if their record company had had the stones to distribute this in the US - punk might have arrived a couple of years earlier. We could all be living in moon bases by now. Fave tracks - "Monk Time" -> "Shut Up" is a hell of a one two opening! The weird yodeling of "Higgle-Dy - Piggle-Dy" and "Cuckoo" - great fun! The in your face 'tude of "I Hate You" and "Complication". "That's My Girl!" is pretty racy for the time! 😳
Never heard of this until now. Crazy ass proto-punk shit from 1965. It reminds me of The Velvet Underground and The Doors but severely lower IQ, very very cool
Fantastic. Wish it was on Tidal.
Crazy fun.
Mooi lekker punk
La pochette, déjà, annonce la couleur ou plutôt l'absence de couleur. Cinq types en noir, l'air aussi sympathique qu'une porte de prison, avec une tonsure. Oui, une putain de tonsure de moine, en 1966, l'année de "Revolver" et de "Pet Sounds". Tu poses ton casque sur tes oreilles. Et là, c'est le grand "WTF" de l'histoire du rock. La première seconde de "Monk Time" est une déflagration. Un banjo électrique saturé qui sonne comme une scie sauteuse asthmatique, une basse qui martèle un seul et même riff caverneux, et un type qui hurle "Alright my name's Gary! What's your name?!". On est en 1966. Je le répète, parce que c'est important. Pendant que les Beatles chantaient "Yellow Submarine", ces types-là étaient déjà en train de le saborder à coups de larsens et de feedback. Pendant que les Beach Boys harmonisaient sur les plages de Californie, The Monks étaient en train de bétonner la côte pour y construire un blockhaus. C'est quoi ce bordel ? Ce bordel, c'est le son de cinq G.I. américains, paumés en Allemagne à la fin de leur service militaire, qui décident que le rock'n'roll est devenu beaucoup trop poli, beaucoup trop propre sur lui. Alors ils ont tout jeté par la fenêtre : les solos de guitare, les harmonies vocales à la con, les chansons d'amour niaises. Et à la place, ils nous balancent une musique abrasive, squelettique, méchante. Une rythmique tribale, quasi militaire, obsédante, qui tourne en boucle jusqu'à l'hypnose. C'est du krautrock avant que les Allemands eux-mêmes ne sachent ce que c'est. C'est du proto-punk tellement en avance sur son temps que les Ramones, à côté, passent pour un boys band. L'orgue de Gary Burger sonne comme un appel à l'émeute dans une église en feu. Le banjo de Dave Day est une insulte à toute la tradition folk. C'est un instrument du diable, un truc pour faire dérailler les trains. Et la voix... la voix de Gary est possédée. Paranoïaque sur "I Hate You", hystérique sur "Complication", complètement déglinguée partout ailleurs. On dirait un patient échappé d'asile qui aurait pris le micro en otage. C'est ça, la musique des Monks, une tension permanente, une agression sonore jouissive. C'est du rock de garage, mais le garage est rempli de bidons d'essence et l'un des mecs joue avec des allumettes. Le plus dingue dans tout ça, c'est leur histoire, comme les Beatles, ils ont écumé les clubs d'Hambourg. Ils ont joué dans les mêmes bars à putes, sur les mêmes scènes poisseuses, et ont probablement attrapé les mêmes maladies vénériennes que les Fab Four. Sauf qu'à l'arrivée, l'histoire n'a pas retenu leur nom, les Beatles sont devenus des icônes planétaires, The Monks sont restés une note de bas de page pour les dénicheurs de pépites, une secte secrète dont les membres se reconnaissent d'un simple hochement de tête. The Fall, les Dead Kennedys, les White Stripes, tous ces groupes leur doivent quelque chose. Ils ont pillé le son, l'attitude, l'énergie corrosive des Monks sans même que le grand public ne sache d'où venait le butin. Et qu'est-ce que ça fait d'écouter ça pour la première fois ? Ça fait l'effet d'une décharge de 220 volts et ça te rappelle pourquoi, à l'adolescence, tu voulais faire de la musique, pour cette énergie brute, cette absence de compromis, cette envie de foutre un grand coup de pied dans la fourmilière. C'est une musique qui ne calcule rien, qui ne cherche pas à plaire. Elle EST, tout simplement violente, primaire, essentielle. On est à des kilomètres de la production lisse et aseptisée d'aujourd'hui. Ici, pas d'Auto-Tune, pas de pro-tools, pas de "on va refaire la prise". Ça sonne comme si ça avait été enregistré en une seule fois, dans l'urgence, avec la Gestapo qui tambourinait à la porte. Le son est rêche, lo-fi, et c'est parfait comme ça car c'est le son de la vérité. Cet album n'est pas juste un disque, c'est une anomalie, une météorite qui s'est écrasée en plein milieu des "Swinging Sixties" et dont les radiations se font encore sentir aujourd'hui. Mon avis, que j'ai donné en préambule, était un modeste "3 sur 5", puis "4 sur 5". Quelle connerie, l'enthousiasme de la découverte. Après plusieurs écoutes, le casque vissé sur les oreilles, le volume à onze, le verdict est sans appel. C'est un 5 sur 5. Un 5 sur 5 qui sonne comme une évidence, une mandale dans la gueule qui fait un bien fou, une pièce maîtresse, un monolithe noir qui se dresse, menaçant et magnifique, dans le paysage musical.
Oh... much better than I expected. Find it on YouTube
very good
Wow this is from 1966! Sounds clearly ahead of it‘s time with punk and blues rock elements. I didn‘t know music like this existed back in the 60s and I guess besides a few exceptions it did not exist in the mainstream music.
Very nice!
Wow, this was pretty neat. I agree that it was important for me to have experienced this one in my lifetime.
Somewhere twixt Buddy Holly and Pere Ubu there lie The Monks. I was entertained and educated, exactly what I'm here for.
I thought we had pretty good 60s coverage, and then came The Monks. The primal rhythms instantly had me bouncing around the house as I collected and took out the trash. Teetering on the edge of novelty, this album never really crosses that line. This was a ton of fun to listen to! It’s a shame the album wasn’t available in its entirety on Apple Music in the US, but by playing the songs I couldn’t find on YouTube I was able to enjoy a fantastic live performance of Complication. This seems like such a no-brainer for this list. Fascinating and wonderful!
At first I expected this to be boring garage rock but as the album progressed, I couldn’t have been more wrong. These guys pulled in unusual instrumentation (banjo!), unusual influences (German folk music - yodeling!), irreverent and sometimes humorous lyrics. They were off on their own and way ahead of their time.
You had me at electric banjo. Proto-punk before proto-punk even existed, let alone punk. Throbbing, primal drum beats, jangly electric guitar (and banjo), thick bass lines, political lyrics... but also fun and wacky, with some klezmer(??) / carnival influence, as well as '60s doo wop. Very weird, in a good way. Gives the Mothers of Invention a run for their money.
"Black Monk Time" is the only studio album by German-based American garage rock band the Monks. The Monks were composed of five American GI's stationed in West Germany. The band members wore black habits with cinctures wrapped around their necks and hair worn in partially shaved tongues. Well, at the very least I learned two new words today. The album is considered a landmark recording in the development of punk with a subversive style and blunt lyrics. It had no commercial success and was not released in theUS until 1994 due its condemnation of the Vietnam War. It did receive wide-spread critical acclaim retrospectively. The album starts out fast with "Monk Time." A ringing guitar, a hypnotic marching band drumbeat and a pyschedelic organ. Lead singer Gary Burger howls "Hi, my name is Gary." It's hard time. It's monk time" being repeated in this anti-Vietnam War song. "I Hate You" proves grunge did exist in the 60's. Slow with the bass and drums. The guitar sounding like an engine. Burger chaotically screaming why he hates her. The next song, "Oh, How to Do Now," speeds things up. The organ has a grinding sound. The guitar is awash in feedback. The whole group singing while Burger is yodeling over the top. This is the first yodeling I've come across in 614 albums. Echoing guitar slashes open their single "Complication." A pounding drum and bass. A chaotic organ. Multiple vocals singing "People die, people cry for you." Burger singing "complications" simultaneously is his whacked-out voice. Another anti-war song. The rhythm section gets a Bo Diddly beat going in "Drunken Maria." An over-the-top organ. The band repeating "Sleepy Maria don't drink. Drunk Maria don't sleep." Sometimes, simplicity works. This album was great, in your face, minimalist and punk. Their style was a mix of Suicidal Tendencies, Frank Zappa and an even more whacked out Angus Young on vocals. But, it works. Most songs are rhythm driven by a pounding bass and drums. An eerie chaotic organ along with a guitar that slashes and uses feedback. They also add a banjo in at times buried in the rhythm. Most vocals are short sentences. Crazy does not do justice descrbing lead singer Gary Burger. He's somewhat beyond that. The lyrics are more serious when addressing anti-war and comical with everything else. I see their influence in punk and in the band Kraftwerk (minimalist vocals). This is an album that everyone needs to listen to.
The things which exist that escape most people. What a find and a gem this one off record. Every punk band has this record in their DNA whether they know it or not!
We Do Wie Du, we do we do we do Marc Riley on 6 Music.... Yes it's ridiculous this came out in 1966, and it's ridiculously good. You very rarely find garage rock bands where the whole album is good. Cool band story too. The 4 bonus tracks are mainly curios, although Cuckoo is great fun.
This could be released today and still be amazing. A timeless album for us garage rock heads.
I had zero clue about The Monks. I came out thinking "how the hell have I never heard more about The Monks?!" This must have been akin to Thrash Metal back in 1966. There's Beatles, there's Doors, there's Beach Boys ... but done at 100mph with everything turned up to 11. It's a shame it isn't available on Apple Music and I had to listen on YouTube again ... but I will be back for more. I loved it.
Cool to see the origins of garage rock so clearly here. As that's one of my favorite genres, I really appreciate this album. So much of that sound is already so clear here. Plus the songs are just catchy bops.
This was an incredible listen. Really enjoyed this. This must have been pretty revolutionary.
Upbeat, lively. Cacophonous. Not a lot of lyrics. Rock-a-billy/beatles/punk.
Total banger
So far ahead of its time. It's honestly quite surprising to think that this came out when and where it did. Yes, it does get pretty out there at times, but it's genuinely interesting to listen to.
Such an amazing hidden gem.
Wait, wait, wait! This exists! Rhythmically sonic and playful -- a fun, unexpected moment in time. I praise this album because it's both unexpected (how did I miss this?) and a joy to listen to repeatedly.
Now this is some interesting proto Punk garage stuff. I loved it, but it does get an Asterisk low 5 for being off Spotify and only on YouTube as far as I could find it.
Similar sound to The Animals, same keyboard sounds but overall easy to listen to
These guys didn't give a fuck in the most interesting way possible. Their unique context allowed them to get away with pushing the envelope further than most could at the time. The sheer intensity of the playing on this album is simply amazing. So uninhibited, with this fierce bitter anger underlying every note of their mutant garage rock, no matter how sarcastically sweet they try to make it. Sounds at once overly rigid to the point of absurdity, and like sheer wild abandonment. I'm so glad they made their catharsis into an album.
1966? Holy shit. The subversiveness feels much more modern in terms of sensibilities, I would have believed this to come out this year even. It's unhinged in the best way, not too abrasive but they got something to fucking say. Continues to build the case that I am a huge fan of protopunk over modern punk. I mean, look at this shit. Brilliant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H-fmmNmrRs Only album by them, very punk rock of them. *chefs kiss*
Wow! Somebody needs to do a doco on these legends. Had never heard of them but won't ever forget them.
This is brilliant. I am actually disappointed that I'd not heard it previously. Especially liked We Do Wie Du, but the whole album has a lovely pre-punk feel that really strokes my yak. I'll definitely be coming back to this.
Well this is...........ahead of it's time. To give some background to my 5 star rating I'd just spent the morning listening to artsy twaddle from the 50's in another chart so when I put this on it blew the cobwebs away. 5 stars for impact alone. These guys just don't give a damn and it's great.
Off-the-beaten-path and hokey and spastic in places, but these guys took a risk. Though they fizzled, easy to find the influences in other music that I enjoy.
Higgle-dy - Piggle-dy, mfers
Psychedelic proto punk gold. The velvet underground, Stooges and the Doors with a pinch of Captain Beefheart thrown in for good measure. This is what I love about 1001 albums!
Amazing find. Loved every second of this. The shrill voice, the punk aspects.
Superb. Love The Monks.
Over a decade ago I listened to this because it was on a Pitchfork list, and unlike a lot of the stuff on there, it blew me away. It sounds like pre punk punk, except with bizarre instrumentation (Hammond and banjo feature as a standard part, but played as part of a punky set up). It is slightly angry and slightly silly (Higgle-dy, piggle dy?) And all bloody brilliant.
Up until now only knew a couple of Monks songs (from Nuggets, Fall covers, soundtracks etc) but had never listened to the album. This album is much, much better than your average 60s garage rock album. Together with "Elephant Mountain" the two best albums that I found out about through the 1001 Album Generator. (Unfortunately I listened to the version with bonus tracks - skip these tracks!)
First time I've heard this album. Good!
What a pleasant surprise this is! Early garage rock and/or proto-punk. A band with an image: the monk haircut. Consisting of American soldiers based in Germany. The songs are great, the lyrics funny and lots of energy!
Wild ride! Crazy to think this album came out in '66. Very early punk elements, quite avant-garde for it's time. Loved it.
Just great stuff
I loved it. Fun sound, funny band photos.
Great
I had not previously heard of this group as they are a fairly niche but oddly influential band from the 60s. It was surprisingly listenable and revealed sounds and concepts that you can see as influences to later movements.
This is what it’s all about isn’t it. Bunch of weirdos freakin out.
#418 / 1089 Heard before? ❌ Revisit? ✅ Very strange to hear the echoes of what came later in a album released in '66. While not glaringly obvious, there are Stooges and MC5 vibes going on here, but also some of that krautrock magic/weirdness. Proto-punk is weird term, because punk is very different to Europeans than what it is to the US, but yeah I can hear some of that on this one. I especially like their mangling of the sound, not even trying to be musically coherent all the time, that must have been very strange at the time. I took an instant liking to their "disruption techniques". I liked this way more that I thought I would! Hard 4/5
This is a hell of an album for a one and done group.
Fun album and definitely ahead of its time, but weirdly (presumably) not influential given how few listeners they have. I'll usually bump an album up a star if it's hugely influential, but this album just foreshadowed punk, rather than influenced it. 3.5/5.0: Very Good
4 out of 5. Now this is some rock music history I can get behind.
Solid. I’m surprised it has a relatively low rank worldwide. Maybe I should ln’t be surprised. Whatever.
Dope
1966. Wild. It's incredible this album came out in 1966. So transgressive for its time, and so punk. Other than the organ, which does root it firmly to its decade, parts of it feel like a record that could have come out ten years later. Not only that, but it sounds like the band was having fun, not taking themselves too seriously. I suppose that's a prerequisite to wearing your hair like that though...
Interesting step into the eventual sound of punk. Solid 4 Stars.
A super fun (way) early punk album. I thought the stooges were ahead of their time with the raw sound, but it was these guys. Such a cool, fun and gritty album.
This is the type of thing I thought I'd see more of on this list: A critically beloved American proto-punk band from '66 based out of West Germany and known for their electric banjo. I ended up enjoying it, but I tend to gravitate toward noisy bands that are precursors to larger genres. And moogs.
3.5
Actually jammed with it a lot. Chaotic jazz fusion
4/5
weird!
Ahhh... the spirit here is so beautiful and strong. A band I feel I should have heard properly in my 20s. I would have been obsessed.
# In-Depth Review: *Black Monk Time* by The Monks (1966) ## Background & Context *Black Monk Time* is the sole studio album by The Monks, five American GIs who, after being stationed in West Germany, chose to stay and make music rather than return home. Originally performing as the 5 Torquays, they were reconceptualized by German advertising executives Walther Niemann and Karl-H. Remy into "The Monks" — complete with robes, tonsure haircuts, and a deliberately confrontational image. The album was recorded in Cologne in November 1965 and released in March 1966 on Germany's Polydor label. --- ## Lyrics The Monks' lyrical approach was deliberately minimalist and direct, shaped by their experience of playing rock'n'roll in a country where English was not the first language. As guitarist Gary Burger explained: *"Editing is the key to anything... we were in a country where minimalism with a lyric was important to us from the point of view that 'let's make everybody understand what we're saying.' If we had too many lyrics, we'd lose that understanding and the ability to bridge some of those language barriers."* The lyrics oscillate between dark social commentary and juvenile provocation: - **"Monk Time"** opens the album with a fiery anti-war, anti-commercialism free association: *"It's beat time, it's hop time, it's monk time now"* — functioning as a mission statement for the entire record. - **"Complications"** delivers a chilling chant: *"People cry / People die for you / People kill / People will for you / People run / Ain't it fun for you / People go / To their deaths for you"* — a stark meditation on human sacrifice and manipulation. Burger confirmed: *"We did mean it. They weren't just words, they were words that we meant."* - **"I Hate You"** is a paradoxically catchy breakup song where Burger screams *"Hey, well, I hate you with a passion baby, yeah I do!"* only to have the band echo back *"But call me!"* - **"Drunken Maria"** commemorates real people — *"We knew several Maria's and they were all drunks!"* — Yugoslavian women the band members had met. The lyrics are often childlike in their simplicity ("Boys are boys, girls are joys"), yet this naivety is weaponized into something feral and unsettling. There's no poetic abstraction here — just raw, declarative statements that hit with blunt force. --- ## Music & Sound The Monks' sound is defined by its rhythmic intensity and unconventional instrumentation. As Burger noted: *"Roger's drums and Dave's banjo defined the Monk sound. Incredible."* Key sonic elements include: - **Electric banjo** (played by Dave Havlicek), which replaced rhythm guitar and provided a percussive, non-melodic attack that reinforced the band's rhythmic focus. - **Farfisa organ** (Lawrence Spangler), adding urgent, stabbing textures. - **No cymbals on drums** (Roger Johnston), creating a martial, hypnotic pulse rather than a swinging rock beat. - **Angular guitar bursts** and confrontational vocals from Gary Burger. The songwriting was built around tension. As Eddie Shaw explained: *"We started playing with tension. Actually, that was the basis of our writing. You could find the tension point in an audience; you could watch them getting nervous... we became very aggressive and demanded attention, somewhat like a small child."* The result is music that is simultaneously primitive and sophisticated — repetitive grooves that morph into something hypnotic, with the band's limitations becoming assets. As one reviewer observed: *"The drumming is so rudimentary that it morphs into something quite hypnotic and almost martial in its simple insistence."* --- ## Production The album was produced by Jimmy Bowien, who faithfully translated the band's live sound onto vinyl with no overdubbing. Burger recalled: *"Our producer was an absolute jewel of a man. We trusted what he was trying to do. Black Monk Time is exactly what the Monks sounded like live. No overdubbing. Very energetic, very precise and, of course, very loud."* This live-to-tape approach gives the album a raw, unvarnished quality that predates similar techniques used by producers like Don Gallucci on The Stooges' *Fun House* five years later. The production captures the band's pile-driving energy without sanitizing it — every instrument is a rhythm instrument, and the mix prioritizes impact over polish. The album was recorded in a German studio where, as Julian Cope noted, *"there were no artistic constraints in a country that liked the sound of beat music but had no idea about its lyric content."* This freedom from American commercial expectations allowed The Monks to create something that would have been *"horribly mutilated by arrangers and producers had they been back in America."* --- ## Themes 1. **Anti-war sentiment**: Written by soldiers who had narrowly avoided being sent to Vietnam, songs like "Monk Time" channel genuine anxiety and anger about militarism and commercialism. 2. **Anti-establishment / anti-purist ideology**: Bassist Eddie Shaw articulated their philosophy: *"We were the reaction to the moment – the anti-anti... We became the anti-purists. There is no purity in rock music."* 3. **Confrontation and audience engagement**: The Monks viewed their music as a weapon against audience complacency. If people were talking or not paying attention, the band would escalate the aggression until they demanded attention. 4. **Sexual frustration and desire**: Tracks like "Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice" and "Drunken Maria" channel primal urges with a bluntness that was shocking for 1966. 5. **Dehumanization and alienation**: "Complications" and "Shut Up" explore how people use and destroy each other, delivered with a detachment that makes the message more disturbing. --- ## Influence & Legacy Despite being ignored and *"quickly buried"* upon release — Burger admitted *"I can't remember that there was much response at all"* — *Black Monk Time* has become one of the most influential albums in rock history. Its impact spans multiple genres: - **Proto-punk**: The album's stripped-down aggression, confrontational attitude, and anti-establishment stance directly prefigured punk rock by a decade. Artists from Henry Rollins to the Beastie Boys have acknowledged their influence. - **Krautrock**: The Monks' rhythmic, repetitive approach and their position as American ex-pats in Germany helped shape the emerging German rock scene. The album was even illegally broadcast on radios in East Germany, where oppressed audiences *"appreciated this music even more."* - **Post-punk and indie rock**: The Fall covered "I Hate You" and "Oh, How Do You Now" on their 1990 album *Extricate* (as "Black Monk Theme Part I" and "Part II"). Jack White has praised the band, and their influence can be heard in everything from Devo to Queens of the Stone Age. - **Garage rock**: The Monks are frequently cited alongside The Sonics and The Stooges as foundational texts of garage and proto-punk. The album has been reissued multiple times, most notably in the late 1990s when the band also reunited for performances. It was not even printed outside Germany until the late 1990s, making its rediscovery feel almost miraculous. --- ## Pros | Strength | Details | |----------|---------| | **Ahead of its time** | Released in 1966 — the same year as *Revolver* and *Pet Sounds* — yet sounds like it could have come from the punk era a decade later. | | **Unique sonic identity** | The combination of electric banjo, Farfisa organ, no-cymbal drumming, and tonsured monk imagery created something genuinely unprecedented. | | **Raw energy captured perfectly** | The live, no-overdub production preserves the band's chaotic power without dilution. | | **Influential beyond its sales** | Shaped punk, krautrock, garage rock, and post-punk despite being a commercial failure initially. | | **Lyrically direct and meaningful** | The minimalist approach cuts through language barriers and delivers genuine emotional and political content. | | **Catchy despite the chaos** | Songs like "Drunken Maria" and "I Hate You" are genuinely hooky and party-ready, balancing experimentation with accessibility. | | **Historical significance** | One of the great "one-and-done" albums — a complete artistic statement that never had a chance to be diluted by a sophomore slump. | --- ## Cons | Weakness | Details | |----------|---------| | **Inconsistent songwriting** | Not every track reaches the heights of "Monk Time" or "Complication." Some songs feel more like sketches than fully developed compositions. | | **Rough edges can be abrasive** | The intentionally primitive musicianship and repetitive structures can be grating for listeners expecting conventional 1966 pop/rock. One reviewer called it *"unlistenable"* to modern ears. | | **Limited emotional range** | The album operates at one intensity level for most of its runtime, which can be exhausting. Tracks like "Love Came Tumblin' Down" — an attempt at doo-wop harmony — feel somewhat flat and out of place. Burger himself admitted: *"I've never been happy with that song. I felt it was a little flat in one spot, a little sharp in another."* | | **Production limitations** | While the raw production is part of the charm, it also means some tracks lack sonic depth and can sound thin compared to contemporaries. | | **Not easily accessible** | The album has been notoriously difficult to find on streaming platforms, forcing listeners to seek out vinyl reissues or YouTube uploads. | | **Gimmick vs. substance debate** | The monk costumes and tonsures sometimes overshadow the music, leading some to dismiss the band as a novelty act rather than serious artists. | --- ## Final Verdict *Black Monk Time* is a singular achievement — an album that should not have worked but absolutely does. Five American soldiers, bored and stationed in a foreign country, created a record that predicted punk rock, influenced krautrock, and remains startlingly modern nearly 60 years later. It is primitive yet sophisticated, childlike yet deeply cynical, aggressive yet undeniably catchy. The album's greatest strength is its authenticity. The Monks weren't art-school graduates playing at rebellion like the Velvet Underground; they were working-class guys who had served in the military and channeled their restlessness into something genuinely dangerous. As one reviewer put it: *"Sometimes dumb circles around all the way and becomes genius."* While it is not a perfect album — its rough edges, inconsistent songwriting, and limited emotional palette are real drawbacks — its imperfections are inseparable from its power. *Black Monk Time* is less a polished gem than a raw diamond: flawed, sharp, and impossible to ignore. It stands as one of the most important "one-and-done" albums in rock history, and a testament to what can happen when artists are given the freedom to fail spectacularly — or succeed beyond anyone's expectations. **Essential Tracks:** "Monk Time," "Complication," "I Hate You," "Drunken Maria," "Shut Up," "Higgle-dy Piggle-dy"
only 4 tracks available on Spotify so listened to the earlier and rare album. some good sound
Banjo punk
Bonkers and I'm all in.
60 years old is crazy. It's a fun album
After a first quick listen, I found this one kind kind of average (???). Well...I was wrong. After a couple more listenings, this has really grown on me. Songs like "I Hate You", or "Complication" are really enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the simplicity of pounding drums, chugging guitars and fairly minimal lyrics. Makes bands like The Sonics feel overproduced in comparison. Shame they didn't make more music.
What a great record, another new one to me but well worth the wait. A lot of great songs on here and a couple that I couldn’t believe were made in the sixties as they sounded much more modern. Nice that this project can keep throwing up bands and albums I’ve never heard of but are also very enjoyable.
Another gem from the list from a band I had never heard of. Difficult to describe but they are sort of a Doors/Monkees/Hives crossover! Top stuff and a fun listen.
Surprisingly great!
This album is amazing. It is raw, aggressive and punkish before that was a thing. Musically it reminded me of The Velvet Underground. I did a little reading up on the band and the story is great. Despite them being American soldiers (stationed in Germany) the lyrics are quite anti-war. I love the outfits. It is a shame this album is not on Spotify, because then I definitely would come back regularly.
9/10
Full marks for effort.
Funky Monks. Unfortunately hard to listen to in Australia, with the full set not available on either Apple Music or Spotify - had to listen to it off Youtube which is always a bit of a pain....... Anyway, worth the hassle! Great garage/early punk, with ramshackle musicianship, attitude and rough production. Loved it. Get this onto streaming so that I can listen again more easily!!!
Veldig før sin tid vil jeg si! Artig historie rundt bandet og kul sound.
Energisk og gøy.
Kult og gøy.
Veldig underholdende! Synd at plata ikke ligger ute for strømming.
Fun!
Not on Apple Music as album. Need to piece together this album.
I am nothing if not a sucker for proto-punk and avant-garde music of any type and this is absolutely fantastic! It's wild to think that these guys were making such experimental music at the same time as the Velvet Underground, but completely isolated from each other on different continents.
Oh my goodness YES! This is what this 1001 albums to listen to before you die is all about! 99% of people including myself would have never heard this album. This album was super cool. I LOVED the uniqueness of his singing style and lyrical composition (if you can even call half of what he says lyrics). His voice was AWESOME. I absolutely loved the organ, and I enjoyed the occasional guitar solo. I loved that the songs stayed upbeat and you could stomp your feet to just about all of them. My only critique is that none of the songs ever felt like complete songs. It's fun for a bit, but then I'm like, is this just a 40 minute long improv / jam session? But you know what, maybe!! Who cares, just GREAT 60s garage rock through and through.
This coming out in 1966 is wild. I liked the quip I read that basically said it was the lineage from The Beatles to the Velvet Underground. A forerunner of punk and avant garde.
Dit is één van het handjevol albums dat ik regelmatig check of het zijn herintrede heeft gemaakt op Spotify, samen met albums als 'Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein' en toch stiekem ook wel 'Trout Mask Replica'. Om uiteenlopende redenen, natuurlijk. Maar 'Black Monk Time' is echt een verborgen sieraad, die door z'n absentie op streaming platforms meer in de obscuriteit blijft dan het eigenlijk verdiend. Als liefhebber van punkmuziek is dit een fundamenteel monument waar je zo nu en dan je respect voor moet tonen. Ik moet het muzikaal niet groter maken dan het is, maar deze plaat raakt de bijzondere sweetspot van catchy en grimmig. Sommige nummers maken gebruik van de poprock-blauwdruk die in trek was halverwege de 60s, maar weten het net een maniakale draai te geven (That's My Girl), en andere songs gooien dat draaiboek volledig overhoop (I Hate You). Het rommelt, de zanger klinkt als een bezeten priester, en het heeft zo nu en dan ook gewoon een vooruitstrevende boodschap, zoals de opmerkingen over Vietnam, zo'n 10 jaar voor die oorlog echt ten einde kwam. Het middenstuk is ijzersterk, maar het einde levert wel wat in aan kwaliteit, maar god wat houd ik van deze obscure parels die naast een fascinerend verhaal ook nog eens goeie tunes in petto heeft. 8/10 Highlights: I Hate You Oh, How to Do Now Complication
Net in de periode dat ik -buiten deze generator- me wat verdiep in de inspiratie bronnen van de Punk, komen the Monks langs. Als geroepen. Want hoe avant-garde waren zij wel niet voor hun tijd. Tuurlijk klinkt er de 'klassieke' beat/rocknroll wel een beetje door. Maar de nummertjes zijn vuiger, zijn onvoorspelbaarder en zijn anti-establishment. The Monks zijn Punk voordat er Punk was. Heerlijke ontdekking. De plaat wel tegen beter weten in op mijn Discogs-wantlist gezet. Je moet heel wat knaken ofzo zetten om dit album te scoren helaas... 8/10 Monk Time Complication
This was a fun discovery - formed by 5 American GI’s stationed in 1964 Germany. Very rhythmic, alternative 60’s (but really more of a 50’s) rock sound.
Garage rock exmilitares hablando contra la guerra de Vietnam y un sonido que se encuentra cerca del punk
4.1 I dont know if this is one of the coolest discoveries from the list for me or one of the lamest depending, on how much the image was manufactured. Watched some old videos and it seem a little bit contrived but I really did line some of the songs and tones.
I think “proto-punk” is the perfect description of this album. With a “regular” punk you would hardly find any electric organ though, but here it’s everywhere, and you know - it’s not bad! Quite peculiar stuff, but interesting. At times even clever (I’d boldly say Cuckoo is borderline genius), guys surely talented.
One of those delightful surprise discoveries. Lived it.
I do already rather enjoy that 60s garage rock sound, but the experimental flair on some of these songs, plus the singer sounding like you plucked him straight out of a high-tier mid-70s hard rock band, really give the edge to this album!
I really enjoyed the front half of this (every band should share their stance on the atomic bomb up in their opening tracks, imo) but the back half trended more Beatlesy and was kind of disappointing. I'm going to grant it a fourth star for being weird though...like wdym you were soldiers stationed in Germany and just went "let's put out one album then never again" and also shaved your heads into monk hair.
cool political message, liked listening
Really cool, definitely doesn't feel like it came out in 1966. On musical merit alone it's just solid, but I'll give it points for being so ahead of its time.
One of the most influential albums of all time. It is wild that they were developing that sound that early in the sixties. It remains a hallmark in proto-punk and overall music history. 9/10 [KEEP]
Awesome beyond expectation for its time, I can hear the Krautrock essence Overall it's a surprise blast, probably not just biased because he sounds like the black midi guy
So innovative and different for its time. Man I want some of what they were on. I wonder if Andy Warhol sat the Velvet Underground down and said listen to this man and do similar stuff but better. Who knows. I love the uniqueness and weirdness of both. Far out man ;-)). Innit.
Brutal and primitive, the anti-Beatles in the best way
Very ahead of it's time
Worth listening to. Would probably listen again.
The spotify album is full of AI tracks. I will have to revisit this one day if they ever clear that up. I liked what I heard of legit music. *I listened on YouTube. Very cool album. I like the vibe and energy.
The Monks have the charisma of The Strokes and the creativity of Ween. Just seeing their approach to making music is sort of a beautiful thing. Guitarist and vocalist Gary Burger (all time name btw) later reflecting that they “were just a rock and roll band that really had a lot of fun” is also so inspiring. Their proto-punk style and ahead of their time style was born out of purity—a desire to just create. The Monks really could have been The Beach Boys of punk. It’s a shame they didn’t get the opportunity to continue to advance and develop this premier sound. I thoroughly enjoyed how sloppy the record was while remaining well put together, which is why it’s a little disappointing to have this be the complete picture, not getting to see any refinement or artistic growth. Even so, I’ll choose to be thankful to even get the opportunity to hear these songs, as well as the fact that the artists were able to see more people resonate with their music while they were living. Faves: Monk Time, Shut Up, Complication, Oh How To Do Now, We Do Wie Du
my self loathing bad songwriter side suicides when they heard weird experimental shit because they can never experiment in music. the only thing they do is to write extremely self loathing lyrics first under an urge of self expression, strum some acoustic guitar, and try extremely hard to shoehorn the melody they came up with into the lyrics. 4/5
4.6
I’ve never heard of The Monks before, so I have no idea what I’m going to be in for on this album. Heading into this project, I really thought that I’d enjoy the albums from the sixties quite a bit, but it’s wound up being one of my least favorite decades of music so far. I’m hoping that The Monks can reverse that trend! While I didn’t love Black Monk Time, it was a really unique and interesting album, especially when looking at it in terms of the impact that it had, and how it probably helped shape music moving forward. I listened to this album twice, and things definitely clicked much better for me on my second time going through it. I really like how the band used traditional sixties pop techniques while also using some rougher experimental techniques to craft their sound. The smoother parts of the album conflicted with the rougher parts in a way that I thought was really interesting, almost like this album’s sound was analogous to the relative calm of the fifties shifting into social and political turmoil of the late sixties. I really enjoyed the use of the Philicorda, mostly because of what a stark contrast it was to the sometimes metallic and sometimes booming sound of the percussion. Some notes on some songs that stood out to me: I loved the metallic percussion on the opening track, and the vocals were awesome too. The sound was so raw and full of emotion, but also a precise chaos. I loved the Philicorda too, and it was really cool when the group vocals kicked in. I loved that bass sound (not sure if it’s the bass guitar or the Philicorda) on “Boys are Boys and Girls Are Choice.” The way the band incorporated sixties pop into their sound created a really interesting contrast with their rough garage rock sound. I loved the cascade of the opening drums on “Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy.” This was more of a traditional drum sound, and not as metallic as earlier on the album, but I thought it still worked well. I liked the trudge of “I Hate You.” These guys have a pretty narrow sound, but they still do a lot within those boundaries. There was a good groove to this song, while still keeping the chaos. That Philicroda playing was really good too. This was a shining example of how The Monks used contrast in their music in a really effective way. “We Do Wie Du” stars off with that doo-wop sounding trumpet, and while the lead vocals contrast with that, I like how the backing vocals match the doo-wop energy and sound. “Blast Off” was really fun. The percussion was great, the Philicorda was excellent, and the coordination of the rhythmic elements was awesome too. “That’s My Girl” had some really fun backing vocals. This was probably my favorite way that The Monks used traditional pop music techniques and blended them into their chaotic sound. Black Monk Time is a really solid album, and it was fun to listen to something so obscure yet so impactful on other artists. It took me a minute for this album to click with me, but I’m glad I had the time to listen to it twice.
I'm into this.
Peculiar. I saw hints of 3-era Portishead, punk, stoner, zappa - just a weird combinatiom of noises, including one which I now recognise as Marc Riley's jingle on 6Music. Its not...great. i enjoy the vibes but it gets a bit much sometimes, even for me. That said, you can see how it predated a lot of great stuff. It's ok in places - let's call it a high 3/low 4. Scrapes a 4 because the high points are FUN.
Radical jamz
Not bad at all.
Scrubby
I liked Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choices the most.
This started quick and strong. I see how it influences punk, that first track reeks of pure punk energy. The rest of the album fluctuates a bit, which I think makes the overall concept feel a little less than amazing. Nothing wrong with the tracks, it's just a bit ADHD from one to another. I would still own this record. It feels like the perfect cross between 60s rock and punk rock. I loved the way the vocals feel and screech against the electric rockabilly setup. 3.9/5
Really enjoyed this album, ahead of its time
They are basically proto-everything. Just so much crazy fun and so ahead of the curve. Quirky garage/psyche rock done extremely well; it’s so off the wall, it would be easy to miss that they play their asses off.
0/10
If you were to put the cats of Greece, the beetles and Bjork in an album this will be it
Liked that
Super cool weird album that's a great listen. The band knows they're cookin up some cool shit. WAY DOWN ... to HEAVEN 7.7/10
As a Vietnamese... some of the first words I heard when this album started were "Viet Nam" and "Viet Cong" genuinely gave me chill.
I shouldn't like this for the same reason I don't like a lot of EDM, it was pretty repetitive. That said, I couldn't help but enjoy this. When I first started listening, this felt a lot like "what if The Doors met punk before it was even a thing?" Strange, no doubt, but oddly fun to listen to. Just a bunch of guys getting together to jam and suddenly they are making a record, with no clue what to do. And yet, it works. Is it great? No. Is it a worthy inclusion, given the back story and how this was effectively very early punk? Yeah.
This was a great listen, punky enough.
Someone gave me a copy of this about 30 years ago, and I was not ready for it at the time. Really good psychish garage rock. Shame this was buried for so long, but the influence shines through despite some corny lyrics.
Have always meant to listen to this but never have, reminds me of the Sonics - wouldn't sound out of place in a comp somewhat like Nuggets. I really enjoyed it
an interesting mid 60s time capsule
Seems like a definite precursor for a lot of abrasive music that came later. I enjoyed it overall a lot. Some songs sounded like the Kinks, while others had some screaming vocals that really left an impression.
60s psych-rock. Doors/Jefferson Airplane adjacent. Not bad Shut Up even has some punk attitude in there. Garage too. Compilation is also very proto-punk Best track - Monk Time, Higgle-Dy Only We Do Wie Du available on Spotify 4 stars
So good. Highlights: Shut Up, Drunken Maria, Blast Off!
This was crazy and I think it inspired Pixies
This is badass, I’m excited to listen again
Ahead of its time
It took me a while to find this album for listening. Once I did however, I'm very glad I spent the extra effort. The band's history is interesting (formed by ex-GIs in Germany just as the U.S. buildup in Vietnam really started to gain momentum), and musically I can absolutely hear this as the grandfather of punk.
super fun! i can see myself listening to this whole album through whenever the mood strikes.
Wild, unruly, and real. I loved it. Truly an album that I needed to hear before I die. Props to this project for putting it in front of me.
Wonderful album
geordie greep and ween
The songs are mostly fine overall as rock tracks. There's a few weird ones i think i kind of dig
I'm very ambivalent on this one. It has very high highs but a lot of it feels otherwise unnotable. I think I overall enjoyed it more than not, though, and these guys were definitely ahead of their time.
Super interesting, can hear how this was highly influential. 8/10
So this is where the Urinals -> Minutemen -> etc. line of punk came from! Where have you been my whole life.
Tidal doesn't have this album, and I didn't have the chance to try and find it on other platforms. So, instead, I Iistened to everything these guys had available on Tidal. Dang! They just had one banger after another. I read on Wikipedia that they all used their instruments as percussion, and you can really hear it. Songs like "Boys are Boys and Girls are Choice" and "I Hate You" seem to pick really propulsive grooves and every instrument rides along with it. This is very, very much my jam. I probably give too many 5s, so I'm going to marshal them more carefully, but this is darn close to a 5.
Weird and wonderful. I’ve been a fan of this album for a while along with the 60s garage rock, proto-punk stuff from the Nuggets compilation more generally. I like the primitive, drum/rhythm forward sound. I also appreciate their strange back story. The front half is stronger than the back half, but still very glad this exists in the world.
Interesting melodic proto-punk
Sounds years ahead of its release. Must’ve been absolutely incredible to it’s contemporary audience.
This is what I would expect from the 1001 Albums list. Nice gem, that I have never heard of before today.
weird album giving like beatles kind of vibes
good! overall a fun listen
Shut Up and listen to this. It will make you Blast Off!
First time in this list that an my opinion has completely switched while listening to it. First track made me think it’s some plain punk rock but then the middle two tracks have a despondent glory to them that I love.
7/10
𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦 is raw, abrasive, and downright strange, but that’s exactly what makes it so fascinating. With distorted banjo, pounding rhythms, and shouted vocals, the Monks created a proto-punk sound years ahead of its time. It may be too weird for some listeners, but its boldness and energy make it a unique and influential gem of the ’60s underground.
underlistened, hard to find too
This was a lot of fun, psych pop from the early sixties.
This was miles better than I expected. I can't believe how early this is and that they are German influenced. Really interesting listen and one I would've missed without the list.
Sonically I found this interesting. Kind of garage rock, proto punk, but with an almost straight laced sound to the vocals. I was ready to give this a strong 3 but the last tracks composition pushed me over to a 4.
This thing definitely gets off to a rocky start, but as it presses on I definitely started to enjoy this a lot more. Holy shit this is from the 60's? I genuinely thought this was part of the 70's punk craze. That's insane. Talk about ahead of time. The story behind this band is fascinating. The band disbanding because they thought the Viet Cong were going to set them on fire is really funny, for one. Rick Ruben and Henry Rollins releasing this on their own label in 1997? That's also really interesting. Music wise, the vocalist is definitely on the jading side. But I tended to drown him out a bit to focus on the music itself. This really does sound like one of the first punk albums, and wow you can hear their influence in so many other punk bands. I really did enjoy this one. It was such a weirdly delightful juxtaposition of 60's era rock and gritty grungy American proto-punk from the late 70's. I don't think it deserves the global rating of 2.93.
pretty good
Absolute delight - bouncy, boppy, joyful music from the middle of nowhere.
What a trip. I loved this!
Feeling like I unearthed music for straitjacket sickos straight from the ‘60s with zero layover; totally new to me, and an absolute blast from start to finish.
Like many others have pointed out, The Monks are one of the earliest examples of proto-punk, especially considering that punk as a genre wouldn’t fully emerge until nearly a decade later. But what makes this album even more fascinating is how much it foreshadows both Krautrock and No Wave. The band’s music is rhythmically intense, built around a kind of motorik repetition that gives it a trance like, hypnotic quality. There’s something futuristic in their sound. It’s stripped-down, percussive, and minimalistic in a way that feels ahead of its time. That repetition, paired with raw aggression, also aligns with the ethos of the No Wave movement that surfaced in late ’70s New York. The Monks had that same anti-pop, anti-establishment attitude, not just in sound but in spirit. What’s even more remarkable is their position as cultural outsiders. Though American, the members were GIs stationed in Germany when they formed the band, so in Europe, they were seen as foreign outsiders. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., they were completely rejected by the mainstream and largely ignored by the underground scene. Their abrasive, anti-commercial approach made them too radical for either audience, and quite simply, too far ahead of their time for the American market.
solid album
Freaky percussion-forward garage rock. Crunchy and dark but not dour. I also dig the organ work. It’s a fun listen. Reminds me a little of Captain Beefheart at their least confrontational (complimentary). I tend to think it’s a bit of a shame when a creative, unique album has fallen to the wayside, but maybe the underground-ness is part of the charm and legacy. Call me a convert because I think this album rips.
було дуже весело, а це головне
These guys honed a sound that touches on 50s doo-wop, 60s pop and 70s punk, yet sounds completely cohesive. Feral but tight, rhythmic but tuneful. Plus they all cut their hair like monks and the singer was called Gary Burger. All in all, a lot to like: 3.5 stars.
Fun ride, but probably best that they didn't become a smash hit and then try to make a bunch more albums. Captivating, obscure "lost" garage-psych albums are my weakness.
This was definitely the most work I had to do to listen to the album of the day. Only one track was available on Spotify, so had to go searching. Luckily, someone had posted the whole album on YouTube. They posted it out of album sequence, but at least I got to hear all the tracks. A great garage band album - really the embodiment of transition between rock and roll and punk. Especially liked the bass-forward tracks. Would have liked to have listened as intended, I’ll have to try to find a copy.
Garage proto-punk and some truly deranged singing make for a great introduction to this band. Love the manic organ playing and the Vietnam war protest lyrics of "Complication." This was truly ahead of its time and sounded great through car speakers. One of the best discoveries of the 1001 albums project.
Punk as fuck, in every sense of the word. Says on Wikipedia that this has been cited as an influence on artists as diverse as Yo La Tengo, the Dead Kennedys, and the White Stripes, can definitely hear it and I love that
Great discovery: great garage rock
Is this the first punk rock album? There are so many artists from the 2000s I can think of who must have holed up in a basement somewhere and drilled The Monks into their brains and then went and started their own bands. The Hives, The White Stripes, The Strokes, etc. Anyway, cool shit. Nice discovery. 4/5 #145
Good and slightly deranged. Some of the other proto-punk albums here have been misses for me... I mostly like this one.
So many things here. It is fairly unusual to someone in the throes of a number of genres to have a band from 1964 they're never heard of. This was the case for me. Next, the sound is so across the board and almost feels anachronistic at times. From the jangly to fiercely crunchy guitars, the sonic overload of all the instruments at once in places then having a wonderfully balanced valley rock sound, these players find so many angles at a pivotal point in time.
I fuck with this heavy. It might not sound like punk we know but it get's to the soul of what punk is.
I actually really liked this.
What do you MEAN this came out in '66, how do you invent post-punk before anybody has even invented punk
I have to admit it's quite ahead of its time. Great keyboards. I am feeling generous with my today's rating.
82% Best: Monk Time; Oh How to Do Now; Complications Must-Hear? This is completely ahead of its time, unlike anything else I've heard from the 1960s. Sure
A super fun discovery. Clearly ahead of its time in 1966, and can see how this was a precursor to Punk. These are the kind of albums I really enjoy discovering along this journey. 4/5
The story of the Monks feels like the setup for one of those lesser-known Hanna-Barbera cartoons: they're American GIs stationed in Germany who don monk outfits by night to fight back against the boredom and barbarism of their lives through the power of rock and roll! All of which is fun enough, but none of which would matter if their music wasn't also vibrant, from the antiwar shout-outs on the opener "Monk Time" to the basic, childlike, almost regressive lyrics of "Shut Up" and "Oh, How to Do Now" (no wonder Henry Rollins is a notable fan). I listened once through and immediately wanted to hear it all again. Also, it's worth seeking out a version with the bonus tracks as they're all actually worth hearing.
Ces gens sont fous.
Surprising and very cool!
This is quite an unique record, not only because of its innovative aspect, but also thanks to the fact that this is only album from the group. It adds a lot of mystery to it. The garage-rock sound of it and the performances make this album a very fun listen. It even feels a little chaotic considering this is a 1966 project. I also find my feelings to be conflicting. I find this album impressive for how it sounds, but it also didn't blow me mind. Still, I'm giving it 4 well deserved stars.
I don't know what I expected, but it was better than that. ⭐⭐⭐ For the music ⭐ For the novelty ⭐⭐⭐⭐
People in the 60’s were more talented and somehow found each other. So many cool bands that splashed then dipped out for a normal life. The Monks were really cool, would have liked more from them.
Blast off!! It’s Monk Time. Praise the heavens
Some bits were a bit too wild for me, but worth another listen
Loved it, fast paced and didn’t have me wanting it to end at any point
Wow. This was totally new to me. I don't even recall ever reading about this band. Organ, electric banjo proto beach pre punk music? Sign me up!
"Smokey, my friend, you’re entering a world of pain"
Crazy weird garage rock. A lot of great stuff but a few that could have been left on the cutting room floor (Cuckoo, etc). But a pretty fun listen that I’ll go back to.
Very weird, and yet oddly enjoyable.
Sounds a lot like The Clash,
Every true music curmudgeon has one mid to late ‘60s underground rock band that they claim secretly sort of invented punk before anyone else. And as quite the curmudgeon myself, mine has been The Monks for some time now. While The Monks may have been limited by the music aesthetics of the time and the technology available to American GIs in Germany in like 1966, the punk spirit is alive and well on Black Monk Time, and frankly the sound isn’t as far as you’d think. The songs are repetitive and simple and sorta pummeling in their own sort of scuzzy garage rock way. The lyrics are blunt, angry and often politically charged. And a kind of energy rarely seen in rock at this time courses through the album. Also, this is a particularly brisk ~30 minutes, well suited to the kind of stuff here. There’s some really cool drum work here too, and I was pleasantly surprised by the organ incorporation that could have only been here in 1966. This is some really unique, exciting rock music, and I’m glad the 1001 albums list gave it some love.
So sad there were only 2 songs from the album on Spotify. Luckily Ive heard it many years ago and it was really cool.
The Monks sound is in the realm of The Animals and The Kinks. And you can see where they might have influenced hard core punk or early New Wave. All of that and there is a banjo!
Hey Anthony. What's the most punk rock album in your collection from the mid 60s?
I have a bit of a soft spot for American garage bands of the mid-60s, even those in military bases in Germany. I really enjoyed this no-nonsense album.
legal d+
bizarro ter saído em 66 hein bem proto-punk e proto-outras coisas. dá pra sentir de onde o the fall tirou algumas melodias tbm fiquei surpreso, achei que seria mto pior. top e distorcido as vezes.
W pewnym momencie to już brzmiało tak samo, ale i tak bardzo doceniam! Rock osadzony na bębnach, bardzo rytmiczny, czasem quirky. Końcowe piosenki to już odczepione wrotki na całości, ale i tak duże i pozytywne zaskoczenie 8/10
A prehistoric reference on punk's history. Coming from the 60's rock and r&b that also lead to other styles, in this case you can anticipate rythm structures, base lines and lyrics that will evolve into hard rock and punk.
Unexpectedly marvellous. (There was one track I couldn't find; didn't have time to comb YT, etc, but I found the others on a compilation.) Tbh, it probably sounds exactly like you'd expect five GIs based in Germany in the mid-60s, pissed off with the war, to sound. Hints of California, but darker: paving the way for the Doors, the Stooges and beyond. Groovy, but subversive. Like they're playing at a holiday camp, but someone might just be about to kill everyone. Irresistable repetition. Mad drumming. The organ is so randomly enjoyable! Not for the first time, this project has thrown up something subversive, addictive and ahead of its time from Germany (well, America, sort of). If Quentin Tarantino had stuck any of these tracks in a film, I reckon, you'd hear it everywhere. I had to include this from Wiki (all of the Wiki write-up is very enjoyable): "Much was made at the time of the Monks' unconventional attire, with their tailored-made black robes strikingly at odds with the prevailing trends among contemporary beat groups. With all five members abandoning their Beatlesque hairdos for tonsures and plain rope serving ties, the band exuded a mysterious aura, while also looking menacingly non-conformist." As I said. Marvellous. I'd love to have seen them live. (Edit - have now tracked down live footage 😍)
What a surprising experience! This is a '60s Beat sound meeting proto-punk, characterized by heavily rhythm-based, distorted tunes and radical lyrics. It's way ahead of time. Records like this make it worth wading through so many bad or mediocre albums on this list.
I appreciated how loose this was, quirky at times, but always rockin. Feels ahead of its time while also rough around the edges.
Everything was absolutely pointing towards this being a very frustrating experience. It's only on YouTube, they sound beyond stupid and look insane. And yet! This is just straight up great 60s garage rock, with a heavy tinge to it and no little artistry. The lyrics are quite impenetrable, but still very interesting, and overall, this has been a great discovery.
Couldn't find the actual album, but apparently, The Early Years 1964-1965 has a similar track listing. Never heard of them before. Not heavy on the lyrics, but I dig their style. They span genres. Sounds like The Doors at times, and 50s bubble gum pop at other times.
Alright, Black Monk Time by The Monks? This ain't just an album, it's a statement. This is raw, visceral, no-holds-barred '60s rock and roll. These cats play like a runaway train – fuzzy guitar, relentless beat, pure primal energy. I am giving this a high 4, almost 5 stars. It's essential. This band was so ahead of its time, they just got lost in the shuffle. Definitely grab this for your vinyl collection; it'll sound even grittier. If you dig '60s guitar rock, Black Monk Time is an absolute must-listen. A pure hidden gem.
Wow, this was fun and fresh. I can't imagine what it would have been like to hear them live: like the scene in Back to the Future when Marty plays Johnny B. Goode at the prom and starts playing the guitar behind his head then lying on the floor while playing before he kicks over an amp. Go Monks Go!
Feels ahead of its time and is still very listenable and fun.
This is a great album! I'm shocked I haven't heard it before. I can see how it would be incredibly influential for punk and rock. It's fun and weird. More please.
Proto-punk/krautrock. A bunch of American GIs make a warped rock n roll album. Crunchy guitars, distorted hammond organ that descends into carny mode, pounding drums and relentless rhythm. Great considering they knew no one would listen. Best Tracks: Monk Time; Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice; I Hate You
Oh, how I wish you were actually on Spotify. Maybe one day I'll find a pressing out in the wild.
7/10
4/5
I had really high hopes for this album, given that it could not be found on any streaming service for some reason. The mystery, the anticipation, the wonder. Why was it absent from all major services? What was so controversial about it? So the intrigue was there, to say the least. It was alright. Definitely didn't live up to the hype I created for myself. I can't deny that it's ahead of its time though. The entire thing reminded of one song in particular - "Hold Tight" by Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. Very similar vibe. 60's band ahead of their time, producing music that wouldn't necessarily have done well commercially, but definitely struck a chord with the right audience and is looked back on fondly and as progressive for its time. Most tracks are under two minutes, so if you aren't thrilled with one it at least isn't sticking around very long. A lot of it feels like some joke I'm aware of but not entirely in on, like they know something I don't; like somehow the whole thing is a comment on something bigger than the band. I dunno. But there's so much influence here - punk, post-punk, new wave, and more. They're at times a harder version of bands like Talking Heads or Elvis Costello and the Attractions and a softer versions of early punk bands. Sometimes they strike a tone right between both worlds. Hell, there are even moments where I hear early Pink Floyd. One criticism of the album might be that it does get a little repetitive at times. Certain staccato rhythms from the drums repeat themselves (1+2+3+&+4 or 1+2+3+&4+&, for example), and the talk-singing does happen more than a few times, making some songs feel very similar. But that isn't enough to diminish what was otherwise and enjoyable and interesting listen. This is honestly such a fascinating listen, especially for an album from 1966. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Black Monk Time, Shut Up, Oh, How To Do Now, Drunken Maria, Love Came Tumblin' Down, Blast Off
At first this comes across as juvenile and rudimentary, and it just may be. However you then check the date on this and realize that this record had, effectively, zero influences. This guy's are freaking thr fuck out before the Stooges and we'll before the Beatles acid binging.
Essential proto punk garage
I liked the sound a lot. If it were on Spotify, I’d probably listen to a few songs again. 7/10
That was fun to listen to.
This was great!!!! This band is like a heavier punkier version of the Beatles haha. Would definitely listen to this again.
That is a good example of why this list is interesting, whatever the many fillers and repetitive albums we can find. It's quirky, living in an undefined space between experimental music, proto-punk, art-rock. It didn't change my life but that was a nice discovery.
It was actually a fun time hearing what was the precursor to punk music. It’s very lighthearted and energetic for something from the 60’s and I had a good time with it!
The more I listen to this, the more I'm into it. The songs really hit my type of humor and the last couple of songs are surprising--at one point there's a Beach Boys-esque harmony? It might hit a 3.5 for me on first listen, but bumping to:
The worst thing something can be is boring. I love the solemnity of the album cover. It IS black monk time. Props to these guys for deciding on a monk theme and just rolling with it. As a fan of some slightly more off-kilter postpunk artists this is right up my alley, its offputting, psychedelic, wild and also incredibly funny. I particularly like the weirdo keyboard in drunken maria, And I liked I can't get over you.
Oh this one was fun. A new find for me but one I'll definitely have to revisit, I love the energy on the tracks and the sound is interesting as a stepping stone between rock and early punk. The album managed to captivate me the whole way and never lost energy even while the sound remained largely the same. Enjoyed the wordplay in We Do Wie Du and Monk time as an intro to the album
Classic 60s garage rock rivalled only by The Sonics in terms of hard edged proto punk playing rock n roll with the VU permanently hitting red. Great stuff
Glad I endured the YouTube ads to listen to the whole thing, much better than the couple of mediocre tracks that Spotify offered up.
Pretty good punky noise.
Enjoyed this more than I expected to.
Pretty interesting!
Surprisingly rough and tumble album given the time. it is rife with unique ideas without novelty. I don’t know that I fell in love with it but I do admire it deeply.
Really cool album from a brand new artist to me. Seems like multiple genres could have spawned from the Monks here.. 4/5
Wait there was punk in the 60s?! This was such a fun album, feels far ahead of its time. Just high energy, silly, punk. I doesn't overstay it's welcome feels part troll part political. Weak 4 star, mainly for being so ahead of its time.
I mean like is this for real. GI’s in Germany record in ‘65 an album that’s so influential if anyone heard actually heard it, the way it was recorded allows/makes it musically isolated and unlike anything else at the time released, stopping it being diluted and allows for the time lyrics as blunt as hell, pure garage, proto punk. Wasn’t officially released in the US until ‘94. Can’t stream it in Feb 2025, let’s keep it in the hidden gem category. 4 star.
Interesting sound, especially for the time. Sometimes it sounds like youre listening to a much more modern album.
Yes, very cool
A very unique and ahead of it’s time garage rock album , but it’s so much more than that. It’s pretty fuckin out there for 1966!…by American GIs…in Germany... Quite fun too. The rhythm section pounds away with a clanky rhythm banjo, psychotic organ, spastic distorted feedbacky guitar solos, and a soulful singer on the edge of breaking. It’s really herky jerky and quite psychotic. It’s political, silly, nonsensical. It has elements of several previous, current, and future genres. I’m Not sure about the actual influence, but seems to be a precursors to experimental rock forays (Velvet Underground, Zappa, Beefheart), late 60s garagey psychedelia, punk/post-punk scenes, and probably more.
Kul, nyskapande, monk city!
monk time. recht funny. es isch ebe. mega energie die buebe. afoch soldate wo in dütschland stationiert gsi sind höö? sie mega anti vietnamchrieg ich mag sie. oke söll als mega punk vorläufer gelte. gsehs uhuere. sie gebed meega gas und so würklich mega melodie hends nöd. hahahaha sie hend sich amel tonsure gschnitte wie geil. i hate you mega chillige song. ich ha e huere gueti ziit sie sind komplett unhinged aber s macht huere spass. ui de gitarresound uf complication isch geeeeeil he ich ha e extrem gueti zuit gha da gut e vieri.
MONK TIME STEREO TIME hahaha es isch scho reeecht unhinged und ich finds gad rechr geil shut up het mi ah öppis anders erinneret iwie poah die gitarre bi higgle, richtig geil verzellt es isch alles chli luut und es schepperet und er quietscht und quängelet aber es isch sehr e spannendi erfahrig au de gegesatz vo chaotische und fröhliche melodie findi megaa hobbla scho fertig! ja das isch es 4i, rein musikalisch isches für mich zwüscheme 3 undeme 4 aber jz gits mal es understützigs-4, will ich suscht nie uf das album gstosse bin und ichs historisch sehr spannend find
A true marvel that this existed in 1966. Let's get weird 🤘🏻
Like a precursor to Gogol Bordello. Super crunchy punk folk. I bet Tarantino loves this album
It’s not on Spotify so I found it on YouTube. I quite liked the off beat oddness of this album. Kind of like if The Doors and The Velvet Underground are in a tag team fist fight with Dick Dastardly and Muttley from Wacky Races. There’s some left field humour to it all.
A bit goofy, but pretty good. It’s definitely got heart.
Monks, a proto-punk, garage band comprised of American GI's stationed in West Germany, all the members sported tonsures and produced music that would inspire no wave doom duo Suicide, they also sound like a minimalist Silver Apples and British post-punk band from the early 2000s, Clinic. Slashing guitars and droning organ very simple and repetitive percussion, evidently the band preferred to emphasize rhythm and distortion rather than melody. At times it sounds like the Fugs or the Unholy Modal Rollers went electric, with a similar sense of irreverence and experimentation, at other times it is the early Velvet Underground fronted by Iggy Pop. Six-string banjo and floor tom for the vocalist it still sounds fresh and surreal.
I haven't automatically fallen in love with this album when I first listened to it, but as a very early missing link between the MonkEES (lol), The Sonics, Frank Zappa, Can and the Stooges, *Black Monk Time* should at least be considered as a little *more* than an interesting curio. It's an album that often straddles the line between the primal, raucous stuff going on in the foreground, and something far more experimental in the background (with that amplified banjo, for instance, or that echoey organ). Both aspects being groundbreaking at the time. Not always a 100% thrilling listen, retrospectively, but often a lively or slyly sardonic one at least. The first two cuts, "Monk Time" and "Shut Up", remain my favorites in the LP (it's more of the same after that, even if it is in slightly different declinations each time). And gosh, that lead vocalist was wild, but only as wild as the crazed-out instrumentation if you pay a little attention to it. Can see why young German audiences watching those discharged American soldiers playing this live around 1966 would have a different view of rock music right after. Some folks see The Monks as the direct progenitors of krautrock. Not sure I can fully give credit to that take, but I certainly want to! 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: around thirty or twenty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 460 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 273 (including this one) Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 334
A pretty fun garage band. I liked it.
23/01/25 Short and sweet and it wasn't all bad. Odd that it is an album though.
Great album and given the history behind it, one that I will see myself listening to again and again. Apple Music nor Spotify host it, so I had to go to YouTube to find a version, so of course, the quality of the music was suspect.
A swinging sixties banger, loved this!!
Not to be confused with the UK band in the 70's, The Monks, the German-based American, The Monks seemed to be ahead of their time when their only studio album, Black Monk Time was released in 1966. Their garage-rock sound, with the psychedelic organ sound and Troggs-like beats is definitely a forerunner to proto-punk sounds of the early 70's. I had never heard this album before, but feel I may have heard some of this before or by garage-rock imitators, so this is clearly an influential record. The closest comparison at the time is The Animals, especially with the dominating organ and dirty, rough vocals. Interesting, to say the least. Thanks for making me aware of this hidden gem.
I put this one off for MONTHS because it was so hard to find. I finally got around to listening to “The Early Years” on Apple Music. Why is this music so hard to find? It’s great. It’s fun, it’s angsty, it feels way ahead of its time.
Black Monk Time, by The Monks, is an album that, despite its short duration, stands out as a revolution in the music scene of the time. Released in 1966, it goes beyond simple rock, featuring lyrics that address complex and provocative themes, reflecting a social awareness that was unusual for the genre. The fusion of experimental rhythms and a raw and direct sound reveals the band's audacity in challenging established norms. The songs, full of irony and social criticism, have a lyrical depth that gives the album a prominent place in the history of music, showing that brevity is not always synonymous with superficiality.
This sounds like an album where the making of it made so much fun. Easy lyrics, simple musical concepts but somehow it fits together and I also found it fun to listen to.
This goes hard, actually. A nice little discovery. Gonna listen to it twice.
I can't believe this came out in '66
Although it gets a liiiittle boring because a lot of songs sound the same, this album is a 100% match to my music taste
Great stuff right here. I love the first few tracks with their experimental, unhinged, wild style. Definitely Proto-punk/garage/avant-garde/however you want to describe it. The back half gives a more mainstream garage rock sound, as if the band were either leaning towards more pop-appeal, or were getting "better" with writing and playing, or were pushed in a different direction. It's not as satisfying for me, but it's still pretty solid.
How the hell do you create post-punk in 1965-66, well before punk was even a thing???