Monks video from 1966

Save vs. Death uncovered this awesome video of the Monks ("American GIs stationed in Germany in the mid-sixties" -- wiki) performing "Oh, How to Do Now" on a German teen music TV show (circa 1966). Check out the banjo! Link

[#1 posted by brotherclone , June 10, 2008 11:14 AM]

amazing footage - never saw it before. Thanks for posting. Monk Time!

[#2 posted by Bat Guano , June 10, 2008 11:44 AM]

Search for "Monk Chant" from the same show. It's freaking amazing. Like looking back into an alternate history of rock.

[#3 posted by dangerdonkey , June 10, 2008 12:16 PM]

I saw this clip as part of a great documentary on the Monks called "The Transatlantic Feedback" at a special screening at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

I recommend this film to anyone remotely interested in the band.

Unfortunately, according to the film's website, a DVD release has been delayed.

[#4 posted by RWY , June 10, 2008 12:33 PM]

The only album they released (that I know of) Black Monk Time has been rereleased a few times and is still available, it’s a cracker. Some people regard Black Monk Time as the first flash of punk. I’m not sure about that but with fans like Mark E Smith, Ian MacKaye and Henry Rollins you know it has something.

Find out more here http://www.the-monks.com/

[#5 posted by Patchouli Pete , June 10, 2008 3:06 PM]

Jesus Christ! This is amazing. 1966!! I never realised the Fall's Black Monk Theme (parts I & II) were cover versions of this. I guessed it must have been a pretty important piece of music for them to record to separate versions of it on the same album.

[#6 posted by Nollie , June 10, 2008 3:17 PM]

I second Bat Guano, Monk chant is incredible. A friend of mine showed it to me a few months ago, the monks were so ahead of their time.

[#7 posted by scottfree , June 10, 2008 4:46 PM]

wow wow wow wow wow. I read a blurb on them on the guardian website when they did their 1000 albums to listen to thing, and as much as i hate guardian music, they sounded interesting enough to find out more about, but the intarnest let me down. Seemed like they were the sort of act i would listen to once, then save for that occasion which comes up only once in life when the weird music i like is actually appropriate. Well, now I've heard them.

[#8 posted by eyehave1i , June 11, 2008 10:36 AM]

I met Dave Day, the guy singing, and his wife at the Beacon Pub in Seattle a few years ago. He'd come to see his friends son play in a band that was playing there. Both him and his wife were very nice people. He was very talkative, and had mentioned that he was in a band back in the sixties that I'd never heard of. I asked him what band, and when he said "Monks" I nearly fell off my stool. I told him that the first time I heard of Monks was when I was waking up from a nap and a poplular music television channel was on(I won't say which one because I'm still trying to recuperate from all the rot it's inflicted upon my brain). Their short news bit was on and there was this tall looking guy was talking about a band of ex-GIs in Germany who had influenced many current musical types. Some of which I knew and really liked (The Fall). That got stored in the back of my brain until I met Mr. Day. He was very nice, and very humbled that I wanted so much to hear the band he was in but had never had the opportunity to. He said he arrived at the pub early to find out where it was and had to go home to do some things and then come back. I went home to eat. When I came back, he was there again. He said "I have something for you." This time he had a length of rope neatly wrapped at the ends wit black electrical tape and a CD. He told me to please not copy the CD. I was speechless. I thanked him profusely, and he told me that I was a monk. Fortunately, I don't have to worry about the tonsure because all the hair that was where it would have had to have been shaved off had already fallen out. Turns out he lived behind my chiropractor out in Renton. I just learned that he passed away a few months ago. I'll never forget that. Oh what to do now.

[#9 posted by error404 , June 11, 2008 12:49 PM]

that's great!