I’m hoping all the video clips and the little review I've done get a few people hooked. If not, just do a search on here and find the constant plugging I give them elsewhere on this forum. With The Monks it really only takes one listen.
Safe to say, I nominated The Monks not just to spice up the Hall of Fame thread a little, but because they really were a one off, something quite special and unique, which no one has come close to matching. Combining witty and angry lyrics, with a rhythmic yet jolly angst, their musical endeavour was nothing short of spectacular, taking the tired Beat genre and turning it on its head.
It is not true to say their influence is limited, as just a brief read around on them shows all kinds of weird and wonderful folk loving this band to bits.
I also think its wrong to say that just because they made one album, means automatically that they shouldn’t get a yes vote, if anything with The Monks the lack of output demonstrates why they were so brilliant.
An important measure for me is impact both in the short and long term. The Monks impact in 1966 was none existent, yet 40 years later, some of us on here are labelling them as the best thing to come from the sixties, that’s some amazing word of mouth going on for a band who did bugger all album wise.
For someone like Led Zeppelin, who were commercial successes, it is an easy thing to determine how good and influential they were, but The Monks, who sold next to nothing back in the day are still around, not because of what is easily available to discover, but because of their musical endeavours having immense under the radar sticking power, one album yes, but what an album.
C’mon MB, who’s with me!?
