http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44208&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rssCited as forerunners of both punk and Krautrock, the Monks were a five-piece garage band made up of GIs stationed in Germany in the 1960s. With tribal drumbeats and unheard levels of abrasiveness and aggression, they stood far apart from arguably every other person playing rock 'n' roll music at the time, undoubtedly contributing to almost total obscurity until the re-issue of their first album, <i>Black Monk Time</i>, in 1994. Songs "I Hate You" and "Shut Up," delivered with a pronounced absurdism, were still light-years ahead of the pack in terms of open hostility. Like a punk-rock version of the Fugs or a way more far-out Troggs, the Monks' music was idiot simple and robotically repetitive, presaging the Fall, the Stooges -- pretty much everybody. They are also legendary for the fact that all the members shaved their heads into monk tonsures, wore black cassocks and nooses around their necks onstage, and had an amplified and almost unbearably tinny banjo instead of a rhythm guitar. They never enjoyed anything close to commercial success, but judging from the fact that they were rhyming the words "complication" and "constipation" in 1964, money and fame were not the object. - Mike McGuirkGarage Rock Pioneersen720Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:39:41 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44208&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Cited as forerunners of both punk and Krautrock, the Monks were a five-piece garage band made up of GIs stationed in Germany in the 1960s. With tribal drumbeats and unheard levels of abrasiveness and aggression, they stood far apart from arguably every other person playing rock 'n' roll music at the time, undoubtedly contributing to almost total obscurity until the re-issue of their first album, <i>Black Monk Time</i>, in 1994. Songs "I Hate You" and "Shut Up," delivered with a pronounced absurdism, were still light-years ahead of the pack in terms of open hostility. Like a punk-rock version of the Fugs or a way more far-out Troggs, the Monks' music was idiot simple and robotically repetitive, presaging the Fall, the Stooges -- pretty much everybody. They are also legendary for the fact that all the members shaved their heads into monk tonsures, wore black cassocks and nooses around their necks onstage, and had an amplified and almost unbearably tinny banjo instead of a rhythm guitar. They never enjoyed anything close to commercial success, but judging from the fact that they were rhyming the words "complication" and "constipation" in 1964, money and fame were not the object. - Mike McGuirk http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568329&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568329 tra.20568329 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Monk Time tra.20568329 166000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568329&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568329&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568333&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568333 tra.20568333 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true I Hate You tra.20568333 215000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568333&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568333&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568330&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568330 tra.20568330 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Shut Up tra.20568330 195000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568330&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568330&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568332&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568332 tra.20568332 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Higgle-dy Piggle-dy tra.20568332 151000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568332&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568332&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568331&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568331 tra.20568331 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Boys Are Boys and Girls Are Choice tra.20568331 86000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568331&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568331&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568335&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568335 tra.20568335 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Complications tra.20568335 144000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568335&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568335&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568334&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568334 tra.20568334 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Oh How To Do Now tra.20568334 198000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568334&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568334&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568337&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568337 tra.20568337 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Drunken Maria tra.20568337 107000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568337&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568337&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568343&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568343 tra.20568343 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Monk Chant tra.20568343 118000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568343&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568343&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568341&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568341 tra.20568341 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true I Can't Get Over You tra.20568341 164000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568341&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568341&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568340&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568340 tra.20568340 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true That's My Girl tra.20568340 147000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568340&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568340&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568342&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568342 tra.20568342 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Cuckoo tra.20568342 164000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568342&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568342&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568338&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568338 tra.20568338 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Love Came Tumbling Down tra.20568338 151000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568338&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568338&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2096003&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Sat, 1 Jan 1966 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 2096003 tra.2096003 The Monks art.44208 0.0 Black Monk Time alb.322238 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/8/7/5/385784_170x170.jpg 1996-01-01 00:00:00.0 1966-01-01 00:00:00.0 false Monk Time tra.2096003 166000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2096003&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.2096003&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568339&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568339 tra.20568339 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true Blast Off tra.20568339 136000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568339&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568339&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568336&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss Garage Rock Pioneers Tue, 12 Oct 2004 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by The Monks on Rhapsody Online 20568336 tra.20568336 The Monks art.44208 0.99 Monk Time alb.20557451 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/1/8/6/1226816_170x170.jpg 2008-04-22 00:00:00.0 2004-10-12 00:00:00.0 true We Do, Wie Du tra.20568336 133000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568336&variant=play&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.20568336&variant=data&rws=%2Fthe-monks%2Ftop-tracks.rss