Talk:The Monks

Latest comment: 1 year ago by FieldMarine in topic Military service info of band members

The Monks and The monks merged edit

I completed the merge of The Monks and The monks. For discussion relating to this prior to the merge, please see Talk:The monks. --David Edgar 15:26, 5 October 2005 (UTC)Reply

Mayor of Turtle River? edit

Is their lead singer really mayor of Turtle River? It was recently reported in City Pages but I can't tell if it was true or just a joke about the cities low population. The Secretary of Funk 23:25, 18 August 2006 (UTC)Reply

Yes he is. I've been in his recording studio in Turtle River - still active recording local musicians.Airproofing (talk) 17:16, 14 July 2008 (UTC)Reply

My edits 13 Oct 2006 edit

I removed the following sentence from the feedback discussion in "The group's sound" because it was redundant without adding significantly to the point:

"I Feel Fine" was first Broadcast by the BBC on November 26, 1964 for the Top Gear Program.

Also, I moved the last paragraph (comparing the Monks to the Fugs and VU) out of the list, because it makes a separate point and is not another "musical norm" abandoned by the group. emw 16:48, 13 October 2006 (UTC)Reply

Cymbals edit

Use of Cymbals:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=UB4KhCG-kHM - cymbals can be clearly seen on the drum kit in this clip. although the crash and ride are not used, they are still on the kit and the hi-hats are being used to keep time. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 212.2.177.4 (talk) 16:11, 10 March 2007 (UTC).Reply

Also, cymbals (including crash cymbals) are very obviously present on the recordings. In fact, the first beat of the first song on Black Monk Time begins with a crash cymbal. Submersible 23:14, 23 May 2007 (UTC)Reply

I agree, I removed this statement. --David Edgar 17:52, 5 July 2007 (UTC)Reply

whim vs. diabolical plan edit

This sentence:

At the beginning of 1965, Dave Day and Roger Johnston, on a whim, got their heads shaved into monks' tonsures. The rest of the band followed their lead, and to complete the image, the band took to wearing a uniform - all black, sometimes in cassocks, with nooses worn as neckties.

stands in opposition to the previous paragraph, and also to large swathes of what's related in the documentary film from 2006. I havn't the superstrong will to correct it right now, but it needs some references; otherwise, we'll have to go with the referenceable version that the entire band concept was the brainchild of the "loopy existentialist visionaries" Walther Niemann and Karl-H.-Remy, which also the version of history supported by a recent article in Der Speigel (in German).

This is interesting and significant because it explains the early demise of the band in 1967 -- the group members actually got sick and tired of the monk spiel that was forced upon them by the loopy existentialist visionaries. Doceddi (talk) 14:16, 25 November 2010 (UTC)Reply

No they didn't influence the Velvet Underground edit

That silly claim came with 3 citations but only one, Len Comaratte, actully said so. This is extremely unlikely. The album was only released in Germany where it didn't sell very well.

Lenbrazil (talk) 23:55, 13 March 2022 (UTC)Reply

GA Review edit

This review is transcluded from Talk:The Monks/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.

Reviewer: Garagepunk66 (talk · contribs) 04:45, 7 August 2016 (UTC)Reply


I will be reviewing this article.   This process may take 7 days. Garagepunk66 (talk) 04:56, 7 August 2016 (UTC)Reply


Below is a check-off list of items in the GA criteria which will be addreesed:

  • 1) It is reasonably well written:  Y OK
  • 2) Verifiable and factually accurate :*1) It is reasonably well written:  Y OK
  • 3) Broad in its coverage:  Y OK
  • 4) Neutral in tone and point of view:  Y OK
  • 5) It is stable.  Y OK
  • No edit wars, etc.:  Y OK
  • 6) It is illustrated by images and other media, where possible and appropriate.  Y OK
  • a) (images are tagged and non-free content have Fair use rationales)  Y OK
  • b) Appropriate use with suitable captions:  Y OK
  • c) Tagged w/ copyright or valid use descriptions:  Y OK
  • d) Images relevant to topic:  Y OK
  • 7) Overall:  Y OK
  • 3) Broad in its coverage:  Y OK
  • 4) Neutral in tone and point of view:  Y OK
  • 5) It is stable.  Y OK
  • No edit wars, etc.:  Y OK
  • 6) It is illustrated by images and other media, where possible and appropriate.  Y OK
  • a) (images are tagged and non-free content have Fair use rationales)  Y OK
  • b) Appropriate use with suitable captions:  Y OK
  • c) Tagged w/ copyright or valid use descriptions:  Y OK
  • d) Images relevant to topic:  Y OK
  • 7) Overall:  Y Excellent Quality
  • Pass/Fail:  Y Passes GA

Is there a way we can get a source that mentions the name, "The Rhythm Rockers" for Burger and Day's duo. Ugly Things and "Holy Rockers" mention their duo, but the name "Rhythm Rockers" is not mentioned in either source. I there a way we can get a source? I'm guessing it is Shaw's book. Do we have a page? Garagepunk66 (talk) 01:29, 15 August 2016 (UTC)Reply

Also, we could pin down the source that mentions manager talent Hans Reich. I have a feeling it is mentioned in the CD liner notes or in Shaw's book. Garagepunk66 (talk) 02:06, 15 August 2016 (UTC)Reply
Done, and The Early Years CD booklet does cover Hans Reich which is why it is used to source that detail.TheGracefulSlick (talk) 12:29, 15 August 2016 (UTC)Reply
  •   Fixed Good. I also think I identified the source for "Rhythm Rockers", so I put it in, but correct me if I'm wrong. Garagepunk66 (talk) 02:46, 16 August 2016 (UTC)Reply


Final comment: The article looks really good. It is accurate, informative, and broad in scope. It is neutral and objective and cites a wide range of reliable sources. I can now certify that the article meets all of the criteria for GA. Pass. Garagepunk66 (talk) 01:37, 17 August 2016 (UTC)Reply

Use of feedback edit

The claim by Stax, Stoltz, and Comaratte that the deliberate use of acoustic feedback in music was "invented" by The Monks (where all sources can only go as far as pointing towards their debut album recorded in late 1965 as any tangible "proof", and only, by means of an audacious stretch of speculation, to their early 1965 rehearsals at the Bar Rio) should be amended by the simple fact that a.) feedback had been used in classical music recordings since the early 1960s by Robert Ashley, and b.) as early as 1964 on popular music chart-topper I Feel Fine by The Beatles.

Both points used to be part of this article in the past when it used to be much shorter and already claimed that feedback had been "invented" by The Monks, but point a.) was removed by arguing that The Monks had nothing to do with classical music, and point b.) was removed by claiming that The Monks were in West Germany at the time and thus supposedly wouldn't have any clue as to what The Beatles were putting out, as well as by deliberately and consistently throughout the then-article dating The Monks's debut album one year back and I feel fine one year forward, such as that the person that removed it claimed that Black Monk Time woulda actually been released "way earlier" than I feel fine. --2003:71:4E6A:B463:E461:79B2:5C3B:DF32 (talk) 21:50, 11 October 2016 (UTC)Reply


Actually only Comaratte (who?) said that. I removed that as obviously untrue, In one of the cited sources Burger acknowledged being influenced by the Who and Pretty Things. Lenbrazil (talk) 23:51, 13 March 2022 (UTC)Reply

Military service info of band members edit

Roger Wayne Johnston was a specialist 4th class in the army. Not sure about the others. Semper Fi! FieldMarine (talk) 14:38, 19 December 2022 (UTC)Reply

I feel like adding that information for the individual members would be WP:UNDUE, since they are notable as musicians, not for their military careers. Beeblebrox (talk) 17:54, 19 December 2022 (UTC)Reply
The fact they were all serving in the military when they met and formed the band is fairly unique. More details on how this came about would add to the article. It appears that it did influence the band and selection of the members. Semper Fi! FieldMarine (talk) 21:31, 19 December 2022 (UTC)Reply