Monks demo tapes 1965

Untitled

monks demo tapes 1965 is a pro studio recording that preceeded the album "black monk time". Here you can find earlier versions of most the album best songs. In this record there are also included two tracks of The Five Torquays (The Monks before running into their managers, changing names and shaving their heads), and one track of the Monks Tribute record silver monk time, Monk Hop by Jason Forrest.

Styles, concepts and reviews

monks demo tapes 1965 was recorded in September of 1965 at Tonstudio Bauer in Ludwigsburg (Germany).

"In the early sixties West Germany became the Mecca of “beat music”. Bands could play 7 nights a week for 6-8 hours every night, not only in Hamburg but also all over Germany. Since October 1964 in the midst of this new youth movement, five former American GIs had been touring Southern Germany for several months as the Five Torquays. In February of 1965 Gary Burger, Larry Clark, Dave Day, Roger Johnston and Eddie Shaw changed their all American music set list because German kids longed for the new British music. Around the same time they realized that if you want to be famous you have to write your own songs and consequently released their first single in April of 1965 containing two original compositions (both on this record). It is during the monthly engagement at the Rio Bar in Stuttgart in June of 1965 that the Five Torquays meet their future managers, Karl-Heinz Remy and Walther Niemann.

Karl-Heinz Remy and Walther Niemann were two radical intellectuals, former students at the groundbreaking universities “Hochschule für Gestaltung Ulm” and “Folkwang Schule Essen”. For quite a while they had been looking for a rock and roll band to work with. With the monks the intention was to reinvent rock and roll from scratch. In the months between June and August of 1965 the Five Torquays are still performing every night in Stuttgart (Rio Bar), Heidelberg (Odeon Keller), and Heilbronn (Regina Bar). During the day Remy and Niemann join the band's rehearsals. In September of 1965 the Five Torquays again are booked into the Rio Bar in Stuttgart. For the recording of the monks demo tapes they take one day off and travel to the nearby Bauer Studios in Ludwigsburg.

In October of 1965 Philips would reject the monks. Polydor instead accepted the proposal. Young Polydor producer Jimmy Bowien, who had made himself a name through his work with left-wing songwriter Franz Josef Degenhardt, was delighted by the monks."

(taken from the liner notes to the record)

The Record Collector writes: "A landmark release. Year zero rewinds to 1965.".

The Wire (magazine) says: “As an introduction to The Monks’ psychotic big beat, these demos are essential.”

The artwork to monks demo tapes 1965 was created by filmmaker Lucia Palacios who with her partner Dietmar Post directed and produced the award-winning documentary film monks - the transatlantic feedback.

Track list

First release 2007 CD/LP

Side A

1. monk time (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
2. love came tumblin' down (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
3. boys are boys (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
4. space age (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
5. we do wie du (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
6. i hate you (The Monks) (Sept 1965)

Side B

1. pretty suzanne (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
2. higgle-dy-piggle-dy (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
3. hushie pushie (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
4. oh-how to do now (The Monks) (Sept 1965)
5. there she walks (The Five Torquays) (April 1965)
6. boys are boys (The Five Torquays) (April 1965)
7. monk hop (Jason Forrest) (Re-mix 2006 for silver monk time - a tribute to the monks)

External links

• monks demo tapes 1965 Official Site for monks demo tapes 1965