“It’s Monk time!” Formed in the mid–60s by five American GIs stationed in Germany, the Monks was a short–lived, ahead–of–its–time conceptual art piece masquerading as a pop group. Heavy on feedback, nihilism and electric banjo, they were billed as the “anti–Beatles” and sported black robes and Franciscan monk haircuts. The group made a splash on German TV, recorded one album and shared the stage with Jimi Hendrix before falling apart and into obscurity. It wasn’t until decades later that their album “Black Monk Time” was re–discovered and hailed as an unsung masterpiece and early presage of punk rock. Trans–Atlantic Feedback tracks the Monks’ unusual story and celebrates their idiosyncratic brilliance and impact on modern music. The film unearths great archival footage, reunites the five band members (including Dave Day from the Seattle area who passed away this January) and interviews such fans as Joachim Irmler of Faust, Genesis P–Orridge of Psychic TV and Throbbing Gristle, and Jon Spencer.
“Wonderful…a long overdue history lesson.” –Rolling Stone
"Who were the Monks, you wonder? If pop trends had favored avant-garde innovation over the British Invasion, you probably wouldn't have to ask...They never got rich, but as this film attests, the Monks have achieved rock immortality." -Seattle Times
MONKS Deluxe Reissues are coming soon from Light In The Attic Records!
Available Spring 2009 www.lightintheattic.net
