Black Monk Time: The Bizarre GI Band That Shocked 1960s Germany
In mid-1960s Germany, five American GIs created a sound that sparked riots, tear gas, and onstage assaults. This is the wild story of The Monks and “Black Monk Time.” We’ll chronicle their beginnings as The Torquays, look at how they got their sound, and dig into the history of their lone album, as well as their enduring legacy.
👉 Subscribe for More Videos: https://youtube.com/c/AndyFenstermaker/?sub_confirmation=1
✉️ Read the transcript & hear the music on the Poetic Wax Substack: https://poeticwax.substack.com
WATCH NEXT:
✓ The Seeds’ Wild Ride from LA Garages to a Mafia Showdown: https://youtu.be/6F9dYqi-gl0
✓ Do The Sonics Sound Great Or Terrible? https://youtu.be/puXwEotvkDM
✓ Yes, David Bowie Still Matters: https://youtu.be/RaHTvrjeIjU
🎥 Poetic Wax Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLylroYWVYWWXL84MH1T4Qr0wrRzjwlGMR
Poetic Wax is hosted by Andy Fenstermaker.
CHAPTERS:
0:00 The Story of The Monks
1:04 Who Were The Monks?
3:31 Monks Form in Postwar Germany (as The Torquays)
6:22 The Sound of The Titanic Scraping Along an Iceberg
8:38 Transforming into The Monks
12:34 Recording Black Monk Time
14:24 Tours, Encounters, and Struggles
18:22 Reunions and the Enduring Legacy of The Monks
#monks #blackmonktime #themonks #60sgaragerock #garagerock #protopunk #earlypunk #60srock #60smusic #vinylcommunity #vinylrecords #vinylcollection #andyfenstermaker #fensepost #vinylchannel #poeticwax #musicessay #musicstory #albumstory #musichistory #albumhistory #musicdocumentary
@AgentUgly-i3g
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Eddie Shaw's book Black Monk Time is a great read.
Also, Check out Thee Nuns – London based female Monks tribute band who were fully endorsed by The Monks.
We Are All Monks.
@iainneville7137
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I first came across the Monks when the HMV shops in the UK stocked up with all manner of recordings under the banner "1001 albums you must hear before you die". A friend of mine held up the Black Monk Time cd and said this is one that I should be checking out. He was absolutely right! Its a stunning collection of vicious firey tracks that rival anything from the mid sixties US garage era. The fact that these guys were relatively segregated from that scene, being based in Germany makes it all the more perplexing that they could come up with a sound that is one of its finest examples! I could never afford an original 60's pressing of the record sadly but I did treat myself to a limited edition white vinyl 2lp set which also contains the singles and a few other things that wern't on the album. Black Monk Time stands as one of the most essential 1960's recordings. Thank you very much for giving us such an excellent insight into the band's history.
@tinoduran4557
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Their song I hate you is fantastic
@jvs333
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Larry Clark might have been the inspiration to Ray Manzarek. I see a lot of what may have influenced to the doors
@karltite128
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Fantastic outfit. Delightful insanity.
@MadderMel
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Is " Black monk theme "
By
The Fall
About this band ?
@billlowe70
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I like how "Mad vietcong" was added "for balance" like " I don't like all this anti-warcrime stuff, it makes US murders sound bad – can we add some racism, you know, for balance?"
@goldtown6747
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Being German and knowing the Monks since the Mid-1980s from their gig in the famous German tv show "Beat Club" and the later documentary about them, I am still wondering how they could emerge in the West Germany of the 1960s.
@escapadesrpg
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Wtffffffffffffffff
@VictorSir-k2f
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I am curious, how many of the band were jews or the managers?
@zacharycunningham1789
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
“I Hate You” is a masterpiece! These dudes and Music Machine are some of the unsung pre-proto-punk icons that ushered in bands like MC5, Stooges, New York Dolls, and the Panther Burn.
@TheLemon333
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Nicely written. Good job!
@tymime
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Wonder how closely their discovery of feedback coincided with The Beatles' "I Feel Fine"
@bobar57
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Tor key
@NOVOHARAX
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I'll be 60 soon, I was born in Hanover, and when I was a child, my father played me absolutely everything related to music.
But I'd never heard of "Black Monk Times" before!
Thanks for that🫶
@chelg
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Torquays is pronounced “Tor-kees”
@Franko-g3r4j
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I have the album. I am Garage aficionado, but this record surprised even me
@JeffPDX
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Gary Burger was from Northern Minnesota, not North Dakota. More interesting is that he became the Mayor of Turtle River, Minnesota, running on the platform of 'No Walmart'. He played 'Monks' shows with Minneapolis musicians (Kinda Kinky) until his death. Super guy.
@BubuDaFu
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Then they became the A Team
@ConnerFields-p7w
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Josey Records is my local record store.
@UberLummox
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Oh hell yeah. Great to learn more about them. Thanks!
@rocknrollschool6099
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
There's a garage band called The Apostles, I think they were from Massachusetts. They recorded an LP in 1965 with several covers and an original ballad called "Cath". If you know anything about the band, it would be cool to make a mini-documentary about them. I'm from Brazil, Minas Gerais state, a collector, and a huge fan of garage and obscure bands from the 50s and 60s. Greetings, thank you.
@rocknrollschool6099
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
existe uma banda de garagem chamada the apostles , me parecem que eram de massachussets, gravaram um lp em 1965 com diversos covers e uma balada original chamada cath, se voce souber alguma coisa sobre a banda ,seria legal fazer um mini documentário sobre, sou do BRASIL ,ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS , COLECIONADOR ,super fã de bandas de garagem e obscuras dos anos 50 e 60, saudações ,obrigado.
@jArgonauticon
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Turning people onto the Monks is one of my favorite things to do.
@DuanTorruellas-i1t
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
You got a love a band of monks starting riots and fighting. Makes me wanna get a pint 👍
@garybungo2949
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I always thought Nick cave and the bad seeds took a lot from the monks. Particularly their backing vocals
@kirbyd
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
its not a forgotten album .
@mndandy
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Gary was from Bemidji, Minnesota later becoming long time mayor of Turtle River, about ten miles up the road .
@DetroitMicroSound
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Sometimes people think they know everything. It's annoying, tbh. To follow in the tradition of punks every-fucking-where, STFU and let us hear the fkng music. WAY TOO MANY FLOWERY WORDS, AND NOT ENOUGH MUSIC……
@ElFlaccoBlanco
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Holy crap! I was AT that 1999 Westbeth show in NYC!! Jesus, I wish the clock could be turned back to those days. Shit really went downhill after that…🥺😔🙏🫡
@markadams8041
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Henry Rollins promoted this band in the 1990s what ever generation you find yourself in. You might know something that no one else knows. He also showed our beautiful planet the block party band Trouble Funk, out of DC.
@davidhatred1312
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
lebowski was my route into the monks! thanks joel and ethan!
@davidhatred1312
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
'i cant get over you' is one of the best tracks ever, the bass is so bubbly and beautifully juxtaposed against the desperate lyrics.
the first time i heard the monks i listened to 'i hate you ' on repeat through headphones until my ears hurt. love them.
@noj78
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Great overview of a great band! So fun, so weird, and so ahead of their time! Great work, and Josey Records rox!
@shaunfletcher6914
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Thank you VERY MUCH for this!!
The Monks have always been a “if you know then you know(otherwise I’m happy to keep
This to myself) music for me. I’m knew the story of the members pretty much(one of them coming from my
State originally)
Well done
@gwugluud
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Great band. Their story is pretty unique; four Americans from very different places in the country, who met and formed their band in Germany. And what other “garage rock / Brit Invasion (influenced)” band have a banjo player? I bought a banjo because of them!
@FrederickFredStark
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Saw one of the reunion shows mid 90s. Bless Henry for the reissue.
@MultiPetercool
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Where Bow-Wow-Wow and Adam and the Ants got their drom sound.
@JoelPerri7777
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
I think I heard these guys on one of the Nuggets boxed sets. Got that back in the mid 90s, gave me my love of the underground garage rock, and how I’m able to recognize the album covers in the beginning of your videos (count five, the seeds web of sounds album, etc) good stuff dude
@TheMerseySound1
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
20:18 ‘Boys Are Boys’ was also used in an Apple ad
@mattskustomkreations
June 4, 2026 at 8:59 am
Wild that they went as far as wearing tonsures.
Comments are closed.