Remaining with the theme of satire and parody in popular music, The Monks were an English punk band formed in the 1970s by former members of Strawbs – Richard Hudson, John Ford and Terry Cassidy, along with Clive Pearce (drums). Their debut album, Bad Habits, a spoof of punk rock released in 1979, then re-released on 28 December 1999, had a very successful run in Canada and the UK, where the single “Nice Legs Shame About Your Face” reached number 19 on the UK Singles Chart.
Notice the superb acting and musicianship on the second video. What incredible lip syncing abilities. I am awed.
Thinga-mah-ding! Thinga-mah-Quongo!
I prefer these Monks:
http://www.the-monks.com/
The original Monks always reminded me of 1/3 Captain Beefheart, 1/3 MC5, and 1/3 The Stooges. What about you, Matt?
“CONSTIPATION!”
Wild Women of Wongo.
How does their song go?
Make a me want mo, (Wild Women!)
Wongo.
No man can say no.
Wild Women of Wongo.
How does their song go?
Thinga-mah-ding! Thinga-mah-Quongo!
Thinga-mah-ding! Thinga-mah-Quongo!
“Stacked and berserk
they tower and flail all about.
Wailing sounds in tongues only ancient
insects would understand or figure out.
Wild, willing, wenches; strutting and
struggling, as they yank hanks of hair,
rooting and rutting in heat,
as the earth heaves beneath their feet.
And so on and on the lores of Wongo go,
throughout the sands of time.
Singing their song of love, so rare,
To only the chosen ones who dare.
The course of events, time after time.
The tradition remains the same.
A bloodcurdling scream, one of pure
ecstasy, rings out; then it came —
The ultimate sacrifice.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ac81KL9Ve_E
And speaking about the ultimate sacrifice: Can you introduce me to the nun on The Monks cover of “Bad Habits”, urbangraffito? Isn´t this the ultimate dream of every catholic schoolboy?
So again, Gruppo Sportivo, The Tubes, The Monks and many others offer musical sartire. But to me, “Joe´s Garage” (for a strong example) is somehow the Olymp of sartire. I still like it very much.
When it was first released, I was the first one among our “clanlike” friends who had a copy and we met at a friends place, who had a very good stereo recordplayer (cerosin fueled). We opened a couple of beers and listened to it again and again. The cover was put on a shelf and two candles were lit to the left and right of it. Our shrine.
It was one of those magic nights, which one wishes it would never end and FZ gave the soundtrack to it. I´m getting sentimental now.
Indeed, Roland, Joe’s Garage is certainly the Mount Olympus of Frank Zappa’s musical satire: he pulled out all the stops when he produced that satirical masterpiece (imo). Everything from his early Catholic upbringing, to all those church oriented activities I, too, recall being encouraged by countless nuns and priests to attend, to those paranoia and hysteria filled health and sexuality related short films the educational system tried to pass off as information, were to be found on that album. It’s truly the quintessential Zappa album.
If you think about it, Gruppo Sportivo, The Tubes, The Monks, Oingo Boingo, and many others owed a great debt to Frank Zappa in general, and to “Joe’s Garage” in particular. I recall playing that record so much that my poor, dear, mother began reciting the lyrics unconsciously while at work:
Speaking of the model in the nun’s habit on the cover of The Monk’s ‘Bad Habits’, I figure she must be in her late 50s or early 60s by now.
Still interested? Then again, if you’re anything like me, it’s all about the habit.
Such naughty, naughty boys we Catholics…
Yes, naughty catholic boys. So sorry, that I´m a protestant, but I am not religious at all – so no fear of hellfire or anything like these threats coming from the big book.
Anyway, I certainly agree with your description above, urbangraffito. A well excecuted little opera, with brilliant guitar solos on it – the formerly named “Toad-o-line”, for example – and catchy lyrics (“… with a tongue like a cow …”), too.
Recently I bought a very good copy of “Joe´s Garage Pt. 1” secondhand (for just 12 EUR) – because my first copy had nothing left on the vinyl. So here you can see, how strong the bond still is.
[quote comment=”4569″]”CONSTIPATION!”[/quote]
try some fiber…
I’ve never heard of The Monks (old/new), but I’ve heard of Strawbs thanks to Rick Wakeman’s involvement. Nice legs, shame about face. Ha! Well you can’t have everything! As far as the next video, I think I can suggest what he can do with what’s in his pocket. Basically, put them in my pocket. 🙂
As a reformed catholic school boy, I really dig the Bad Habit album cover. Of course if any of the nuns from my old school dressed like that you’d want to throw up.
Roland, I had a similar experience with my friends when Joe’s Garage first came out. At 16, that album had everything a teenager could ask for in a piece of music. The raunch & guitar solos pulled me in and the rest of Frank’s vast catalog has kept me happily busy over the years.
I remember being in tenth grade (fall 2002 – some 23 years late…) and laughing so hard at “Stick It Out” when it got to the English verse. I was just completely caught off guard.
I also remember being struck by how beautifully done the music was – contrasting to the fairly crude (but brilliant) lyrics. It became one of those albums I had to listen to with headphones for fear my mom would hear “FUCK ME, YOU UGLY SON OF A BITCH” blaring out of my room.
And Al X: I take two fiber caplets daily. Keeps me regular, real good for ya.
[quote comment=”4589″]I remember being in tenth grade (fall 2002)[/quote]
Bob wishes he could remember back that far. He barely remembers his last pudding cup.
[quote comment=”4589″]I remember being in tenth grade (fall 2002 – some 23 years late…) and laughing so hard at “Stick It Out” when it got to the English verse. I was just completely caught off guard.
I also remember being struck by how beautifully done the music was – contrasting to the fairly crude (but brilliant) lyrics. It became one of those albums I had to listen to with headphones for fear my mom would hear “FUCK ME, YOU UGLY SON OF A BITCH” blaring out of my room.
And Al X: I take two fiber caplets daily. Keeps me regular, real good for ya.[/quote]
Ah, Alex, my tenth grade and the release of Joe’s Garage Act I coincided in 1979 (a seminal year, indeed). It was the first time I actually noticed FZ getting any regular airplay in the city I lived in, and non Zappa freaks buying the album.