Dubbed the "Anti-Beatles," the Monks were formed in 1964 by five American G.I.'s stationed in Germany. 1966 saw the release of Black Monk Time followed by a quick slip into obscurity, their garage-psych-punk and chant call and response vocals remembered mostly by obsessive collector weirdos. Luckily, most of those weirdos started bands of their own. And the 35-page liner notes that accompany this lovingly crafted reissue include a few kind words from said weirdos, including Colin Greenwood, Iggy Pop and Jay Reatard. An extensive essay detailing the band's history, rare photos and complete lyrics round out the package. Essential rarity "Monk Chant," missing on several previous reissues, and five other bonuses make 2009 the best time to discover one of the most underappreciated bands of the 1960s.
