Principia Discordia

Principia Discordia => Apple Talk => Topic started by: GrannySmith on October 16, 2010, 07:03:45 AM

Title: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: GrannySmith on October 16, 2010, 07:03:45 AM
Hi,
I'm talking about the 60s revolutionary band, the Monks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_monks (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_monks)). Comprised of 5 american former soldiers left back in Germany in the mid 60s, their philosophy was constructed by "a pair of loopy existentialist visionaries". Apart from being the fathers of punk, techno, etc., they influenced later bands like the Beastie Boys, Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, The White Stripes, etc..

So if you listen to their only album, "black monk time" it is I think a collection of very discordian songs. Take for example "higgledy piggledy" (http://www.myspace.com/music/the-monks-6801749/songs/higgledypiggledy-2949587 (http://www.myspace.com/music/the-monks-6801749/songs/higgledypiggledy-2949587)). Higgledy Piggledy in English means 'in confusion or disorder', and the only other lyrics of this song are "Way down, to heaven, yeah!". And Principia Discordia's heaven is down.

So my question is rather technical: does anybody have information to the discordian nature of the Monks? I mean, is it accidental or were their "designers" discordians or what?

merci, granny smith

Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 07:56:20 AM
THE MONKS

          definitely benefitted, as an act, by the production leads of Niemann & Remy - for both their sound and image. Given the time frame, it would be impossible to pick this Lp up and not have it impact you in some way, especially if one were a musician/ artist at the time. I find their lyrics are deliberately all over, and the nature of the dactyl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_dactyl) as a contemporary (poetic) art influence is indicative of their radical yet contemporary content mix. The 'Monks' were designed to be an alternative. Giving them the labels of 'fathers' of anything really, is absolutely stretching their influence, i think.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 08:22:00 AM
Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 07:56:20 AM
THE MONKS

          definitely benefitted, as an act, by the production leads of Niemann & Remy - for both their sound and image. Given the time frame, it would be impossible to pick this Lp up and not have it impact you in some way, especially if one were a musician/ artist at the time. I find their lyrics are deliberately all over, and the nature of the dactyl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_dactyl) as a contemporary (poetic) art influence is indicative of their radical yet contemporary content mix. The 'Monks' were designed to be an alternative. Giving them the labels of 'fathers' of anything really, is absolutely stretching their influence, i think.

&

          re; tha P.D. -were there German spags in 1963?
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: the last yatto on October 16, 2010, 10:55:01 AM
:mittens: never heard of em

My brother tells me the Monkeys were the Hanna Montana of their day, grinning I tell him rockin in the ussa isn't that bad of a song
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Nephew Twiddleton on October 17, 2010, 12:00:55 AM
Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 08:22:00 AM
Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 07:56:20 AM
THE MONKS

          definitely benefitted, as an act, by the production leads of Niemann & Remy - for both their sound and image. Given the time frame, it would be impossible to pick this Lp up and not have it impact you in some way, especially if one were a musician/ artist at the time. I find their lyrics are deliberately all over, and the nature of the dactyl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_dactyl) as a contemporary (poetic) art influence is indicative of their radical yet contemporary content mix. The 'Monks' were designed to be an alternative. Giving them the labels of 'fathers' of anything really, is absolutely stretching their influence, i think.

&

          re; tha P.D. -were there German spags in 1963?

They were from the US and formed over in Germany, so I suppose it's possible. I guess one would have to find out if it were possible, like if they knew a guy who knew a guy who knew Kerry Thornley.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Nephew Twiddleton on October 17, 2010, 12:11:44 AM
Quote from: Pēleus on October 16, 2010, 10:55:01 AM
:mittens: never heard of em

My brother tells me the Monkeys were the Hanna Montana of their day, grinning I tell him rockin in the ussa isn't that bad of a song

I heard about them in my Rock and Roll history class last semester, checked some of their songs out cuz they sounded interesting, especially being a rock band that used the banjo.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: E.O.T. on October 17, 2010, 12:58:57 AM
Quote from: Doktor Blight on October 17, 2010, 12:00:55 AM
Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 08:22:00 AM
Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 07:56:20 AM
THE MONKS

          definitely benefitted, as an act, by the production leads of Niemann & Remy - for both their sound and image. Given the time frame, it would be impossible to pick this Lp up and not have it impact you in some way, especially if one were a musician/ artist at the time. I find their lyrics are deliberately all over, and the nature of the dactyl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_dactyl) as a contemporary (poetic) art influence is indicative of their radical yet contemporary content mix. The 'Monks' were designed to be an alternative. Giving them the labels of 'fathers' of anything really, is absolutely stretching their influence, i think.

&

          re; tha P.D. -were there German spags in 1963?

They were from the US and formed over in Germany, so I suppose it's possible. I guess one would have to find out if it were possible, like if they knew a guy who knew a guy who knew Kerry Thornley.

I GET IT

          but it was their producers which whupped together the bands schtick, so i'm leaning more towards the probability that if there was an actual p.d. influence, it came from those two.

A MORE

          likely explanation is that similar elements in culture brought about both the p.d. and the art/ politics which were the environment that the 'monks' were a response to.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Iason Ouabache on October 17, 2010, 12:49:25 PM
"Songs Similar to HiggleDyPiggleDy":

"Kick Out the Jams" by MC5.   :fnord:
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: BadBeast on October 17, 2010, 02:35:42 PM
Quote from: Iason Ouabache on October 17, 2010, 12:49:25 PM
"Songs Similar to HiggleDyPiggleDy":

"Kick Out the Jams" by MC5.   :fnord:
I was just gonna say that. Maybe there were connections in both their production team and/or management. Or it might just be Lady Eris messing with everyones heads.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: the last yatto on October 18, 2010, 12:37:40 AM
HodgeDyPodgeDy :fnord:
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Cramulus on October 19, 2010, 04:31:47 AM
SWEET MERCIFUL FUCK
             \
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb163/wompcabal/forum/horrormirth1-1.gif)




DOUBLE DACTYLS
             \
(http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb163/wompcabal/forum/horrormirth1-1.gif)




(ALL THE WAY)
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 04:55:40 AM
How do you define a "discordian band"?
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Eater of Clowns on October 19, 2010, 04:58:49 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 04:55:40 AM
How do you define a "discordian band"?

It has five members, all of which think they're the front man, and none of them can stop arguing long enough to make any music.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 05:00:12 AM
Quote from: Eater of Clowns on October 19, 2010, 04:58:49 AM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 04:55:40 AM
How do you define a "discordian band"?

It has five members, all of which think they're the front man, and none of them can stop arguing long enough to make any music.

And they hate each other for shit that happened in 2004.   :lulz:
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: BadBeast on October 19, 2010, 12:04:14 PM
Quote from: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 04:55:40 AM
How do you define a "discordian band"?
And the latest headlines, from our Newsteams around the world,  "Discordian Band from Mystickwicks for questioning Mod decision"
(http://i748.photobucket.com/albums/xx128/ChuckFukmuk/ASSORTED/mwbanned.jpg)
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Triple Zero on October 20, 2010, 03:22:28 PM
Quote from: GrannySmith on October 16, 2010, 07:03:45 AM
Comprised of 5 american former soldiers left back in Germany in the mid 60s, their philosophy was constructed by "a pair of loopy existentialist visionaries". Apart from being the fathers of punk, techno, etc., they

Um. Kraftwerk.

Otherwise, cool i'll check them out.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: LMNO on October 20, 2010, 06:12:47 PM
There was a documentary on Sundance channel about them a while back.

No direct link to Discordia.  

Also, their approach was very UNLIKE Discordia circa 1960.  Remember, RAW etc were optimistic futurists who believed in the power of positive thinking.

The Monks were singing, "I hate you, because you make me hate you (but call me)."

If anything, they're a PD.com 2010 Discordian band... but they'd probably punch Thornley in the throat if they ever met.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Dalek on October 20, 2010, 10:48:53 PM
So the whole thread is another proof of the law of fives.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: Nephew Twiddleton on October 20, 2010, 11:09:45 PM
Quote from: Dalekk on October 20, 2010, 10:48:53 PM
So the whole thread is another proof of the law of fives.

I feel the need to refer you to my ex-roommate black Taoist friend right now but I can't remember why.

-Twid,
Drinking to take the edge off
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: GrannySmith on October 28, 2010, 01:13:46 AM
Hi again, like i always am, a late reply:

Quote from: E.O.T. on October 16, 2010, 07:56:20 AM
THE MONKS
The 'Monks' were designed to be an alternative. Giving them the labels of 'fathers' of anything really, is absolutely stretching their influence, i think.

Well, that's your opinion, I just can't get over it, for example, the beat when "oh how to do now" ends, or the psychedelia in the middle part of "love can tame the wild" :)


Quote from: Doktor Howl on October 19, 2010, 04:55:40 AM
How do you define a "discordian band"?

well, obviously, as the principia says, being discordian has no definition... but i mean, the style of the music, being ordered by a steady, repetitive beat, and at the same time being disordered and messed up. Also the lyrics! Definitely not taking themselves too seriously, plus the "higgledypiggledy" direct reference.



Quote from: Cramulus on October 19, 2010, 04:31:47 AM
SWEET MERCIFUL FUCK
             DOUBLE DACTYLS
             (ALL THE WAY)

yeaaaah



Anyway, to sum up, it's either the influence of the time they came together, or their creators were somehow influenced by the principia... (they knew a guy who knew a guy...)
I go for the second one, it's more fun :)

Granny Smith
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: LMNO on October 28, 2010, 05:23:24 AM
NO COPYRIGHT ON ANTI-MAINSTREAM. MINIMALISM AND ICONOCLASM IN WEST GERMANY =\= DISCORDIAN INFLUENCE.


I like the Monks, a lot. But you're fully entrenched in the Law of Fives right now.
Title: Re: The Monks: a discordian band?
Post by: GrannySmith on October 28, 2010, 05:32:18 PM
Quote from: LMNO, PhD on October 28, 2010, 05:23:24 AM
NO COPYRIGHT ON ANTI-MAINSTREAM. MINIMALISM AND ICONOCLASM IN WEST GERMANY =\= DISCORDIAN INFLUENCE.


I like the Monks, a lot. But you're fully entrenched in the Law of Fives right now.

ok ok point taken  :D