EAST OF UNDERGROUND- S/T (1971) / THE MONKS- Black Monk Time (1966)

What do American GIs posted in Germany do when they've got too much time on their hands? They make classic records! What else? Here are two records showcasing the talent, skill and diversity lying dormant within the US military. Here are also two records with black sleeves, perhaps a sign of the global darkness and conflict-charged atmosphere surrounding the musicians who made these records, with US-led wars raging across the globe (and ultimately their sole premise for being stationed in Germany; the Cold War). 


The East Of Underground LP is a collection of soul and funk covers (I Want To Take You Higher by Sly & The Family Stone opens the LP, if that's any indication and Curtis Mayfield's (Don't Worry) If There's A Hell Below, We're All Going is one of the many highlights here). The renditions of these Afro-classics are impeccable, complete with top-notch vocal harmonies and jumpy basslines. This was Wax Poetics' (the hip-hop, jazz & soul magazine) first release when the record label of the same name got started. Not a bad choice for starters as this is a most totally obscure piece which only serious collectors would have even heard of, let alone owned an actual copy. The band's history is pretty sketchy at best so I shall not launch into it. It's a mighty fine record, take my word for it.


As for the Monks, well, isn't this one of the truly exciting garage/proto-punk records EVER made by anybody? Their influence has been enormous and even Julian Cope can be quoted in Krautrocksampler (his masterful account of the Kosmische Musik scene of the 60's/70's) saying that young Germans would have truly found inspiration in the revolutionary music made by these wild servicemen. What is striking when hearing this record for the first time is the ferocity with which Gary Burger's larynx explodes and the frantic pace of the drumming. This is a real groover of a record. You could dance to it if you so felt inclined. Then there's the organ which sounds as fresh today as it probably did back then. I don't think a great deal of folks would have heard this gem at the time and there aren't too many people who know about this record these days either. It's made for the folk like you or I, the nerds who endlessly hunt down records everywhere there is a crate to be dug. But we're drifting from the main point here. This record is magical and everyone who claims to like music should own it - NOT rip it from some dodgy file sharing service - and worship it. The tunes are raw and quite experimental, especially lyric-wise. Complications opens with the lines "Complications, Constipation, people die for you..." and Monk Time erupts into a political rant about the Vietnam War ("Why d'you send all these kids over there in Vietnam, Mad Vietcong, my brother died in Vietnam"). Other highlights include I Hate You and Drunken Maria, a bouncy organ-drenched and somewhat nonsensical ditty. The tribal rhythm can be best witnessed on songs like Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy and We Do Wie Du. A mighty record by any standards. 


Oh and I forgot to mention that the Monks actually dressed like Monks (with head shaved and all), but you knew that already.


Smiling Faces by East Of Underground and Drunken Maria by The Monks


Enjoy!