The Monks (UK band)
| The Monks | |
|---|---|
| Origin | England |
| Genres | New Wave pop punk |
| Years active | 1979–1980; 1981-1982 |
| Labels | EMI, Polygram |
| Associated acts | Hudson Ford, High Society, Strawbs |
| Past members |
John Ford Richard Hudson Terry Cassidy Clive Pierce Brian Willoughby Chris Parren Huw Gower |
The Monks were an English pop band formed in the late 1970s, by former members of Strawbs - Richard Hudson, John Ford (vocals, guitars, synthesisers) and Brian Willoughby, along with Terry Cassidy (vocals and synthesisers) and Clive Pierce (drums).
History
Hudson played guitar, having switched from drums. Their first album, Bad Habits, was recorded and released in 1979 after the success of the number 19 hit single in the UK Singles Chart — "Nice Legs Shame About Her Face".[1] The song was originally a demo not intended for release and Ford later commented in Mojo magazine, that "it was a bit of a problem when it was a hit."[2] They dabbled with 1930s style music in 1980 as 'High Society', before in 1981 returning to the pseudo-punk format of The Monks for a follow-up album released in Canada only. Chris Parren (keyboards) joined for that second album, Suspended Animation. Willoughby was replaced by Huw Gower during the tour for that album which occurred in 1982.
While the album failed to produce further UK chart success, the band were significant in Canada particularly, playing stadium gigs; Suspended Animation went gold in Canada,[3] and pushed sales of Bad Habits to double platinum certification in 1982. "Drugs In My Pocket" was also a Top 20 single in Canada in the fall of 1980. The CD re-release of Suspended Animation included six bonus tracks, recorded for a third album, but never before released, by Hudson, Ford and Cassidy — Huw Gower guested on one track on lead guitar.
In 2004, John Ford featured "Nice Legs Shame About Her Face" and "Suspended Animation" on his solo album Backtracking released on Whole Shot Records.
In 2012, founding member, John Ford opened for The Monk's Bad Habits Tribute concert at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern organized by Thomas D'Arcy.[4] John Ford was presented with a Double-Platinum Award for Bad Habits from EMI at The Monk's Bad Habits Tribute concert and appeared on a track-by-track cover album.[5] In addition to Canadian musicians such as Chris Colohan, John Kastner, Ian Blurton, and Chris Murphy.
Their song "Ain't Gettin' Any" was covered by The Slickee Boys, and appears on their live album, A Postcard from the Day.
Personnel
- John Ford - vocals, guitars, synthesisers (1979-1980, 1981-1982)
- Richard Hudson - bass, synthesisers (1979-1980, 1981-1982)
- Terry Cassidy - vocals, synthesisers (1979-1980, 1981-1982)
- Clive Pierce - drums (1979-1980, 1981-1982)
- Brian Willoughby - guitars (1979-1980, 1981)
- Chris Parren - keyboards (1981-1982)
- Huw Gower - guitars (1982)
Discography
Albums
- Bad Habits
- Suspended Animation (originally released in Canada only)
Singles
- "Nice Legs Shame About Her Face" (UK number 19)[1]
- "Ain't Gettin' Any"
- "Johnny B. Rotten"
- "Drugs In My Pocket" (Canada number 18)
- "Love in Stereo"
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 375. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ↑ "Nice Legs Shame About The Face". Songfacts.com. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
- ↑ Doherty, Mike (12/07/25). "The Monks: British punks that ruled Canada … and nowhere else". National Post. Retrieved 18 June 2013. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ Krewen, Nick (Jul 25, 2012). "The Monks’ Bad Habits hard to break". Toronto Star. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
- ↑ "Thomas D'Arcy Presents: A Tribute To The Monks". Retrieved 27 July 2012.