I was asked to take a listen to The Monks album “Bad Habits” in a response to my posting Elvis Costello’s “My Aim is True” in an Album of the Week.
When I saw the album cover, I thought it looked familiar, so I checked my record collection, but did not have it. I must have seen it in the past while browsing records. The cover certainly suggests a bit of wit & cheek will be contained in the album, and it certainly is. In listening to the album, I heard several influences. There certainly is the new wave pop that was prevalent at the time (1979), and that’s well done. I heard a little Bo Diddley & early rock in “Nice Legs Shame About the Face”. I also heard a little bit of spaghetti western & surf guitar in Skylab. The lyrics in the album are reflective of the wit and sarcasm of the time.
In looking at the history of The Monks, I was surprised to learn that two members of the Monks (John Ford & Richard Hudson) were former members of The Strawbs, a prog folk group. “Bad Habits” is certainly a departure from The Strawbs and the solo work that Hudson-Ford did. Obviously, there are a lot of influences at play. I’ve taken four of the songs from “Bad Habits” and contrasted them with songs that may have influenced The Monks. In the case of Skylab, I’ve included “Spaghetti Western” by the Hoodoo Gurus that may have been influenced by The Monks. I’ve included a couple songs by Sparks as I think their lyricism could have been a big influence.
I hope you enjoy the comparisons.