Comments on: The Monks - Bad Habits (1979)

By: Dave From GP

Dave From GP — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:27:13 +0000

Me and my friend did an air guitar performance of Johnny Be Rotten for a high school talent show in the ’80’s complete with slutty girl back up singer. It was one of the best moments of my life.

By: Mikael

Mikael — Sat, 08 May 2010 10:32:09 +0000

Richard Hudson and John Ford was in the psychedelic band Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera (later shortened to Velvet Opera) before joining The Strawbs for which they wrote the big hit “Part Of The Union”. Then they started their own career as Hudson-Ford and had hits in UK with “Pick Up The Pieces”, “Burn Baby Burn” and “Floating In The Wind”. Having played psychedelic, folk, pop, prog-rock and even some disco(!), they formed The Monks. Great guys! John Ford now lives and performs in New York.

By: Bill

Bill — Mon, 03 May 2010 20:34:31 +0000

The same group of guys also released “I Never Go Out In The Rain” (as the band High Society), between Bad Habits and Suspended Animation. In a way, it fits with their approach to spoofing punk on Bad Habits, because it’s an album of semi-1930s music, with periodic country and flamenco tones. Maybe their tastes were just too eclectic for a record label to back over a long time? Whatever the case, it’s really too bad they didn’t put out any more albums and it’s so hard to find out anything about them on-line.

By: Jason Stewart

Jason Stewart — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 01:59:43 +0000

My uncle was a fan of The Monks and owned both albums. However, I had heard ‘Drugs in My Pocket’ on the radio quite a few times. In fact, when I mention the song to others my age (mid-30’s) and older, they immediately begin to sing. Strange how there’s very little info, even on the net about the band. Even worse, the catchy, ‘Drugs in My Pocket’ is treated as obscure in favour of the minor hit ‘Nice Legs…’. I even remember hearing the song, ‘Bad Habits’ on the radio as well.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say that someone wants everybody to forget the band ever existed!

By: Mefj

Mefj — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:00:21 +0000

Hey, guys,
I was 13 when this sonic masterpiece was released in Canada and I recall endless hours listen to it on my turntable and staring at the front cover.
In support of their second album, Suspended Animation, (apparently a Canadian release only), the Monks came to London, Ontario, to perform and were my first concert experience. Although “Nice Legs” was a hit, “Drugs In My Pocket” was the one which got them started around here. I recall during this song, the lead singer reached into his pocket and started tossing candy “drugs” into the audience.
Unfortunately, the sequel could was not very good (my opinion), however, I still listen to Bad Habits 30 years later (God - is that number correct?)
Have a good one!

I was in Toronto when the Album was released, and wore out the first vinyl….have just got a CD version….and stress, no “liner notes”. Of course - I don’t actually remember the lyrics being included the first time, but I must say that I remember most of them anyway!

In the late 80’s “Skylab” was a great favourite with a group of us…finally discovering the merits of that song, and the author’s comment about Queen’s Flash Gordon….Yikes, The Monks was much better.

Nice to know there are others out there thinking foundly of the Monks!

By: pzed

pzed — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:12:27 +0000

Hey, guys,
I was 13 when this sonic masterpiece was released in Canada and I recall endless hours listen to it on my turntable and staring at the front cover.
In support of their second album, Suspended Animation, (apparently a Canadian release only), the Monks came to London, Ontario, to perform and were my first concert experience. Although “Nice Legs” was a hit, “Drugs In My Pocket” was the one which got them started around here. I recall during this song, the lead singer reached into his pocket and started tossing candy “drugs” into the audience.
Unfortunately, the sequel could was not very good (my opinion), however, I still listen to Bad Habits 30 years later (God - is that number correct?)
Have a good one!

Hey, I grew up in London too. I missed that show, but I remember hearing about it. Man, I’m jealous, wish I’d been there!

I’m listening to Bad Habits right now, for the first time in decades, and I can’t believe how well I remember it. These guys were HUGE in Canada, can’t figure out why the rest of the world didn’t get it!

By: Shlarbee

Shlarbee — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:03:17 +0000

Hey, guys,

I was 13 when this sonic masterpiece was released in Canada and I recall endless hours listen to it on my turntable and staring at the front cover.

In support of their second album, Suspended Animation, (apparently a Canadian release only), the Monks came to London, Ontario, to perform and were my first concert experience. Although “Nice Legs” was a hit, “Drugs In My Pocket” was the one which got them started around here. I recall during this song, the lead singer reached into his pocket and started tossing candy “drugs” into the audience.

Unfortunately, the sequel could was not very good (my opinion), however, I still listen to Bad Habits 30 years later (God - is that number correct?)

Have a good one!

By: chuck u farley

chuck u farley — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:56:31 +0000

Dude! This is awesome! Y’know, as a child listening to this one, I never got what the album cover was about…