The Monks' Dave Day, R.I.P.

Dave "Day" Havlicek, the beloved electric banjo player of outfit the Monks, passed away yesterday (January 10).

The Monks' official website simply lists the date of Havlicek's death with a message that says, "Play that banjo in heaven, d.d. We'll miss you."

However, a post on WFMU's Beware of the Blog quotes fellow Monk Eddie Shaw as saying, "Two days before the birthday of his hero, Elvis, Dave Day of the Monks suffered a heart attack and massive brain injury. He has been taken off the life support system today. His work is done."

The members of the Monks started out as five American soldiers stationed in Germany in the 1960s. After leaving the military, they stayed in Germany to continue their career as a band. In 1966, the Monks released their only album, the cult classic Black Monk Time. They broke up a year later but reunited to tour in the '90s.

Since then, they have been the subject of a documentary and a tribute compilation, the latter featuring the likes of the Fall, the Raincoats, the Gossip, Faust, and Mouse on Mars. Their song "Monk Time" appeared at #165 on Pitchfork's list of "The 200 Greatest Songs of the 1960s". Known as much for their image (the members sported the outfits and haircuts of real monks) as their raw sound, the Monks have been hailed as one of the bands that influenced the style and sound of punk rock.

For footage of Havlicek rocking out with the Monks in their heyday, check out the video below.

Video: The Monks: Monk Chant / Oh, How to Do Now (Live on German television)

R.I.P. Olga Sarantos, Fiery Furnaces' Grandmother

Olga Sarantos, grandmother of Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger of the Fiery Furnaces, has passed away, according to the Chicago Tribune (via BrooklynVegan).

Pitchfork readers will remember Sarantos (maiden name, Kokoris) as the voice of the Furnaces' 2005 album Rehearsing My Choir, which featured Sarantos recounting tales of her youth to the musical accompaniment of her grandchildren.

According to the Tribune, Sarantos began performing music at the age of 12, playing organ at Rock Island, Illinois' St. George Greek Orthodox Church. She remained active in music for much of her life, directing the choir at Chicago's Assumption Greek Orthodox Church for more than four decades. Her work on Rehearsing My Choir was highly divisive amongst Fiery Furnaces fans, but one thing was never in doubt: Sarantos spun a hell of a good yarn.

The Fiery Furnaces' winter tour kicks off January 17 in Hoboken. [MORE...]

Video: Olga Sarantos and the Fiery Furnaces: Discussing Rehearsing My Choir

The National Schedule More Shows

You have to sit on a mighty big plane for a mighty long time to get from the U.S. to Australia and New Zealand. But this time of year, when summer is in full swing Down Under and things are mighty frosty in parts north, even our most nationalist bands periodically must fly the coop in order to regroup and flourish.

So, then, the National-- all-American lads if ever there were any-- are heading way southwards for a tour over the next few weeks. A number of these dates fall under the umbrella of the fairly amazing Sydney Fest we told you about some months ago, but one suspects the band figured they might as well justify the leg cramps of those ultra-long flights by adding a few more regional shows. On each night of the Sydney shindig, they'll be joined by Clogs, whose Bryce Dessner is also a member of the National. Boy, is he gonna regret that after doing six sets in three nights!

Once they get back to the northern hemisphere, the band have a smattering of dates over the next few months, including a one-off in Brooklyn, a stop at Langerado, and another interNational appearance at the Explosions in the Sky-curated ATP festival in May. [MORE...]

Video: The National: You've Done It Again Virginia [live on the Black Cab sessions]

Feist, Of Montreal, Bloc Party on Environmental Comp
As are Deerhoof, Muse, A Place to Bury Strangers, Asobi Seksu

Contrary to popular belief, you're not going to change the world sitting on your couch watching the Presidential primaries. You could, however, change the world by sitting on your couch listening to The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, a two-CD/one-DVD collection of hot, rare, and otherwise worthwhile indie rock tracks and videos. As the title suggests, it benefits youth-centric environmental do-goodery network the Energy Action Coaltion.

Feist, Of Montreal, Bloc Party, Deerhoof, A Place to Bury Strangers, Muse, School of Seven Bells, Asobi Seksu, Juliana Hatfield, Earl Greyhound, and many others contribute audio from their respective vaults, while the DVD gathers a half-dozen exclusive videos and an interview with Energy Action Coalition co-founder Billy Parish.

All proceeds from the sale of the set go to the Energy Action Coalition, and it can be purchased beginning April 8 from Green Owl Records. [MORE...]

HEALTH, Crystal Castles Tour Dates Revealed

HEALTH photo by Kathryn Yu / Crystal Castles photo by Daniel Cantó

Mind those ears! Los Angeles squall-makers HEALTH and Toronto's madcap Crystal Castles are forging an international alliance of sonic assault on a long-promised North American tour, which kicks off February 21 at a "secret location" in the Ontarian capital. Perplexing!

The tour makes its way over a good chunk of the continent before landing back where it started at the end of the month. The following night, another gig in a city unbeknownst to us at yet another "secret location" will, again, take place. Now they're just messing with our heads.

Both bands have dates aplenty independent of the other, with HEALTH sticking to North American shores (with the likes of White Williams and Dan Deacon) and Crystal Castles sneaking over to Europe. Crystal Castles have promised UK dates for early February, but those have yet to be firmed up. And HEALTH plan to hit Europe once their North American plans wrap, though, again, that's a ways off.

Set in shiny stone (pun intended): Crystal Castles' forthcoming self-titled debut LP, which hits February 19 March 18 thanks to Last Gang Records . [MORE...]

Stream: HEALTH: Lost Time (Pictureplane remix)
MP3: Crystal Castles: Excuse Me [from the Hearts Revolution / Crystal Castles seven-inch]

Castanets Head West for Tour, Work Up New 7"

MP3: Castanets: This Is the Early Game [from the In the Vines LP]

Gui Boratto Travels the World

Video: Gui Boratto: Beautiful Life [from the Chromophobia LP]

Dirty Projectors, White Williams Split a 7"

Video: Dirty Projectors: Rise Above (live on NPR's Bryant Park Project)
MP3: White Williams: In the Club (live on Fair Game)

The Breeders Announce First Tour in, Like, Forever

It won't provide the Deal sisters with a chance to use the newfound foreign language skills they flash on the forthcoming Mountain Battles, but the Breeders have scheduled a tour of the UK and Ireland. It starts April 7, the day 4AD releases the album there. (The album comes out in the U.S. on April 8.) It will be the band's first tour in almost six years, though all Kim's Pixies playing bodes well for her crew still ably rocking it out.

The tour comes sandwiched in between a trio of festival shows in North America.

We know at least one person who is super excited about this. [MORE...]

Video: The Breeders: Cannonball [from the Last Splash LP]

Common Does Benefit for Chicago Schools Program

Video: Common: I Want You [from the Finding Forever LP]

British Sea Power Tour All Over

Video: British Sea Power: Waving Flags [from the forthcoming Do You Like Rock Music? LP]

Mountain Goats Add Dates, Darnielle's Book Revealed
""John Darnielle describes Master of Reality in the voice of a fifteen-year-old boy being held in an adolescent psychiatric center in southern California in 1985."

Front page photo by Kyle Gustafson

Mountain Goat is in season these next couple of months. Following the February 19 release of Heretic Pride via 4AD (check out the pretty cover right up there), John Darnielle and co. will saddle up for a recently extended North American tour, starting with a release date show in Anchorage, Alaska.

Shortly, the band will unleash the first video from Heretic Pride, for opener "Sax Rohmer #1". The video's director is Ace Norton, who directed Darnielle in Aesop Rock's "Coffee" video.

Then, on April 15, we will all come one step closer to world peace, with the publishing of Darnielle's take on the Black Sabbath album Master of Reality, as part of the 33 1/3 series of books about albums.

According to the book's description, "John Darnielle describes Master of Reality in the voice of a fifteen-year-old boy being held in an adolescent psychiatric center in southern California in 1985. The narrator explains Black Sabbath like an emissary from an alien race describing his culture to his captors: passionately, patiently, and lovingly. This album has a genuinely remarkable historical status: as a touchstone for the directionless, and as a common coin for young men and women who felt shut out of the broader cultural economy."

For a 10-page sample of the kick-ass-sounding book, email sabbathsampler@yahoo.com.

Or for more-- lots more-- writing by John Darnielle, read his excellent blog Last Plane to Jakarta.

Thanks to reader Bryan McKay for the book tip. [MORE...]

MP3: The Mountain Goats: Sax Rohmer #1 [from the forthcoming Heretic Pride LP]

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