Happy Monday! It is a very special day in Monk world as we are thrilled to announce our limited edition 7″ red vinyl and release show. Included on the album are two brand new songs recorded by Narwhal Audio for your listening pleasure.  The “Hiding Places” album comes with an exclusive 7 scene photo series entitled “Domestica Monk” brought to you by IshootRockstars and features a day in the life of The Loneliest Monk set in the 1950′s.  Think Rosie the Riveter, pink houses, gummi bears, and domesticated style! You have never seen us like this before.

You can pre-order the album starting today which will also include a ticket to our release party.  While you wait for the physical copy you will receive a digital download of the two tracks.

Please join us in the celebration and official release party at Reggie’s Rock Club on July 8, 2011 with special guests Stephen Paul Smoker and Flying Cars (Brooklyn, NY).  All advanced ticket purchases include the 7″ Vinyl plus a bonus photo booklet that will be available to pick up at the party.

Vinyl Preorder & Ticket Purchase Link

REGGIES ROCK CLUB | JUL 8TH
The Loneliest Monk
Stephen Paul Smoker
Flying Cars
8pm | 18+ | $10 adv / $12 day of
Facebook

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

This past Winter we headed out to the land of Daytrotter.  For those not familiar with it, Daytrotter hosts about 7-14 bands per week and releases four to five songs per day from each band.  The band will record their songs live in about one to two takes, and each band gets a character drawing of themselves upon their released session.  As an added bonus, listeners and fans can download the music for free!

We had an amazing time at our session.  During the drive from Chicago to Rock Island, we spent the time listening to other band’s sessions to get inspired and we wrote the rest of our lyrics to the new songs we were debuting at the recording session that day.  Mike Gentry, the engineer, was patient, cool, and a super nice guy.  Once we entered the room we couldn’t help but feel the energy of all the music that had been recorded in the same room through the years. Yes, we were geeking out a bit   Some of our favorite Daytrotter sessions even take precedence over the artist’s albums themselves; its raw, unique, organic, and the beauty is in the little mistakes and raw delivery.  Ohh, and everything is recorded to analog tape (so if you mess up, you feel a little bad for wasting the tape).

We are Daytrotter'd!

Listen to our session! It includes 2 new unreleased songs: We Remember When & Hiding Places

We came away from our session that day feeling accomplished, thankful, and overwhelmed with joy that we were able to experience Daytrotter like so many of our favorite bands.  To celebrate, we had a yummy pizza.

Angelo's Pizza

Daytrotter is a true gem.

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

Three weeks of touring and memories galore.  We totaled over 6,120 miles during this span, and were able to expose our music to all sorts of new and beautiful people.  It’s pretty amazing to experience the music, locals, and incredible food in every city.  It was encouraging to observe music communities throughout the Midwest, West and Southwest.  Artists are thriving and thankfully listeners are craving unique sounds! We went into this tour with a notion of what it would be like and came out of it with so much more.  From the small coffee shop/gallery in Oakland to the incredible SXSW stage in Austin, we gave our all to every ear that would listen.  With Mighty Mitchell by our side, it is safe to say that we set out on a journey and fulfilled it ten times over.

Lady Cello @ Chrononaut Club, San Diego

Be sure to check out Narwhal Audio for an insightful blog of photos and an introspective look into our road travels by Mitchell Cepaitis. The blog will be updated in the next couple of weeks.  Also, check out our Facebook page, we’ll have some tour photos up soon that will make you smile.

Road Warrior Mitchell

Mitchell, you ARE the best friend that anybody could have, Team Monk sure does love you.

Miles in Ralph's Warehouse, Denver

Thanks to our hometown Chicago crew for the encouragement.  Muchas gracias to Brian & Kato, Ralph Brown, Elizabeth & Sean Meltzer, Ingred Chamberlin & Eric, Frank & Lucy Morales, and Jessica & Elijah Deleskey for the hospitality and offering a roof over our heads while on the road.

San Francisco Boats

Here’s lookin’ at you Record Bar, Meadowlark, The Modbo, Aubergine After Dark, Mama Buzz, Chrononaut Club, Ruby Room, Bootleg Theater, Rogue Bar, and Midcoast Takeover. Much love to the bands we were able to connect with.

La Jolla

Super thanks to our friends and family that we were able to hang with on tour and cheers to the awesome new aquintances and lovely fans.

Chicago, we’ll see you at our homecoming show as we celebrate our friends, Scattered Trees’ album release @ Schubas w/ Chaperone.

4.30.11 @ Schubas 10PM 18+

Meadowlark by Glenn Ross

So Much Love!

The Loneliest Monk

The day has finally arrived! We are going to miss you Chicago.  We are also ready to visit the sun and warmth out West so don’t worry, you will be in our thoughts.  Tonight we hit up Kansas City at RecordBar with Late Night Callers.  Friday will take us to Denver as we return to our favorite Rocky Mountain bar, The Meadowlark.  On Saturday we venture to a lovely gallery space in Colorado Springs, The Modbo and add some TLM compositions to their evening:

3.3.11
RecordBar
w/ Late Night Callers
10pm

3.4.11
Meadowlark Bar
w/ Science Partner, Harpoontang
9pm

3.5.11
The Modbo Gallery
w/ Constellations of Cars
8:30pm

Here we go.

Wish us luck!

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

Chicago, you deserve an evening to let loose.  Let’s forget about the negative digit weather, mounds of snow, and join us this Friday where it is literally going to be hot.

We were invited by our lovely friends, Ornery Little Darlings, to co-exist  with them for a wild night dedicated to Lumpen Magazine’s ’95 Sex Issue.

It’s all going down in Bridgeport at Co-Prosperity Sphere; a 5,000 sq. foot space that will inhabit intricate staging, exotic art, installations, luscious chocolate made by Chocolatier Jared Brown, and heart pumping music by yours truly as well as:

HotChaCha (Cleveland)
Ornery Little Darlings
Grace Kulp

Co-Prosperity Sphere
8pm Doors 21+
9pm – 12am Performances
$5 Entry
$1 Old Style Tall Boys all Night
After-Party @ Maria’s
Facebook Invite

All in all, its your last chance to catch our performance before we hit the road in March for our tour.  We take the stage second!

Please be our Valentine.

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

As January is in full swing, so is our first order of business.  We are extremely excited to be nominated in Deli Chicago’s Best Emerging Bands of 2010. This list includes some of our friend’s bands and great music in the scene.  It also leaves out  notable artists  that are well deserving and immensely talented.  We are not much for competition, but we enjoy Deli’s eye on the Chicago scene as well as in other parts of the Country. So until January 28 2011, you can vote once per IP address.  The top 3 get honorable mentions on Deli’s blog and cool prizes that we can use while on the road this March.

So why should you vote for us?

Because you like the cello and it rhymes with jello

What is so different about your band?

Theres a cellist and a drummer who wears a mask and he is the nicest guy in the world

Why else? Because we love you and we’ll take care of you

You can vote here:

We are 8th from the bottom

Spread the word!

Vote for The Loneliest Monk! Vote for The Loneliest Monk!

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

Happy Tuesday.

Before our set this Thursday at Subterranean for GigMaven‘s Launch Party, you will be able to listen to a live interview and performance courtesy of Fearless Radio

Tune in to Fearless Radio on 1.6.11 at 3pm CST and click the “listen” button near the top of the page.

You can also Tweet us on air directly to:  @fearlessradio The interview is listener interactive and the station loves questions & comments directed to the artists.

So have your questions ready and log on to your Twitter account at 3pm and hopefully we can answer questions like; does Miles wear his mask all the time? Does Michelle prefer gummi bears or gummi worms?

This will be an exciting day for us and we look forward to your questions!

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

Its amazing what can be crammed into an entire year.  I’m not one to recount things too much but as a band we’ve had some incredible experiences in 2010.  Our debut record came out along with our first music video and travels to performances from Coast to Coast was all too unforgettable…

Moving forward, we couldn’t be more excited for our first show of the year. Its kind of like stepping out on the right foot so to speak.  We’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Shawn of Netherfriends and are thrilled to be sharing the stage with them on Thursday 1.6.11 @ Subterranean for GigMaven’s Official Launch Party in Chicago.  The evening will also include Chicago groups Dozens & Wolf In A Spacesuit.

Subterranean
1.6.11
8:30pm $8 21+
Tix here

So expect more posts, updates, and fresh songs in 2011 from us.

Cheers to a wonderful New Year. See you Thursday!

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

See you there

As 2010 comes to a close we are going out with a bang.  Our first music video for our debut album drops on Thursday, December 16, 2010.  Directed and produced by Rubbish Films with HYSTK and with major help from our Pilsen creative mafia, we are so proud to share it with you soon.

The shoot spanned just two days with some extra filming in between.  Locations took place near the Arts District in Pilsen as well as EP Theater.  iShootRockstars took some amazing stills of various scenes.  Everyone who had a hand in the video poured their heart and determination in it for us.  We are so thankful for the people and the experience.

Catch it on the 16th!

Love.

The Loneliest Monk

by iShootrockstars

by iShootRockstars

by iShootRockstars

by iShootRockstars

Who Visits You?

I have personally known Kyle LaMere (IshootRockstars) since I moved to Chicago almost five years ago.  Our circle of friends have always been inner twined.  Since the Monk has debuted he has been to almost every show and is a part in our creative mafia who makes us who we are.  Kyle began taking pictures of everyone who stepped foot in his place for an entire year.  Old friends, new friends, family, acquaintances, and the random person passing by.  It made me wonder how people come in and out of our lives.  Can you remember all of them?

The party of the year takes place at Logan Square Auditorium as we celebrate Kyle’s ambitious goal to turn the photos into a book that will be complete with visitors’ thoughts and small stories.

Its amazing how connected we are in Chicago especially if you are an artist or a musician.

So come visit the party. Your friends will be there.

Love.

The Loneliest Monk