Monks of Doom on Independent's Day - 7.31.19

In the great and colossal tree of music there are many, many branches - and out toward the tall leaves on the side that faces the highway to psychedelic oblivion there exists bands and artists that truly follow their own sun regardless which way the wind blows. Monks of Doom grew out of the late-80s California experimental music scene that birthed one of the original indie rock juggernauts, Camper Van Beethoven. As Camper started to build a fan base and garner industry attention, it seems that the band’s peculiar blend of gypsies-on-acid folk and angular psychedelic pop weren’t quite experimental enough for Camper members Victor Krummenacher (bass), Greg Lisher (guitar), Chris Pedersen (drums), and Chris Molla (guitar) - the latter of whom was soon replaced by their friend, session musician and eventual member of Counting Crows, David Immergluck (guitar). Indicative of their fearless approach to creating music, Monks of Doom’s 1987 first album Soundtrack to the Film ‘Breakfast on the Beach of Deception’ was a mix of improvisational instrumentals and quirky songs from a movie that didn’t actually exist. After the dissolution of Camper Van Beethoven in 1990, Monks of Doom entered an artificially fertile period that saw the release of two albums and an EP in the span of less than a year. But even with a devoted fan base across the country, the grind of relentless indie-level touring and minimal label support took its toll and the band amicably split in 1992. Solo projects from Krummenacher and Lisher followed, and a 1998 send-off performance after Pedersen announced a move to Australia put the band once again in the same room, fomenting an atmosphere for Monks of Doom’s legendary chemistry. The good vibes were an epiphany for the band, and perhaps inspired by the reformation of Camper Van Beethoven in 2004, Krummenacher, Lisher, Immergluck and Pedersen figured out what they already knew - that Monks of Doom makes music on their own terms, when and where they want - and the band has been sporadically active ever since. The band’s most recent album, 2018’s The Bronte Pin, is another beautifully strange chapter for a musical ensemble built to expressly exemplify being beautiful and strange. For an Independent’s Day preview, Monks of Doom played an uncharacteristically consonant and beautiful ballad called "Osiris Rising." Monks of Doom's full episode will be available at www.indepday.com and www.indepday.com/itunes at 7pm PDT on Wednesday, July 31st 2019. New episodes of ID go live Wednesday evenings at 7pm Pacific Time, and are also available on iTunes. www.indepday.com www.monksofdoom.com www.indepday.com/episode/202.html www.indepday.com/itunes www.facebook.com/indepday www.twitter.com/indepday www.youtube.com/indepdayvideos

Added 9 Aug 2026