Stop! In the name of loving The Monuments

 Our World's Been Empty Without Them

The Monuments "Supreme" CD single (art by Russel Stone)

Originally hailing from the Baltimore/Annapolis area, The Monuments have been working off and on for more than 40 years, from their early `80`s heyday (when they played regularly at venues like The Marble Bar and the Parrot Club/Trenton Street Stop) to the present, such as their recent "Last Picnic of the Year" performance at founding member William "Lump" Sutherland's Dundalk abode on November 5, 2023.

The Monuments then (1983)...

 

...The Monuments now (2023)

Like Washington, DC's The Catholics (remember their "James Brown Brown Medley" single?), they were known for their rocked-out arrangements of  Motown, Stax & Soul classics - especially '60s Girl Groups such as Diana Ross & The Supremes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas ("Dancing in the Street"), The Shirelles ("Baby, It's You"), Aretha Franklin, Lulu ("To Sir With Love") - and early Rock & Roll (Buddy Holly's "Rave On," Bobby Day's "Rocking Robin"), Rhythm & Blues (Rufus Thomas' "Walking the Dog"), and anything by The Rolling Stones. 

Though a number of players have come and gone over the years, the nucleus remains frontwoman Cindy Borchardt (Bobby Sox, The Beaters, Silver Birches) on vocals, William Sutherland (Judie's Fixation) on guitar and vocals, Russel Stone on guitar and vocals, and Jay Turner (Judie's Fixation, Tom Principato Band, Leah Simmons) on bass, with Richard King now providing the rock-steady beat on drums.

The Monument's live streaming concerts were one of the few highlights of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, as the band turned home isolation and boredom into an opportunity to dust off their chops while providing a creative outlet for themselves and their fans. After all, the last time any of us in Baltimore had the opportunity to catch them live was a pre-pandemic show at Raven's Inn in Loch Raven back in January 2018 (where Cindy and Lump pulled double duty on a triple-bill that featured both The Monuments and Judie's Fixation - with Cindy filling in for their late-great front man Vaughn "Ben Wah" Keith) and another Sunday afternoon cookout at Casa de Lump back in 2022 (billed as "Two Blondes and a Bum," with Cindy and "Queen of the Marble Bar" LesLee Anderson proving blondes have more fun, while Lump represented the Bum - though the late Adolf Kowalski was there in the audience to lay claim to that title, as well.)

Alas, my wife Amy and I missed the Two Blondes and a Bum gig, which is why we were excited when we heard the Monuments would reprise their appearance at Lump's place on Sunday. It was a perfect sunny afternoon in Dundalk that opened with acoustic sets by The Silver Birches (Cindy's other group with her sister Sue Borchardt) and Mt. Airy's Fruit Jar Howlers. The Silver Bitches presented an eclectic playlist of classic '60s & '70s pop tunes (Bonzo Dog Band, The Monkees, Hollies, Queen, Velvet Underground), as well as more recent fare like their lovely dulcimer and ukelele-strummed take on First Aid Kit's "Emmylou."

Cindy & Sue Borchardt are The Silver Birches

And what a treat it was to discover the Fruit Jar Howlers, purveyors of Americana, bluegrass and hillbilly music at its finest! (I suspect their name is a nod to Uncle Dave Macon's Grand Ole Opry staples The Fruit Jar Drinkers). No doubt Lump knew them through his association with similar Mt. Airy string bands like his old outfit Darla Jean & The Something or Others. The Howlers - Adrienne Kelley (fiddle and vocals), her brother Paul Kelley (bass), Mark Dickinson (guitar and vocals), and Greg Fury (mandolin) - were augmented that day by their banjo-plucking friend Brad Feldhaus. I was impressed that fiddle player Adrienne not only went to Towson STATE University when I did, but actually remembered Thee Katatonix! "I don't remember anything from the '70s, '80s, '90s, or early 2000s," she confessed, "But I do remember THEE Katatonix!" (Of all things to remember!)

The Fruit Jar Howlers

The Monuments then electrified the proceedings, plugging in the guitars to light up the day with a set that was hot enough for a bonfire (appropriately enough, it was also Guy Fawkes Day for all you Anglophiles marking your calendars!). A special highlight was Lump stepping to the mic to sing and solo on the Merseybeats' classic "Sorrow." 

A Sorrowful Lump steps to the mic (photo by Patti Codd)

Watch "To Sir With Love/Sorrow" ("Sorrow" starts at 4:12 mark):

After the performance, Cindy B. handed out copies of  The Monuments' first-ever CD, Supreme, which is available to stream or purchase on CD (yes, old-school, touchy-feely physical media still exists!) from Bandcamp. As the title suggests, the single features two Supremes covers, "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "My World Is Empty," both written by Motown's hit songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. Check out The Monuments channeling The Supremes live and with some bite below:

 

Many groups have covered the Motown songbook and countless female singers have tackled Diana Ross' vocal stylings, but Cindy Borchard's pipes are more than up to the task. Sharon Jones, Amy Winehouse, and Gloria Gaynor have got nothing on Miss B.'s confident singing on display here, which takes a classic and makes it her own. (I love the way she ends the song with an imperative "I said STOP!".) In addition to Cindy's fantastic vocals on "My World Is Empty" (a challenging song for any vocalist not named Diana Ross!), she was joined on backing vocals by none other than William Sutherland, whose gritty basso profundo rekindled memories of Barry White.

But what really makes The Monuments' covers a Supreme achievement is the arrangements. They retain Holland-Dozier-Holland's soulfulness, while the twin guitar attack of Stone and Sutherland add a hard-edged punk vibe to the classic soul melodies, like The Jones Brothers (the Pistols' Steve and The Clash's Mick) sitting in with The Funk Brothers. But don't tale my word for it, check them out for yourself at their Bandcamp page: monumentz.bandcamp.com (Yes, it's Monumentz spelled with a "z" because there are other bands using that name! Same deal with their email, it's TheMonumentz@gmail.com.)

The Supreme sessions were recorded at Hudson Street Sound by Noel White and mastered at Mobtown Studios by Matt Leffler-Schulman, and I have to say the mix is well-balanced to perfection. Cindy's vocals are upfront but so is everyone else - the guitars growl, Jay Turner's fluid basslines are masterfully captured (especially on Stop!"), and Richard King's crisp beat is razor sharp. It couldn't have been better produced by either Rick Rubin or Sir George Martin.

Jim Moon (blue shirt) goes to talk to the police

But amplified rock & roll, no matter how soulful, is not to everyone's taste. That's why The Monuments November 5 backyard show was eventually shut down by the cops, who answered a neighbor's call and delivered a noise citation to Lump (as captured on video here). But as audience member Jim Moon put it, "It's not a successful party unless it gets shut down by the cops!" What he said!

Related Links:

Monuments on Bandcamp

Monuments on Facebook

Monuments playlist (YouTube)

"Stop in the Name of Love" live (11-5-2023)

Monuments/Judies Fixation @ Raven Inn (2018)

The Monuments/Judie's Fixation return from the '80s @ Raven Inn

The Monuments/Judie's Fixation/Fuzz Unlimited

Saturday, January 20, 2018

Raven Inn, 8636 Loch Raven Blvd

Fans of these legendary bands called the 1980s (first tried to text but no answer) and demanded The Monuments and Judies back, and were rewarded with a delightful playlist of classic Rock, R&B & Motown covers. (We didn't stay for Fuzz Unlimited - all apologies! - as I had to work the next day.) 'Twas a fun, fun, fun night! And great to see old friends who lost their Marbles at the Congress Hotel - Katatonix Adolf Kowalski Charles Gatewood and Ed Linton, the Rockin' Robins Robin Linton and Robyn Webb, Coffin Cutie Mike Hearse, Ron DeNunzio, Craig Stinchcomb, Gayle & Michael Maxwell, Marty & Leslie Fuquinay Miller, Patti Codd (whose Biscoff cookie white fudge platter was the hit of the bar food on offer!), Keith Worz, Jenny Beetz, Scott Pendleton, Darla "Jean" German, Sandels Hogg Morrow and ace photographer Jim Moon (who has taken more great pics of the Monuments than anybody!) - turn out to support Lumpy & Cindy Borchardt and Co.! 

First up...the monumental return of The Monuments at the Raven Inn!

The Monuments got things rockin' right away

Cindy Borchardt and Lumpy

Monuments guitarist Russell Stone

I never knew any musicians in The Monuments other than Cindy and Lumpy. For the record, the rest of tonight's band was comprised of drummer Greg Phillips, lead guitarist Russell Stone and erstwhile Judie's Fixation bassist Jay Turner.

And, yes, that was "Lumpy," (aka "Brian Jones," aka William Sutherland), playing the beautiful ax he made while working at Paul Reed Smith, with exquisite paint job courtesy of Betsy Green! 

Lumpy rocks his custom-made Paul Reed Smith guitar

The Monuments always played - and will continue to play - classic '60s and '70s rock, garage and R&B gems because the tunes they fine-tune are, well, timeless classics! (That's why they call it classic rock, folks!) Below is a typical setlist...

...I can't recall every song they played this night, but the Supremes and Stones and Rufus Thomas were definitely there in the mix, as well as "Rockin' Robin" ("Thankfully not dedicated to me," said Robin Linton, who as a Robin has heard a lifetime of references to the 1958 Bobby Day hit) and a highlight was the smokin' twin-guitar jam-out between Russell and Lumpy on the Stones' "Rocks Off."

The Monuments' set closer was "Stop in the Name of Love," to which I would reply: "In the name of your fans' love, don't stop, Monuments!"

Next up...the decidedly fixated return of Judie's Fixation (or FUXation, as Amy Warner says) at Raven Inn! The last Judie's reunion I can remember was in 1983 at the Marble Bar (as shown on the flyer below), following their first reign from 1978-1980.

Judie's Fixation Marble Bar reunion, 1983

The boys were back in town - William Sutherland, Craig Stinchcomb (aka "Dick Goesinya" and "Jacques Strap") and Henry Cross - and while legendary frontman Vaughn Keith (1950-1990, R.I.P.)'s shoes are a big void to fill, I think it's fitting that effervescently cool Cindy Borchardt, pulling double-duty after opening with The Monuments, filled them on the 1st anniversary of The Women's March (how's that for timing?).

Girl Power: Cindy Borchardt fronts Judie's Fixation

Drummer Craig Stinchcomb absorbs the glow of "Kryptonite" (photo by Patti Codd)

Cindy would like to get together in "Severe Weather"

Oh, Henry! The return of Judies bassist Henry Cross!

"Long Tall Sally met J-Judy in the alley..."

There were a number of different Judies members over the years - besides the dearly missed, charismatic frontman Vaughn Keith (aka “Ben Wah”), their ranks included original guitarist Bill Smith ("Bill Bored," who was replaced by original bassist Lumpy), bassists Wayne Murphy (G.C. Murphy) and Jay Turner, and lead guitarist Tim Campbell (aka "Fido Fetch" and "Phideaux Phelch," and also an ertswhile Monuments guitarist) - but tonight's lineup (sans Vaughn Keith, obviously) was the one I remembered best.

It was a great set, visually highlighted by fanboy Keith Worz's inimitable dancing prowess (earning him a "Martyr Me" dedication!)...

Keith Worz, sweatin' to the oldies!

Seeing Keith pump his fist in the air and implore the band on reminded me of his passion for the punk bands of the Marble Age. And, of course, the unique dancing style. I remembered a 1980 Katatonix gig in Annapolis where his frenetic pogo dancing so impressed a local music critic that he got singled out in a newspaper review for resembling "a New Wave Jerry Lewis, the clumsy Jerry Lewis character who was always falling over something in the movies. He danced in jerky movements, as if he was plugged into a Mix Master going full bore." (Keith's shout-out in the July 24, 1980 Arundel Living Sun is shown below.) 

Keith Worz's dancing was highlighted in an early Katatonix music review

Musically, the set was highlighted by such standards as "Severe Weather" (dedicated to Rockin' Robin Linton, a former Marble Bar bartender)...





..."Chinga," "Martyr Me," "Kryptonite" and signature crowd singalong "Judy in the Alley"...





Three of the nine songs in their set were covers - "Mr. Cool" (by the post-New York Doll, pre-W.A.S.P. Arthur Kane and his Killer Kane Band), Barry McGuire's "Eve of Destruction" (never more relevant than today with Trump and Kim Jung Un talking smack over who has the biggest nukes button!), and Bobby Fuller's "I Fought the Law" - which is probably to be expected when you reform and start playing again after more than 35 years apart.

I only wish they had dusted off their cover of Arthur Conley "Sweet Soul Music," wherein Vaughan changed the lyrics to name-check other Marble Bar punk bands of the time: “Do you like good music? (Yeah Yeah)/Like Da Moronics? (Yeah Yeah)/And Thee Katatonix? (Yeah Yeah).” But then, perhaps that was too moribund a reminder that those bands too had disappeared over the years.

Regardless, tonight's performance brought back fond memories of glory days at the glory hole we called The Marble Bar, where the Judies ruled the roost and everyone's marbles tended to get tossed!

After their set, Lumpy thanked everyone in the audience for showing up and sent a special shout-out to Adolf Kowalski (who did an admirable job holding up the bar next door all night), who is financing a long-awaited Judie's Fixation CD! To date, only "Martyr Me" has ever been released, and that only on the extremely rare (and vinyl-only) 1978 Limp Records compilation :30 Over DC - Here Comes the New Wave!. (Curiously enough, the same recording of "Martyr Me" also turns up on the CD-R compilation Hyped To Death #22: US and Canadian LP Punk, R-to-Z - begging the question, where exactly does J fall under R-through-Z in the alphabet? Whatever!) Other than that, there are only a smattering of live songs recorded on what drummer Craig Stinchcomb described as a "crappy cassette recorder and its equally crappy microphone" by their former manager Frank "Big C" Yates (who passed away on June 25, 2014); these raw recordings were later digitally salvaged by bassist Henry Cross and uploaded to Soundcloud. (See "The Judie's Fixation Tapes" at baltimoreorless.com for details.)

So the Judies will be martyred no more - they will have an official CD release sometime in the near future! On the Marble Bar Facebook group page, Adolf added, "Thee Katz [Katatonix] are CONSIDERING doing one last show before we all die...probably open at the Judies CD party...stay tuned."

The Boys Are Back in Town: Lumpy, Henry and Craig

In the meantime, Lumpy will continue to pluck his upright bass playing bluegrass-flavored classics from the Great American Folk Songbook with Darla Jean & The Somethin' or Others, while Craig Stinchcomb will hopefully still motor on with The Motor Morons (too bad we missed his Motor Moron bandmate, the irrepressibly perky "Blade," playing keyboards with Fuzz Unlimited tonight!)

Finally, below are snapshots of the Monuments and the Judies at their prime in the early '80s. 35 years later, time has still not dimmed the glory of their deeds!

Monuments circa 1983 (photo by Jim Moon)

Judie's Fixation circa 1983 (photo by Colin P. Varga)

Related Links:
The Judie's Fixation Tapes (Baltimore Or Less)
Tim Campbell's Judie's Fixation page (Richardtaylor.tv)
The Monuments (Facebook)
Judies Fixation Monuments Motor Morons (Facebook)