We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Monk Turner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Monk below.
Hi Monk, thanks for joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
I was in middle school when I sold my soul for rock n’ roll. My parents dragged me to see The Who’s Tommy. I didn’t want to go because they told me it was a ‘rock opera’ and all I knew was that I didn’t want to watch an opera. But eventually I acquiesced.
I walked out of that theater a completely different person. I knew I had to get my hands on a guitar as soon as possible. It started with strumming a tennis racquet, then eventually after much cajoling, my parents purchased a cheap acoustic guitar for me to bang on. I’d play it until my fingers bled and my primary interest was to make little songs up and record them. I guess I never grew out of it.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I started playing in bands soon after that fateful day. Once I got to college, I took a deep dive into the idea of what ‘concept’ meant. I was studying advertising, so it was initially in the context of ad campaigns, but I soon realized that many of my favorite albums had concepts behind them. I started to apply what I was learning in school to the music I was creating in my bedroom and before I knew it, I was making concept albums.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
I still get giddy when a song that I wrote takes on a life of its own. It could be a band covering the song, or someone using my music for a video they have created. The idea that something that popped in my head could take on a special meaning for other people still amazes me.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I would not have been so resistant to learning music theory. I had this erroneous belief that it would limited my creativity, when in reality it expands your horizons. These days, many of my song ideas come from pushing the boundaries of diatonic harmony.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.monkturner.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monkturner/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monkturnermusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MonkTurner
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/monkturner
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/monkturner