THE MAGNET MONKS ARE:

Pat Gallagher-Vocals, guitars, keys
Bryan Blume-Bass, vocals
Mark Romans-Drums, percussion

The Monk’s origins are rooted in the thriving ’90s indie rock scene of north Orange County and Long Beach. Blume and Gallagher first played together in Room to Roam in the club circuit in and around Fullerton (the birthplace of the electric guitar) from 1991 to 1998. Meanwhile, Romans band, Twelvehourmary, was a driving force in Long Beach’s vibrant musical underground from 1995 to 2003. In those early days, both bands often shared the stage at shows around Southern California, including performances at “The Space”, a live music collective in a rented warehouse west of the 710 off PCH. Since then, they remained connected in various projects. From 2008-10, Roman’s played drums in Pat Gallagher & The Peace Bombs, supporting Gallagher’s 1 st solo album, “Uncle Dick’s Martini’s”. These cross-connections cemented a friendship between the 3 musicians that would come to fruition many years later when Gallagher asked Blume and Romans to play on his new recording project, that soon became Magnet Monks, “Meet the Monks”.

Collectively, the three musicians who comprise the Southern California-based rock band, The Magnet Monks, have deep roots in the frenetic Southern California independent music scene. While each has played hundreds of venues, recorded numerous albums, and performed with names as varied as Thomas Dolby, Mike Watt , Marc Ford John Easdale, and Korn the journey of this three-person ensemble is completely unique.

How unique? Well, one member of the Magnet Monks ranks among the most prolific original songwriters to emerge from Orange County throughout the 1990’s, while another member performs in one of the most successful tribute bands in Southern California: Spirit of Zeppelin. Their polished pedigree, skilled musicianship and ability to incorporate a vast range of rock styles has led some to compare the Magnet Monks as a “politically-infused Kings of Leon.”

At the creative core of the Monks is Pat Gallagher, a veteran of the Orange County local music scene. Gallagher started his music career as a drummer, supplying the beat to Medicine Man, an acclaimed and influential group of the mid to late 1980s. But Gallagher’s artistic aspirations ultimately led him to give up the skins in favor of the guitar and a microphone.

As one of the principal songwriters of Room to Roam, which OC Weekly included in its list of the top 100 bands to ever emerge from that musically diverse county, Gallagher’s uncompromisingly honest narratives of real life emotions, rank among the finest and most evocative of any OC songwriter to date.