Efrim Menuck

Efrim Manuel Menuck (/məˈnʌk/; born November 4, 1970)[2] is a Canadian musician involved with a number of Montreal-based bands, most notably Godspeed You!

[2] After dropping out of high school in 11th grade, Menuck was homeless and jobless and had a nervous breakdown at age 20.

[2] Menuck has mentioned that as a teenager he found himself "living in a flooded basement with two other lost kids and a litter of feral kittens.

Originally conceived as an aid to Menuck in learning how to score music,[7] the group has since blossomed into a regular collaboration.

When He Has Left Us Alone but Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms... debuted, it was notable in that it included vocals by Menuck and his band mates; this was in contrast with the taciturn Godspeed You!

Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band that Menuck did in fact sing vocals before the creation of the group on a "rare 1996 GYBE cassette release".

The topics of his lyrics range from the fear and loneliness experienced while driving alone on an American highway at night[9] to urban decay, and even a tribute to a deceased pet dog.

Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, was essentially created as a requiem for open and abandoned spaces in Montreal, as well as for similar loss and decay around the world, due to either urban development or military action.

[10] Menuck is also known for integrating politics into song titles, lyrics, and album cover art for A Silver Mt.

[12] With the title of Born into Trouble as the Sparks Fly Upward, the band references the Book of Job Ch.

[13] Along with Howard Bilerman, Radwan Moumneh and Thierry Amar, Menuck owns and operates the Hotel2Tango, a loft space that acts as a practice area, recording studio, and one of the very few non-commercial venues in Montreal capable of accommodating live concerts.

Menuck performing with Godspeed You! Black Emperor in London, England in November 2000