What a concept. Let's cash in on the Beatles by creating our own group. We'll run an ad in Daily Variety saying we're looking for four guys in a struggling pop band. We'll piece together a group, with a strong emphasis on their acting ability. It'll make for a hit show and hit records!
Yeah, THAT will work.
Incredibly enough, it did.
The Monkees were born in 1966. Two were musicians (Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork) and two were actors (Mickey Dolenz and Davey Jones).
The show went on the air in September 1966. Within months, they had two number one singles. Or did they?
"Last Train to Clarksville" was revealed to be recorded by a group called Boyce and Hart and the Candystore Prophets. The Monkees' contribution was overdubbed vocals.
However, the group didn't wither a la Milli Vanilli. Instead, they rebelled.
Nesmith was not one to kiss up to anybody. I remember him slamming the Recording Academy when he got a Grammy for producing an R&B album in the late 70's. He said the very concept of a Rythm and Blues Grammy was racist! Needless to say, he was the most vocal about wanting to be allowed to exercise his own musical talent.
Musical production for the show and albums was handed over to Don Kirshner, a legend of the back end of the music business, producing the albums and shows. While this eliminated the complete musical non-involvement of the group, it didn't end the stress.
Kirshner hired some writing giants (Goffin and King, Neil Diamond, etc.) to contribute songs. Their next album, More Of The Monkees, was loudly criticized by Nesmith as being not only BAD, but the WORST album ever recorded! It had a grand total of ONE song written by him. Of course, this was before the Sgt. Pepper remake by RSO, so he may have been right about how bad it was.
The group finally released their own product in 1967, Headquarters. It was well received, and was a hit. It was also the group's acme.
The next album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., featured much outside songwriting like was evident in the early days. This time the group made the decisions, and they didn't do well.
In 1968, the show ended. A movie was released that same year called Head. It was about the group, and was allegedly very strange. IMDB gives it a 6.2 with a largely polarized audience. I hope to see it someday. It sounds like my kind of flick.
The Monkees should have never ever worked. But somehow, they did. Of course, they didn't last long. That would have been stretching the odds too thin.
Comments (3)
The Monkees were an example of everything going right from conception to execution
of a "cool" show(and in this case, group). That didn't always work. Moby Grape was the worst marketed band in history, about the same time as the monkees, 1966, and they did everything wrong. The Monkees themselves made the show, with their wit, charm, and looks.
The songs were impeccably crafted pop,
with even a young Neil Diamond pulling Brill Building Duty...the editing was rapid-fire even before laugh-in, and you can say that they did the first music videos(Ricky Nelson claims that prize, thanks to his old man, Ozzie, but technically he just stood around and sung, like the partridges).
yeah, the Monkees were almost too cool for their time, like batman.
Thats the reason they have both always aired in reruns somewhere ever since cancellation).
Posted by scott | July 20, 2007 5:56 AM
Posted on July 20, 2007 05:56
I didn't warm up to the monkees for whatever reason. It took being older and looking back in retrospect that I soon liked them. I thought the television show was silly then...still is, but I like it now! And who could forget Davy Jones on the Brady Bunch! And I guess it was David Bowie (Davie Jones also) who changed his name to avoid confusion?
Posted by Rivers End | May 27, 2009 10:42 PM
Posted on May 27, 2009 22:42
Yes, the Monkees did work. In my opinion, most people are not talented enough to write on their own and play, and produce. Beatles needed George Martin. The Monkees good writers, musicians, TV writers, production. It worked. It was good music. It lasts. I still listen to it. Many of the shows were funny. Mike wrote a few good songs himself but I also think he was too upset over the music industry getting all the money and control. It is usually that way.
The Monkees were not good enough on their own. But then they were controlled, the product was great. Monkee music was as good as any. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Most music is a result of many hands. It is a product. The Beatles came as close as you can to doing it alone but they had help often, too.
It is tough to work with many people and accept restraints and it is not always productive either. But it was at first for the Monkees. Mike urged control and they got it. Be careful of what you ask for, right? I saw a reunion Monkee movie maybe around 2000. They did their own music and it sucked. First, it was not 60s, which was great and you can never go wrong with it. 2nd, it was not good for anything. I think Mike caused the problem. He overstepped his talent limits.
They should have sought some input and help. The Beatles suffered without Epstein to some degree, at least as regards movies. To quote John after Brian died, “Well, we’re f#$%&* now.” The Beatles continued to make great music but they also were split 3 or 4 years later. Too much talent in one group led to conflicts of personality.
Any artistic adventure is a challenge. Working with other people is a challenge. Seldom do forces come together just right but for a couple years, maybe 66/67, it worked and I am glad it did.
Posted by Scott Irv | May 28, 2009 8:35 PM
Posted on May 28, 2009 20:35