Ok... I know I am going to get my head handed to me here, but here goes....
Any love for the Monkees here ?

Been listening to the 4 disc set "Music Box " a compilation of the hits and deeper tracks from the Monkees career and I am blown away by how much I am enjoying it !
Great songs, great production, and totally enjoyable !

Impressed by Mike Nesmith's songwriting and guitar playing and the real surprise for me is Peter Tork: he cant carry a tune to save his life, but he is all over the place playing guitar, bass, banjo ( he also played banjo on George Harrison's Wonderwall soundtrack ) and keyboards.

Their 1st 2 albums the bulk of their backing was done by the Wrecking Crew, but by the time of Headquarters they took over and did it all--

Looking at the additional musicians who sat in with them and are credited:
Neil Young, Steve Stills, Richie Furay, Jack Nitzche, Leon Russell, Buddy Miles ( BUDDY MILES ! ), Harry Nillson

A solid body of work-- enjoyable and unashamed to say I LIKE it !

Why these guys arent in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is beyond me



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2023-02-09 20:08 by bv.

Hard not to like The Monkees growing up watching their show.
Was sorry to hear Peter Tork passed last year was a favorite.

Fun Monkee facts "I'm A Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" were written by Neil Young.. could have easily seen those being hits for him.
Also, one of the reasons Michael Nesmith didn't originally partake in the reunion tours was his mother had invented Liquid Paper and he was independently wealthy from inheritance, investments etc.

and Mickey Dolenz was Corky in Circus Boy ........



ROCKMAN

Loved the Monkees TV show when I was about six yrs. old - the theme is etched in my brain and brings back fond memories.
"Here we come, walkin' down the street...we get the funniest looks from, everyone we meet - Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!"





I'm a Believer and A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You were both written by Neil Diamond (not Neil Young as had been posted above).
However, Neil Young plays guitar on You and I (and a couple of others), though wasn't involved in writing it.
In related trivia, Stephen Still auditioned to be a Monkee, but then recommended Peter Tork instead

More: Monkees Trivia

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-12-04 06:43 by Hairball.

The Monkees had some incredible songs and albums. I could understand the argument why not but honestly, I think they belong in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They are iconic. Way more than many others.

Watched the show (or reruns) in the mid-late 70's as a kid, loved the custom GTO (car). Bought the earlier of the LP's, still have them, but 2 were kinda crappy & I basically gave them away, kept a few + GHits/Best Of's.


Good to know about The Wrecking Crew...Hal Blaine is a Top20 drummer all-time, easily, imho.


I prefer more Mickey Dolenz vocals vs. Jones+Nesmith's vocals. HM to Last Train to Clarksville (MD) & Daydream Believer (DJ). Though Valleri is my favorite, that guitar!!


The Monkees - Valleri (NEW ENHANCED VERSION)

The Monkees - Valleri


The Monkees - (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone


The Monkees - No Time


WHAT AM I DOING HANGING ROUND--THE MONKEES (NEW ENHANCED RECORDING)

MARY MARY--THE MONKEES (NEW ENHANCED VERSION) 720

the Monkees - Theme Song edited to Full Length (1966)


Often times, when other labels do re-releases they add tracks. RHINO for example with The Monkees...

The Monkees discography - Wikipedia



Thanks for the trip back in time.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2020-12-05 06:37 by KevinM.

The Monkees were essentially Brill Building's answer to The Beatles. They had many great songs, of course, mainly written by Brill Building songwriters. The band members themselves wrote some good songs, but not so many. Perhaps this is the reason they are not in the R'n'R Hall Of Fame.

Okay you Americans ,

The Monkees ... maybe the first succesful action to do something against the British invasion. Make sure you have some good songwriters (Neil Diamond is a very good one) put some cute boys together to feed the minds of screaming young teenagers and ... bang. In Europe many looked down on that artificial band when they surfaced. Trying to beat The Beatles, what a joke.
While writing this, I realize that off course Motown had been succesful too in this respect. In Britain they learned quickly and so the likes of Chapman and Chin helped out, as did Stock, Aitken and Waterman. But there mostly naturally talented starting groups and individuals came to fame. Take That, Boyzone, One Direction, etc., etc., etc. are/were other examples of "factory produced" groups.
I don't think that the people of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame look at how many original succesful songs anyone has written. Elvis Presley wrote, if I remember well, only two insignificant songs, but man, he made an impact and fully deserves his status.
Back to The Monkeys ... good that some of the individual members felt they had individual talents and were capable of showing that further down the road. Personally I occasionally enjoy listening to some of their songs, and in retrospect, that's what it is all about ... find enjoyment in listening to music.

Quote
MisterDDDD
Hard not to like The Monkees growing up watching their show.
Was sorry to hear Peter Tork passed last year was a favorite.

Fun Monkee facts "I'm A Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" were written by Neil Young.. could have easily seen those being hits for him.
Also, one of the reasons Michael Nesmith didn't originally partake in the reunion tours was his mother had invented Liquid Paper and he was independently wealthy from inheritance, investments etc.

Errrr, Neil Diamond.

"No Anchovies, Please"

I have always liked the Monkees and,as Hairball said, the theme tune is etched in my brain too. Watching the TV show back in the 60's was more than just following their wacky escapades and hearing their music but also seeing images of sunny California......which always looked so exciting compared to gloomy London!

Quote
bob r
Ok... I know I am going to get my head handed to me here, but here goes....
Any love for the Monkees here ?

Been listening to the 4 disc set "Music Box " a compilation of the hits and deeper tracks from the Monkees career and I am blown away by how much I am enjoying it !
Great songs, great production, and totally enjoyable !

Impressed by Mike Nesmith's songwriting and guitar playing and the real surprise for me is Peter Tork: he cant carry a tune to save his life, but he is all over the place playing guitar, bass, banjo ( he also played banjo on George Harrison's Wonderwall soundtrack ) and keyboards.

Their 1st 2 albums the bulk of their backing was done by the Wrecking Crew, but by the time of Headquarters they took over and did it all--

Looking at the additional musicians who sat in with them and are credited:
Neil Young, Steve Stills, Richie Furay, Jack Nitzche, Leon Russell, Buddy Miles ( BUDDY MILES ! ), Harry Nillson

A solid body of work-- enjoyable and unashamed to say I LIKE it !

Why these guys arent in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame is beyond me

I also have the 4 disc Music Box set and I think it is a great representation of the Monkees body of work that like you said does a great balance of hits and deep cuts.

Many people got turned off to the Monkees because of their being perceived as a fake band of musicians, but their 3rd and 4th albums Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius demonstrated the range and talent these guys (in particular Nesmith) had.

Quote
Elmo Lewis

Quote
MisterDDDD
Hard not to like The Monkees growing up watching their show.
Was sorry to hear Peter Tork passed last year was a favorite.

Fun Monkee facts "I'm A Believer" and "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" were written by Neil Young.. could have easily seen those being hits for him.
Also, one of the reasons Michael Nesmith didn't originally partake in the reunion tours was his mother had invented Liquid Paper and he was independently wealthy from inheritance, investments etc.

Errrr, Neil Diamond.

Lol.. of course.
A legit typo.. was listening to Neil (Young) as I wrote this

I loved the Monkees as a 5th grader! Still like 'em!

Was kinda crushed when my older brother (he was around 15) told me the truth: they didn't play all the instruments on the records.

Anyway, bro turned me on to another band, which I ended up listening to and loving even more: The Rolling Stones.

In those days, there was really one song by the Monkees that I did like: "Randy Scouse Git", known to us then as "Alternate Title".

Other songs were OK blatant pop music, not important in comparison with much else that was around then, but I don't want to knock them. Somewhere I even have got a compilation.

Monkee Peter meets a Stone - Monterey Pop Festival, 1967


_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Tork wanted hair like Brians .....



ROCKMAN

I loved the Monkees and saw them at the Wembley Empire Pool when they came to London in I think 1967? Put on a terrific show, and were definitely playing all the instruments themselves.

Pick up the new live cd The Mickey and a
Mike show. You’ll love it.

2013 at the Ron Wood / Mick Taylor gig at the Cutting Room in NYC, I spotted Mickey Dolenz in the audience. (And John McEnroe, Earl Slick...)

Quote
walkingthedog
The Monkees were essentially Brill Building's answer to The Beatles. They had many great songs, of course, mainly written by Brill Building songwriters. The band members themselves wrote some good songs, but not so many. Perhaps this is the reason they are not in the R'n'R Hall Of Fame.

They are not rock ‘n’ roll, that’s why.

LOVE The Monkees.

No apologies.

[www.youtube.com]

Contrary to once popular legend, Charlie Manson did not audition for the show. Although he did move in the circles of people who did and I think he was recommended by someone as well.

We always considered them Hollywood phonies who were co-opting the real movement, but over time I began to like them a little more and recognize some real talent, as said, in their later albums and especially in their feature length movie, Head. By that time they were openly courting the druggie crowd and Nesmith especially really started writing some good songs.

For me the Turtles were a much more "real" Monkees, I always much preferred them (The Turtles), but they were sort of seen as Hollywood softies too.

jb

Also of note, is the movie 'Head' from 1968, partly written and produced by Jack Nicholson, and starring the Monkees. It includes songs written by Carole King and Harry Nilsson, and even features cameos by Frank Zappa, Dennis Hopper, and Annette Funicello. It's sort of an anti-corporate Monkees 'art' (read: trippy and nonsensical) film, and was basically sabotaged in marketing and flopped. It has since become a cult classic. The soundtrack is also great.



Full movie: [www.youtube.com]

They are a guilty pleasure. Growing up they were fun, and also a primer to more serious music at the time. With adult ears you hear the crack musicians putting out those songs.

Quote
schillid
2013 at the Ron Wood / Mick Taylor gig at the Cutting Room in NYC, I spotted Mickey Dolenz in the audience. (And John McEnroe, Earl Slick...)

I'd forgotten all about that, I saw him too!

Quote
jbwelda
.............

For me the Turtles were a much more "real" Monkees, I always much preferred them (The Turtles), but they were sort of seen as Hollywood softies too.

jb

I once much later bought a compilation of the Turtles. I wanted to have their two great pop songs from the past, especially "Happy Together", but also "She'd Rather Be with Me". I found then that I still liked them. And I still do.

It may, of course, be due to weaknesses with me, however not from prejudice, but, apart from those two songs, for me there was not much about the other songs of that compilation from the Turtles.

Given the choice, at this moment I would rather have listened to my compilation from the Monkees than that from the Turtles.

The Monkees kind of filled a little void when the Beatles musicstarted in 1966 and especially 1967 to get a little freaky and druggy.They were more like the Beatles of 1964.Songs like I am the Walrus,With or Without You, Blue Jay Way, A Day in the Life, Tomorrow Nevef Knows , Strawberry Fields, were no longer pop music Daydream Believer is my favorite Monkees song.

Quote
24FPS
They are a guilty pleasure. Growing up they were fun, and also a primer to more serious music at the time. With adult ears you hear the crack musicians putting out those songs.

For sure, "Pleasant valley Sunday", "Valerie", and "Last Train" all feature some fine guitar work.

"No Anchovies, Please"

I directed Press for Rhino during their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour, which was a Sell Out everywhere and a genuine revival.
I'd known Peter before, but not Mickey or Davy.
It was the one night that Nesmith came back for a show when it hit The Greek in l.a.

For a few days I had to coordinate things in the Field for them and it was absolutely shrieking and storming madness. I'm in a Hard Day's Night Movie in a flash. Screaming where's the other one in the limo surrounded by genuinely passionately ebullient kids but actually Dangerous.
They're alternatingly arguing with each other or teasing each other.
They put on a good show.
A pro show band backed them but
Pete and Mike played some.
It was funny and charming.
86.
Great showmen.
Excellent singing from Dolenz and Jones.
Pete was charming. Physical comedy was fun.
A Lot of tears when Mike came on for the encore.
It really was crazy.
And they worked hard.

Quote
hopkins
I directed Press for Rhino during their 20th Anniversary Reunion Tour, which was a Sell Out everywhere and a genuine revival.
I'd known Peter before, but not Mickey or Davy.
It was the one night that Nesmith came back for a show when it hit The Greek in l.a.

For a few days I had to coordinate things in the Field for them and it was absolutely shrieking and storming madness. I'm in a Hard Day's Night Movie in a flash. Screaming where's the other one in the limo surrounded by genuinely passionately ebullient kids but actually Dangerous.
They're alternatingly arguing with each other or teasing each other.
They put on a good show.
A pro show band backed them but
Pete and Mike played some.
It was funny and charming.
86.
Great showmen.
Excellent singing from Dolenz and Jones.
Pete was charming. Physical comedy was fun.
A Lot of tears when Mike came on for the encore.
It really was crazy.
And they worked hard.

I went to that tour (but not that show, damn, would have loved to have seen Mike). It was lots of fun and a very good show, indeed.