The Monkees

The Monkees were a four-man musical band created to be the stars of an American television series of the same name, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1968. The members were: Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, David Jones and Peter Tork. The Monkees were formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California and disbanded in 1970. At their peak they were one of the most popular musical acts of their time.

Created by producers of a TV series to be an American Beatles, the antics of the Monkees band members on the television series were very reminscent of Beatles' antics in films like 'Help' and 'Hard Day's Night'. Indeed, in songs like 'Forget that Girl...', the band and even the lead singer could sound just like the Beatles. With songs provided by Don Kirschner from such writers as Neil Diamond and Carole King, among others, the Monkees were assured of pop success.

However, in the beginning, the four group members were hired only as actors to front the band and to provide the vocals whilst studio musicians recorded the backing music. These recordings were provided by Kirschner. Things changed though after the success of the single 'Last Train to Clarksville', the first hit, leading to demands that the band play live gigs. Having learnt to play the music, the band were angry when their second LP was recorded (by Kirschner) only with studio musicians. They therefore demanded and obtained control of the music.

However, this move contributed to the death knell of the band and the TV series. The music just did not sound the same as it had in the successful format used by Don Kirschner, his studio musicians and his writers (though many argue the subsequent albums show a more mature-style of Monkee studio trickery). Michael Nesmith was the first to produce his own songs with Peter Tork on guitar. But it was Nesmith who revealed that the band did not perform on their records. He was also instrumental in getting Don Kirschner sacked, but thereby also losing the talents of some of the most successful writers in pop music.

Some of the best studio musicians had also been used, a group of musicians known as 'The Wrecking Crew'. They had been used on Phil Spector recordings, and on tracks by the Byrds and Beach Boys and on Motown tracks. They are reputed to have also been used on Simon and Garfunkel sessions. Further disaster then followed: Mickey Dolenz was even allowed to write a bad TV episode, the last one. Members of the band may simply have taken themselves too seriously. The show ran for only two seasons and the musical actors then found themselves effectively out of work. The band itself folded the next year.

There has, however, been a resurgent interest in The Monkees' music (and their completely insane 1968 art-house acid-trip film "Head", written by Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson). Rhino Records has been instrumental in restoring all their albums, adding bonus tracks, and equipping them with complementary liner notes and stories. Find out more about them at: http://www.themonkees.net/

Research info gathered from: www.allmusic.com


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