The Monkees
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- "Monkee" redirects here. For other uses see Monkey (disambiguation).
- For the group's self-titled album, see The Monkees (album).
| The Monkees | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Genre(s) | Pop Rock Psychedelic rock |
| Years active | 1965–1970, 1986–1989, 1996–1997 |
| Label(s) | Colgems Rhino |
| Website | Monkees.net |
| Former members | |
| Michael Nesmith Davy Jones Micky Dolenz Peter Tork |
|
The Monkees were a pop-rock quartet created and based in Los Angeles in 1965 for an NBC American television series of the same name. The show, which ran from 1966 to 1968, helped make them one of the most popular music acts of the decade. The members of the group were Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz. The Monkees officially disbanded in 1971. Dolenz and Jones continued touring together for most of the 1970s, but were not permitted to use the name The Monkees. Several reunions have taken place beginning in 1986; the latest Monkees formations were a Dolenz-Jones-Tork lineup which toured in 2001, then Dolenz-Jones in 2002.
Contents |
[edit] History of the series
The television show first broadcast on September 12, 1966 on the NBC television network and lasted for two seasons (58 episodes). The final primetime episode ran on September 9, 1968 (see List of The Monkees episodes). Modeled on The Beatles' theatrical films A Hard Day's Night and Help!, The Monkees featured the antics and music of a fictional pop-rock group. Due to the massive success of the records, and the public's expectations, the four Monkees became a real pop group. The series was sponsored by Kellogg's Cereals and Yardley of London.
The four young men who became The Monkees were: British-born David Thomas Jones ("Davy") (vocals/percussion/guitar/{drums-live only}), Hollywood native George Michael Dolenz Jr. ("Micky") (vocals/drums/keyboards/guitar), Texan Robert Michael Nesmith ("Mike" or "Wool Hat") (guitars/vocals), and Peter Halsten Thorkelson ("Peter Tork") (bass/keyboards/banjo/guitar/trombone/vocals), who had lived with his family in both the eastern United States and Canada.
They were cast after ads were placed in trade publications like Variety calling for "folk & roll musicians" to play "four insane boys" on a new television series. Four hundred and thirty-seven hopeful actors and musicians auditioned for the parts; a then-relatively unknown Stephen Stills was short-listed for a role, but lost out because producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider felt he looked too old for the part, and because he did not want to lose his music publishing rights to Screen Gems. Stills also later claimed he was rejected due to not having straight teeth. Stills referred friend and former roommate Tork to audition (false rumors have circulated that Charles Manson also auditioned. He was incarcerated at the time).[1]
Nesmith (releasing pre-Monkees singles as "Michael Blessing") and Tork (part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village) were both aspiring musicians. Dolenz (who starred in the 1950s TV series Circus Boy) and Jones (who appeared with the cast of Oliver! on The Ed Sullivan Show the night of The Beatles' debut on live American TV) were better known as actors, but both also had musical and recording experience. Jones, who had a solo album to his credit, had performed in musical theater in England as well as in Broadway theatre in New York. Dolenz had sung and played guitar in Los Angeles area bar bands. However, only The Monkees' voices were used on the group's initial recordings, with the music provided by session players. This was mainly due to the time constraints on the four Monkees and a rivalry between The Monkees and music supervisor Don Kirshner hired by Bob Rafelson to handle the music side of The Monkees. However, within a short time, Nesmith, who was already an accomplished writer, was writing, producing, and recording Monkees music in a separate studio from the other Monkees music under Kirshner control. Despite Kirshner's objections, some Nesmith material started being included early on. Nesmith had songs on the first album (the self-titled The Monkees). This struggle over The Monkees musical direction increased the tension between Nesmith and Kirshner.[1]
Many of the early sessions of Kirshner-controlled music contained songs written, produced, and performed by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. These included "Theme from The Monkees" and "Last Train to Clarksville" where the Boyce and Hart demo was used with vocals removed and replaced with multi-track vocals provided by only Micky Dolenz.
All four Monkees were trained in both improvisational comedy and stage presence as a group by Monkees director James Frawley before the pilot episode was filmed, so that they could look and act like a cohesive band. Each was given a different personality to portray: Dolenz the funny one, Nesmith the smart and serious one, Tork the naive one, and Jones the cute one. Their characters were loosely based on their real selves, with the exception of Tork, who was actually a quiet intellectual. Choosing someone to play the drummer proved tricky; Nesmith and Tork did not want to give up their guitars, and the 5' 3" Davy Jones nearly vanished behind the drums. Dolenz ultimately took the job, and began drum lessons (according to Rhino Records liner notes, by the time of The Monkees' first solo tour, Dolenz had only a crash-course in drums. To this day, he still sets up his drum kit as if he were left-handed, as his drum teacher had been, although Dolenz is right-handed).
The series was filmed by Columbia Pictures, the studio that made The Three Stooges short films from 1934 to 1958. Many of the same sets and props from the Three Stooges were used on The Monkees. A pair of pajamas with a bunny design on the front that had been worn in several shorts by Curly Howard appear to be the same ones worn by Peter Tork in various episodes.
As a television show, The Monkees used techniques rarely seen on episodic television. This included characters breaking the fourth wall and talking to the camera (and sometimes even to off-camera studio production staff), fantasy sequences, and abrupt inserts and jump cuts. At least once a week, there was a musical romp which might have nothing to do with the storyline. In retrospect, many episodes included vignettes which now look very much like music videos: short, self-contained films of songs in ways that echoed Beatles' film sequences.[1]
Another interesting feature of the series was "extras" that were sometimes added to the end of the show. These included showing the original screen tests of the four regulars, and even interviews with the members during which David Jones reveals to have had his appendix out. During one such interview, Davy reported that a fan had actually mailed herself to him. Another exchange between Mike and "Bob" (one assumes it was Bob Rafelson), Bob asks Mike why he feels it is so important to own a house. In his own classic style, Mike replies "To keep the wind off of me!...when it rains you get wet if you live in a parking lot."
The 1965 pilot episode was co-written by Paul Mazursky and Larry Tucker, who later co-wrote the Mazursky-directed movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice. Mazursky went on to direct such films as Harry and Tonto and Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Series producers Schneider and Rafelson also went on to movie careers, commencing with 1969's Easy Rider (co-produced with star Dennis Hopper). Rafelson would direct such films as Five Easy Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens.
Dolenz said in a 2007 interview on the Roe Conn radio program that, while inspiration did come from The Beatles, the band's image was not meant to be a ripoff of them. He said that the Beatles were always depicted as superstars with legions of fans, whereas The Monkees were always depicted as unsigned and struggling to make a buck. Rafelson has said that he had the idea for a TV series about a music group as early as 1960, but had a hard time interesting anyone in it until 1965, by which time rock & roll music was firmly entrenched in pop culture.
The Monkees won two Emmy Awards in 1967: Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy (James Frawley). Frawley was nominated for the same award the following season.
[edit] From TV to stage
Critics of The Monkees complained that they were simply the "prefab four", a made-for-TV knockoff of the Beatles, but the Beatles took it in stride, and made The Monkees welcome. John Lennon was a fan of the show, publicly comparing its humor to The Marx Brothers. George Harrison praised their self-produced musical efforts, saying "When they get it all sorted out, they might turn out to be the best" (Peter Tork was later one of the musicians on Harrison's Wonderwall Music, playing Paul McCartney's five-string banjo). Longtime Beatles confidant Peter Shotton wrote in his memoir The Beatles, Lennon and Me, "The Monkees are what the Beatles pretend to be." During the time when the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Monkees were in England and met the Beatles at a party and Nesmith attended the "A Day in the Life" sessions at Abbey Road Studios: he can be seen in the Beatles' home movies. Dolenz was also in the studio during a session, which he mentioned while broadcasting for WCBS-FM in New York. McCartney can be seen in the 2002 concert film Back in the U.S. singing the "(Theme from) The Monkees" while backstage.
The massive success of the series and its spin-off records created intense pressure to mount a touring version of the group by late 1966. Against the initial wishes of the producers, Dolenz, Jones, Nesmith, and Tork went out on the road. The results were far better than expected. Wherever they went they were greeted by scenes of fan hysteria, similar to that of the Beatles. This gave the four performers increased confidence in their battle for creative control over the music chosen for the series.[1]
The band had no time to rehearse a live performance. They worked on the TV series all day, recorded in the studio(s) at night, and slept very little. The weekends were usually filled with special appearances or filming of special sequences. However, during the filming of the show, there was often down time between setups. The instruments, consisting mostly of Gretsch guitars and drums, and Vox keyboards and amps, were set up, but turned off for the filming of the series. Between takes The Monkees would turn them on and practice the live performances. Eventually the performances began to be used at times during the series. One instance is in the episode "Too Many Girls (Fern and Davy)". It opens with a live version of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" being performed as the scene was shot. Later an entire episode was filmed featuring live music. The last show of the first season ("Monkees on Tour") was shot in a documentary style by filming a concert in Phoenix, Arizona.[1] In commentary tracks included in the DVD release of the first season of the show, Nesmith stated that Tork was better at playing guitar than bass. In Tork's commentary, he stated that Jones was a good drummer and had the live performance lineups been based solely on playing ability, it should have been Tork on guitar, Nesmith on bass, and Jones on drums, with Dolenz taking the fronting role, rather than as it was done with Nesmith on guitar, Tork on bass, and Dolenz on drums.
The Monkees had complained that the producers would not allow them to play their own instruments on their records. This campaign eventually forced the series' musical coordinator Don Kirshner to let the group have more participation in the recording process (against his strong objections). This included Nesmith producing his own songs, and band members making instrumental contributions. The Monkees were capable of playing their own instruments on the recordings and they had written some material, but, except for the few songs forced through by The Monkees' campaigning, they were not allowed by Kirshner to play or use their own material. Led by Nesmith, the band eventually rebelled against Kirshner, who was later fired.
The animosity between Kirshner and The Monkees began in the very early stages of the band. The Monkees' off-screen personalities at the time were much like what became their on screen image (except for Peter). This included the playful, hyper-active antics that are often seen on screen. Apparently, during an early recording session, the four Monkees were clowning around in the studio. The antics escalated until Micky Dolenz poured a Pepsi on Kirshner's head (Micky at the time not knowing Kirshner by sight). This is rumored to have upset Kirshner to the point that he decided to try to never again have the four Monkees together in the studio at the same time and spend as little time with them as possible. This rule severely limited the involvement that The Monkees could have with the music. Eventually their only involvement was to come in individually to record vocals when needed. This greatly disturbed the band members, especially Nesmith, and became the catalyst behind their rebellion.[1]
The climax of their rivalry has been said to have been a rather intense argument between Nesmith and both Kirshner and Colgems lawyer Herb Moelis at a meeting where Kirshner told the group that new tracks for a pending album were ready for them and the group. Nesmith in particular, responded angrily. It has been said that during this heated exchange, Nesmith, in anger, punched a hole in a wall with his fist, pointed to the hole, and told Kirshner and Moelis, "That could have been your face!"
Kirshner's firing came in early February 1967 when an agreement was reached between Colgems and The Monkees to release material directly created by the group in addition to Kirshner-produced material. Kirshner broke this agreement when he released "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You," a Neil Diamond composition, as a single with "She Hangs Out," a song recorded in New York with Davy Jones vocals, as the flipside. When the single was discovered, Kirshner was immediately fired.
Kirshner's name is mentioned in the "Captain Crocodile" (first season) episode as the name of a make-believe fairy tale land.
Kirshner was reported to have been incensed by the group's unexpected rebellion. An additional point of contention was The Monkees rejection of the Jeff Barry/Andy Kim song "Sugar, Sugar" which Kirshner wanted them to record. This experience led directly to Kirshner's later venture The Archies, which was an animated series – the "stars" existed only on an animation cel and obviously could not seize creative control over the records issued under their name. Kirshner had "Sugar, Sugar" recorded using session musicians and released it under the name of "The Archies."
[edit] Monkees Controlled Music
Beginning with their third album, Headquarters (produced by Chip Douglas), the four Monkees wrote and played on much of their own material. Nearly all vocals and instruments on Headquarters were performed by the four Monkees (the exceptions being only a few small parts usually filled by producer Chip Douglas). Following Headquarters, they began what they referred to as "mix mode" where they played their own instruments but also continued to employ session musicians. This was not unusual at the time in that many other pop/rock acts employed additional session musicians on their recordings. The Monkees continued using these additional musicians (including The Wrecking Crew, Louie Shelton, members of The Byrds and The Association, drummer "Fast" Eddie Hoh, and Neil Young) throughout their recording career, especially when the group became temporarily estranged after Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. and recorded some of their songs separately.[1] The use of additional musicians to augment the band members continued until the 1996 reunion album "Justus" was recorded. "Justus" was produced by The Monkees, all songs were written by one of the four Monkees, and it was recorded using only the four Monkees for all instruments and vocals, which was the inspiration for the album title and spelling ("Justus"=Just Us).
When The Monkees toured Britain in 1967, there was a major controversy over the revelation that the group did not always play all of their own instruments in the studio, although they did play them all while touring (except for the solo segments, which used backing band the Candy Store Prophets). The story made the front pages of several UK and international music papers, with the group derisively dubbed "The Pre-Fab Four." Nevertheless, they were generally welcomed by many top British stars, who realized the group included skilled musicians and sympathized with their wish to have more creative control over their music.
Many Monkees fans argued that the controversy unfairly targeted the band, while conveniently ignoring the fact that a number of leading British and American groups (including critical favorites such as The Byrds and The Beach Boys) habitually used session players on their recordings. This commonplace practice had previously passed without comment. However, the Beatles had led a wave of groups who provided most of their own instrumentation on their recordings (although they at times used additional musicians such as Eric Clapton and Billy Preston to augment the Beatles' own instrumentation) and wrote most of their own songs. This coupled with the constant comparing and noticeable similarities of The Monkees to the Beatles seemed to bring additional scrutiny of The Monkees' music. But both supporters and critics of the group agree that the producers and Kirshner had the good taste to use some of the best pop songwriters of the period. Neil Diamond, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Harry Nilsson, Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, and many other highly regarded writers had songs recorded by The Monkees.
[edit] Beyond television
During the filming of the second season, the band tired of scripts which they deemed monotonous and stale. They had already succeeded in eliminating the laugh track (a standard on American sitcoms), with the bulk of Season 2 episodes sans the canned chuckles.[2] They proposed switching the format of the series to become more like a variety show, with musical guests and live performances. This desire was partially fulfilled within some second season episodes, with guest stars like musicians Frank Zappa, Tim Buckley and Charlie Smalls (composer of The Wiz), performing on the show. However, NBC was not interested in eliminating the existing format, and the group had little desire to continue for a third season.
After the television show was cancelled, Rafelson directed the four Monkees in a feature film, Head, originally titled "Untitled." The film was executive-produced by Schneider and co-written and co-produced by Rafelson with a then relatively unknown Jack Nicholson. Rumors abound that the title was chosen in case a sequel was made. The advertisements would supposedly have read: "From the people who gave you HEAD." [3]
Nicholson also assembled the film's soundtrack album. The film, conceived and edited in a stream of consciousness style, featured oddball cameo appearances by movie stars Victor Mature, Annette Funicello, a young Teri Garr, boxer Sonny Liston, famous stripper Carol Doda, and musician Frank Zappa. It was filmed in Screen Gems Studios and on location in California, Utah, and The Bahamas between 19 February and May 17, 1968 and premiered in New York City on November 6 of that year (the film later debuted in Hollywood on November 20).
Head was not a commercial success, in part because it was the antithesis of The Monkees television show, intended to comprehensively demolish the group's carefully-groomed public image. Rafelson and Nicholson's "Ditty Diego-War Chant" (recited at the start of the film by The Monkees), ruthlessly parodies Boyce and Hart's "Monkees Theme." A sparse advertising campaign (with no mention of The Monkees) squelched any chances of the film doing well, and it played only briefly in nearly-empty cinemas.
Over the intervening years Head has developed a cult following for its innovative style and anarchic humor, and the soundtrack album (long out of print, but re-released by Rhino in the '80s and now available in an expanded CD version) is counted among their most adventurous recordings. Members of The Monkees, Nesmith in particular, cite Head as one of the crowning achievements of the band.
The Monkees had several international hits which are still heard on pop and oldies stations. These include "I'm a Believer," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "Daydream Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Despite their seemingly permanent reputation as a made-for-TV act, their hits and many lesser recordings present an enduring quality that has earned respect over the years.
Screen Gems held the publishing rights to a wealth of great material, with The Monkees given first crack at many new songs. Their choices were not unerring; the band turned down "Sugar, Sugar," which became one of the biggest hits of 1969 (for The Archies). But The Monkees never had to record a song they truly disliked, as Dolenz affirmed on The Larry King Show in 1987 (they would sometimes lampoon songs during takes, though; their lighthearted version of "Gonna Buy Me a Dog" ended up being picked for the group's first album).
Six albums were produced with the original Monkees lineup, four of which went to Number 1 on the Billboard chart. This success was supplemented by a series of successful world concert tours. But tensions within the group were increasing, and Peter Tork quit shortly after the band's Far East tour in December 1968, after completing work on their 1969 NBC television special, 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee. Reduced to a trio, the remaining members went on to record Instant Replay and The Monkees Present. Throughout 1969, the trio would appear as guests on various television programs such as the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, the Johnny Cash Show, and Laugh-In. The Monkees also had a contractual obligation to appear in several television commercials with Bugs Bunny for Kool-Aid drink mix.
In the summer of 1969 the three Monkees embarked on a tour with the backing soul band Sam and the Goodtimers. The concerts for this tour were longer sets than their earlier concert tours: many shows running over two hours. Unfortunately the 1969 Monkees' tour was not all that successful; some shows were cancelled due to poor ticket sales. In March 1970, Nesmith left the group, leaving only Dolenz and Jones to record Changes as The Monkees. After a 1971 single ('Do It In The Name Of Love' b/w 'Lady Jane') The Monkees lost the rights to use the name; in several countries, the USA included, the single wasn't credited to The Monkees but to Dolenz and Jones. The duo continued to tour throughout most of the 1970s but were unable to use The Monkees name.
While The Monkees' recording career was eroding, their TV series was enjoying a resurgence on Saturday afternoon television on CBS from (September 1969–September 1972), and on ABC from (September 1972 - August 1973). The 58 episodes were then sold to local markets for syndication in September 1975, where they typically appeared on independent television stations on weekday afternoons.
In part because of this exposure to a new generation of young fans, The Monkees Greatest Hits charted in 1976. The LP, issued by Arista, who by this time had custody of The Monkees master tapes, courtesy of their corporate owner, Screen Gems, was actually a re-packaging of an earlier (1972) compilation LP called "Refocus" that had been issued by Arista's previous label imprint, Bell Records, also owned by Screen Gems. Dolenz and Jones took advantage of this, joining ex-Monkees songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to tour the United States. As the "Golden Hits of The Monkees" show ("The Guys who Wrote 'Em and the Guys who Sang 'Em!"), they successfully performed in smaller venues such as state fairs and amusement parks, as well as making stops in Japan, Thailand and Singapore. They also released an album of new material as Dolenz, Jones, Boyce and Hart (they could not use The Monkees name due to legal reasons). Nesmith had not been interested in a reunion. Tork claimed later that he had not been asked, although a Christmas single (credited to Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork) was produced by Chip Douglas and released on his own label in 1976. The single featured Douglas' and Howard Kaylan's "Christmas Is My Time Of Year" (originally recorded by a 1960s supergroup, Christmas Spirit), with a B-side of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (Douglas released a remixed version of the single, with additional overdubbed instruments, in 1986). Tork also joined Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart on stage at Disneyland on July 4, 1976, and also joined Dolenz and Jones on stage at the Starwood in Hollywood, California in 1977.
Other semi-reunions occurred between 1970 and 1986. Peter Tork helped arrange a Micky Dolenz single, "Easy On You"/"Oh Someone" in 1971. Tork also recorded some unreleased tracks for Nesmith's Countryside label during the 1970s, and Dolenz (by then a successful television director in the United Kingdom) directed a segment of Nesmith's NBC-TV series Television Parts, although the segment in question was not included when the series' six episodes aired during the summer of 1985.
[edit] Revival
Brushed off by critics during their heyday as manufactured and lacking talent, The Monkees experienced a critical and commercial rehabilitation two decades later. A Monkees TV show marathon ("Pleasant Valley Sunday") was broadcast on 23 February 1986 on the video music channel MTV. Dolenz, Jones, and Tork made a "20th Anniversary Tour." MTV promotion resurrected a smaller version of Monkeemania, and tour dates grew from smaller to larger venues.
The reunited trio became one of the biggest live acts of 1986 and 1987, with their original albums selling again, and a new greatest hits collection reaching platinum status. Mike Nesmith appeared onstage with Dolenz, Jones, and Tork twice, both times in Los Angeles: at the Greek Theatre on September 7, 1986, and at the Universal Amphitheatre on July 10, 1989. By now, Nesmith was amenable to a reunion, but forced to sit out most projects because of prior commitments to his bustling Pacific Arts video production company. However, he did appear with the band in a 1986 Christmas medley music video for MTV, and took part in a dedication ceremony at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, when The Monkees received a star there in 1989. Because his mother Bette Nesmith Graham was the inventor of Liquid Paper, Nesmith was wealthy and had little financial need to join in Monkees-related projects.
The sudden revival of The Monkees in 1986 helped move the first official Monkees single since 1971, "That Was Then, This Is Now," to the #19 position in Billboard. The success, however, was not without controversy. Davy Jones had declined to sing on the track, recorded along with two other new songs included in a compilation album, Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees. Some copies of the single and album credit the new songs to "The Monkees," others as "Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (of The Monkees)." Reportedly, these recordings were the source of some personal friction between Jones and the others during the 1986 tour. A new album by the touring trio, Pool It! (The Monkees' 10th), appeared the following year and was a moderate success. From 1986 to 1989, The Monkees would conduct major concert tours in the United States, Australia, Japan, the United Kingdom and Europe.
In 1986, Raybert Productions (now known as Straybert Productions) tried to capitalize on the revival by filming a new television series called The New Monkees. Four young musicians were placed in a similar series based on the original show, but "updated" for the 1980s. The show, its accompanying album, and the New Monkees themselves all sank without a trace.
In the 1990s, The Monkees continued to record new material, Their 11th album, Justus, was released in 1996. It was the first since 1968 on which all four original members performed and produced. The trio of Dolenz, Jones, and Tork reunited again for a successful 30th anniversary tour of American amphitheaters in 1996, while Nesmith joined them onstage in Los Angeles to promote the new songs from Justus. For the first time since the brief 1986 reunion, Nesmith returned to the concert stage for a tour of the United Kingdom in 1997, highlighted by two sold-out concerts at Wembley Arena in London. The full quartet also appeared in an ABC television special written and directed by Nesmith, spoofing the original series that had made them famous. However, following the UK tour, Nesmith declined to continue future performances with The Monkees. Tork, Jones, and Dolenz toured the United States in 1997, after which the group took another hiatus, until the three regrouped again in 2001. Dolenz, Jones, and Tork toured the United States from March through September 2001; Jones and Dolenz went on to tour the United Kingdom in 2002, but Tork declined to participate. Jones and Dolenz toured the United States one more time as a duo in 2002, and then split to concentrate on their own individual projects.
With different Monkees citing different reasons, the group chose not to mark their 40th anniversary in 2006, and it seems doubtful that The Monkees will be sighted again.
[edit] Impact
The Monkees, selected specifically to appeal to the youth market with their manufactured personae and carefully produced singles, are seen as an original precursor to the modern proliferation of studio and corporation-created bands. But this critical reputation has softened somewhat, with the recognition that The Monkees were neither the first manufactured group nor unusual in this respect. The Monkees also frequently contributed their own songwriting efforts on their albums and saw their musical skills improve. They ultimately became a self-directed group, playing their own instruments and writing many of their own songs.
The Monkees found unlikely fans among musicians of the punk rock period of the mid-1970s. Many of these punk performers had grown up on TV reruns of the series, and sympathized with the anti-industry, anti-Establishment trend of their career. Sex Pistols and Minor Threat both recorded versions of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and it was played live by Toy Love.
In 1988 Run DMC recorded "Mary, Mary" on their album Tougher Than Leather. Australian indie-rock bands of the 1980s such as Grooveyard ("All The King's Horses"), Prince Vlad & the Gargoyle Impalers ("Mary Mary", "For Pete's Sake" and "Circle Sky") and The Upbeat and The Mexican Spitfires ("Mary Mary") performed Monkees cover versions. Cassandra Wilson had an indie hit with "Last Train to Clarksville" in 1995. The alternative rock group Smash Mouth had a hit with "I'm a Believer" in 2001 (and featured in the blockbuster computer-animated movie Shrek). Japanese popsters Shonen Knife recorded "Daydream Believer". Indie group Carter USM recorded "Randy Scouse Git" (a.k.a. Alternate Title). 1980s psychedelic rock band Bongwater, featuring Ann Magnuson and Mark Kramer, recorded "You Just May Be The One" and "The Porpoise Song". The Monkees also had a big influence on Paul Westerberg, lead singer/songwriter for The Replacements. "Daydream Believer" and "You Just May Be The One" are staples at his live shows.
The band's legacy was strengthened by Rhino Entertainment's acquisition of The Monkees' franchise from Columbia Pictures in the early 1990s. The label has released several Monkees-related projects, including remastered editions of both the original television series and their complete music library, as well as their motion picture Head.
In the 1990s, three of The Monkees had minor roles in the family sitcom Boy Meets World. Tork played Topanga's father Jedidiah; Jones played Reginald, an old friend from Europe; Dolenz played Gordy, Mr. Matthews' best friend. In the one episode that the three were in together, they performed "My Girl."
Jones, Tork and Dolenz also feature memorably as themselves in The Brady Bunch Movie. Jones is invited by Marcia to appear as the surprise star guest at the High School prom. After a difficult start, he proves a surprise hit with the modern-day audience. Later, the Bradys themselves perform "Keep On Dancing", a 1960s-style 'groovy' song, in the evening's "Search for a Star" talent contest. Everyone is surprised when they win the award, until it is revealed that the judging panel consists of Jones, Tork and Dolenz.
David Bowie, already under contract to record his debut album, was forced to adopt the stage name of "Bowie" in order to have any chance of having his music released in the U.S.; his original and legal name being David Robert Jones. During the early 1960s, Bowie was performing either under his own name or the stage name "Davie Jones", and briefly even as "Davy Jones", creating confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees. To avoid this, in 1966 he chose "Bowie" for his stage name, after the Alamo hero Jim Bowie and his famous Bowie knife.
In 2005, eBay used "Daydream Believer" as the theme for a promotional campaign
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[edit] Notable achievements
- Had the top-charting American single of 1967 ("I'm a Believer"). (Billboard No 1 for 7 Weeks) with "Daydream Believer" tied for third.
- First band to use a Moog Synthesizer in a top-10 album ("Star Collector"). Also used in "Daily Nightly" and "Love Is Only Sleeping" which was recorded for the same album (released November of 1967).
- Gave the Jimi Hendrix Experience their first US concert appearances. It should be noted that Hendrix's heavy psychedelic guitar and sexual overtones did not go over well with the teenage girl audience.
- Compelled another David Jones to change his surname to Bowie to avoid being confused with Davy Jones of The Monkees.
- The Monkees reunion tour was the largest grossing tour of 1986.
- Introduced Tim Buckley to a national audience, via his appearance in the series finale, "The Frodis Caper."
- The Monkees outsold The Beatles and Elvis combined in 1967.
- Last music artist to win the MTV Friday Night Video Fights by defeating Bon Jovi 51% to 49%.
- First music artist to win two Emmy awards.
- First actual live concert footage to be featured in a motion picture (Head, 1968).
- Had 7 albums on the Billboard top 200 chart at the same time (6 were re-issues during 1986/87).
- "More of The Monkees" spent an amazing 70 weeks on the Billboard charts becoming the 12th biggest selling album of all time (Billboard.com).
- Four number one albums in a year span.
- "Valleri featured on "Nuggets: A Classic Collection from the Psychedelic Sixties"
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio Albums
| Release Date | Album Title (compilations in italics) | Billboard Pop Albums | UK Albums Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10/1966 | The Monkees |
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| 01/10/1967 | More Of The Monkees |
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| 05/20/1967 | Headquarters |
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| 11/14/1967 | Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. |
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| 04/22/1968 | The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees |
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| 12/01/1968 | Head |
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| 02/15/1969 | Instant Replay |
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| 10/11/1969 | The Monkees Present |
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| 05/1970 | Changes |
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| 08/01/1987 | Pool It! |
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| 10/15/1996 | Justus |
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[edit] Live Album
| Release Date | Album Title (compilations in italics) | Billboard Pop Albums | UK Albums Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Live 1967 |
[edit] Compilations
| Release Date | Album Title (compilations in italics) | Billboard Pop Albums | UK Albums Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | The Monkees Greatest Hits |
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| 1971 | Barrel Full of Monkees |
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| 1972 | Re-Focus |
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| 1976 | The Monkees Greatest Hits |
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| 1982 | More Greatest Hits of the Monkees |
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| 1983 | Monkee Business |
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| 1984 | Monkee Flips |
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| 1985 | Hit Factory |
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| 1986 | Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees |
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| 1988 | Missing Links |
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| 1989 | Hey Hey It's The Monkees - Greatest Hits |
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| 1990 | Missing Links Volume Two |
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| 1991 | Listen to the Band |
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| 1995 | The Monkees Greatest Hits |
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| 1996 | Missing Links Volume Three |
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| 1996 | Barrelful Of Monkees: Monkees Songs For Kids! |
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| 1997 | Here They Come ... The Greatest Hits Of The Monkees |
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| 1998 | The Monkees Anthology |
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| 2001 | The Definitive Monkees |
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| 2001 | Music Box |
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| 2003 | The Best of the Monkees |
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[edit] Singles
| Release date | U.S. Release / UK Release | Title | Chart Positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Cashbox | UK Singles Chart | ||||||||||
| 08/16/1966 | Colgems 66-1001 / RCA 1547 | "Last Train to Clarksville" / "Take a Giant Step" | #1 | #1 | #23 | |||||||
| 11/12/1966 | Colgems 66-1002 / RCA 1560 | "I'm a Believer" / | #1 | #1 | #1 | |||||||
| "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" | #20 | #25 | - | |||||||||
| 03/08/1967 | Colgems 66-1004 / RCA 1580 | "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" / | #2 | #1 | #3 | |||||||
| "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" | #39 | - | - | |||||||||
| ??/1967 | RCA 1604 (no US release) | "Alternate Title" / "Forget That Girl" | NR | NR | #2 | |||||||
| 07/10/1967 | Colgems 66-1007 / RCA 1620 | "Pleasant Valley Sunday" / | #3 | #3 | #11 | |||||||
| "Words" | #11 | #5 | - | |||||||||
| 10/25/1967 | Colgems 66-1012 / RCA 1645 | "Daydream Believer" / | #1 | #1 | #5 | |||||||
| "Goin' Down" | #104 | - | - | |||||||||
| 03/02/1968 | Colgems 66-1019 / RCA 1673 | "Valleri" / | #3 | #1 | #12 | |||||||
| "Tapioca Tundra" | #34 | #47 | - | |||||||||
| 06/08/1968 | Colgems 66-1023 / RCA 1706 | "D.W. Washburn" / | #19 | #10 | #17 | |||||||
| "It's Nice To Be With You" | #51 | #26 | - | |||||||||
| 10/05/1968 | Colgems 66-1031 (no UK release) | "Porpoise Song" / | #62 | #41 | NR | |||||||
| "As We Go Along" | #106 | - | NR | |||||||||
| 02/08/1969 | Colgems 66-5000 (stock), SP-45-191 (promo) / RCA 1802 | "Tear Drop City"1 / "A Man Without A Dream"1 | #56 | #37 | #46 | |||||||
| 04/26/1969 | Colgems 66-5004 / RCA 1824 | "Listen to the Band"1 / | #63 | #57 | - | |||||||
| "Someday Man"1 | #81 | #80 | #47 | |||||||||
| 07/1969 | RCA 1862 (no US release) | "Daddy's Song" / "Porpoise Song" | NR | NR | - | |||||||
| 09/06/1969 | Colgems 66-5005 / RCA 1887 | "Good Clean Fun"1 / | #82 | #90 | - | |||||||
| "Mommy and Daddy"1 | #109 | - | - | |||||||||
| 04/1970 | Colgems 66-5011 / RCA 1958 | "Oh My My"² / "I Love You Better"² | #98 | #94 | - | |||||||
| 04/1971 | Bell 986 (no UK release) | "Do It in the Name of Love"² ³ / "Lady Jane"² ³ | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1972 | Arista 0201 (U.S. Reissue) | "Daydream Believer" / "(Theme From) The Monkees" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1973 | Flashback 70 (U.S. Reissue) | "Last Train to Clarksville" / "Monkees Theme" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1973 | Flashback 71 (U.S. Reissue) | "I'm A Believer" / "Pleasant Valley Sunday" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1973 | Flashback 72 (U.S. Reissue) | "Daydream Believer" / "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1976 | Christmas CDS-700/701 | "Christmas Is My Time of Year"4 /"White Christmas"4 | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1980 | ??/Arista ARIST 326 | "The Monkees EP" | - | - | #33 | |||||||
| 1982 | Relived BIR-004 (no UK release) | "Steam Engine" / "Rainbows" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1982 | Flashback AFS-9118 (U.S. Reissue) | "Last Train to Clarksville" / "Monkees' Theme" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1982 | Flashback AFS-9119 (U.S. Reissue) | "I'm A Believer" / "Pleasant Valley Sunday" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1982 | Flashback AFS-9120 (U.S. Reissue) | "Daydream Believer" / "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1982 | Flashback AFS-9234 (U.S. Reissue) | "Valleri" / "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 06/27/1986 | Arista AS1-9505 / Arista 1673/2673/3673/4673 | "That Was Then, This is Now"4 / "(Theme From) The Monkees" | #20 | - | #68 | |||||||
| 1986 | Arista AS1-9532 (no UK release) | "Daydream Believer (remix)" / "Randy Scouse Git" | #79 | - | - | |||||||
| 1986 | Christmas CDS-702/703 (Reissue w/PS) | "Christmas Is My Time of Year"4 /"White Christmas"4 | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1987 | Rhino RNOR-74408 (no UK release) | "Heart and Soul"4 / "MGBGT (Live)"4 | #87 | - | - | |||||||
| 1987 | Rhino RNOR-74410 (no UK release) | "Every Step of the Way"4 / "(I'll) Love You Forever (Live)"4 | #92 | - | - | |||||||
| 1987 | Rhino RNSI-74411 (U.S. picture disc) | "Every Step of the Way"4 / "(I'll) Love You Forever (Live)"4 | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1989 | ??/Arista 112157 | "The Monkees EP | - | - | #62 | |||||||
| 199? | Collectables (U.S.-only box set of 18 45s) | VARIOUS (includes reissues of all Colgems and Rhino releases) | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0386 (U.S. reissue) | "Last Train to Clarksville" / "It's Nice To Be With You" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0387 (U.S. reissue) | "Monkees Theme" / "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0388 (U.S. reissue) | "I'm A Believer" / "Words" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0389 (U.S. reissue) | "Daydream Believer" / "Listen To The Band" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0390 (U.S. reissue) | "D.W. Washburn" / "A Little Bit Of Me, A Little Bit Of You" (sic) | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0391 (U.S. reissue) | "Pleasant Valley Sunday" / "Tapioca Tundra" | - | - | - | |||||||
| 1998 | Collectables COL-0392 (U.S. reissue) | "Valleri" / "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" | - | - | - | |||||||
Notes:
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[edit] Comics
There was also "The Monkees" comic published by Dell which ran from 1-17 (1967-1969) as well as a Daily Mirror "Crazy Cartoon Book" (2/6, now 12.5p) which had four comic stories as well as 4 photos of The Monkeees, all in black and white. Published 1967.
[edit] See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of The Monkees episodes
- Category:The Monkees albums
- The New Monkees
- The Monkeemobile
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g Baker, Glenn A. (1986, rev. 2000). Monkeemania: The Story of The Monkees. Plexus Publishing. ISBN 0859652920.
- ^ Lefcowitz, Eric (1986, rev. 1989). The Monkees Tale. Last Gasp of San Francisco. ISBN 0867193786.
- ^ Head facts from the Internet Movie database
[edit] External links
- Official websites
- The Monkees Home Page
- Micky Dolenz Official Website
- Official Davy Jones Forever
- Official Davy Jones Website
- Peter Tork Official Website
- Michael Nesmith Official Website
- IMDb
- The Monkees at the Internet Movie Database
- The Monkees at TV.com
- Head at the Internet Movie Database
- Resource sites
- Online Monkees Discography & Price Guide
- The Monkees Film & TV Vault
- The Monkees: The Complete Internet Guide
- Monkees Concert Tour Set Lists & History
- Official Davy Jones Forever
- Rhino Records Monkees CDs and DVDs
- Monkees 101: An Introductory Guide to The Monkees
- The Monkees Collector's Home Page
- Monkeesrule43 Online: Your Monkees News and Information Source
- Misc sites
- Monkee Korner Online!
- The Ultimate Monkees Love Page
- The Missing Links - A Monkees Tribute Band
- Peter Tork and Shoe Suede Blues (Band)
- Oddball Comics article: The Monkees no. 14
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