boyajian@akov68.DEC (05/01/84)
Now, now, let's not pick on the Monkees! OK, they'll never go down in music history next to the Beatles, but they weren't *that* bad. I confess that they are one of my "Guilty Pleasures". Besides, a fair amount of their material was good, solid stuff, even if it wasn't ground-breaking. And they weren't com- pletely talentless as musicians; in fact, one could say that they did pretty well, considering how they were thrown together. And I consider Michael Nesmith to be quite talented, as a composer, arranger, and producer. Have you heard any of his solo stuff? A lot of it is quite good. His one-hour programs, "Rio" and "Elephant Parts" are among the first "video records" done; back before MTV, he realized the potential of that medium. --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC Maynard) UUCP: (decvax!decwrl!rhea!akov68!boyajian) ARPA: (decwrl!rhea!akov68!boyajian@Shasta)
dbb@fluke.UUCP (Dave Bartley) (05/01/84)
Actually of the four members, Mike Nesmith really is a musician/songwriter. I recall a friend of mine playing a couple of tunes off a Mike N. solo album that I rather liked. Can't remember the name right offhand, and I expect it's long out of print, but there it is. -- Dave Bartley decvax\ John Fluke Mfg Co. ihnp4 >!uw-beaver\ PO Box C9090 allegra >!fluke!dbb Everett,WA 98206 USA ucbvax >!lbl-csam / (206)356-5284 hplabs/
rs55611@ihuxk.UUCP (Robert E. Schleicher) (05/02/84)
I'll agree that some of the Monkees' songs were pretty good, although Boyce and Hart (?) wrote most of their material. In particular, "I'm A Believer is, in my opinion, a great pop song! (I also think that some old Paul Revere and the Raiders tunes - "Kicks", for example - are pretty respectable pop tunes, and have aged fairly well.) - Definitely not something you can listen to for too long, though! Bob Schleicher ihuxk!rs55611 AT&T Bell Laboratories, Naperville, Ill.
eli@uw-june.UUCP (05/02/84)
While I can't argue with Mr. Dunn's assertion that The Monkees were pre- fab'd to cash in on The Beatles' popularity, I certainly disagree that those of us who were listening back then are trying to forget them. Quite to the contrary, a good number of people are working to get most of The Monkees' records back in distribution. All of their Lp's (including the latter ones without Tork, and later without Tork or Nesmith) are cur- rently available as Japanese imports, and Rhino Records in Los Angeles is busy issuing Monkees' compilations. Arista Records in Australia also issued an excellent 2-Lp compilation a few years ago. To dismiss The Monkees solely because they were manufactured is to miss a good deal of the point. First, they were manufactured in a way that has really yet to be duplicated: The 'project' invloved some of the very finest pop songwriters of the day, as well as the best studio musicians and producers. The first two "Monkees" albums, while not using the instrumental talents of the four Monkees, did include an incredible number of pop gems, nicely per- formed and produced. Both of these albums also displayed the songwriting talents within the band (Nesmith especially). After the second LP the situation changed. At a press conference, Nesmith, who had had a good deal of previous musical experience (releasing singles under the name of Michael Blessing), let it be known that the four were being prevented from playing on their LP's. From that point on (the third LP, "Headquarters"), the four Monkees actually did perform the bulk of the instrumental work on their albums, and credited the auxilliary studio mus- icians that were used. Apparently they were all hired to be actors for the television series-- they all went through auditions (and weren't just picked off of the street). An interesting sidelight is that Peter Tork heard of the interview from his roommate who was turned down due to bad teeth... the roommate being Stephen Stills. It seems however that the musical talent of at least one of the members (Nesmith) couldn't help but come through and steer the band away from being complete puppets. Their live shows were much more than getting a bunch of large amplifiers and ka-razy looking instruments... in fact the show was usually done in segments, aimed at highlighting each of the four Monkees' talents. Thus Tork would come out and play some banjo, Dolenz his James Brown routine, Jones would serenade the pre-teens, and Nesmith would play some country, each with a backing band that was on-stage (i.e. not hidden behind a curtain). At the end of the show the four of them would play with the backing band as they performed the "Monkees" hits. There is much more to the "Monkees Story" than simple manufacturing and manipulation. To directly compare them to some of today's image-manufactured bands seems to me to be rather short cited. ... uw-june!eli PS. Remember, for good or bad, Michael Nesmith almost single handedly created the music-video boom. His "Pop Clips" show on the cable Nickel- odian network was the basis for MTV. (Let us also not forget his solo work with the 1st and 2nd Natl. Band, the Prison project, The Witchita Train Whistle Sings LP, ...)
lied@ihlts.UUCP (Doctor Bob) (05/02/84)
As I'm sure 200 other people will point out, "I'm a Believer" was written by Neil Diamond, as was "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You." Ghost-writing for the Monkees was Neil's big break. Any Neil Diamond fans out there? Didn't think so. Here we come, walkin' down your street...
dsg@mhuxi.UUCP (GREEN) (05/03/84)
[] Neil Diamond wrote a few good Monkees' songs, including "I'm A Believer". They sound better as you get older and as you compare them to M. Jackson. David S. Green ..mhuxi!dsg
timw@umcp-cs.UUCP (05/03/84)
Everybody forgot to add that Boyce and Hart also wrote that
immortal classic, "I'm not your stepping stone" that was
later made famous by various sundry groups
(Sex Pistols, Sid Vicious, Minor Threat, SOA, etc....)
--
Tim Wicinski
University of Maryland
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!timw
CSNet: timw@umcp-cs
ARPA: timw@marylandrcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn) (05/03/84)
<> >While I can't argue with Mr. Dunn's assertion that The Monkees were pre- >fab'd to cash in on The Beatles' popularity, I certainly disagree that >those of us who were listening back then are trying to forget them. Fair 'nuff...I don't think they were great, but I guess they were passable for the time, and my comments brought out some of the interesting stories. (Thanks, folks.) As I think of it, I can come up with some groups from way back (?) then that were REALLY BAD. [Anyone want to attempt an artistic justification of the 1910 Fruitgum Company?] -- ...Relax...don't worry...have a homebrew. Dick Dunn {hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd (303) 444-5710 x3086
blickstein@orphan.DEC (Dave Blickstein) (05/03/84)
I remember very clearly that in one of the later Monkees TV episodes they
ended with a close-up of Nesmith who said something like (paraphrasing)
"We've heard the rumors that we don't play our own instruments. Man, that's
a load of bull."
Then they should the band playing (really playing) together that include a
highlight of an amazing guitar solo by Nesmith.
I've always liked the Monkees. Their first three albums ("The Monkees",
"More of the Monkees", and "Monkees Headquarters") were consistently good.
I still listen to them every so often.
Dave Blickstein
(UUCP) {decvax, ucbvax, allegra}!decwrl!rhea!orphan!blickstein
(ARPA) decwrl!rhea!orphan!blickstein@Berkeley
decwrl!rhea!orphan!blickstein@SU-Shastarh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (05/04/84)
If'n I remember correctly, The Monkees started out as just a TV show, and when it caught on, there was a scramble to teach the guys to play instruments and sing (they were just chosen for their "acting" ability or somesuch...). That's pretty gross. -- Randwulf (Randy Haskins); Path= genrad!mit-eddie!rh
rlr@pyuxn.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (05/04/84)
> Actually of the four members, Mike Nesmith really is a > musician/songwriter. I recall a friend of mine playing a couple of > tunes off a Mike N. solo album that I rather liked. Can't > remember the name right offhand, and I expect it's long out of > print, but there it is. Mike Nesmith has also been one of the pioneers in music video. He released an award-winning video feature, "Elephant Parts", a few years back, and apparently he's still working in the video medium. Peter Tork is also really a musician/songwriter, and recently has attempted a "comeback" of sorts. Note that when there was a Monkees reunion a few years back, it consisted of Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Tommy Boyce, and Bobby Hart. Nesmith and Tork failed to attend. -- "You are not SAM. You are not ISAM!!!" Rich Rosen pyuxn!rlr
gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (05/04/84)
<> >Anyone want to attempt an artistic justification of the 1910 Fruitgum >Company?] It was not the point of groups like 1910 Fruitgum Company, Strawberry Alarm Clock, John Fred and the Playboys (? did they do Judy in Disguise with Glasses ?) to be artistic. It was their job to make fun songs that people could sing along with and be glad about. I think a lot of people are missing the point of the Monkees (and other pop groups) that they were not out to do "state of the art" music but to put out music that was fun to listen to and sing along with. -- Be ye moby, for I am not moby. Greg Skinner (gregbo) {decvax!genrad, eagle!mit-vax, ihnp4}!mit-eddie!gds
kds@intelca.UUCP (Ken Shoemaker) (05/07/84)
How appropriate, the May 4 issue of BAM has a little bit on the Monkees,
in which we learn the true, sordid facts of just how they came about
in the first place. Apparently it (they?) were the brainchild of
Bob Farelson and Bert Schneider, "two clever producers in search of the
American Beatles. Having failed to find a real rock band to star in their
half-hour comedy series based on four fun-loving, long-haired musicians
(the Lovin' Spoonful were among those auditioned), the duo decided to
hire amateurs via an advertisement in Variety."
"The four finalists balanced two actors, Davy Jones and Mickey Dolenz, with
two musicians-Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith.....
Rehearsals commenced....schedule was far too hectic to allow the
foursome adequate time to develop their own music...Enter Don Kirshner...
Under the thumb of Kirshner, The Monkees needed only to dub their voices onto
pre-recorded tracks...Clarksville was released...a month before the show
would debut...On Monday, September 12, 1966 The Monkees debuted at
7:30 pm on NBC...." etc. etc. The article points out that the reason for
the group's eventual demise was planted in its inception, that the
players really weren't Monkees, and they got tired of playing the part.
Anyway, the article is pretty interesting even if you aren't at all
interested in the Monkees because of the players involved, their
inspirations, and subsequent projects. Written by Eric Lefkowitz,
it appears in the May 4, 1984 BAM (which is available, free, at most
California record stores (I believe BAM originally stood for
"Bay Area Music" but they had them down in Southern California a few
years ago, beyond that, I'm not sure of the distribution...)
--
Ken Shoemaker, Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
{pur-ee,hplabs,ucbvax!amd70,ogcvax!omsvax}!intelca!kdsdsg@mhuxi.UUCP (GREEN) (05/07/84)
[]
If you mean Gary Lewis & the Playboys ( not John Fred and the Playboys ? )
they had a hit "This Diamond Ring" by Al Kooper who played with Dylan,
Super Session, etc. Of course, Gary Lewis is Jerry's son. I think
Gary Lewis, Terry Melcher ( Doris Day's son ) and a few other guys
had a group called "The Beverly Hills Blues Band".
David Green {most machines} mhuxi!dsgrlr@pyuxn.UUCP (Rich Rosen) (05/07/84)
> If you mean Gary Lewis & the Playboys ( not John Fred and the Playboys ? )...
John Fred and His Playboy Band (or something like that) were the ones who
recorded "Judy in Disguise", which was recently covered by the Silicon
Teens (really Daniel Miller).
--
Those responsible for sacking those people who have just been sacked,
have been sacked. Rich Rosen pyuxn!rlrjdb@qubix.UUCP (Jeff Bulf) (05/14/84)
Sheeyit! Everybody knows what the Monkees were good for: they put Michael
Nesmith in a position to get some lovely music published after the Monkees
broke up.
"I roll with the flow, whereever it goes ..."
--
Dr Memory
...{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!decwrl!qubix!jdbblack@unc.UUCP (Samuel Black) (02/24/86)
I'm just sitting here enjoying MTV's Pleasant Valley Sunday
(45 straight Monkees episodes) and I was wondering:
Just how many Monkees episodes were there?
In all my albums, album jackets and inner sleeves, I have
a plethora of Monkees information, but I can't find the answer
to that question.
Please reply on the net or directly by E-mail.
----------------------------------
You can't spell 'geek' without a double-E.
- Jon Bentley
...!{decvax,ihnp4}!mcnc!unc!black (usenet)
black@unc or
black%unc@csnet-relay.csnet (arpanet)
----------------------------------eric@amiga.UUCP (Eric Cotton) (03/01/86)
In article <1041@unc.unc.UUCP>, black@unc.UUCP (Samuel Black) writes: > I'm just sitting here enjoying MTV's Pleasant Valley Sunday > (45 straight Monkees episodes) and I was wondering: > > Just how many Monkees episodes were there? > > In all my albums, album jackets and inner sleeves, I have > a plethora of Monkees information, but I can't find the answer > to that question. > > Please reply on the net or directly by E-mail. I have a complete Monkees episode list with episode titles, ratings, and briefs summaries (including a little trivia). In all there were 58 episodes, including the pilot. I would be glad to post the entire list if there is interest. Eric Cotton Commodore "My hovercraft is full of eels!" -M. Python
bdr@ariel.UUCP (B.ROWE) (03/05/86)
> > I'm just sitting here enjoying MTV's Pleasant Valley Sunday > > (45 straight Monkees episodes) and I was wondering: > > > > Just how many Monkees episodes were there? > > > > In all my albums, album jackets and inner sleeves, I have > > a plethora of Monkees information, but I can't find the answer > > to that question. > > > > Please reply on the net or directly by E-mail. > > > > I have a complete Monkees episode list with episode titles, ratings, and > briefs summaries (including a little trivia). In all there were 58 > episodes, including the pilot. I would be glad to post the entire list > if there is interest. > > > Eric Cotton > Commodore > Yes Eric I would very much be interested in the complete Monkees episode list. Please post or e-mail to me. Brad Rowe ariel!bdr AT&T Information Systems New Jersey