Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Monkees Mania Machine. Pretty Impressive Manufacturing.


So I was watching the Monkees bio on The Biography Channel last night and if you think about it, it's pretty amazing. "Let's get a bunch of nobody kids, and have them kind of imitate The Beatles. And we'll then we'll make a series and we'll have lots of slapstick. Oh yeah - and we'll just get a bunch of song writers to write the songs."

On paper this sounds like a recipe for disaster but do you know what? It worked. How did that happen? And I'm not saying that they're the best group ever but it's pretty amazing that this was a manufactured group and that the music still holds up.

To hear "I'm a Believer", click here.

My favorite song is probably "I'm Not Your Steppin" Stone". But I love when anyone does that song - especially Paul Revere and The Raiders. To hear that version, click here.

24 comments:

Moooooog35 said...

Mickey Dolenz of the Monkees and Chaka, from "Land of the Lost."

Separated at birth?

Discuss.

Candy's daily Dandy said...

I Loved the Monkees when I was a kid. Yup, a card carrying member of the Davey Jones fan club.

"Steppin Stone" is a classic.

Anonymous said...

There's a phenomenom in France called "Le Boys Band". It's exactly what the Monkeys were, a group of boys who were formed into a musical group. It works pretty well here.

I loved Peter Tork.

I Am Who I Am said...

The Monkeys rocked.

Anonymous said...

I too was a member of their fan club. Davey was so dreamy.
I went to a concert, many moons ago when they were trying to have a comeback. It rocked.

#1

Tash said...

I both thank and blame my Dad for my love of The Monkees. I thank him when I'm skipping down the street happily to The Monkees. I blame him when The Monkees won't get out of my head for three days straight.

It's a very complex relationship.

Miss Alex said...

2 words.

Davey Jones.

fuckin Marsha was on to something. however if this were today I'd fight the bitch for him like some bad reality tv show.

SkylersDad said...

Well, they were no Hermans Hermits, but they were pretty good.

Oh crap, did I just really date myself right there?

Shawn said...

I totally had a crush on ALL of them at various times. I loved their show...too bad there weren't DVR's back then or I'd have seen ALL of them.

words...words...words... said...

You could get away with anything in the 60s, people weren't as jaded about the media. I bet 90% of the public didn't even know they were "manufactured". That said, their success is still pretty amazing. It's like if the Zack Attack went platinum.

And I know you know what I'm talking about.

diane said...

Mike Nesmith was my favorite. He wrote "Mary, Mary", "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", & "You Just May Be The One", amongst others. He played a customized Gretsch twelve-string, and wrote "mixed meter" songs with complicated structures. Part of the reason he left the Monkees, was due to his creative frustration; he was only allowed to pen 2 songs per album. I pretty much thought the other guys were crap compared to him.

Morgan the Muse said...

You know what, I had not thought about it much, but you are right. It is pretty incredible.

Son of a Thomas said...

Disney continues to do it.

Vic said...

Huge crush on Davy. Wanted to be best friends with Mickey and run wildly around empty building while being chased by people in bear suits.

I had every single album.

Sass said...

Loved the Monkees...and now can't get their song out of my head. I'll be cursed for days now. ;) I blame you, Zibbsy.

Jeannie said...

I loved the Monkees then but I was a kid. Believe it or not Davey Jones still does concerts or at least he did. I've been to see him twice - not to see him but because we live where there used to be the largest bar in the world and HE was the act when friends came to town wanting to see the bar. He sucked pretty badly.

Amy Kate said...

holy cat crap! how did i never notice that peter could be a doppelganger for joe dubois, the husband/dad on Medium??!! maybe just this shot?

Anonymous said...

So Davey Jones in the 70's was having a meet n greet outside Sam Goody's in the Roosevelt Mall.

I was there, my parents did not know, we were not allowed to walk to the Roosevelt Mall, even though it was a block away.

Davey was dreamy.....everything a girl wanted way back when.
Pissed me the hell off when he appeared on the Brady Bunch and kissed Marcia, that bitch.

my verification word is SODOMMI.....sweet

peace
#2

Anonymous said...

Wait, the Monkees weren't real?
(Wink, wink...)

J.J. in L.A. said...

I have a love/hate relationship with The Monkees - I love to hate them! Davy Jones and the dark-haired guy in the back (Mickey something?), especially.

I've always had to be different...

Scope said...

I've always been a "Gonna Buy Me A Dog" guy, myself.

Cora said...

I had a friend in 1987 who had a big crush on them. She had pictures of them all over her notebook, her bedroom walls, and inside her locker. Totally bizarre.

Gwen said...

I loved that show and had such a crush on Davey Jones.

Peggy said...

I liked Davy (who didn't) but I always liked Peter the best...not sure why...weird.