Amstel Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Interested to see what some of you think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Duck Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 They were around when I was in elementary school. Back then I liked their songs and thought Davy Jones was cute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strider Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Sure, why not? Although there are already one or two Monkees threads here where you could see the forum's thoughts on the Monkees, since you asked here and now, I'll say why I vote 'yay'. Call The Monkees kitsch if you must, but at least they were transcendent kitsch. Not only was their television show an amusing way to spend an afternoon after school, but it had inevitably far-reaching effect and influence on the visual mediums of TV and music video. The breaking of the 4th wall, editing, the rapid pop-culture references. There was genius in their sillyness. Their music has proven to be more durable and timeless than initially thought as well. Even though they didn't write or play on most of their songs, "I'm a Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Last Train to Clarksville", "Listen to the Band", "The Monkees Theme", "Daydream Believer" all are catchy as hell and exhibit pure pop song craft. I'd rather listen to the Monkees than Kiss any day of the week. At least the Monkees never did anything as boring as "Music from the Elder". In addition to their loopy, surreal television show, The Monkees also had a hand in one of the gloriously weird films of the 60s: "Head". A collaboration between Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, "Head" is an extraordinary act of self-deprecation and self-sabotage by The Monkees, whereby they deconstruct their fame and their identity as a 'fake' pop group. It features a wealth of memorable cameos...including Chick Hearn, Frank Zappa and a cow! What visual treat has Kiss left us with? "Kiss Meets the Phantom Tollbooth"...umm, sorry...I mean "Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park". Winner: The Monkees. Plus, if all of the above wasn't enough, the Monkees were cool enough to invite Jimi Hendrix to open their July 1967 tour, when Hendrix was still relatively unknown in the U.S., having only just played Monterey Pop in June. Sure, Jimi Hendrix was booed and dropped out of the tour after only seven dates. But that was the fault of the fans not the Monkees themselves. So hell yeah...I say 'YAY!' to The Monkees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grits 'n' Gravy Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Sure, why not? Their music has proven to be more durable and timeless than initially thought as well. Even though they didn't write or play on most of their songs, "I'm a Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Last Train to Clarksville", "Listen to the Band", "The Monkees Theme", "Daydream Believer" all are catchy as hell and exhibit pure pop song craft. I'd rather listen to the Monkees than Kiss any day of the week. At least the Monkees never did anything as boring as "Music from the Elder". ^seconded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 I'm on the fence. I never have really liked their music but neither have I disliked it much either. I would vote "meh" (leaning yay) if it were an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropDown Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Yay. I loved their show as a kid and you have to love a band that had Tim Buckley on singing "Song to The Siren". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the chase Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 I'll vote yay as well. The songs were very well written and produced.. They had amazing studio musicians. The band, to their credit, were pissed off when they found out the session players weren't credited on the 1st album cover and kicked up a stink about it. They felt they were deceiving the public.. The Monkees became a "legit" band by their 3rd album, Headquarters..playing most of the instruments themselves. Mike Nesmeth, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork could all play Guitar and Bass. Davy Jones could play the Drums. But they all "played" instruments they weren't very good at on the show.. Dolenz - couldn't play the Drums at first, but he was the "Drummer" Tork - played Bass on the show, but he was by far the best Guitarist Nesmeth - was a better Bassist, but played Guitar on the show. Jones was a real Drummer, but they had him up front playing Tamborines and Shakers. Dolenz and Jones both had very good voices. On their 1st tour they played the instruments they were strongest at.. so that must have been confusing to their fans. The producers treated them more as actors than musicians, But they marketed them to the public as a real band. As far as the show goes, I don't think it has aged well. Mickey Dolenz is obnoxious as hell. Some of the shows are just bad. Stepping Stone Last Train To Clarksdale I'm a Believer You Just May Be The One ... are all great pop songs Sorry I'm rambling.. They were a big part of my childhood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzepfvr Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Sure, why not?Although there are already one or two Monkees threads here where you could see the forum's thoughts on the Monkees, since you asked here and now, I'll say why I vote 'yay'.Call The Monkees kitsch if you must, but at least they were transcendent kitsch. Not only was their television show an amusing way to spend an afternoon after school, but it had inevitably far-reaching effect and influence on the visual mediums of TV and music video. The breaking of the 4th wall, editing, the rapid pop-culture references. There was genius in their sillyness.Their music has proven to be more durable and timeless than initially thought as well. Even though they didn't write or play on most of their songs, "I'm a Believer", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Last Train to Clarksville", "Listen to the Band", "The Monkees Theme", "Daydream Believer" all are catchy as hell and exhibit pure pop song craft. I'd rather listen to the Monkees than Kiss any day of the week. At least the Monkees never did anything as boring as "Music from the Elder".In addition to their loopy, surreal television show, The Monkees also had a hand in one of the gloriously weird films of the 60s: "Head". A collaboration between Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, "Head" is an extraordinary act of self-deprecation and self-sabotage by The Monkees, whereby they deconstruct their fame and their identity as a 'fake' pop group. It features a wealth of memorable cameos...including Chick Hearn, Frank Zappa and a cow!What visual treat has Kiss left us with? "Kiss Meets the Phantom Tollbooth"...umm, sorry...I mean "Kiss meets the Phantom of the Park". Winner: The Monkees.Plus, if all of the above wasn't enough, the Monkees were cool enough to invite Jimi Hendrix to open their July 1967 tour, when Hendrix was still relatively unknown in the U.S., having only just played Monterey Pop in June. Sure, Jimi Hendrix was booed and dropped out of the tour after only seven dates. But that was the fault of the fans not the Monkees themselves.So hell yeah...I say 'YAY!' to The Monkees.^^^^^^What he said..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperDave Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 I voted yay as well. Always liked the show, even if it was quite silly most of the time. I owned a few of their albums as well. I think the Monkees Greatest Hits may be the first album I owned or at least one of the first few. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TypeO Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I liked them then, and I even watched an episode today on the Antenna Network, kind of like ME-TV and TV Land, all old shows. The shows were goofy, but very similar to the Nick and Disney shows of today that are created to market kids and groups. And I still LOVE their theme song, it's an awesome pop song! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redrum Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I saw Mickey Dolenz at the fair in the early 90's. He played guitar and sang and put on a good show. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jabe Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 My dad took me to a Monkees concert when I was in 4th or 5th grade on a Friday night in Birmingham. It was was pretty cool.Peter Tork had left the band by then, but I'm pretty sure Mickey played drums and Michael was on guitar for most of the show. Wish I had Strider's recall ability.Of course all the girls in elementary school thought Davy Jones was so dreamy. Screaming crazy like a Beatles concert."Pleasant Valley Sunday" might have been the first 45rpm I ever purchased, courtesy my mom giving me the money to close the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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