The Monkees

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Ah, this is all so incredibly heartening, all this warm fuzzy Monkee talk.

I suppose we could all just spin this thread out endlessly with awe-struck proclamations of the magnificence of "Head" and of Monkee-music in general, but I do have to agree with dfbrook that "The Door Into Summer" is an almost insufferably pefect, beautiful song. Even their one & only performance of it on the TV show, with Davy in drag, can't undermine it (actually, it's a  pretty funny clip).

And can I make a claim for "While I Cry" from the Tork-less "Instant Replay" album as not only one of the most beautiful songs Nesmith ever wrote, but one of the most beautiful songs ever?

Really, if there's anyone out there who only knows the Monkees from their over-familiar greatest hits, you really should investigate further as dfbrook says.

Sorry, I know this is all getting very music-centric for a CC thread, but Monkeemania tends to take hold whenever a group of like-minded acolytes get together...

EDIT: for rubbish grammar and artichoke fingers

EDIT: heh - never seen that reunion special, but the Tork gag made me chuckle.

[difbrook]

has anyone mentioned "Fairy Tale", yet? It's from the second series, and it's a perfect example of how to make a virtue out of having no bloody money whatever. Totally studio bound, minimal sets, and some very scraggy costumes, but it manages to give Peter the chance to deliver his most charming perfomance of the whole series, and also allows Mike to drag up as a wisecracking, gum chewing princess.

Who is instantly lusted after... by Mike. "Wow, what an amazing looking chick! Look at that hair, that body..."

all this, and there's a really great low-budget dragon in it...

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Yup, that's a winning episode. I mean, as you say, phenomenally cheap - looks like it was filmed on the old "Play School" set - but very charming and funny. Mike is great as the grouchy princess, although in the interview segment at the end he rather amusingly refuses to accept that any of it had happened.

Wish they'd done more of those stand-alone fantasy episodes - really a lot more fun than the generic runarounds.

And doesn't that episode have the psychedelic b&w clip of them doing "Daily Nightly" at the end, with Mike doing nothing but leaning against a sitar and looking too cool for primetime?

[difbrook]

Yup, that's a winning episode. I mean, as you say, phenomenally cheap - looks like it was filmed on the old "Play School" set - but very charming and funny. Mike is great as the grouchy princess, although in the interview segment at the end he rather amusingly refuses to accept that any of it had happened.

Wish they'd done more of those stand-alone fantasy episodes - really a lot more fun than the generic runarounds.

And doesn't that episode have the psychedelic b&w clip of them doing "Daily Nightly" at the end, with Mike doing nothing but leaning against a sitar and looking too cool for primetime?

certainly does! I also find a lot of those little filler segments are almost as much of the shows charm as the main narratives. Just great to see them kicking back and insulting the interviewer, (or in Mickey's case, sitting there while the perm grows to world-threatening size even while you watch).

I really could bang on about the Monkees music endlessly, but as you say, this is a cc chat thread. Just as well there's a ton of stuff to dig through in the tv career as well.

For a start, I'd like to mention that Peter is a really underrated performer. His physical comedy is great, and he has a winning way with a facial reaction as well. A shame they never really stretched him past the stupid persona, although it does give rise to some awe-inspiring riffs on the subject in "Head".

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I think Bob Rafelson was the interviewer in most of those segments.

And I totally agree that Peter was a natural clown - definitely the funniest of the four. And he sends himself up splendidly in "Head", hippy toga, meaningless guru babble and all. He's also very sharp and witty in interviews.

Anyone remember the interview they did in Q with David Quantuck about ten years ago, in which the others all seem incredibly irritated and uncomfortable with Davy as, yet again, he keeps missing the point (i.e we're actually really cool, and not sappy bubblegum entertainers at all) as usual? Pretty funny. Quantick's obviously on their side, with Davy coming out of the whole thing as completely clueless.

[difbrook]

there's a "Story of  the Monkees" documentary that turns up quite a lot on cable, which features the following telling moment (I paraphrase slightly)

Davy (reading from a copy of the Monkees official magazine from the mid sixties) "Davy comes from Manchester. His favourite colour is... his favourite type of girl is...." etc etc.

then his face darkens slightly.

"Davy is really really dreamy, and really cool. But not as much as THIS GUY".

turns the mag round to the camera, and stabs his finger repeatedly into the full page picture of Mike that's on the opposite page to the profile he's been reading....

[Ignatius_S]

If anyone's heard the generally splendid Missing Links albums, there's all sorts of tv ephemera, my favourite of which is the beautiful "Riu Chiu", from the Christmas episode - an acapella hymn, sung in four part harmony....

Do you know how many volumes of the Missing Links albums there are?

"Riu Chiu" is absolutely lovely. You can watch 'em perform it here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEZPGDvKaAQ

Lovely stuff - Tork has on more than one occassion said that this is his most favourite Monkees track.

If you do get the chance to see the Reunion special, I think you'll be rather surprised by how good it is. ....
"now, who remembers being beaten up in school because they had a Monkees lunch box?" - at which point lots of people in the audience raise their hands. And so does Peter.

But there were comepnsations:

                   MANAGER
                      (surprised)
          All of you?  It was quite a weapon
          though, wasn't it?

AUDIENCE agrees.

                           MANAGER
          I personally thought the finger puppet
          was a little bit on the strange side.
          Well, you know, forgive and forget,
          water under the bridge.

Didn't Tork leave/get fired from their last tour because he objected to the boozing of the other two? He's a recovering alcoholic apparently.

Further to my previous post, I also found this

Monkees Split In Bitter Battle
3 January 2002 (WENN)
A vicious feud has torn apart The Monkees - and member Peter Tork has been booted from the reunited legendary 1960s group in a nasty bust-up over the other members' drinking.

And while Peter is sad to leave the group, he doesn't miss the behind-the-scenes fighting that destroyed the band. He says, "Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones fired me just before the last two shows of our 35th anniversary tour. I'm both happy and sad over the whole thing. I always loved the work onstage - but I just couldn't handle the backstage problems. I'd given them 30 days notice that I was leaving so my position is that I resigned first and then they dropped me. Thank God I don't need The Monkees anymore."

The other Monkees say they ordered Tork to take the last train to Clarksville after the 59-year-old performer threatened to quit once too often. Tork said his problem with Davy and Micky on the tour was their drinking - which led to nasty fights. He admits, "I'm a recovering alcoholic and haven't had a drink in several years. I'm not against people drinking - just when they get mean and abusive. I went on the anniversary tour with the agreement that I didn't have to put up with drinking and difficult behavior offstage. When things weren't getting better, I gave the guys notice that I was leaving in 30 days for good."

Interestingly, the story was written three months haven't Tork was told they didn't want him for the rest of that tour. still can't find the link for Jones slagging off Tork and Dolenz...

Here's a Tork interview - http://www.peom.co.uk/peter_tork.html

I enjoyed this exchange:

PEOM - I understand you left the Monkees at the 2002 reunion. Is there a chance of another reunion?

Peter Tork - I left them in 1968 as well. I have made some enquiries about a possible reunion and I got a less then tepid response.
The Cream has reunited. Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones are touring again. They are getting anything from 100 dollars to 500 dollars a ticket. I think the Monkees would be good value for at least ten to eleven dollars a ticket

PEOM – I think so

Peter Tork - You're not laughing....I am joking

PEOM – Neither are you.

Peter Tork - Yeah, but I'm cracking the joke.

there's a "Story of  the Monkees" documentary that turns up quite a lot on cable

Is that the one they showed on C4 in '97?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Yeah, that's the one. "Daydream Believers" I believe it was called, somewhat unsurprisingly.

I'd really love, just out of prurient interest, to see the VH-1 Monkees biopic which was shown in the states a couple of years ago. It's fairly shoddy, or so I gather. Can't be worse than "Summer Dreams" the hilarious made-for-TV Beach Boys biopic, featuring more ridiculous wigs and fake beards than you can shake a hookah at. Plus it has some of the most clumsily brilliant sign-posting I've ever seen in any biopic:

THE BEACH BOYS leave a recording studio looking dejected. An open-topped T-Bird screeches to a halt besides them, with a sexy babe at the wheel.

DENNIS: I'll see you losers later!

He leaps into the car, laughing, and they drive off.

MIKE LOVE: That Dennis is such a hot-head. Y'know, we really don't need him in this band. The guy can't play drums!

BRIAN: Yeah but he's the heart of the band, Mike. He's just having fun.

MIKE LOVE: Yeah, right... they'll have a lotta fun until her daddy takes that T-Bird away.

They all look at each other, amazed.

BRIAN: Hey, waaaaaaaaait a minute...

CUT TO: The Beach Boys performing "Fun Fun Fun" in front of an audience of screaming girls.

And I'm really not paraphrasing all that much...

[Ignatius_S]

That sounds absolutely priceless!!!!

Yeah, the Monkees biopic is meant to be that great - found this on the IMDB

Real Life Monkee Unimpressed With Biopic Casting
29 June 2000 (WENN)
The Monkees singer Peter Tork has criticised the casting of a new biopic of the group - even though he's the only member of the group involved in the project. At one stage Davy Jones was also going to get involved it the VH-1 production, having agreed to play his own father. But when Jones subsequently dropped out, Tork became the only one involved - and he wishes he'd been more concerned in the casting because his character looks more like a young John Travolta. He says, "They take some liberties here and there, but nothing libelous. Anyway, it's all there the good and the bad - a lot of the bad. The guy who plays Micky isn't bad. The actor who plays Mike looks like him, but his attitude and manner are very different. You don't get any of Michael's character from that. Michael was very steely-eyed."

And here's some user reviews - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241357/usercomments

[difbrook]

Do you know how many volumes of the Missing Links albums there are?

three, isn't it? Or have more come out since I last checked?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

And here are some pics from said movie:

http://www.angelfire.com/film/daydreambelievers/pics.html

Passable likenesses, I suppose, especially Nesmith.

Nearly all the iMDB reviews mention some terrible-sounding happy ending where, after "Head" flops, they all walk off into the sunset having given it their best shot.

That's a bit like ending the Doors movie with Jim Morrison waking up in the bath and saying, "Aww gee, I'm pruning!!" followed by a caption reading "Jim Morrison and the Doors never made another record together, but they remain friends, and see each other for Christmas every year at Nico's house"

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Do you know how many volumes of the Missing Links albums there are?

three, isn't it? Or have more come out since I last checked?

Definitely three. Has anyone got the Headquarters box-set, though? I think it must've had a limited release, 'cause I'll be hornschwaggled if I can find it.

[difbrook]

Do you know how many volumes of the Missing Links albums there are?

three, isn't it? Or have more come out since I last checked?

Definitely three. Has anyone got the Headquarters box-set, though? I think it must've had a limited release, 'cause I'll be hornschwaggled if I can find it.

I have! Well, I have, and I haven't. I found a download of it first, then I got a copy at a record fair, paid through the nose, and then realised it was a bootlegged version when I got it home.

It was a very very limited pressing - each copy is numbered and somewhere on the web is a spreadsheet that someone's set up - they want to see exactly who bought every copy so if you have one you can fill in your name.  I can't, sadly.

However, my bootleg sounds alright to me. It's fascinating stuff - the aforementioned foul-mouthed Davy Jones stuff is in there, but there's an awful lot of other chatter as well. The really frustrating thing is that as you're sitting there willing them to stagger through a complete take (they're not the most disciplined of bands, put it that way) Chip Douglas invariably stops them and makes them do it again. One one occasion they almost get to the end of a take (I can't remember which song it is) and it all falls apart - then you hear Mickey going "oooooohhhh, Peter! You fucked it up! You. Fucked. It. Up!" With every word punctuated by a massive belt on the drum kit.

It's a fragmentary experience. But you do get a feel for just how good a pair of musicians Mike and Peter are. I'm not a huge fan of Nes's pedal steel work with the Monkees (for the really good stuff, you have to wait until the albums with Red Rhodes that he did in the early seventies, which are truly great - Nes's solo work is the equal of anyone else for consistency, I feel), but his other guitar work is splendid and the vocals are never less than committed. Peter's bass work's exemplary, as is the banjo stuff - that's him on guitar on "For Pete's Sake" though, and erm, it's not brilliant. Not his forte, presumably. Mickey tries and just about keeps up (not bad for a man who spent his entire career drumming left-handed on a right-handed drum set up - or is it the other way around?), and Davy bangs a tambourine with gusto through most of it. And swears.

Fascinating listening, and it does show that yes, they could be a band when they held it together long enough. An undisciplined, rambling one, but a band nonetheless.

[Ciarán2]

"I'd like a glass of cold gravy with a hair in it, please."

I remember seeing Tim Buckley on The Monkees on The Den on RTÉ at 4pm one afternoon about 10 years ago. Yes, Irish TV can be a bit odd.

What's The Den?  

My girlfriend recently bought me 'Morning Glory: The Tim Buckley Anthology' and was surprised to see a version of 'Song To The Siren' credited as having been from The Monkees TV show.  How does that fit in?  Did The Monkees ever have a different show to the comedy one I remember? I don't think I ever saw any guests on that...

Sorry for late response to this. (I was er, over there ------>)

"The Den" is like the Irish equivalent of the old Children's BBC "broom cupboard". It wasvpresented from 1987 by Ian Dempsey and Zig and Zag, and later by various Irish DJs, TV presenters and so on with a turkey (or vulture, there's some debate about it) called Dustin and a Muppet style monster called Scocky. Bet you're glad you asked. ;-)

I remember the Tim Buckley appearance is tagged on to the end of an episode. It has nothing to do with the rest of the show at all. The show "ends", it fades to black briefly and Mickey Dolenz does his announcement: "Ladies and gentlemen - Tim Buckley". I nearly choked on my tea to see our Tim on daytime telly, just before an episode of Power Rangers.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Fascinating listening, and it does show that yes, they could be a band when they held it together long enough. An undisciplined, rambling one, but a band nonetheless.

Cool - thanks for that run-down. Sounds like fascinating listening for Monkeephlles.

So for the finished album did Douglas have to splice it together from loads of different takes, or did they eventually get it together in the end? If it's the former, you wouldn't really know, as the album sounds great.

And I'm surprised that Tork is so shoddy on guitar, as I always took him for a pretty talented musician. His banjo-pickin' is fantastic, so I always assumed he'd be similarly dextrous on guitar. But as someone who plays neither instrument, I'm assuming that the techniques are totally different. The banjo is round for a start.

And, yeah, Micky really did pretty well on the drums, considering he had to basically learn how to play as he went. Plus his drum-kit was set up all wrong, as you say. You'd think someone would've pointed this out to him, though.

[alan strang]

So for the finished album did Douglas have to splice it together from loads of different takes, or did they eventually get it together in the end? If it's the former, you wouldn't really know, as the album sounds great.

There's a sticks-out-like-a-sore-thumb splice towards the end of 'You Told Me' where two takes have evidently been welded together, but it's the only moment of glossing which immediately catches the ear.

[difbrook]

There's a sticks-out-like-a-sore-thumb splice towards the end of 'You Told Me' where two takes have evidently been welded together, but it's the only moment of glossing which immediately catches the ear.

he's right, you know! I've just listened to it.

Not quite as obvious an edit as the massive cross fade that glues together two separate takes on Roxy Music's "Prairie Rose" (although I seem to be the only person who can hear it, it really really jumps out at me every time - and there's few songs I'm more familiar with). But a thumping great edit just the same!

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Someone I was with for years, some while back, went to Dolenz's gaff once. Her mate looked after Micky's horses - he was quite the hunting, shooting, fishing country gent for a while back then, just north of Newark near the A46. For what it's worth he was "a fair enough bloke".[/trivia]

[Sadness]

but I do have to agree with dfbrook that "The Door Into Summer" is an almost insufferably pefect, beautiful song

I did say a few pages back that "The door into summer" is incredible but I'm used to being ignored on here, ah well.

[difbrook]

I did say a few pages back that "The door into summer" is incredible but I'm used to being ignored on here, ah well.

not at all. In point of fact, it was your mention of said tune that lodged it in my head and prompted me to post on the thread in the first place.

Sometimes, the best work that people do goes completely uncommented on, as I occasionally say wearily as I trudge home from my particular coalface...

[Sadness]

Hello difbrook.....Long time no speak, how are you? I was having a moment there or a kaniption as me Mam used to say, don't mind me. New web-site going live next week and tonnes of work to be done but it's looking great, I'm bolloxed and cranky, deepest apologies.

I'll have a "Currently Enjoying" section on the new site and I'll HAVE to put up the Rhino expanded editions of The Monkees albums - INCREDIBLE!!

Keep in touch mate.....

[difbrook]

Hello difbrook.....Long time no speak, how are you? I was having a moment there or a kaniption as me Mam used to say, don't mind me. New web-site going live next week and tonnes of work to be done but it's looking great, I'm bolloxed and cranky, deepest apologies.

I'll have a "Currently Enjoying" section on the new site and I'll HAVE to put up the Rhino expanded editions of The Monkees albums - INCREDIBLE!!

Keep in touch mate.....

no apology necessary! I think your mum knows my mum, by the sound of her catchphrases. She uses that one as well. But we are from Portadown, after all.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Ooh - there's an hour-long Monkees doc on Radio 2 at 9pm on Saturday. Hosted by Mark Radcliffe, who opens with this: "The Monkees. Guilty pleasure pop? I think not!"

Well said that Manc.

[difbrook]

Ooh - there's an hour-long Monkees doc on Radio 2 at 9pm on Saturday. Hosted by Mark Radcliffe, who opens with this: "The Monkees. Guilty pleasure pop? I think not!"

Well said that Manc.

I love Mark Radcliffe. His interview with Kate Bush recently was great, despite some gushing hyperbole in the linking script. The actual banter between the two was something to behold -

Mark - "Kate, Mrs Bartolozzi - there's a lot of sensual imagery in there. You're the Nigella of the domestic world - was that something you had in mind when you actually wrote this?"

Kate (stunned) - "No!"

[Ignatius_S]

It was a very very limited pressing - each copy is numbered and somewhere on the web is a spreadsheet that someone's set up - they want to see exactly who bought every copy so if you have one you can fill in your name.  I can't, sadly.

Even sadder is the number that say "sold on eBay... location unknown."

Ooh - there's an hour-long Monkees doc on Radio 2 at 9pm on Saturday.

Nice one - cheers!

[Boing]

Mickey Dolenz has the most natural,disease/affliction free,bulbous head I've ever seen.I want that mans skull.His,and the skulls of:
Sian Lloyd
David Coulthard
Various regional TV presenters.
Graham Norton,only if he has NOT got Downs Syndrome.I'm not Mengele,OK?
Various others.

The Monkees Head movie is comparable to McFly making a movie called:
"A2M Facial",and including footage of  Western hostages being beheaded with breadknives due to the Iraq war.Directed by Robert Carlyle.

I gave up caring about this planet years ago,but I grew up on The Monkees TV show.Never knew what the fuck was going on.LOVED the opening titles.LOVED 'em.

[Brutus Beefcake]

I gave up caring about this planet years ago,but I grew up on The Monkees TV show.Never knew what the fuck was going on.LOVED the opening titles.LOVED 'em.

That's pretty much how I feel about your posts.

[Boing]

I gave up caring about this planet years ago,but I grew up on The Monkees TV show.Never knew what the fuck was going on.LOVED the opening titles.LOVED 'em.

That's pretty much how I feel about your posts.

Oh for fucks sake do you have to follow me around posting shitty little point scoring comments after me FOREVER?
Go and impress your friends by dying horribly and letting them watch.

[Brutus Beefcake]

Eh? That was complement you loony.

[Boing]

Eh? That was complement you loony.

Yeah,yeah.Bit fucking cryptic.I HATE cryptic.