Mr. Shadow
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This is a great song, no matter who actually played it.
Were The Monkees really a band?
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This is a great song, no matter who actually played it.
wolfsblood
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I think the Monkees were one of the greatest bands! So many great songs in their three or four years together. Some of their songs rocked pretty hard, like the theme song for example. People forget that they played instruments on several albums and even the early classic "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" which was written by Nesmith and sung by Dolenz. The session players they had were some of the best in L.A.
The other thing to remember is that their show was hilarious and creative. I'm sure it was disappointing for Peter Tork who wanted to play on all their songs but he did get to play on some very good ones. I've always loved the Monkees for their show and their good music.
The other thing to remember is that their show was hilarious and creative. I'm sure it was disappointing for Peter Tork who wanted to play on all their songs but he did get to play on some very good ones. I've always loved the Monkees for their show and their good music.
monkeesfan1967
Senior Member
The Monkees were definitely a real band, even though their beginnings wouldn't make it evident. Peter had played on songs like "Sweet Young Thing", "I Won't Be the Same Without Her", and "Papa Gene's Blues" which were all during the pre-Headquarters, or even during the pre-first album sessions. Michael pushed and pushed hard for all of the members to be able to play and produce their own sessions, but Don Kirshner had other plans, deciding the songs would be better if studio musicians would be used. Tork, Dolenz, and Nesmith all had had musicial careers with bands and could play instruments and things like that, but Jones had been in Broadway doing musicals. If you closely look at what The Monkees have done for music in general, they've actually done quite a bit. They were the first band to use the Moog synthesizer in a top 10 charting album (which was a vital instrument in the making of psychedellic rock, also used by The Doors, etc.), influenced the starting of country rock, and unfortunately, became the first manufactured band of all time. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" has to be one of those important songs that influenced punk rock as well, considering it was covered by the Sex Pistols and other groups of that nature. And to be fair and honest, most of the bands at that time used session musicians quite frequently (The Byrds, The Association, and The Beach Boys to name a few), so just because The Monkees were manufactured and thought to not play their own instruments, does not make them a "fake" band.
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Ace in the Hole
monkeesfan1967 wrote:
The Monkees were definitely a real band, even though their beginnings wouldn't make it evident. Peter had played on songs like "Sweet Young Thing", "I Won't Be the Same Without Her", and "Papa Gene's Blues" which were all during the pre-Headquarters, or even during the pre-first album sessions. Michael pushed and pushed hard for all of the members to be able to play and produce their own sessions, but Don Kirshner had other plans, deciding the songs would be better if studio musicians would be used. Tork, Dolenz, and Nesmith all had had musicial careers with bands and could play instruments and things like that, but Jones had been in Broadway doing musicals. If you closely look at what The Monkees have done for music in general, they've actually done quite a bit. They were the first band to use the Moog synthesizer in a top 10 charting album (which was a vital instrument in the making of psychedellic rock, also used by The Doors, etc.), influenced the starting of country rock, and unfortunately, became the first manufactured band of all time. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" has to be one of those important songs that influenced punk rock as well, considering it was covered by the Sex Pistols and other groups of that nature. And to be fair and honest, most of the bands at that time used session musicians quite frequently (The Byrds, The Association, and The Beach Boys to name a few), so just because The Monkees were manufactured and thought to not play their own instruments, does not make them a "fake" band.
The Byrds also made use of the Moog Synthesizer for the songs they were producing for their up comming album at that time which was the Notorious Byrd Brothers (which came out January 3rd, 1968). The album itself didn't really have any big hit singles from it, though the album seems to be highly well regarded. And yes the Byrds did have some Session musicians - Clarance White is just one example before he became a permanent member for the 1969 album - "Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde".
The Monkees were definitely a real band, even though their beginnings wouldn't make it evident. Peter had played on songs like "Sweet Young Thing", "I Won't Be the Same Without Her", and "Papa Gene's Blues" which were all during the pre-Headquarters, or even during the pre-first album sessions. Michael pushed and pushed hard for all of the members to be able to play and produce their own sessions, but Don Kirshner had other plans, deciding the songs would be better if studio musicians would be used. Tork, Dolenz, and Nesmith all had had musicial careers with bands and could play instruments and things like that, but Jones had been in Broadway doing musicals. If you closely look at what The Monkees have done for music in general, they've actually done quite a bit. They were the first band to use the Moog synthesizer in a top 10 charting album (which was a vital instrument in the making of psychedellic rock, also used by The Doors, etc.), influenced the starting of country rock, and unfortunately, became the first manufactured band of all time. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" has to be one of those important songs that influenced punk rock as well, considering it was covered by the Sex Pistols and other groups of that nature. And to be fair and honest, most of the bands at that time used session musicians quite frequently (The Byrds, The Association, and The Beach Boys to name a few), so just because The Monkees were manufactured and thought to not play their own instruments, does not make them a "fake" band.
The Byrds also made use of the Moog Synthesizer for the songs they were producing for their up comming album at that time which was the Notorious Byrd Brothers (which came out January 3rd, 1968). The album itself didn't really have any big hit singles from it, though the album seems to be highly well regarded. And yes the Byrds did have some Session musicians - Clarance White is just one example before he became a permanent member for the 1969 album - "Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde".
Soot and Stars
I AM SOOT!
The issue of how a band was formed must inevitably became irrelevant over time for any band - quite simply because the music must stand on its own sooner rather than later.
I think this quote sums up this debate well!
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Ace in the Hole
Soot and Stars wrote:
I think this quote sums up this debate well!
Well there are those who say "Bill Haley and The Comets" didn't play their own instruments - and that they were merely a group specialising in Vocals - and there are other people who will say that other groups are like that as well, so if those groups are deemed groups, then why are people having a dig about the Monkees not being a band?
In some ways they were better cause they had folks who were willing to play instruments. I mean it's easy to pick anyone who cannot sing - though sometimes Vocals can be used to sound like Instruments and harmonising isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, so in my book the Monkees are good enough for me!
I think this quote sums up this debate well!
Well there are those who say "Bill Haley and The Comets" didn't play their own instruments - and that they were merely a group specialising in Vocals - and there are other people who will say that other groups are like that as well, so if those groups are deemed groups, then why are people having a dig about the Monkees not being a band?
In some ways they were better cause they had folks who were willing to play instruments. I mean it's easy to pick anyone who cannot sing - though sometimes Vocals can be used to sound like Instruments and harmonising isn't exactly the easiest thing to do, so in my book the Monkees are good enough for me!
Emrock
Member
For more on the Monkees
http://blog.classicrockesoterica.com/2009/08/19/082009-monkees.aspx
Did the counter-culture die or was it murdered?
http://www.TheWoodstockConspiracy.com
http://www.ClassicRockEsoterica.com
http://blog.classicrockesoterica.com/2009/08/19/082009-monkees.aspx
Did the counter-culture die or was it murdered?
http://www.TheWoodstockConspiracy.com
http://www.ClassicRockEsoterica.com
Craig in Indy
Your cool Uncle
I had heard he was turned down because of his bad teeth.
Craig in Indy
Your cool Uncle
Yes, many of them were written by Boyce and Hart, but they also recorded material from Goffin/King and Neil Diamond among others. Some of my favorites, though, were the songs Nesmith wrote, and they were on their albums from the very beginning. He had already been writing songs before the band ever got started. In fact, a couple of his most famous songs (not recorded by the Monkees) were written pre-Monkees. Songs like "Different Drum" and "Some of Shelly's Blues."
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