Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Radio & Music >

Hey Hey They're the Monkees....

Haus of Mystery

14:53 / 05.09.06

So I bought an old Monkees compilation for about 50p recently, and it's time for a Monkees thread.
A funny band eh? First came into my consciousness via repeats of the TV show (age 7 or 8), so it dutifully surprised me to learn they were a 'real' band. But I like that. A band that started for me as a concept before I'd even heard a chord. Because of their loveable childish antics, I felt a kinship to them, like they were a band designed specifically for kids. We had 'cute' Davey Jones, dorky Petr Tork, craaaazzey Mickey Dolenz, and cool Mike Nesmith.

But this is the same band who made 'Head' one of the most aggreeably barmy psychadelic albums/films of the 60's. Written by Jack Nicholson, and containing the mighty 'Porpoise song'. Unwatchable and cliche ridden, it's still better than 'Magical Mystery Tour'.

I've gotta give props to Gumbitch for this, as when I first met him years back I hadn't thought of listening to them since those childish summers of the 80's. But he came with a fully fledged apprecitation of their plastic wonderfulness. I saw them as a pre-packaged frivolity, but he revelled in that. And the songs, you see. They're just so fucking great. Who cares who wrote them?
Granted 'Daydream Believer' is a saccharine pill too hard to swallow (blame Davey Jones always the least of the band), but listen to 'Last Train to Clarkesville', the mighty 'She', 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'. 3 minute psychadelic pop gems to a piece. And of course..

'Listen to the Band', quite simply one of the most joyful records ever made. Written & sung by Mike Nesmith (obviously the best Monkee) in a beautiful country twang, and furnished with one of the best chorus moments of all time (swirling psychadelic noisescapes, all backwards playing and ethereal organ drones, leading up to a triumphant 'LISTEN TO THE BAND!!' followed dutifully by blasting fanfares and crowds cheering. Fucking lovely drumming too.) It's like a shameless condensation of Sgt Pepper into one beautifully crafted 3 minute rip-off.

I'd love to see some of the TV shows again. I can't even remember the basic format, except for the fact that there was always dressing up, and everything ended with a song (doesn't it always..?)

They were just trying to be friendly.

17:12 / 05.09.06

The Monkees are indeed excellent purveyors of jangly west coast guitar pop. Pleasant Valley Sunday is my favourite track I reckon.
As for the TV show, it always seemed to involve them rescuing a princess for some unknown reason.

Our Lady Has Left the Building

20:30 / 05.09.06

I always liked 'Randy Sarf Git'/'Alternative Title', what a shame they couldn't work that in to one of their TV shows.

07:16 / 06.09.06

agreed they are great psych-poppers who outgrew their made for tv origins
as well as the wonderful mike nesmith they had some of the best brill building era songwriters working for them (goffin & king, neil diamond) but for me the most remarkable monkey-fact is that tim buckley appeared on their last show singing an acoustic version of song to the siren. now how far out is that?

07:48 / 06.09.06

so we know mike nesmith was the best, responsible for 'circle sky', a song so good it killed the band stone dead, but what was his later stuff like? didn't he have an outfit called 'the band'? what are they like? the fact i've not heard them along the road is a bit of a worry, as is the possibility that the funny-hatted one might have gone way the other way after the prefab four split and spent the seventies doing a measly neil young impression. would be good to find out though...

Haus of Mystery

08:28 / 06.09.06

Oooh yeah. Let's not forget ol' Uncle Charlie Manson auditioned to join them. Never forget that.

lord nuneaton savage

09:42 / 06.09.06

Um, not strictly true, my confused dayglo friend. It was Bobby Beausoleil - Manson accomplice, early member of Love and writer of the score for Kenneth Anger's "Lucifer Rising" - who auditioned for The Monkees.

On the subject of Mike Nesmith's solo gear, I would advise picking up a copy of "And the hits just keep on coming" for sheer country excellence. Two men, one guitar, one pedal steel, coupled with Nesmith's clever, charming lyricism and rare way with a heart tugging tune. 'Tis a stonker.

One of the most persitent "what if's?" in rock history holds that if Nesmith had not joined The Monkees he would have ended up inventing country-rock, and stealing the thunder from Gram Parsons. While I feel this is a little far-fetched it's worth repeating just to illustrate the regard he's held in by experts on the genre. He's the real deal.

Oh, and "A little bit me, a little bit you" is my favourite Monkee tune. Or is it "Porpoise Song"? Or "Listen to the band"? Or "Stepping Stone"? Dammit, I cannot decide, let's just listen to them all, shall we?

14:10 / 06.09.06

Lady, "Randy Scouse Git" (as it was called here) was always my favorite Monkees song as well. Great 60s psychedelic ragtime freakout. According to some liner note I read, Mickey wrote it coming down from acid after the Beatles took him out partying.

They did play it in the show (seen here on You Tube), but not as part of the story.

18:58 / 06.09.06

Come on, Head is definitely watchable. It's got a lot of Monty Python style energy, but with a bit of a darker undercurrent, as everyone involved seems to question the commerical nature of the Monkees. I probably enjoyed it a bit more than it deserved given how much I love those very 60s movies, but I think it's a thoroughly enjoyable, crazy film. Give it a watch.

19:48 / 06.09.06

Michael Nesmith invited Frank Zappa onto the show. To play the car. With a sledgehammer.

And he did. And they aired it.

For this, he should always be remembered. (For me, that's also the height of Zappa's accomplishments. Sledgehammer. Car. Noise.)

Plus, Nesmith is the dude who paid for Repo Man to be made.

lord nuneaton savage

10:13 / 07.09.06

As well as the singer and writer of "Rio", the happiest song ever sung.

Joy be to Mike Nesmith, for he is glory.

Still not to sure about the jeans-tucked-into-the-boots thing mind you.

Haus of Mystery

16:01 / 07.09.06

Repo Man!

Coolest Harry Dean Stanton film EVAAAAAAAAAAAR!!

22:31 / 07.09.06

reno? why reno?

that was a well cool song - still pops into me ol' head now and again. must acquire a copy one day for pod.

and i haven't seen 'head' for years and years. wonder if you can get that, too.

[note to self - use internet to do more than post to barbelith...]

23:23 / 07.09.06

Yeah, Head's on DVD. I ought to upgrade from my VHS, what with it being quite possibly my favourite film... It's eminently watchable and doesn't really matter at what point you see it from. Yes it's stupid, probably meaningless and utterly dated, but all these things conspire to attract me to it. The photography in that one bit where they're walking through various locations and it's snowing or a nice field or whatever is plain beautiful and The Cop's Dream remains my favourite section for reasons I probably can't explain with enough sense to make a convincing argument. But it's generally a fantastically deranged and cynical-but-still-positive piece of 20th Century pop culture (dare I say it..) Joycore!!

18:41 / 04.11.06

22:18 / 04.11.06

That's very cool... who needs Rick Rubin eh?

23:06 / 04.11.06

Granted 'Daydream Believer' is a saccharine pill too hard to swallow

Sez you. One of the greatest damn songs ever (though I tend to filter it through my fondness for the Shonen Knife version).

Needless to say, in my world, all TV would be like the Monkees TV show... remember that episode where Davey accidentally buys a set of red marracas filled with microfilm from a communist spy or something..? All those crazy swashbuckling scenes..? The zany sub-Hard Days Night song sequences..? I want a channel that just shows 24 hour repeats - my life would be complete.

Haus of Mystery

08:05 / 05.11.06

There was talk, I recall, of Supergrass doing a TV show. I believe Steven Speilboig was going to be involved. And Clepoatra? Those little girls with the big voices who were 'comin' atcha'? I think there was also the possibility of them having a series.
I personally think a Supergrass series would have been ace. It could have had a grimy 'Rising Damp' vibe, and cheeky animated segments. And they would be forced to pretend to all be 18 forever, even the drummer who's old enough to be their dad.

lord nuneaton savage

09:03 / 06.11.06

Oh yes, imagine if it was still going, all these years later. The seething resentment as our heroes are forced to get on the motorised bed. Again. The barely constrained looks of loathing as another joke about sideburns gets hurled at a weary Gaz Coombes, who just wants to smoke some weed an, y'know, hang out and listen to Neil Young. But Noooooo, because they have to perform in yet another madcap chase scene, featuring a guest appearance from Jonny from Menswear as a bemused shop assistant.

T'would be purest gold.

06:54 / 08.11.06

Forget Supergrass and Cleopatra, surely SClub7 were the true successors to the Monkees legacy....

Haus of Mystery

11:37 / 08.11.06

I will never forget Cleoptra you inhuman swine...