The Monkees

[Taverner]

An abomination of cultural intrusion or a Trojan horse or, just shit happening once again.

[skooooo]

1. I think a lot of their music is pretty good actually...

:shrug:

I'd say way under rated.

[Taverner]

3. Well they had the pop machine writing their best songs

Carole King, Neil Diamond, Mike Nesmith (yes, he is a popsmith), Gerry Goffin and others wrote their tunes.

Good popcrafting actually!

[skooooo]

4. True..that helped.

Still, Mike Nesmith certainly had song writing talent, and Micky was no slouch as a vocalist.

Pretty good pop music to my ears.

Here are some of my favorites:

She
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYwctRYxuS8

--

Mary Mary
(Paul Butterfield described this as a great white blues song. Written by Michael Nesmith.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OUpaWrU-H4

----

Vallerie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N3vuYPHlHg

======

Papa Gene's Blues
(written by Nesmith, I believe)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XWhv8-RH4w

[Taverner]

6. No I think they were good. They were produced, and they were great.

All that talent behind them.

However, today it seems the manufactured pop stars aren't great. They just are.

[skooooo]

7. No kidding...

..and Tin Pan Alley is dead.

[Taverner]

9. Problem is the focus group everything to death, not so that it's good art...

But that it sells to the lowest common denominator.

Back then they just assumed catchy music would sell.

[Deja Q]

2. Headquarters

Check out that album - it proves they're far more real than some of the phonies who HAVE gotten admitted into the R&R Hall of Fame...

[hyphenate]

5. I loved the Monkees

as a band, but except for a quick infatuation with Davy (I was 10, kay?), I just enjoyed their music.

Ironically, I've been playing a lot of old songs, including Linda Ronstadt singing Different Drum, written, of course, by Mike Nesmith. (Yes, a couple of Monkees tunes are on my playlist as well). Not only being heir to the Wite Out fortune, Mike Nesmith actually was a talented musician. In fact, except for their fabricated image, every one of the four had some credibility in the music area.

I doubt if that kind of campiness could survive nowadays, but it was acceptable in an era where individuality was cherished, not laughed at.

[blitzen]

8. Michael Nesmith is a God of early 70s country rock...

and his mom invented Liquid Paper.

[skooooo]

10. Early innovator of music videos too. (Mike)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRmQp19Ga8U

From Elephant Parts.

Oh..and Cruisin'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWTz3zY1WY

[Taverner]

11. He was the money behind Repo Man

So he can not only write awesome pop songs, he can see genius at work.

[mentalsolstice]

12. Saturday mornings for this kid. nt

[skooooo]

13. Oh yeah, I remember that...

Fun times. :-)

[mentalsolstice]

14. I would usually spend Friday night with my best friend

She was the youngest of six kids. On Saturday mornings we'd pony up to the TV for cartoons, Tarzan with Ron Ely, and the Monkees. Great times!

[Ptah]

15. The Monkees helped Jimi Hendrix.

The Monkees gave the Jimi Hendrix Experience their first US concert appearances.
It should be noted that Hendrix's heavy psychedelic guitar and sexual overtones
did not go overly well with the teenage girl audience.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkees

[LibertyLover]

16. Actually, they weren't too bad, especially when you consider

what's out there currently. Headquarters is just about my favorite album ever. I watched the original show on Monday night at 7:30. I can still remember coming home from England that summer, calling a friend to tell her I was back and hearing all about this new show that was coming on in September. Monday nights were good tv - The Monkees and Rat Patrol.

[ghostsofgiants]

17. I loved how just about every DC hardcore band did a cover of "Not Your Stepping Stone"

[skooooo]

18. It's pretty punk!

:headbang:

[ghostsofgiants]

20. Minor Threat's version = good times.

[skooooo]

22. I'm learning about so many bands..

..by hanging out in the Lounge. So many things I haven't heard before!

[ghostsofgiants]

23. I'm one of the Lounge's resident music nerds.

I'm bound to talk about bands no one's ever heard of at some point. :P

(Though Minor Threat is definitely not a band that no one has ever heard of.)

[skooooo]

24. Do you a good place on the web...

...to order foreign CDs??

[ghostsofgiants]

26. I dunno, if I want a CD I usually have a local shop order it in.

[Chan790]

27. It's funny...

there was a thread last night about bands you've seen live...and I kept waiting for you to post because it seemed that it'd be easier to use your list as a checklist than trying to remember everybody I saw at work when I was bouncing in college.

[ghostsofgiants]

28. Haha, yeah, I honestly haven't seen that many bands live, not counting locals...

Because hardly anyone ever comes here to play.

I've seen a few good ones though. Most recently, Queens of the Stone Age.

[Highway61]

19. Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

Tell me, when you drive around, it isn't so?

[carlyhippy]

21. this is my band of my childhood

them and the beach boys....I was sure I was going to marry Peter Tork when I was old enough to. Mike Nesmith is a great singer, Monkees Headquarters was my favorite album, because it was mostly his music.

[harmonicon]

25. I think they were really good

Sure, they were manufactured to some extent, but many bands from that time period were - the others just didn't have tv shows and weren't as open about it.