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ROCKOLLECTIONS: HEY HEY…THE MONKEES - PT.1

Nov 11, 2009 Rockollections, WLSO NEWS
Posted by Mike Pell

Here is a group I never thought I would play.
I honestly thought I was too hip to do so, lol!
They were a MANUFACTURED group, the Pre-Fab Four!
A cheap knockoff of the Beatles!
Everyone should know about the ad put in Variety by NBC.
But time has a way of making you mellow, and their music is catchy.
Mainly because they had some great songwriters handing them songs, like Tommy Boyce & Boby Hart, Carole King, and Neil Diamond.
They were considered TV actors first, musicians a distant second!
Mike Nesmith seemed the most serious about music, he wrote Different Drum for Linda Ronstadt & the Stone Poneys among some other very good songs- and in an interview I once heard with him, he sounded so sad about his and the band’s musical shortcomings, he forever had me on his side.
In fact, the Monkees were not ALLOWED to play anything on on most of their 1st records, just sing!
But Nesmith was able to put some of his songs on those albums.
They were immensely popular at the time, and I guess I have to say I like many of their songs- I even have a favorite.
So just for those reasons alone, I bring you the Monkees, lol!
Enjoy, and there is a second half to come.

Mike

Tags: Beatles, Bobby Hart, Carole King, Different Drum, Linda Ronstadt, Mike Nesmith, NBC, Neil Diamond, Pre-Fab Four, Stone Poneys, Tommy Boyce, Variety