Posted on 12/10/2021 11:59:06 AM PST by kjam22
He was the “intellectual Monkee.” He also was one of the originators of MTV.
Fun fact...
Back in the early daze, Linda’s backup band included Glenn Frey & Don Henley who later quit, moved to a cheap apartment with Jackson Browne as a neighbor and tried to start a little band of their own.
That early apartment is where Frey helped Browne complete the song, “Take It Easy”
Sad.
Still like them and their songs.
I think I was 13 when the Monkees came on the scene. Had a crush on Davy Jones.
That leaves Mickey Dolenz...
““...the famously famous 60s group””
Abolutely!!!!.....if you were a girl in the 4th grade!
He was the only member of the group that could play guitar (or anything else) previously to the time of their formation, so that isn’t saying much.
Monkees were completely and entirely an LA music industry creation, start to finish. The “British invasion” were cleaning our clock financially speaking.
They weren’t held at fault in any way by the other big musicians in LA, because they knew what the deal was, thousands of top hits were recorded by session musicians, groups like the “wrecking crew”. Studio time was expensive and they weren’t going to waste it with 32 takes of some flunkie trying to master G C D chords.
“Tork was a musician too...”
Yes, he was. He was actually my favorite, back in the day. ;~ )
He was so talented. I loved the show when I was a kid and continue to play their music today. They had great songs, fun songs, many hits. My favorite song of his is Rio. whimsical and melodic. RIP Mike.
Actually, the Monkees used highly talented studio musicians on their recorded albums during the TV series years - most notably the "Wrecking Crew" and Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart among many others. IIRC, Boyce & Hart also did some production work for the albums.
I know a lot of people harp on the Monkees for many of the members’ lack of playing ability, but after watching “The Wrecking Crew” I give them a pass. Many of the bands of the day didn’t record their own music. Granted, they had to learn how to play for live shows, but many album recordings weren’t the actual band playing the music.
That’s why I noted “independent of the TV show”
“He was the only member of the group that could play guitar (or anything else) previously to the time of their formation, so that isn’t saying much.”
Not correct.
“Tork began studying piano at the age of nine, showing an aptitude for music by learning to play several different instruments, including the banjo, acoustic bass, and guitar.” “...he became part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village during the first half of the 1960s. While there, he befriended other up-and-coming musicians, such as Stephen Stills.”
“Tork was a proficient musician before he joined the Monkees. Though other members of the group were not allowed to play their instruments on their first two albums, he played what he described as “third chair guitar” on Michael Nesmith’s song “Papa Gene’s Blues” on their first album. He subsequently played keyboard, bass guitar, banjo, harpsichord, and other instruments on the band’s recordings.”
RIP
New album out this year from Mickey Dolenz titled: “Dolenz Sings Nesmith”, is getting decent reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/Sings-Nesmith-Micky-Dolenz/dp/B08Y4RQ95Y
Yeah that was a weird chapter in rock history. The Monkees got so lambasted even though it was a TV show first, and meanwhile 90% of the music coming out of LA was being actually played by the Crew. Lyrics from the Brill Building music by the Wrecking Crew, and the Monkees were timeless.
My favorite car show was British Top Gear.
Their best episode...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa7Bgj0y3eg
No, we use double the bandwidth for the same info.
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