Quote:
| - The band was created specifically for the TV show (and I think they were created as an American counterpart to the Beatles). |
This is true. The first 2 albums existed solely to promote the show (as their back covers clearly indicate).
Quote:
| - The only members that actually had a musical background was Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith. |
This is not so true.
Musical skill
was a requirement in the audition process. (In fact, Stephen Stills tried out and almost made the cut.) Heck, if Peter could play drums, he'd be the ultimate one-man band.
Davy was a Broadway veteran, with a Tony award (I think for
Pickwick) and at least one other nomination (for Dodger in
Oliver!). Just before the Monkees, he did an album that went nowhere. Apparently he became the "world's greatest tambourine player" while in the band, but really, if any of the Monkees was hired just to be the pretty boy, it was Davy Jones.
Micky was one of TV's premiere child actors, starring in
Circus Boy way in the back when. In the early 60s he was in a small-time LA band on guitar, and he learned to play professional-level drums in less than a year so the band could perform live shows. Also, Micky Dolenz was the first person ever to use the Moog synthesizer on a mainstream record ("Daily Nightly" from
Pisces, Aquarius...), having bought the 3rd Moog ever built.
Peter & Mike had the most
extensive musical backgrounds, but Micky & Davy each had something. (But Davy was the worst musician of the 4, hands down.)
Quote:
| - The Monkees actually sang the songs, but the instruments were played by studio musicians (which really annoyed Peter and Michael) |
At first, yes.
Their music supervisor, Don "The Golden Ear" Kirshner, flat-out refused to allow the Monkees in the studio to play instruments, despite their many requests. (Since Peter rarely sang, this meant he was almost a nonfactor on their first two albums, appearing in only one song on each).
But as you said, Peter & Mike were bloody ticked off. After Michael Nesmith came close to removing Donnie's head at a gold record presentation after their 2nd album, Kirshner's bosses ordered him to let the band play the music. Which he didn't do. Thus the great Donald Kirshner was fired for the first and only time in his life. After that, the Monkees had 99% control over their music, and the quality showed.
So, no, Koga, these guys were NOT the 60s' Milli Vanilli.
Any other questions? I'll be here all week.
See also: About the Monkees:
http://www.vgf.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ubbcg...062;p=1#000010 (note: this was written almost 3 years ago, and I've gotten some more info since then)
Calling Nesmith the reincarnation of Cummings:
http://www.vgf.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ubbcg...062;p=3#000030 And remember, "I'm-a Luigi, number one!"
[ June 17, 2005, 11:58 AM: Message edited by: CaptHayfever ]