The Monkees assembled to be the stars of an American television series of t… Read Full Bio ↴The Monkees assembled to be the stars of an American television series of the same name, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1968. The original lineup was: Micky Dolenz (drums, vocals), Michael Nesmith (guitar, vocals), Davy Jones (percussion, vocals) and Peter Tork (bass, keyboards, vocals) . The Monkees were formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California and initially disbanded in 1970 at the conclusion of their recording contract. At their peak they were competing with The Beatles for the top spot on album charts.
In the years since their original disbanding, the group has reunited in various incarnations, mostly involving Dolenz, Tork and Jones, but not Nesmith. The first reunion began in 1986 and at first featured only Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork. Davy Jones joined the others and a new album was released before they split again in 1989.
The next regrouping took place between 1993 and 1997 and featured a new album that included the particpation of all four members. A further reunion between 2001 and 2002, was followed by another reunion in 2011 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television show. This reunion was cut short before 2011 had ended due to scheduling problems with the anniversary tour.
The unexpected death of Davy Jones at the beginning of 2012 prompted the most recent reunion tour, this time featuring Dolenz, Tork and Nesmith.
Created by producers of a TV series to be an American Beatles, the antics of the Monkees band members on the television series were very reminscent of Beatles' antics in films like 'Help' and 'Hard Day's Night'. Indeed, in songs like 'Forget that Girl...', the band and even the lead singer could sound just like the Beatles. With songs provided by Don Kirshner from such writers as Neil Diamond and Carole King, among others, the Monkees were assured of pop success. However, in the beginning, the four group members were hired only as actors to front the band and to provide the vocals whilst studio musicians recorded the backing music. These recordings were provided by Kirshner. Things changed though after the success of the single Last Train to Clarksville, the first hit, leading to demands that the band play live gigs. Having learned to play the music, the band became angry when the second LP was recorded (by Kirshner) by studio musicians, without their knowledge or musical input. They therefore demanded and obtained control of the music.
Nesmith who revealed that the band did not perform on their records was also instrumental in getting Don Kirshner sacked. the next album Headquarters was recorded by The Monkees alone, using hand picked producer Chip Douglas. While not as successful as their first two albums it made it to number one, only to be replaced a week later by The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album. The Monkees eventually settled on a formula of using their own talents as well as those of studio musicians. After two seasons the network and the group could not reach agreement on the format of a third season and the show was canceled even though the ratings were still high. A feature film named Head co-written by The Monkees, Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson) followed.
Peter Tork was the first to leave the band, in 1968, during 1969 The TV show went into Saturday morning reruns and the three remaining Monkees recorded two more albums. in 1969 Nesmith departed and began a serious foray into merging country and rock music. He also eventually developed a format that became MTV. By the way his mother invented a product called Liquid Paper, sold it to the Gillette Company for $47 million dollars then died a year later leaving the money to her only son. The remaining two Monkees Dolenz and Jones recorded one last album named Changes in late 1969.
There has, however, been a resurgent interest in The Monkees' music Rhino Records has been instrumental in restoring all their albums, adding bonus tracks, and equipping them with complementary liner notes and stories.
Davy Jones died on February 29, 2012 in Indiantown, Florida.
Peter Tork died on February 21, 2019, at his home in Mansfield, Connecticut.
Michael Nesmith died on December 10, 2021, in Carmel Valley, California.
DISCOGRAPHY (from www.themonkees.net):
The Monkees (1966)
More of The Monkees (1967)
Headquarters (1967)
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967)
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968)
Head (1968)
Instant Replay (1969)
The Monkees Present (1969)
Changes (1970)
Then & Now...The Best of the Monkees (1986)
Pool It! (1987)
Live 1967 (1987)
Justus (1996)
Good Times! (2016)
In the years since their original disbanding, the group has reunited in various incarnations, mostly involving Dolenz, Tork and Jones, but not Nesmith. The first reunion began in 1986 and at first featured only Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork. Davy Jones joined the others and a new album was released before they split again in 1989.
The next regrouping took place between 1993 and 1997 and featured a new album that included the particpation of all four members. A further reunion between 2001 and 2002, was followed by another reunion in 2011 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television show. This reunion was cut short before 2011 had ended due to scheduling problems with the anniversary tour.
The unexpected death of Davy Jones at the beginning of 2012 prompted the most recent reunion tour, this time featuring Dolenz, Tork and Nesmith.
Created by producers of a TV series to be an American Beatles, the antics of the Monkees band members on the television series were very reminscent of Beatles' antics in films like 'Help' and 'Hard Day's Night'. Indeed, in songs like 'Forget that Girl...', the band and even the lead singer could sound just like the Beatles. With songs provided by Don Kirshner from such writers as Neil Diamond and Carole King, among others, the Monkees were assured of pop success. However, in the beginning, the four group members were hired only as actors to front the band and to provide the vocals whilst studio musicians recorded the backing music. These recordings were provided by Kirshner. Things changed though after the success of the single Last Train to Clarksville, the first hit, leading to demands that the band play live gigs. Having learned to play the music, the band became angry when the second LP was recorded (by Kirshner) by studio musicians, without their knowledge or musical input. They therefore demanded and obtained control of the music.
Nesmith who revealed that the band did not perform on their records was also instrumental in getting Don Kirshner sacked. the next album Headquarters was recorded by The Monkees alone, using hand picked producer Chip Douglas. While not as successful as their first two albums it made it to number one, only to be replaced a week later by The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album. The Monkees eventually settled on a formula of using their own talents as well as those of studio musicians. After two seasons the network and the group could not reach agreement on the format of a third season and the show was canceled even though the ratings were still high. A feature film named Head co-written by The Monkees, Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson) followed.
Peter Tork was the first to leave the band, in 1968, during 1969 The TV show went into Saturday morning reruns and the three remaining Monkees recorded two more albums. in 1969 Nesmith departed and began a serious foray into merging country and rock music. He also eventually developed a format that became MTV. By the way his mother invented a product called Liquid Paper, sold it to the Gillette Company for $47 million dollars then died a year later leaving the money to her only son. The remaining two Monkees Dolenz and Jones recorded one last album named Changes in late 1969.
There has, however, been a resurgent interest in The Monkees' music Rhino Records has been instrumental in restoring all their albums, adding bonus tracks, and equipping them with complementary liner notes and stories.
Davy Jones died on February 29, 2012 in Indiantown, Florida.
Peter Tork died on February 21, 2019, at his home in Mansfield, Connecticut.
Michael Nesmith died on December 10, 2021, in Carmel Valley, California.
DISCOGRAPHY (from www.themonkees.net):
The Monkees (1966)
More of The Monkees (1967)
Headquarters (1967)
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967)
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968)
Head (1968)
Instant Replay (1969)
The Monkees Present (1969)
Changes (1970)
Then & Now...The Best of the Monkees (1986)
Pool It! (1987)
Live 1967 (1987)
Justus (1996)
Good Times! (2016)
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Monkeemania: The Very Best Of The Monkees
The Monkees Lyrics
(Theme From) The Monkees by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart Here we come, Walking down t…
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You Walk out, Girl don't you walk out We've got things to say Ta…
A Man Without A Dream With the music of life, my soul is out of…
All of Your Toys Once upon a once in a while It's hard to remember…
As We Go Along I can tell by your face That you're looking to find…
Can You Dig It Some thing doesn't change There is only one Always changing …
Cuddly Toy La la la la You're not only cuddly toy that…
D.W. Washburn D.W. Washburn, I heard a sweet voice say. D.W. Washburn,…
Daddy's Song Years ago I knew a man He was my mother's biggest…
Daily Nightly Darkened rolling figures move Through prisms of no color Han…
Daydream Believer 7-A What number is this, Chip? 7-A Okay, know what I mean, l…
Forget That Girl Forget that girl, She'll only make you sad someday. Forget t…
Goin' Down Sock it to me Floatin' down the river with a saturated…
Good Clean Fun There's a smile on the wind as it touches my…
How Insensitive How insensitive I must have seen When she told me that she…
I Wanna Be Free I wanna be free Like the bluebirds flying by me Like the…
I'm a Believer I thought love was only true in fairy tales Meant for…
Last Train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville And I'll meet you at…
Listen to the Band Hey, hey, mercy woman plays a song and no one…
Mary, Mary Words and Music by Michael Nesmith Mary, Mary, where you go…
Mommy And Daddy Ask your mommy and daddy, "What happened to the Indian? How…
No Time Hober reeber sabasoben Hobaseeba snick Seeberraber hobosoben…
Papa Gene's Blues No heartaches felt no longer lonely Nights of waiting finall…
Randy Scouse Git She's a wonderful lady and she's mine, all mine And there…
Salesman Salesman, where you gonna go? To sell all your of your…
Saturday's Child Monday had a sad child Always feeling low down, Tuesday had …
Shades of Gray When the world and I were young Just yesterday Live was such…
She (She) she told me that she loved me, And like a…
Some Of Shelly's Blues Tell me, Just one more time the reasons why you must…
Someday Man Some people always complain that their life is too short…
Sometime in the Morning Sometime in the morning A simple thought may occur to you, A…
Star Collector Take a letter, keep on going Where ever it is, she's…
Sunny Girlfriend She owns and operates Her own sunshine factory Of painting …
Take a Giant Step Though you've played at love and lost And sorrow's turned yo…
Tapioca Tundra One, two, three, four, five Four, three, two, one, zero Ah-a…
Tear Drop City About as low as I felt in a long time And…
The Door Into Summer With his fool's gold stacked up all around him From a…
The Girl I Knew Somewhere You tell me that you've never been this way before You…
What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round Just a loud mouth Yankee I went down to Mexico I…
When Love Comes Knockin' (At Your Door) Words and Music By Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer When love c…
Words Girl, don't you know every time I see you smiling, (It…
You Told Me You told me you'd always stay, you told me! You told…
Your Auntie Grizelda She knows her mind all right, your auntie Grizelda, She says…
Philip Kassabian
on Words
A good and catchy song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on D.W. Washburn
A good song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere
A good song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on That Was Then, This Is Now
This is a great Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on Last Train to Clarksville
A good Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You
An excellent Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on Daydream Believer
A great Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on I'm a Believer - 2006 Remaster
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Listen to the Band
Yet another classic song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on Pleasant Valley Sunday
I've always loved this song ever since I heard it when I was a kid.