That’s a shame. 77 is no age these days. Always like Peter’s ‘dumb’ character.
Not sure what the current view is on the pre-fab 4, but I loved The Monkees. There’s not many greater runs of singles like this: Last Train to Clarkesville, I’m A Believer, A Little Bit Me…., Pleasant Valley Sunday, Randy Scouse Git, Daydream Believer. I know they only wrote RSG, but what the heck. Not forgetting The Porpoise Song, I’m Not Your Stepping Stone. The TV series was superb also. And then there’s Head.
Will be missed.
Only 2 left.
It’s a pretty good age especially considering he suffered from cancer for 10 years. Saw him live a couple of times, once with 2 other Monkees, and once with one other Monkee. They were enjoyable shows.
Nesmith, Tork, Jones, Dolenz. That was the order I liked The Monkees in, best to least. The fact that so many of us will remember their own order of favourites decades later shows what an impact they had on us,
Oh, I liked them all, but I think I found his manic grin a bit scary. It might be telling that hyper-Dolenz was my least favourite and the wry-Nesmith at the top of my list.
Basically you (mainly) had 2 musicians (Nesmith and Tork) and 2 actors (Jones and Dolenz). Dolenz had easily the best voice in the band and became the de facto lead singer, he also wrote a lot of good songs. Jones was pretty awful. Nesmith was a huge songwriting talent and a decent singer, Tork less so, but added some nice embellishments to their stuff when he was allowed to play.
Believe it or not, I saw him perform solo at a riverside pub near Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancs, about ten years ago. A competent performer of Americana, playing Keyboard, banjo and guitar.
Of course, people of my age hated the Monkees with a passion in the olden days. “Manufactured Pop” and all that crap. Of course, their music has stood the test of time far better than all the prog stuff we were listening to on John Peel.
And, if you read your history books, The Monkees were well in with the coolest of cool crowds in Laurel Canyon.
2nd monkee 2nd thread, 2nd comment.
Growing up in London in the 70s I never knew anyone who shared my love of them, it’s interesting how in retrospect they’re now remembered with such affection.
Davy was my fav cos he was English. And short.
I loved them in the 70s, and ever since, so I was sad to read the text from my wife earlier, telling me of his death. In the mid-80s a couple of girls at my school used to call me Monkee cos I looked a bit like Peter Tork and had the same hairstyle, which was surprisingly unfashionable at the time, but I guess that just about describes me at most points in my life. My attempts to get my kids to sit through the Monkees episodes that are available on YouTube have thus far been unsuccessful. I have got them liking a few of the songs though, but the TV show doesn’t compare with videos of people playing Fortnite.
Lots of love here for the Monkees, and they do seem to have a unique place in music lovers’ affections. I was always a bit of an agnostic, but I’m really glad there were there, if you get my drift. Interestingly, they always get a good response on my radio show – ironically, I played a Tork track on Sunday to celebrate his birthday, and the texts lit up with requests. Surprisingly, they only had 4 top ten hits in the UK.
Always enjoyed The Monkees on TV in my youth.
I was just about the right age for it then, not old enough to want to appear cool. That came later and I was thus obliged to abandon them.
Their music may have been manufactured pop confectionery but, I realised after time passed and my mind broadened, it was quality stuff.
That’s a shame. 77 is no age these days. Always like Peter’s ‘dumb’ character.
Not sure what the current view is on the pre-fab 4, but I loved The Monkees. There’s not many greater runs of singles like this: Last Train to Clarkesville, I’m A Believer, A Little Bit Me…., Pleasant Valley Sunday, Randy Scouse Git, Daydream Believer. I know they only wrote RSG, but what the heck. Not forgetting The Porpoise Song, I’m Not Your Stepping Stone. The TV series was superb also. And then there’s Head.
Will be missed.
Only 2 left.
It’s a pretty good age especially considering he suffered from cancer for 10 years. Saw him live a couple of times, once with 2 other Monkees, and once with one other Monkee. They were enjoyable shows.
Sorry I just posted similar……..sad to hear of his death.
Nesmith, Tork, Jones, Dolenz. That was the order I liked The Monkees in, best to least. The fact that so many of us will remember their own order of favourites decades later shows what an impact they had on us,
Dolenz last? Interesting.
Oh, I liked them all, but I think I found his manic grin a bit scary. It might be telling that hyper-Dolenz was my least favourite and the wry-Nesmith at the top of my list.
Basically you (mainly) had 2 musicians (Nesmith and Tork) and 2 actors (Jones and Dolenz). Dolenz had easily the best voice in the band and became the de facto lead singer, he also wrote a lot of good songs. Jones was pretty awful. Nesmith was a huge songwriting talent and a decent singer, Tork less so, but added some nice embellishments to their stuff when he was allowed to play.
Davy was a pretty good mover though:
Dolenz peaked (imho) in Circus Boy. I can’t change that!
Believe it or not, I saw him perform solo at a riverside pub near Whalley in the Ribble Valley, Lancs, about ten years ago. A competent performer of Americana, playing Keyboard, banjo and guitar.
Of course, people of my age hated the Monkees with a passion in the olden days. “Manufactured Pop” and all that crap. Of course, their music has stood the test of time far better than all the prog stuff we were listening to on John Peel.
And, if you read your history books, The Monkees were well in with the coolest of cool crowds in Laurel Canyon.
If you fancy raising a drink to him tonight you could do worse than put your feet up and watching Head. It’s on YouTube in full.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4nT-5DyjX0
Well, there goes Saturday after the rugby.
Would you recommend gin or pernod?
2nd monkee 2nd thread, 2nd comment.
Growing up in London in the 70s I never knew anyone who shared my love of them, it’s interesting how in retrospect they’re now remembered with such affection.
Davy was my fav cos he was English. And short.
7A!!
I loved them in the 70s, and ever since, so I was sad to read the text from my wife earlier, telling me of his death. In the mid-80s a couple of girls at my school used to call me Monkee cos I looked a bit like Peter Tork and had the same hairstyle, which was surprisingly unfashionable at the time, but I guess that just about describes me at most points in my life. My attempts to get my kids to sit through the Monkees episodes that are available on YouTube have thus far been unsuccessful. I have got them liking a few of the songs though, but the TV show doesn’t compare with videos of people playing Fortnite.
Lots of love here for the Monkees, and they do seem to have a unique place in music lovers’ affections. I was always a bit of an agnostic, but I’m really glad there were there, if you get my drift. Interestingly, they always get a good response on my radio show – ironically, I played a Tork track on Sunday to celebrate his birthday, and the texts lit up with requests. Surprisingly, they only had 4 top ten hits in the UK.
Always enjoyed The Monkees on TV in my youth.
I was just about the right age for it then, not old enough to want to appear cool. That came later and I was thus obliged to abandon them.
Their music may have been manufactured pop confectionery but, I realised after time passed and my mind broadened, it was quality stuff.
Hope that somewhere on the Mekong young Burt is raising a glass to the Torkster’s memory.