Wednesday, July 29, 2009

The Monkees


7-29-09 The Monkees


When I began blogging almost 7 years ago, at the suggestion of my friend Warren, I thought it would a good idea to blog about music topics ‘randomly’. I would open my Excel spread sheet of ‘titles’ and flick up and down, and land on a random title. The first one I hit was for The Monkees.


CD GREATEST HITS RHINO US R2 72190

1995 20 TRK Collection (60's recordings)

CD HEAD (O.S.T.) RHINO US R2 71795

1968 20 TRKS

LP HEAD (O.S.T.) promo ARISTA JPN 25RS-125

1968 14 TRKS ('81 issue, test pressing) diff. cover to US original

7" I'M A BELIEVER / (I'M NOT YOUR) STEPPING STONE COLGEMS US 66-1002

1966 2 TRKS with pic sleeve

LPx2 MONKEES, THE ARISTA DE DARTY 12

1981 30 TRK Collection

7" PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY / WORDS COLGEMS US 66-1007

1966 2 TRKS with pic sleeve


I don’t keep a big Monkees collection. They’re not one of my groups. The UK/German Arista double LP and present day Rhino CD that are roughly “Greatest Hits” suffices very well for my Monkee needs in 2009. One couldn’t make a collection of radio hits of ’66 – ’69 without including several Monkees songs.


Yes, I like and respect Mike Nesmith – his records and music videos. My late sister always liked Peter Tork best. I once read Mickey Dolenz’s book – and he seemed awfully ‘bitter’. And Davy Jones. All still alive, yeah? (The Monkees, not my dear, departed sister).


In the 70’s, I met Bill Inglot – who was very serious about The Monkees. I always figured it had something to do with your age. I think you had to be exactly the right age to ‘get’ The Monkees. And I guess I wasn’t that exact age!


I have always been a fan of their feature film “Head”. Frank Zappa appears in it! And the Monkees’ songs in it are really, really good! Yes, I have a DVD of it. I do not really feel compelled to obtain DVD’s of the Monkees’ TV series. Would I even watch ‘em?


And, no, I do not think I want 2CD deluxe versions of any of their actual albums on CD. The “GH/Best Of” CD will suit me just fine. I do not remember the circumstances that I obtained two original US 60’s 45’s with picture sleeves – they must’ve been inexpensive. And I like all of those songs.


If hard pressed, my favorites are “She” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, probably. That, o/r the tunes on “Head”.


So, Monkees – good. Professionally written and recorded US 60’s pop records.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've always been partial to "Steppin' Stone," their garage punk classic. I also have a best of that's not quite enough as it concentrates on the first 4 albums and thus misses that great "Head" material. "Porpoise Song" beats all psych Beatles material to hell, in my opinion. I daresay it's Carole King's best number. One day I'll have to get a copy of that.

The last I saw Davy Jones, he was in the Rodney Binginheimer movie discussing the price of fame, and how he was listed in the phone book at the time of filming(!) so he got a lot of fans calling on him. Yo, Davy... you NUTS or something?

Brian Ware said...

I've always enjoyed the Monkees. Perhaps I'm the "right" age? I have a great 20 track hits collection from Europe that does their entire career - even the two comeback singles. And it has "Tapioca Tundra" which has always been my one of my favorites. I also borrowed a friend's box set and cherry picked another CD-R of my favorite tracks, so I'm pretty well set.

I was always partial to Nesmith's material and followed his solo career avidly through the first six LPs. Not so much in the 80s and beyond. Davy Jones comes to Orlando every year for the Epcot "Flower Power" concerts which feature just about every 60s act that's still on the road.