Whoarethemonkees?InNovember1965,MichaelNesmith,PeterTork,DavyJonesandMickyDolenzcametogetherasTheMonkeestofilmapilottelevisionprogramforcreator/producersBobRafelsonandBertSchneider’sRaybertProductions.Thegroupmemberswereselectedviaacastingcall,wordofmouthandjustplainluck.Allfourhadpriormusicalandactingexperience.TheMonkeesserieswassoldtotheNBCnetworkinFebruary1966andbeganshootingattheendofMay.ItdebutedonSeptember12,1966andranfortwoseasons.Fifty-eighthalf-hourprogramswereproducedoveran18-monthperiod,andtheshowwontwoEmmyawardsin1967.DuringJune‘66,theMonkeesstartedrecordingsessionsfortheshow’ssoundtrackwithavarietyofproducersandsongwriters.Contrarytopopularbelief,theMonkeesdidperforminstrumentallyonsomeofthesesessionsandprovidedtheleadvocalsforalloftheirrecordedefforts.Additionally,groupmemberMichaelNesmithproducedandwrotesomeoftheMonkees’earliestrecordings.Withoutadoubt,thearchitectsoftheMonkees’soundwereMusicCoordinatorDonKirshnerandsongwritersTommyBoyceandBobbyHart.InadditiontocomposingandperformingthemusicfeaturedinTheMonkeespilotfromNovember’65,BoyceandHart’screationsincluded“LastTrainToClarksville”(#1in1966),“(ThemeFrom)TheMonkees,”“(I’mNotYour)Steppin’Stone”(#20in1966),“Valleri”(#3in1968),“Words”(#11in1967),“IWannaBeFree”and“She.”TheMonkeesscoredtheirbiggesthitinlate1966withJeffBarry’sproductionoftheNeilDiamondsong,“I’mABeliever.”Despitethissuccess,frictiondeveloped用心爱心专心betweenthegroupandMusicCoordinatorDonKirshner.Stungbythecriticismthattheydidnotparticipateintheirownrecords,theMonkeestookcontroloftheirmusicaldestiny.During1967,theMonkeescreatedtwoalbums(HeadquartersandPisces,Aquarius,Capricorn&Jones,Ltd.)andtwosingles(“PleasantValleySunday”and“DaydreamBeliever”)asafull-fledgedmusicalunitwithonlyminimaluseofoutsidemusicians.However,byNovemberof‘67,theindividualMonkeeshaddecidedtopursuetheirrecordedexploitsseparately.In1968,theMonkeesstarredintheironeandonlyfeaturefilm,Head.AcollaborativeeffortwithJackNicholson,themoviefoundonlyalimitedinitialaudience,buthasgoneontotobecomeacultclassic.Towardstheendof’68,theMonkeestapedatelevisionspecialforNBCcalled331/3RevolutionsPerMonkee.ItwastobePeterTork’slastoriginalprojectwiththeband.Dissatisfiedwiththeseparatedirectionthegroup’srecordingshadtaken,hesplitinDecember’68.Micky,DavyandMichaelcontinuedasatrioforthenextyear.TheymountedanationwidetourwithabackingbandcalledSam&TheGoodtimers,butfoundtheirpopularitydiminishing.Record-breakingSaturdaymorningrerunsofTheMonkeesseriesin‘69providedsomethingofarebirth,butrecordsalesdidnotrebound.Inearly1970,MichaelNesmithsplitfromtheMonkeestoformtheFirstNationalBand.MickyandDavyrecordedonefurtheralbum(Changes)andsingle(“DoItInTheNameOfLove”)beforegoingtheirseparateways.In1975,MickyandDavyreunitedwithsongwritersBoyceandHartforliveshowsandrecordsasDolenz,Jones,Boyce&Hart.Tenyearslater,promoterDavidFishoforganizedamassivelysuccessfultourfeaturingMicky,DavyandPeter.Justafewdaysshortofthe20thanniversaryofTheMonkeesseries’debut,Nesmithbrieflyrejoinedhis用心爱心专心bandmatesonstageatLosAngeles’GreekTheaterforperformancesof“ListenToTheBand”and“PleasantValleySunday.”Afterthis,thefourMonkeestapedaChristmasvideoforMTV,butthisreunionwasfleeting.Nevertheless,1986provedtobeaphenomenalyearforMonkeemania.ByNovember,sevenMonkeesalbumswereontheBillboardchartsandanewsinglefromMickyandPeter(“ThatWasThen,ThisIsNow”)wentTop40.Thissuccesswasdueinlargeparttothere-airingofTheMonkeesseriesbyMTV(inadealworkedoutbyBertSchneider).In1987,Micky,DavyandPeterrecordedanewalbumtogether,PoolIt!(forRhino)andtwoyearslatertheentiregroupreunitedtoreceiveastarontheHollywoodWalkOfFame.Afterthisevent,allwasquietontheMonkeefrontuntil1994whenproducer/creatorsBobRafelsonandBertSchneidersoldtheentireMonkeeslegacyoffilmsandrecordingstoRhino.Twoyearson,NesmithregroupedtheMonkeesforanalbumcalledJustus.Asthetitleimplied,thiswasagroupeffortala1967’sHeadquarters.AnABCnetworktelevisionspecial,HeyHeyWe’reTheMonkees,directedbyNesmithreturnedthegrouptoprimetimeforonenightonly.Fortyyearsonfromtheirinitialdebut,theMonkeesareallpursuingdifferentavenuesofcreativity.TheirfirsttwoalbumshavejustbeenreissuedbyRhinoasdeluxetwo-CDsetsandthefuturelooksexcitingforMonkeesenthusiasts.YoucankeepupwithalltheMonkeesactivitieshere!用心爱心专心
