It’s not always the most popular thing to be a Monkees fan. Because The Monkees were contrived, auditioned and set in a television show, their music is somehow thought of as a lesser music.
They sang their own songs and eventually even played the instruments. They had some of the best songwriters of the day (Neil Diamond, Boyce & Hart, Carole King, to name a few). They were pioneers in music video. Ever see a music video before The Monkees? No. Their songs topped the charts where the #2 spot was worlds behind. They sold more records than the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined during their show. They introduced others into the music world, like Jimi Hendrix, for instance.
The band was made up of two unknown musicians (Tork, Nesmith) and two little known actors (Dolenz, Jones) who were thrown together to make a quirky comedy show with a musical backdrop. They must have done something right, because it’s hard to imagine anyone pulling that off again today. In the beginning, they didn’t play their own instruments. There are loads of singers that don’t play instruments. Too many to list. They eventually did, though, but I don’t know why it ever mattered. They sang every song and that’s what we listened to.
I’ve been a Monkees fan since I was 6 and still would listen to their music over a lot of what’s going on today. The Monkees may be a guilty pleasure, but their place in music history is unmistakable.
I am not one for petitions and angry letters to get my way on issues that won’t matter in a hundred years, but denial of The Monkees place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame seems unfair. Not a global catastrophy, but unfair. I’d like The Monkees to be accepted for what they were and what they changed while they are still alive. I’d like the people that are slightly embarrassed at being a Monkees fan to play their music so their friends can hear it. I’d like everyone to stop using The Monkees as an example of what not to do. That invalidates my enjoyment of the music and I don’t think the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has the right to do that. They were nominated and it was Rolling Stone Magazine that blocked the acceptance. Rolling Stone more than any other entity should know that studio musicians are used constantly by bands. The Beach Boys used them. The Beatles used them. Both in.
So, there is a petetion you can sign online. I know… online signatures don’t carry a lot of weight. But an email address (that you can make private) is required. That’s something, I guess. There are currently 5712 signatures (I am #5712), but there should be a lot more. If you have a moment, sign. Maybe it won’t get The Monkees into the Hall of Fame, but at least it will reaffirm the Monkees Hall of Fans.
July 10, 2008 at 5:17 pm |
Thank you thank you, this was really touching and educational!