Wayback Wednesday: The Monkees
On July 25, 1966 The Monkees recorded their first single…Last Train To Clarksville. The Monkees were a group formed for a TV show, which debuted in September of ’66. Producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider came up with the idea of a Beatles-like band, and put British singer/actor Davy Jones under contract. They then held open auditions for the other group members. One of those who didn’t make the final cut was Stephen Stills!
For their early recordings, songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart were producers, using studio musicians with the Monkees providing the vocals. Within a few months of their smash debut album, though, The Monkees got into a dispute with music supervisor Don Kirshner, leading to his dismissal. The Monkees then took control as a real band. Comparing it to the present day, it would be like the singers on American Idol rebelling and demanding to write and sing their own music on the show!
The Monkees were among the first to give us Music Video’s, which became so big in the ‘80’s with MTV. This was because they were made for episodes of the TV show. Quite a remarkable band in Rock history…Wayback Wednesday features the debut of The Monkees!
https://youtu.be/tGLx4WenGwQ
