This day in music - December 3, 1966: The Monkees make their stage debut in Honolulu, HI

By Richard K. Barry 

I was a kid when The Monkees were big. I had no idea what good music was then. So, of course, I loved them. I watched the weekly television show when it originally aired and then on Saturdays when it went into re-runs. I apologize. I really do. 

As the story goes, the group was created for an NBC television show. 437 young men auditioned for the roles, mostly struggling musicians and actors. Steven Stills and John Sebastian both auditioned and were turned down.

Tork, Nesmith, Dolenz, Jones

The Monkees were: Mickey Dolenz, Peter Nesmith, Davey Jones, and Peter Tork. And I can assure you that I did not have to look those names up. I still remember them.

Fifty-eight episodes were made and it lasted only two seasons from 1966-1968. It's not hard to imagine that the idea for the fictional group came from the 1965 Beatles' movie A Hard Day's Night.

At first, the group did not play their own instruments -- their vocals were recorded over tracks recorded by a group of session musicians who played on many hits from the '60s. A turning point of sorts came in 1967 when they insisted on playing their own material and getting producer credit as well.

The Monkees were the object of scorn among some music fans who felt they were a product of deceptive corporate entertainment, taking up airspace that would be better suited to more authentic musicians. And they also kind of sucked.

I can't remember if they were called the "Prefab Four" back then or if that came latter with The Rutles. Good joke, in any case. 

Still, I loved them when I was eight years old. "Day Dream Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "Mary, Mary." On the last one, and this always struck me as strange, I'm pretty sure the Paul Butterfield Blues Band recorded it.

Okay, to be absolutely fair, Monkees band member Michael Nesmith wrote "Mary, Mary," but mostly they didn't play their own instruments or write their own songs. Now we just call that American Idol.

In truth, I can still listen to The Monkees. Must be nostalgia blinding or deafening me. 

(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)