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Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

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The Monkees ?
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Dog 3000
Dog 3000
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Edited Oct 28, 2010, 23:37
Re: The Monkees !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oct 28, 2010, 23:26
Damn! Don't even get me started on this topic, I don't have time!

I think The Monkees was a super huge important group, a key influence on CSNY, The Sex Pistols and Backstreet Boys (among many others)!

The records are generally pretty good -- the first two are backed by "The Candystore Prophets", the same session dudes behind The Byrds first album (and Sonny & Cher and the rest of the Hollywood hits of the day), and produced by Boyce & Hart (who wrote most of the tunes.) Material is hit or miss, but when it hits it's perfect 60's pop-rock.

Starting with the third "Headquarters" it gets more interesting, though unless you're a nut like me you should stop well before their final album "Changes" (1970) when they were reduced to a duo of Davy & Micky (the joke at the record company was that if one more member quit, the last guy would be billed as "The Monkee"!)

Best LP to start on is probably "Pisces Aquarius Capricorn & Jones" (1967) -- the first pop album with a moog. The "Head" soundtrack is also great, but really just 6 songs. "The Birds The Bees & The Monkees" also pretty interesting.

On video:

"Head" is a CLASSIC 1960's film, and an important part of the Hollywood story of the time. Directed by Bob Rafelson (who also directed the most arty & interesting episodes of the TV show) and co-written by Jack Nicholson, whose next film together was the acclaimed "Five Easy Pieces". Supposedly the funds for "Head" were somehow plowed (or diverted) into a little film called "Easy Rider" (in the cantina scene with the transvestite, watch carefully and you'll see Nicholson and Dennis Hopper hanging out on the set when the Monkees "break the fourth wall.")

The TV show is mostly corny kid comedy, though in the second season it starts to become artier and you'll find sneaky hipster drug references and stuff.

If you can rent the DVD's individually somehow, just grab the final disc from Season 2 which has the best episode of the show ever (the very last one to air, "The Frodis Caper" -- Frodis being the Monkees' codeword for pot on the set) AND their incredibly surreal 1969 TV "comeback" special called "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee" which is the strangest mindfuck ever to get broadcast on American TV!

Or lucky for you, it appears "33 1/3" is on youtube!

Awesomely psychedelic intro (featuring Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYOleTcuQuo

Mime dancing about evolution, followed by one of the most embarassing musical numbers ever perpetuated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7sJBGVOj3Y

(That'll scratch the surface . . . Damn, I am supposed to be working!)
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The Monkees ? (The Sea Cat)		 Replies:
Re: The Monkees !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (ToneStone)
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