Monkees, The

“That could have been your face!” Thus ended a tense January 1967 meeting between the Monkees and Don Kirshner as Mike Nesmith punched a hole in the meeting room wall. The source of the frustration was the total control that Kirshner, “The Monkees” television series musical coordinator, exerted over the selection of songs to be recorded as well as the choice of which studio musicians would play on the sessions. The four Monkees, their recording roles limited to vocal contributions, struggled...

In December 1966, over repeated objections by series musical supervisor Don Kirshner, the Monkees made the move from lip-synching TV combo to live performing group, making their concert debut in Hawaii. While on tour, the band was surprised to see the release of their second album, More of the Monkees, in January 1967. Kirshner had not consulted the band on the album’s selections or even notified them that it was to be released. Mike Nesmith was particularly incensed and dismissed the entire...

After making most of Headquarters on their own, the Monkees broadened their outlook for their fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., bringing in select session players to assist them in recording. This album marked several changes for the group, the most immediately noticeable being Mike Nesmith’s increased vocal contributions. He sings lead on five of the album’s tracks, while Mickey Dolenz, the band’s previously dominant lead vocalist, sang only three. But what a trio of...

1968 was a turbulent year for the Monkees. Their television series, which had debuted as a huge hit two years earlier, was cancelled in February. The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees, released after the cancellation in April 1968, was their first album not to reach #1 on the Billboard chart. Internally, their group dynamic was changing, too. While they had previously collaborated on recording sessions as a unit, increasingly each Monkee took to working in a separate studio, away from the other...

In August 1966, the world met the Monkees (and vice versa) as their debut single, “Last Train to Clarksville,” was released and bought them a ticket to ride straight to the top of the charts! With debut of their television show just weeks later on September 12th, the group suddenly found themselves with a huge fanbase, clamoring for more music. They answered that call on October 10th with the release of their debut album, The Monkees, which topped the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks. Featuring...