Some More Rockers From the 1950's & 60's

Brian Wilson ~ 82 ~ Singer, songwriter, bassist and producer with the Beach Boys

THE BEACH BOYS ~ "I GET AROUND";


THE BEACH BOYS ~ "CALIFORNIA GIRLS";


THE BEACH BOYS ~ "GOOD VIBRATIONS";


Chuck Girard ~ 81 ~ Pianist & singer with California 1950's Pop vocal group the Castells 1960's Surf band The Hondells and Christian Rock band Love Song

THE CASTELLS ~ "DANCING IN THE DARK";


THE HONDELLS ~ "HOT ROD HIGH";


THE HONDELLS ~ "LITTLE HONDA";


Dick Addrisi ~ 84 ~ Singer with American 1960's Pop duo the Addrisi Brothers) and songwriter ("Never My Love")

THE ADDRISI BROS ~ "CHERRYSTONE";


Chris Dreja ~ 79 ~ UK bassist and uitarist with the Yardbirds

THE YARDBIRDS ~ "FOR YOUR LOVE";


THE YARDBIRDS ~ "DAZED & CONFUSED";


THE YARDBIRDS ~ "HEART FULL OF SOUL";


Viv Prince ~ 84 ~ Drumer with 1960's UK band The Pretty Things and later Denny Laine, Jeff Beck, Chris Barber, Screaming Lord Sutch and illin drummer for the Who, Honeycombs, Hawkwind

THE PRETTY THINGS ~ "ROADRUNNER";


THE PRETTY THINGS ~ "MIDNIGHT TO SIX MAN";


THE PRETTY THINGS ~ "DON'T BRING ME DOWN";


Bobby Hart ~ 86 ~ American singer/composer with Boyce & Hart and the Monkees ("We're The Monkees", "Last Train To Clarksville", "Valleri")

BOYCE & HART ~ "WE'RE THE MONKEES";


THE MONKEES ~ "VALLERI";


THE MONKEES ~ "LAST TRAIN TO CLARKSVILLE";


BOYCE & HART ~ "OUT & ABOUT";


BOYCE & HART ~ "I WONDER WHAT SHE'S DOING TONIGHT";


John Lodge ~ 82 ~ Bassist/singer/songwriter with UK 1960's band The Moody Blues

THE MOODY BLUES ~ "RIDE MY SEE-SAW";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "GO NOW";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "TUESDAY AFTERNOON";


Terry Reid ~ 75 ~ Singer/guitarist with 1960's UK band Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers and later solo

PETER JAY & THE JAYHAWKS ~ "PARCHMAN FARM";


TERRY REID ~ "SUPERLUNGS";


TERRY REID ~ "RICH KID BLUES";


John Moorshead ~ 82 ~ Guitarist with UK 1960's band Johnny Kidd & the Pirates, Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation, Shotgun Express (w/Rod Stewart), Denny Laine, Heavy Jelly

JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES ~ "SHAKIN ALL OVER";


JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES ~ "A SHOT OF RHYTHM & BLUES";


AYNSLEY DUNBAR RETALIATION ~ "WARNING";


AYNSLEY DUNBAR RETALIATION ~ "I'M TOER DOWN";


Poli Palmer ~ 82 ~ Piano, synthesizers, vibraphone, flute with UK Pyschedelic and Prog Rock bands Blossom Toes and the Family

BLOSSOM TOES ~ "POSTCARD";


THE FAMILY ~ "THE WEAVER'S ANSWER";


Joseph Byrd ~ 87 ~ Keyboardist with American 1960's Psychedelic band The United States of America and later film composer

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ~ "GARDEN OF EARTHLY DELIGHTS";


Herman Deinum - 79 - Bassist w/Dutch 1960's band Cuby + Blizzards

CUBY & THE BLIZZARDS ~ "JAZZ BLITZEN";


CUBY & THE BLIZZARDS ~ "APPLEKNOCKERS FLOPHOUSE";


CUBY & THE BLIZZARDS ~ "ANOTHER DAY ANOTHER ROAD";


Col Joye ~ 89 ~ Australian 1950's R&R singer, later PR manager with the Bee Gee's & Andy Gibb in the 70's

COL JOYE ~ "BEE BOP A LULA";


COL JOYE ~ "PEGG SUE" & "SHAKE RATTLE & ROLL";


COL JOYE ~ "OH YEAH UH HUH";


Mark Volman ~ 70 ~ American singer with 1960's Pop group the Turtles ("Happy Together"), The Mothers Of Invention and as Fo & Eddie backup singers with T-Rex, The Psychedelic Furs ("Love My Way"), Blondie "Autoamerican"), the Ramones, Bruce Sringsteen ("Hunry Heart"), Alice Cooper, Gavin Friday, John Taylor

THE TURTLES ~ "IT AIN'T ME BABE";


THE TURTLES ~ "HAPPY TOGETHER";


Bobby Sherman ~ 81 ~ American singer ("Little Woman", "Julie, Do Ya Love Me") and actor

BOBBY SHERMAN ~ "I'M INTO SOMETHING GOOD";


BOBBY SHERMAN ~ "SHE'S NOT THERE";


BOBBY SHERMAN ~ "EASY COME EASY GO";


Warren Williams - 85 - Australian 1950's & 60's Pop singer (Warren Williams & the Squares)

WARREN WILLIAMS ~ "THE YOUNG ONES";


Margie Latzko - 96 - Singer with 1950's Pop vocal group The Chordettes

THE CHORDETTES ~ "MR SANDMAN";


THE CHORDETTES ~ "LOLLIPOP";


Connie Francis ~ 87 ~ American pop singer ("Everybody's Somebody's Fool", "Pretty Little Baby", "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own")

CONNIE FRANCIS ~ "WHERE THE BOYS ARE";


CONNIE FRANCIS ~ "WHO'S SORRY NOW";


CONNIE FRANCIS ~ "STUPID CUPID";


Jane Morgan ~ 101 ~ American singer ("Fascination", "The Day The Rains Came", "Two Different Worlds")

JANE MORGAN ~ "FASCINATION";


JANE MORGAN ~ "THE SECOND TIME AROUND";


Alice & Ellen Kessler ~ 89 ~ German singers & actors (Kessler Twins)

THE KESSLER TWINS ~ "I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER FOR YOU";


THE KESSLER TWINS ~ "MAS QUE NADA/THE LOOK OF LOVE";

Some More Figures From The 50's & 60's

Michael Nesmith ~ 78 ~ American singer, guitarist & songwriter with The Monkees ("Daydream Believer", "Mary Mary") and songwriter ("Different Drum")

THE MONKEES ~ "WHAT AM I DOING HANGING ROUND";


THE MONKEES ~ "PAPA GENE'S BLUES";


THE MONKEES ~ "THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE";


THE MONKEES ~ "MARY MARY";


THE MONKEES ~ "SWEET YOUNG THING";


THE MONKEES ~ "DAILY NIGHTLY";


THE STONE PONYS ~ "DIFFERENT DRUMS";


Keith Allison ~ 79 ~ Bassist w/1960's Seattle band Paul Revere & The Raiders ("Kicks", "Stepping Stone", "Just Likde Me", "Louie Louie", "Indian Reservation")

PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS ~ "WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN GOING ON";


PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS ~ "JUST LIKE ME";


PAUL REVERE & THE RAIDERS ~ "KICKS";


Greame Edge ~ 80 ~ Drummer w/UK band The Moody Blues "Nights In White Satin", "Ride My See Saw", "Tuesday Afternoon", "Sitting At The Wheel", "I'm Just A Singer In A Rock & Roll Band")

THE MOODY BLUES ~ "RIDE MY SEE SAW";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN";


THE MOODY BLUES ~ "I'M JUST SINGER IN A ROCK & ROLL BAND";


Alan Lancaster ~ Bassist with 1960' & 70's UK band Status Quo

STATUS QUO ~ "PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN";


STATUS QUO ~ "DOWN DOWN";


Ron Bushy ~ Drummer for Califonia Psychedelic Hard Rock band Iron Butterfly

IRON BUTTERFLY ~ "INNA-GADDA-DAVIDA";


IRON BUTTERFLY ~ "SOUL EXPERIENCE";


Jay Black ~ 82 ~ Singer with US vocal group Jay & The Americans (“Come A Little Bit Closer”, "Cara Mia" and “This Magic Moment")

JAY & THE AMERICANS ~ "THIS MAGIC MOMENT";


JAY & THE AMERICANS ~ "COME A LITTLE BIT CLOSER" & "JUST WALKING IN THE RAIN";


JAY & THE AMERICANS ~ "LIVING ABOVE YOUR HEAD";


Alan Hawkshaw - 84 - British composer and keyboard player w/The Shadows, Emile Ford, Love De-Luxe

THE SHADOWS ~ "EXODUS";


EMILE FORD & THE CHECKMATES ~ "WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE THOSE EYES AT ME FOR";


Ted Herold ~ 72 ~ German 1950's & 60's Rock & Roll singer, "The German Elvis"

TED HEROLD ~ "OH SO SWEET";


TED HEROLD ~ "CAROLINE";


Philip Margo ~ 79 ~ Singer/guitarist with 60's Doo Wop group the Tokens ("The Lion Sleeps Tonight"), later composer for The Monkees, Chiffons, BJ Thomas

THE TOKENS ~ "THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT";


Wanda Young ~ 78 ~ Singer with Motown group the Marvelettes ("Please Mr Postman", "Don't Mess With Bill", "Beachwood 4-5789")

THE MARVELETTES ~ "PLEASE MR POSTMAN";


THE MARVELETTES ~ "DON'T MESS WITH BILL";


THE MARVELETTES ~ "TOO MANY FISH IN THE SEA";


Allan Wilmot - 96 - Jamaican-born British singer with 1950's Anglo-Carribean vocal group The Southlanders

THE SOUTHLANDERS ~ "KOKOMO";


THE SOUTHLANDERS ~ "WE'RE GONNA JIVE TONIGHT";


THE SOUTHLANDERS ~ "EARTH ANGEL";


Roy Gaines ~ 87 ~ Texas Rock, Blues & Jazz singer/guitarist with Ray Charles, Chuck Willis, Roy Milton, Bobby Bland, Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Everley Bros, the Supremes, Bobby Darin, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight and solo ("Skippy Is A Sissy"0

ROY GAINES ~ "SKIPPY IS A SISSY";


Warren Storm ~ 84 ~ Louisiana Swamp Rock singer & drummer from the 1960's onward

WARREN STORM ~ "THE PRISONER'S SONG";


Willie Cobbs ~ 89 ~ American blues singer, harmonica player and songwriter ("You Don't Love Me")

WILLIE COBBS ~ "YOU DON'T LOVE ME";


Pavel Chrastina - 81 - Bass guitarist, singer and lyricist w/ 1960's Czech band Olympic

OLYMPIC ~ "EXODUS";


OLYMPIC ~ "SNAD JSEM TO ZAVINIL JA";


OLYMPIC ~ "DEJ MI VIC SVE LASKY";


Luboš Andršt - 73 - Guitarist and composer with 1960's & 70's Czech bands Framus Five, Energit, Jazz Q

FRAMUS FIVE ~ "HOLD ON I'M COMING";


ENERGIT ~ "PAPRESEK APRSEK RANNIHO SLUNCE";


János Kóbor ~ 78 ~ Singer w/1970's & 80's Hungarian Omega

OMEGA ~ "GYONGYHYJU LANY";


Joe Siracusa - 99 - American drummer w/Spike Jones and His City Slickers in the 1940's & 50's ("Cocktails For Two", "You Always Hurt The One You Love","Der Furher's Face")

SPIKE JONES ORCH ~ "DER FURHER'S FACE";


SPIKE JONES ORCH ~ "COCKTAILS FOR TWO";


SPIKE JONES ORCH & BILLY BARTY ~ "THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC";


Margo Guryan - US 1960's singer/songwriter

MARGO GURYAN ~ "SOMEONE I KNOW";


Robin McNamara - 74 - American 1960's singer-songwriter ("Lay A Little Lovin' On Me") and cast member in "Hair"

ROBIN McNAMARA ~ "LAY A LITTLE LOVIN ON ME";

Some Figures From The 1950's & 60's

Peter Tork ~ Bassist, singer and multi-instrumentalist for the Monkees, he didn't sing on many of their hits ("Auntie Grizzelda" being an exemption) but he did play an variety of stringed and keyed instruments including bass, guitar, piano, organ, harpsichord, banjo and sitar.

THE MONKEES ~ "YOUR AUNTIE GRIZZELA";


THE MONKEES ~ "WHAT AM I DOING HANGING ROUND";


PETER TORK ~ "HIGHER & HIGHER";


PETER TORK ~ "Solfeggietto"



Paul Whaley ~ drummer for Blue Cheer, the first Metal band. Also the first Thrash band & first Stoner Rock band. I saw and interviewed them years ago and they sounded the same;

BLUE CHEER ~ "SUMMERTIME BLUES";


BLUE CHEER ~ "FEATHERS FROM YOUR TREE";


BLUE CHEER ~ "SATISFACTION";



Dean Haydcock ~ Bassist with 1960's UK band the Hollies

THE HOLLIES ~ "LOOK THROUGH ANY WINDOW";


THE HOLLIES ~ "CARRIE ANNE";


THE HOLLIES ~ "I CAN'T LET GO";



Dean Ford ~ Singer with 1960's Scottish band Marmalade ("I See The Rain Again")

MARMALADE ~ "I SEE THE RAIN";


MARMALADE ~ "BABY MAKE IT SOON";


MARMALADE ~ "OB-LA-DI-OB-LA-DA";



Gus Backus ~ Singer with 1950's & 60's Doo Wop group The Del Vikings ("Come Go With Me");

THE DEL VIKINGS ~ "COME GO WITH ME";



Pete Posa ~ New Zealand Surf guitarist

PETE POSA ~ "GUITAR BOOGIE";



Johnny Hutchinson ~ Drummer for 1960's Liverpool band The Big Three and (briefly) The Beatles;
THE BIG THREE ~ "WHAT I SAY";



Bonnie Guitar ~ 1950's & 60's Rockabilly & Country singer/guitarist

BONNIE GUITAR ~ "MR FIRE EYES";



Mean Steve Carroll ~ 1950's Rockabilly singer and later pro wrestling TV host

MEAN STEVE CARROLL - "IS IT EVER GONNA HAPPEN";



Sol Yaged ~ Jazz clarinetist w/Red Allen, Jack Teagarden, Willie The Lion Smith, Coleman Hawkins;

Mac Wiseman ~ Country and Blugrass singer from the 1950's & 60's;

MAC WISEMAN ~ "LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND";



Leon Rausch - 91 - American singer with Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys;

BOB WILLS & TEXAS PLAYBOYS ~ "STAY A LITTLE LONGER";



Maxine Brown ~ Singer with 1950's Country group The Browns ("Three Bells");

THE BROWNS ~ "SCARLET RIBBONS" & "LOOK BEHIND ME";


THE BROWNS ~ "THREE BELLS";



Eddie Tigner ~ Pianist for Elmore James and the Inkspots;

ELMORE JAMES ~ "IT HURTS ME TOO";


THE INK SPOTS ~ "I'D CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN";



Doris Day ~ Pop and Big Band singer and actor from the 1950's to the 70's;

DORIS DAY ~ "MY LAST HORIZON";


DORIS DAY ~ "SECRET LOVE";



Einar Iversen - 88 - Norwegian jazz pianist and composer

EINAR IVERSON;

Some 1960's Rockers Pass On

Gerry Goffin ~ 1960's songwriter worked with (and later married and divorced) Carole King. Starting in 1959 they became one of the prolific songwriting teams working out of the Brill Building in New York City writing hit songs like;

LITTLE EVA ~ "THE LOCOMOTION";


THE VISCOUNTS ~ "WHO PUT THE BOMP";


THE ANIMALS ~ "DON'T BRING ME DOWN";


GRAND FUNK RAILROAD ~ "THE LOCOMOTION";


"Take Good Care of My Baby" (a hit for Bobby Vee), "Halfway to Paradise" (Tony Orlando, Billy Fury), "The Loco-Motion" (Little Eva, and later Grand Funk Railroad), "Go Away Little Girl" (Steve Lawrence, and later Donny Osmond), "It Might as Well Rain Until September" (Carole King), "One Fine Day" (The Chiffons and later Carole King), "Up on the Roof" (The Drifters), "I'm into Something Good" (Herman's Hermits), "Don't Bring Me Down" (The Animals), "Oh No Not My Baby" (Maxine Brown, and later The Action, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin and The Partridge Family), "Goin' Back" (Dusty Springfield, The Byrds), "Wasn't Born To Follow" (also The Byrds, later covered by The Sadies), "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" (Aretha Franklin), and "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Star Collector", "Porpoise Song" (all by The Monkees, the last covered by The Grapes Of Wrath and The Church) along with a bunch of other songs by The Monkees and Drifters.

THE MONKEES ~ "PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY";


THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY ~ "OH NO NOT MY BABY";


He also worked with other songwriters in the 1960's on songs like "Who Put The Bomp" (by Curtis Lee & The Viscounts and later Showaddywaddy and The Boppers)

After splitting from King, Goffin released a solo album in 1973, It Ain't Exactly Entertainment, but it was not successful, and he began working with other composers, including Russ Titelman, Barry Goldberg, and then Michael Masser.[7] He and Masser won an Academy Award nomination in 1976 for the theme to the film Mahogany, sung by Diana Ross; and also wrote "Saving All My Love for You", a worldwide hit for Whitney Houston, "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love", and "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You". Goffin and Masser also received a Golden Globe nomination for "So Sad the Song" from the 1976 Gladys Knight film Pipe Dreams. He recorded another solo album in 1994 which included two collaborations with Bob Dylan. He later was an early booster for Kelly Clarkson. He died at 75

THE MONKEES ~ "STAR COLLECTOR";


THE MONKEES ~ "PORPOISE SONG";


Bobby Womack started out as a gospel singer in a group with his brothers as The Womack Brothers on Sam Cooke's SAR records in the mid 1960's. After recording a few singles ("Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray") they made the same journey Cooke himself made in moving to secular R&B under the name The Valentinos who would record the single "It's All Over Now" which was a moderate hit until it was covered by The Rolling Stones who had a major hit with it. Womack was at first angry at having his hit record undermined until Sam Cooke told him; "You'll feel differently once the royalty checks come in. This will be good for us." That turned out to be right as Womack would have to admit. He would later have solo hits with "Lookin' For a Love", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", "Woman's Gotta Have It", "Harry Hippie", "Across 110th Street" and his 1980s hit "If You Think You're Lonely Now". Ironically he would also do covers of hits like Dylan's "All Along The Watch Tower" and John Phillips' "California Dreaming".

THE VALENTINOS ~ "IT'S ALL OVER NOW";


THE ROLLING STONES ~ "IT'S ALL OVER NOW";


BOBBY WOMACK ~ "CALIFORNIA DREAMING";


Answering the question "Can a white boy play the blues?", Johnny Winter was the whitest bluesman ever. Well, along with his brother Edgar, since they were both albinos. Beginning as teens in various garage bands in Texas as early as 1959 Johnny would later go solo and become a highly respected guitarist plying with Mike Bloomfield, Al Kooper, Willie Dixon, Big Walter Horton, Janis Joplin, Rick Derringer and eventually producing an album for Muddy Waters. He also battled drug addiction over the years which he eventually beat. Winter continued to play up to his death at 70.

JOHNNY WINTER, MUDDY WATERS, JOHN LEE HOOKER & FOGHAT ~ "I JUST WANNA MAKE LOVE TO YOU";


JOHNNY WINTER ~ "JUMPING JACK FLASH";


Lee Dresser ~ 50's & 60's ~ American R&R singer/guitar w/the The Krazy Kats "Beat Out My Love" (later covered by the Cramps)

LEE DRESSER & THE KRAZY KATS ~ "BEAT OUT MY LOVE";


George Hamilton IV, not to be confused with the actor, was a country and folk singer of the 1960's who scored a number of hits the biggest of which was "Abaline". Later in the decade he adopted folk music and recorded popular albums of Canadian music including hit versions of Gordon Lightfoot songs, even though he was actually not Canadian.

GEORGE HAMILTON IV ~ "ABILINE" & "FORT WORTH DALLAS OF HOUSTON";


Idris Muhammad ~ American jazz drummer w/Fats Domino, Pharaoh Sanders, Ahmad Jamal, Grover Washington jr, Hank Crawford, Johnny Griffon, Gene Ammons ~ 74

PHARAOH SANDERS;


AHMAD JAMAL ~ "DARN THAT DREAM";


Manny Roth ~ Owner of 1960's New York nightclub Cafe Wha?, a folk & comedy club where Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, The Velvet Underground, Paul Butterfield, Peter, Paul & Mary, Woody Allen, Lenny Bruce, Joan Rivers, Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor started. Also the uncle of Van Halen singer David Lee Roth ~ 95

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO ~ "SYMPHONY OF SOUND";


THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & THE EXPLODING PLASTIC INEVITABLE;


PAUL BUTTERFIELD BLUES BAND ~ "BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN";

Davy Jones and the Monkees

Exhibit a) The Monkees ~ "Porpoise song";



For years the Monkees were known and despised as the first manufactured band. The Pre Fab Four. By the time Davy Jones died this week many were willing to acknowledge that they had many classic songs. Although there are still misconceptions bout them, I heard one newscaster compare them to Milli Vinnili.

Exhibit b) The Monkees ~ "She hangs out";




This is unfair, The Monkees actually sang all their songs and Vinilli did not. It is also not exactly true that they were non-musicians who could not really play and did not write any songs. In fact they all had musical experience. Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork were fixtures on the L.A. folk scene, albeit unsigned. In fact Nesmith was an accomplished songwriter and Tork a talented musician who could play any number of stringed or keyed instrument well. He was actually a close friend of the then also unsigned Stephen Stills who also auditioned for the Monkees and if neither hadn't gotten the gig it's likely the Tork would have ended up in the The Buffalo Springfield with Stills. Dolenz was also part of the folk scene as part of a singing duo with his sister, previously he had actually played drums in a garage band. Davy Jones had no rock experience and played no instrument but he had played Broadway as part of the stage show of the play "Oliver" and had recorded a couple of pop singles which had made the lower reaches of the charts, he even had his own fan club.

Exhibit c) The Monkees ~ "Look out; Here comes tomorrow";




It is true that they contributed little creatively to the first two albums (besides the vocals) other than a couple of Nesmith songs and little rhythm guitar by Tork or Nesmith. However by the third album ("Headquarters") they had taken over their music careers and insisted on choosing and playing their own materiel. They also toured live in concert. If after the third album they chose to make use of the excellent songwriters and top flight session players that their budget could allow for, well who can blame them?

Exhibit d) The Monkees ~ "No time";




It's worth pointing out that in the early rock and roll era many artists relied on songwriters, session players and producers for much if not all of their materiel; including the likes of Elvis, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Billie Holliday and any number of Motown acts. And I've never heard anyone say; "Big deal, they didn't actually write those songs you know".


Exhibit e) The Monkees ~ "What am I doing hanging round?";




A sampling of the songwriters and session guys they used would include;

Session players;
Glen Cambell, Neil Young, Clarence White, Buddy Miles, Jack Nitzsche, Charlie McCoy, Danny Kortchmar, Doug Dillard, Shorty Rogers, James Burton, Plas Johnson, Al Casey, Jimmy Bryant, Stephen Stills, Hall Blaine, Larry Knetchell

Songwriters;
Gerry Goffin & Carol King, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, Boyce & Hart, Lieber & Stoller, Neil Diamond, Jeff Barry, Neil Sedaka, Harry Nilson, Andy Kim, Paul Williams, John Stewart


Personally I wouldn't have turned them down either. It is still a fact that some of their best songs were in fact written by the band itself (usually by Nesmith) and some were also produced by them. It's a;so a fact that Mickey had one of the great voices of his era, a string distinct tenor, while Davy had a less unique but still distinct voice.


Exhibit f) The Monkees ~ "Mary Mary";




In an attempt to take further control and shed their pop image it was actually their own idea to make use of the brand new technology of the Moog Synth for a couple of songs, and make the ultra psych classic "Head" which was a pretty gutsy move. Naturally their careers never recovered. Now it's a classic of 1960's weirdness.


Exhibit g) The Monkees ~ "Last train to Clarksville";



Yes I used to watch their TV show after school when I was a kid and loved them, but I honestly think there is more than pure retro nostalgia going on here. A great song well sung and played is still a great song, and any band that can claim even one classic song is worth knowing. And the Monkees had more than their share. That's more than can really be said for prefab rivals like The Partridge Family, Sean Cassidy, Bobby Sherman or even the beloved Josie & The Pussycats.

If you don't believe me you can ask some of of the bands who covered them, including;

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band ~ "Mary Mary"
The Palace Guard ~ "Saturday's child"
The Coasters ~ "DW Washburn"
The Sex Pistols ~ "Stepping stone"
Minor Threat ~ "Stepping stone"
The Cardboard Brains ~ "Stepping stone"
The Grapes of Wrath ~ "Porpoise song"
The Church ~ "Porpoise song"
The Forgotten Rebels ~ "Look out here comes tomorrow"
The Bicycles ~ "Cuddly Toy"

Note; I know that Paul Revere & The Raiders also did "Stepping Stone" but they actually recorded it a few months before the Monkees, although the Monkees' version would be the bigger hit.

I wonder why there are five Canadian bands there? Maybe the show played longer here in reruns.

Exhibit h) The Monkees ~ "Star collector";