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This post is a timely addition to a series on bubblegum cards. I’ve started ones on World War II and Batman, so here’s another on The Monkees. Timely as Davy Jones sadly passed away on the 29th February (aged sixty-six). The Monkees were an early manufactured pop band from the sixties who had several massive hits and who caught the zeitgeist of the times. They also had a hugely popular, wacky, weekly TV show, called imaginatively enough, The Monkees. This was produced by NBC and aired between 1966 and 1968 (two seasons – 58 episodes). This show used (at the time) innovative film techniques:
NO INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT IS INTENDED!
This post is a timely addition to a series on bubblegum cards. I’ve started ones on World War II and Batman, so here’s another on The Monkees. Timely as Davy Jones sadly passed away on the 29th February (aged sixty-six). The Monkees were an early manufactured pop band from the sixties who had several massive hits and who caught the zeitgeist of the times. They also had a hugely popular, wacky, weekly TV show, called imaginatively enough, The Monkees. This was produced by NBC and aired between 1966 and 1968 (two seasons – 58 episodes). This show used (at the time) innovative film techniques:
‘Rafelson and Schneider (the producers) wanted the style of the series to reflect avant garde film techniques—such as improvisation, quick cuts, jump cuts, breaking the fourth wall, and free-flowing, loose narratives—then being pioneered by European film directors. Each episode would contain at least one musical "romp" which might have nothing to do with the storyline. In retrospect, these vignettes now look very much like music videos: short, self-contained films of songs in ways that echoed Beatles' recent ventures into promotional films for their singles. They also believed strongly in the program's ability to appeal to young people, intentionally framing the kids as heroes and the adults as heavies.
The four actors were taught improvisational comedy and given characters loosely based on themselves: Mickey Dolenz (the wacky one); Mike Nesmith (smart and serious); Peter Tork (naïve) and Davy Jones (sensible English pretty-boy).
In the TV show, a situation comedy, The Monkees were depicted as a struggling band who shared a house in Malibu, California. They had a sign saying ‘Money Is The Root Of All Evil’ and a ‘Monkeemobile’ – a converted Pontiac GTO.
In praise of the show, Time magazine contributor James Poniewozik said:
‘Even if the show never meant to be more than entertainment and a hit-single generator, we shouldn’t sell The Monkees short. It was far better TV than it had to be; during an era of formulaic domestic sitcoms and wacky comedies, it was a stylistically ambitious show, with a distinctive visual style, absurdist sense of humor and unusual story structure. Whatever Jones and The Monkees were meant to be, they became creative artists in their own right, and Jones’ chipper Brit-pop presence was a big reason they were able to produce work that was commercial, wholesome and yet impressively weird.’
Below is a link to an interesting article re. a Davy Jones versus Justin Bieber argument!
Whatever the arguments are re. 'manufactured' pop and and its credibility, there is no doubt that The Monkees, 'put together' as they were, produced some classsic pop - and they were musicians in their own right.
And Last Train To Clarksville:
The Monkees were also in a film called 'Head', described as a 'psychedelic comedy-adventure' written and produced by Bob Rafelson and none other than Jack Nicholson.
The film is either a 'landmark of surreal, innovative filmmaking or simply a fascinating mess.' You choose! Here's a trippy opening clip. Ah the sixties!:
The band also famously invited Jimi Hendrix to be their opening act for a 1967 tour - a match not made in heaven! 'Jimi Hendrix managed to get through a total of only seven dates with the Monkees, culminating in his final show on July 17, 1967, which may or may not have ended with Hendrix saluting the crowd with his middle finger.'
Read the full story here:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimi-hendrix-drops-out-as-opening-act-for-the-monkees
Davy Jones was born in Manchester and famously appeared in Coronation Street aged eleven, playing Ena Sharples’ grandson. He also played The Artful Dodger in London and on Broadway and trained as a jockey at Newmarket. He was in The Monkees from 1965-71.
The film is either a 'landmark of surreal, innovative filmmaking or simply a fascinating mess.' You choose! Here's a trippy opening clip. Ah the sixties!:
The band also famously invited Jimi Hendrix to be their opening act for a 1967 tour - a match not made in heaven! 'Jimi Hendrix managed to get through a total of only seven dates with the Monkees, culminating in his final show on July 17, 1967, which may or may not have ended with Hendrix saluting the crowd with his middle finger.'
Read the full story here:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jimi-hendrix-drops-out-as-opening-act-for-the-monkees
Davy Jones was born in Manchester and famously appeared in Coronation Street aged eleven, playing Ena Sharples’ grandson. He also played The Artful Dodger in London and on Broadway and trained as a jockey at Newmarket. He was in The Monkees from 1965-71.
Back to the important business of bubblegum cards!:
And finally - if you turn the cards over you find a jigsaw puzzle - re-created here for the first time in over forty years!!
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