Tl;Dr:
The producer behind Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” didn’t think the band could make it a hit. The Monkees’ music supervisor had a strong reaction to the song when he heard it in the studio. “Carry On Wayward Son” had a big impact.
Some classic rock bands initially had measured expectations for themselves. For example, Kansas thought “Carry On Wayward Son” could be a hit if any other act recorded it. Eventually, the song was performed by several different groups.
Phil Ehart said the reaction to Kansas’ ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ was strange
During a 2023 interview with Billboard, Kansas’ Phil Ehart was asked if he knew “Carry On Wayward Son” would be a hit. “Often I go back to [producer] Jeff Glixman’s comment while we were sitting in the control room listening … He looked over and said, ‘You know, if this wasn’t us, I would think...
The producer behind Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” didn’t think the band could make it a hit. The Monkees’ music supervisor had a strong reaction to the song when he heard it in the studio. “Carry On Wayward Son” had a big impact.
Some classic rock bands initially had measured expectations for themselves. For example, Kansas thought “Carry On Wayward Son” could be a hit if any other act recorded it. Eventually, the song was performed by several different groups.
Phil Ehart said the reaction to Kansas’ ‘Carry On Wayward Son’ was strange
During a 2023 interview with Billboard, Kansas’ Phil Ehart was asked if he knew “Carry On Wayward Son” would be a hit. “Often I go back to [producer] Jeff Glixman’s comment while we were sitting in the control room listening … He looked over and said, ‘You know, if this wasn’t us, I would think...
- 8/3/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
The Monkees’ supervisor worked with Kansas before “Carry On Wayward Son.” No one else was interested in Kansas at the time. Only one song by the band was more popular than “Carry On Wayward Son.”
Some classic rock legends had an impact on multiple bands. For example, The Monkees’ music supervisor helped make Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” a hit. A member of Kansas explained why that was so surprising.
The Monkees’ supervisor worked with Kansas before ‘Carry On Wayward Son’
Don Kirshner worked as The Monkees’ music supervisor. Subsequently, he helped create The Archies, a band of studio musicians most known for the 1969 hit “Sugar, Sugar.” Moving away from the bubblegum pop genre, he later worked with the band Kansas.
During a 2023 interview with Billboard, Kansas’ Phil Ehart was asked if Kirshner was an unlikely champion for his band. “That’s true,” he opined. “We never had...
The Monkees’ supervisor worked with Kansas before “Carry On Wayward Son.” No one else was interested in Kansas at the time. Only one song by the band was more popular than “Carry On Wayward Son.”
Some classic rock legends had an impact on multiple bands. For example, The Monkees’ music supervisor helped make Kansas’ “Carry On Wayward Son” a hit. A member of Kansas explained why that was so surprising.
The Monkees’ supervisor worked with Kansas before ‘Carry On Wayward Son’
Don Kirshner worked as The Monkees’ music supervisor. Subsequently, he helped create The Archies, a band of studio musicians most known for the 1969 hit “Sugar, Sugar.” Moving away from the bubblegum pop genre, he later worked with the band Kansas.
During a 2023 interview with Billboard, Kansas’ Phil Ehart was asked if Kirshner was an unlikely champion for his band. “That’s true,” he opined. “We never had...
- 8/2/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz discussed how the band’s supervisor, Don Kirshner, helped them. Dolenz dumped ice on Kirshner and that became an “urban legend.” Kirhsner was later dismissed.
The Monkees‘ Micky Dolenz said the band often improvised on TV. Subsequently, he dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor, Don Kirshner, in the studio. Kirshner then told Dolenz how he expected to be treated.
Micky Dolenz dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor because he said something silly
Don Kirshner was The Monkees’ music supervisor. During a 2020 interview with Forbes, Dolenz discussed a famous anecdote about Kirshner. “Donnie Kirshner was responsible to some degree in picking The Monkees songs because he was head of Screen Gems Columbia Music in the famous Brill Building in New York,” he said. “He was the Brill Building during that period, along with those incredible writers like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Carole King and Gerry Goffin,...
The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz discussed how the band’s supervisor, Don Kirshner, helped them. Dolenz dumped ice on Kirshner and that became an “urban legend.” Kirhsner was later dismissed.
The Monkees‘ Micky Dolenz said the band often improvised on TV. Subsequently, he dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor, Don Kirshner, in the studio. Kirshner then told Dolenz how he expected to be treated.
Micky Dolenz dumped ice on The Monkees’ supervisor because he said something silly
Don Kirshner was The Monkees’ music supervisor. During a 2020 interview with Forbes, Dolenz discussed a famous anecdote about Kirshner. “Donnie Kirshner was responsible to some degree in picking The Monkees songs because he was head of Screen Gems Columbia Music in the famous Brill Building in New York,” he said. “He was the Brill Building during that period, along with those incredible writers like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Carole King and Gerry Goffin,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
One of The Monkees’ songs caused the band’s music supervisor to fall silent. He decided the track should be a single on the spot. The tune was a big hit in the United States and a modest hit in the United Kingdom.
One of The Monkees‘ songs was partially improvised in front of the band’s music supervisor, Don Kirshner. He immediately predicted the track would become a hit. Subsequently, The Monkees never had another top 10 single in the United States.
Several of The Monkees’ songs were written by a famous duo
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart wrote several famous Monkees songs such as “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I Wanna Be Free,” and “(Theme From) The Monkees” under the name Boyce & Hart. In his 2015 book Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles, Hart said he and Boyce partly improvised The Monkees’ “Valleri” in front of Kirshner.
One of The Monkees’ songs caused the band’s music supervisor to fall silent. He decided the track should be a single on the spot. The tune was a big hit in the United States and a modest hit in the United Kingdom.
One of The Monkees‘ songs was partially improvised in front of the band’s music supervisor, Don Kirshner. He immediately predicted the track would become a hit. Subsequently, The Monkees never had another top 10 single in the United States.
Several of The Monkees’ songs were written by a famous duo
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart wrote several famous Monkees songs such as “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I Wanna Be Free,” and “(Theme From) The Monkees” under the name Boyce & Hart. In his 2015 book Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles, Hart said he and Boyce partly improvised The Monkees’ “Valleri” in front of Kirshner.
- 8/1/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Neil Diamond said The Beatles had a huge impact on how songwriters were treated. He said The Monkees changed his career as well. Diamond sang a medley of The Beatles’ tracks “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End.”
Neil Diamond said The Beatles helped give him a career. Notably, he wrote a massive hit for a band inspired by The Beatles. In addition, he put his own spin on several Beatles songs.
Neil Diamond was able to give The Monkees his song ‘I’m a Believer’ because of The Beatles
Diamond wrote The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” During a 2023 interview with NPR, Diamond said this came about because of his tune “Cherry, Cherry.” “And because of that hit, the people who were producing The Monkees called and said, we like ‘Cherry, Cherry,'” he said. “‘Do you have any other songs?'” He then gave them “I’m a Believer.
Neil Diamond said The Beatles had a huge impact on how songwriters were treated. He said The Monkees changed his career as well. Diamond sang a medley of The Beatles’ tracks “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight,” and “The End.”
Neil Diamond said The Beatles helped give him a career. Notably, he wrote a massive hit for a band inspired by The Beatles. In addition, he put his own spin on several Beatles songs.
Neil Diamond was able to give The Monkees his song ‘I’m a Believer’ because of The Beatles
Diamond wrote The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” During a 2023 interview with NPR, Diamond said this came about because of his tune “Cherry, Cherry.” “And because of that hit, the people who were producing The Monkees called and said, we like ‘Cherry, Cherry,'” he said. “‘Do you have any other songs?'” He then gave them “I’m a Believer.
- 7/14/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees Peter Tork achieved many bucket list moments as a member of the iconic 1960s pop rock band. However, one of his most significant early achievements as a Monkees member involved getting “the crew to dance” during an on-set jam session with Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones.
The Monkees members included Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Peter Tork admitted The Monkees ‘never rehearsed’ before getting the TV ‘crew to dance’
In 1982, Peter Tork appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. He discussed his career and the impact being a member of The Monkees had on his life.
During one key interview moment, Tork discussed what he said was the quartet’s lack of rehearsal before filming the first episode. However, that didn’t stop Tork, Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones from watching one unforgettable moment unfold before their eyes.
The Monkees members included Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Peter Tork admitted The Monkees ‘never rehearsed’ before getting the TV ‘crew to dance’
In 1982, Peter Tork appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. He discussed his career and the impact being a member of The Monkees had on his life.
During one key interview moment, Tork discussed what he said was the quartet’s lack of rehearsal before filming the first episode. However, that didn’t stop Tork, Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones from watching one unforgettable moment unfold before their eyes.
- 6/9/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Cynthia Weil, a Grammy-winning lyricist of notable range and endurance who enjoyed a decades-long partnership with husband Barry Mann and helped write “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”, “On Broadway”, “Walking in the Rain” and dozens of other hits, has died at age 82.
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
Weil’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann, said that the songwriter died Thursday at her home in Beverly Hills, California, “surrounded by her family.” Mann, the couple’s only child, declined to cite a specific cause of death.
Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, married in 1961, were one of popular music’s most successful teams, part of a remarkable ensemble recruited by impresarios Don Kirshner and Al Nevins and based in Manhattan’s Brill Building neighborhood, a few blocks from Times Square. With such hit-making combinations as Carole King and Gerry Goffin and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, the Brill Building song factory turned out many of the biggest...
- 6/3/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Cynthia Weil, the celebrated songwriter who helped craft timeless hits like the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” the Animals’ “We Gotta Get Out of This Place,” and Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire,” died Thursday, June 1. She was 82.
Weil’s daughter, Jenn Mann, confirmed her death, though no cause was given. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.
Weil’s daughter, Jenn Mann, confirmed her death, though no cause was given. “My mother, Cynthia Weil, was the greatest mother, grandmother and wife our family could ever ask for,” Mann said. “She was my best friend, confidant, and my partner in crime and an idol and trailblazer for women in music.
- 6/2/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
The band responsible for the hit songs “Carry On Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind” has announced their anniversary tour scheduled to kick off in June. Fifty years after Kansas brought progressive rock to the United States, the band is hitting the road with a special musical rendition of their most popular songs for their fans.
(L-r) Kansas: Miracles Out of Nowhere director Charles Randazzo with guitarist Richard Williams, violinist Robby Steinhardt, drummer Phil Ehart, and producer Budd Carr in 2015 | Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Santa Barbara International Film Festival Kansas will debut ‘Another Fork in the Road’ in Pittsburg
Almost immediately after wrapping up the “Kansas Classics” tour in May, Kansas kicks off its next tour, “Another Fork in the Road,” in Pittsburg on June 2. The tour will showcase five decades of the band’s music for fans nationwide, hitting major cities along both coasts.
According to a press release on KanasasBand.
(L-r) Kansas: Miracles Out of Nowhere director Charles Randazzo with guitarist Richard Williams, violinist Robby Steinhardt, drummer Phil Ehart, and producer Budd Carr in 2015 | Rebecca Sapp/Getty Images for The Santa Barbara International Film Festival Kansas will debut ‘Another Fork in the Road’ in Pittsburg
Almost immediately after wrapping up the “Kansas Classics” tour in May, Kansas kicks off its next tour, “Another Fork in the Road,” in Pittsburg on June 2. The tour will showcase five decades of the band’s music for fans nationwide, hitting major cities along both coasts.
According to a press release on KanasasBand.
- 4/12/2023
- by Rose Burke
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees were lucky enough to have prolific songwriters working behind the scenes to craft songs for their music catalog. Many came from New York’s Brill Building, where they worked for the show’s music producer, Don Kirshner. One of these songwriters was Carole King, who, along with her husband Gerry Goffin, wrote tunes on almost every Monkees album except one, perhaps the most important of the band’s career.
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees’ most beloved hits but was excluded from one album | Michael Ochs Archives/Jim McCrary/Getty Images/ The Monkees’ biggest hits came from the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin
Don Kirshner handpicked husband and wife songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin to write songs for The Monkees. King’s music and Goffin’s lyrics perfectly captured the pop sensibilities of the 1960s.
Together and separately, King and Goffin wrote songs...
Carole King wrote some of The Monkees’ most beloved hits but was excluded from one album | Michael Ochs Archives/Jim McCrary/Getty Images/ The Monkees’ biggest hits came from the songwriting team of Carole King and Gerry Goffin
Don Kirshner handpicked husband and wife songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin to write songs for The Monkees. King’s music and Goffin’s lyrics perfectly captured the pop sensibilities of the 1960s.
Together and separately, King and Goffin wrote songs...
- 4/3/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Fifty years ago this week — on March 29, 1973, to be exact — the ragged New Jersey country-rock band Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show got their wish: Rolling Stone put them on the cover.
Written by Shel Silverstein, the former Playboy cartoonist and children’s book author, Dr. Hook’s hit “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone’” featured eyepatch-wearing singer Ray Sawyer on lead vocals, singing lines about buying “five copies for my mother” of the magazine. The band’s actual cover appearance was a colorful caricature of Sawyer and two of his six bandmates,...
Written by Shel Silverstein, the former Playboy cartoonist and children’s book author, Dr. Hook’s hit “The Cover of ‘Rolling Stone’” featured eyepatch-wearing singer Ray Sawyer on lead vocals, singing lines about buying “five copies for my mother” of the magazine. The band’s actual cover appearance was a colorful caricature of Sawyer and two of his six bandmates,...
- 3/30/2023
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
One of The Monkees‘ most prolific singalong hits, “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” appeared on their classic album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd. Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the song was inspired by a street near the couple’s suburban New Jersey home. However, the song’s lyrics had a darker edge than fans realized.
Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith are the cast of ‘The Monkees’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ was a Monkees smash
The single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1967. At the number one position was Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” followed by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Monkees held steady at number three. In addition, rounding out the top five in the first week of August 1967 was The Doors’ “Light My Fire” and Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You.
Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Mike Nesmith are the cast of ‘The Monkees’ | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images ‘Pleasant Valley Sunday’ was a Monkees smash
The single peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1967. At the number one position was Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” followed by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
The Monkees held steady at number three. In addition, rounding out the top five in the first week of August 1967 was The Doors’ “Light My Fire” and Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I Love You.
- 3/30/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees‘ Mike Nesmith couldn’t make sense of his band’s success. Subsequently, he discussed what he thought about them potentially entering the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Notably, the group was a hit from the beginning.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer Why Mike Nesmith turned down a chance to write with Carole King
Numerous famous songwriters wrote tunes for The Monkees, including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, and Harry Nilsson. During a 2014 interview with App, Nesmith was asked if he learned anything from the work of these songwriters.
“Actually, a lot of what they did was lost on me,” he said. “I had no real understanding of the pop song — or even the pop culture — which is to say pop art. That understanding developed much later for me.”
Nesmith said King asked to write a song with him. He was intimidated...
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer Why Mike Nesmith turned down a chance to write with Carole King
Numerous famous songwriters wrote tunes for The Monkees, including Neil Diamond, Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Neil Sedaka, and Harry Nilsson. During a 2014 interview with App, Nesmith was asked if he learned anything from the work of these songwriters.
“Actually, a lot of what they did was lost on me,” he said. “I had no real understanding of the pop song — or even the pop culture — which is to say pop art. That understanding developed much later for me.”
Nesmith said King asked to write a song with him. He was intimidated...
- 3/28/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Neil Diamond is a songwriting juggernaut. For example, he wrote a few of The Monkees‘ songs. A pair of those tunes became massive hits.
The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer 4. ‘I’m a Believer’
While The Monkees gave the world many great songs, “I’m a Believer” is possibly their most famous track. It’s appeared in films like Shrek and Lady Gaga’s House of Gucci. It’s been covered by Smash Mouth, Weezer, MonaLisa Twins, and Robert Wyatt. The tune is fantastic, and decades of shifting musical trends haven’t changed that.
According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, The Monkees’ manager, Don Kirshner, wanted a follow-up to “Last Train to Clarksville” that would sell even more copies. He called his friend Jeff Barry looking for a new song for the Prefab Four. Barry gave him “I’m a Believer,” which he was working on with the then-upcoming Diamond.
The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives / Stringer 4. ‘I’m a Believer’
While The Monkees gave the world many great songs, “I’m a Believer” is possibly their most famous track. It’s appeared in films like Shrek and Lady Gaga’s House of Gucci. It’s been covered by Smash Mouth, Weezer, MonaLisa Twins, and Robert Wyatt. The tune is fantastic, and decades of shifting musical trends haven’t changed that.
According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, The Monkees’ manager, Don Kirshner, wanted a follow-up to “Last Train to Clarksville” that would sell even more copies. He called his friend Jeff Barry looking for a new song for the Prefab Four. Barry gave him “I’m a Believer,” which he was working on with the then-upcoming Diamond.
- 3/17/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Mike Nesmith was a songwriter ahead of his success with The Monkees. Therefore, he felt a kinship with other like-minded people who also found creative release in this job. He was lucky enough to work alongside some of the greatest writers in the industry for The Monkees. Carole King was one of these songwriters. However, for as much as he “loved” King, Nesmith claimed, “I just can’t stand her records.”
Mike Nesmith and Carole King collaborated on Monkees hits | Fox Photos/Jim McCrary/Redferns/Getty Images How many songs did Carole King write for The Monkees?
Carole King was one of the dozen or more songwriters enlisted to write music for The Monkees’ television series. King was among the many songwriters associated with Don Kirshner of New York’s The Brill Building.
King and her husband Gerry Goffin wrote for The Monkees. So did Tommy Boyce, Neil Diamond, Bobby Hart,...
Mike Nesmith and Carole King collaborated on Monkees hits | Fox Photos/Jim McCrary/Redferns/Getty Images How many songs did Carole King write for The Monkees?
Carole King was one of the dozen or more songwriters enlisted to write music for The Monkees’ television series. King was among the many songwriters associated with Don Kirshner of New York’s The Brill Building.
King and her husband Gerry Goffin wrote for The Monkees. So did Tommy Boyce, Neil Diamond, Bobby Hart,...
- 3/15/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As a member of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was responsible for writing some of the band’s most unforgettable songs. Although behind-the-scenes of The Monkees television show, the powers-that-be relied on a stable of prolific songwriters to pen many of the band’s tunes, Nesmith muscled his way into their league with a series of songs that remain fan favorites to this day. However, he could not shake one song in particular, which appeared on deluxe editions of two Monkees albums and two of his solo recordings.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Mike Nesmith was a songwriter before The Monkees
Before being cast as one-fourth of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was a songwriter. Per TCM, in 1963, Nesmith performed at various folk venues, including The Troubadour. He met Randy Sparks of the New Christy Minstrels there and earned a songwriting publishing deal.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Mike Nesmith was a songwriter before The Monkees
Before being cast as one-fourth of The Monkees, Mike Nesmith was a songwriter. Per TCM, in 1963, Nesmith performed at various folk venues, including The Troubadour. He met Randy Sparks of the New Christy Minstrels there and earned a songwriting publishing deal.
- 3/11/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Davy Jones didn’t shy away from The Monkees’ bubblegum music. He took to heart the name of the music that delivered catchy, upbeat songs for young audiences in the late ‘60s and beyond. However, Jones embraced The Monkees’ best bubblegum hits, saying of the genre, “that’s what we were, thank you very much.”
Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork made up The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Davy Jones and The Monkees created some of the greatest bubblegum hits of the 1960s
The Monkees’ music may have been created to supplement the idea of a television show which aired on NBC beginning in 1966. However, although Don Kirshner’s push to consistently use his songwriting stable to produce hits and generate massive success for Peter Tork, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Micky Dolenz fought back against claims they didn’t have any natural musical talent.
Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork made up The Monkees | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Davy Jones and The Monkees created some of the greatest bubblegum hits of the 1960s
The Monkees’ music may have been created to supplement the idea of a television show which aired on NBC beginning in 1966. However, although Don Kirshner’s push to consistently use his songwriting stable to produce hits and generate massive success for Peter Tork, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Micky Dolenz fought back against claims they didn’t have any natural musical talent.
- 2/22/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Monkees bassist Peter Tork spent most of his time as a band member singing backup for Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, and Micky Dolenz. But, when given a chance to sing lead on songs such as “Your Auntie Grizelda” and “Come on In,” Peter’s vocal abilities shone through. However, there was one song on the band’s third album, Headquarters, that Peter regretted not singing lead on. He later admitted, “I should’ve fought to do it.”
Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork | Getty Images/Bettmann Peter Tork once joked he ‘forgot’ to sing songs outside Monkees tunes
Peter played the role of the clown on The Monkees television show. However, behind the scenes, he was the most accomplished musician with the most natural abilities in the group, and that was no joke.
The Monkees musical director Don Kirshner and producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart...
Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork | Getty Images/Bettmann Peter Tork once joked he ‘forgot’ to sing songs outside Monkees tunes
Peter played the role of the clown on The Monkees television show. However, behind the scenes, he was the most accomplished musician with the most natural abilities in the group, and that was no joke.
The Monkees musical director Don Kirshner and producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart...
- 2/7/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Charles Koppelman, whose publishing and talent development vision made him one of the recording industry’s top executives, has died at 82.
No cause was given by his son, Brian, showrunner of Billions, and daughter Jenny Koppelman Hutt. “He spent his last days surrounded by those he loved the most,” his son wrote on social media.
Koppelman saw the potential of music publishing early in his career.
He began his career as a singer and songwriter, part of the legendary Aldon Music staff under CEO Don Kirshner that included Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
He moved on to CBS Records in the 1970s, rising to VP/Gm of worldwide publishing. He saw the potential of owning songwriter rights and formed his own company with CBS executive Martin Bandier and Bandier’s father in law, NY real estate king Samuel LeFrak. The company managed song catalogs for Barbra Streisnd,...
No cause was given by his son, Brian, showrunner of Billions, and daughter Jenny Koppelman Hutt. “He spent his last days surrounded by those he loved the most,” his son wrote on social media.
Koppelman saw the potential of music publishing early in his career.
He began his career as a singer and songwriter, part of the legendary Aldon Music staff under CEO Don Kirshner that included Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.
He moved on to CBS Records in the 1970s, rising to VP/Gm of worldwide publishing. He saw the potential of owning songwriter rights and formed his own company with CBS executive Martin Bandier and Bandier’s father in law, NY real estate king Samuel LeFrak. The company managed song catalogs for Barbra Streisnd,...
- 11/26/2022
- by The Deadline Team
- Deadline Film + TV
The Monkees reached their creative zenith in 1967 on their third LP Headquarters, which marked the first time the made-for-tv band was given complete control of a project, and Micky Dolenz is celebrating the achievement next year with a special tour where he’ll play the album straight through.
The band has also prepared a limited edition 4-cd/7” vinyl Headquarters box set that’ll feature 69 previously unreleased studio tracks. They include backing tracks producer Don Kirshner assembled for a planned third Monkees record he was forced to abandon once the group gained creative freedom,...
The band has also prepared a limited edition 4-cd/7” vinyl Headquarters box set that’ll feature 69 previously unreleased studio tracks. They include backing tracks producer Don Kirshner assembled for a planned third Monkees record he was forced to abandon once the group gained creative freedom,...
- 11/1/2022
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Brooks Arthur, the Grammy-winning record producer, engineer and music supervisor behind films such as “The Karate Kid,” died on Oct. 9. He was 86.
Arthur was a highly respected producer who engineered hits such as Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” on which he sang backup. He reached the high point of his producing career with Janis Ian’s Grammy-winning 1975 debut album “Between the Lines,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
Throughout his career, Arthur worked with artists including the Grateful Dead, Art Garfunkel, Burt Bacharach, Dusty Springfield, Liza Minnelli and Peggy Lee, and he gathered 20 Grammy nominations — including three wins — as well as an Oscar nod for “Glory of Love” from “The Karate Kid II.”
Arthur began a 29-year relationship with Adam Sandler after producing his Grammy-nominated comedy hit “The Chanukah Song.” He went on to produce all of Sandler’s comedy albums...
Arthur was a highly respected producer who engineered hits such as Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” and Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl,” on which he sang backup. He reached the high point of his producing career with Janis Ian’s Grammy-winning 1975 debut album “Between the Lines,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard album chart.
Throughout his career, Arthur worked with artists including the Grateful Dead, Art Garfunkel, Burt Bacharach, Dusty Springfield, Liza Minnelli and Peggy Lee, and he gathered 20 Grammy nominations — including three wins — as well as an Oscar nod for “Glory of Love” from “The Karate Kid II.”
Arthur began a 29-year relationship with Adam Sandler after producing his Grammy-nominated comedy hit “The Chanukah Song.” He went on to produce all of Sandler’s comedy albums...
- 10/11/2022
- by Ethan Shanfeld and Roy Trakin
- Variety Film + TV
Mickey Dolenz, a musician best known as the drummer of The Monkees, is suing the FBI to obtain full records of their surveillance of him and his fellow bandmates during J. Edgar Hoover’s time as FBI director.
It was already known that the FBI investigated the band after a report that they flashed anti-Vietnam War imagery in a 1967 concert, along with a second redacted complaint according to Dolenz’s court docs.
A small portion of the FBI’s report on The Monkees was released to the public, but they failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request for the full materials filed by Dolenz earlier this year.
Dolenz is the only surviving member of the band, which once consisted of Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones and Dolenz.
The band was first conceived alongside their sitcom of the same name which the members all starred in as well,...
It was already known that the FBI investigated the band after a report that they flashed anti-Vietnam War imagery in a 1967 concert, along with a second redacted complaint according to Dolenz’s court docs.
A small portion of the FBI’s report on The Monkees was released to the public, but they failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request for the full materials filed by Dolenz earlier this year.
Dolenz is the only surviving member of the band, which once consisted of Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones and Dolenz.
The band was first conceived alongside their sitcom of the same name which the members all starred in as well,...
- 8/31/2022
- by Jacob Linden
- Uinterview
Olivia Newton-John, the top female pop vocalist of the 1970s who starred in movies including “Grease” and “Xanadu,” died Monday. She was 73.
Her husband, John Easterling, posted the news on her official Facebook page, writing: “Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
A cause of death was not given, but Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer that surfaced for a third time in 2017. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” her husband wrote. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Her “Grease” costar and hit duet partner John Travolta was quick to weigh in with a tribute on social media.
Her husband, John Easterling, posted the news on her official Facebook page, writing: “Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”
A cause of death was not given, but Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer that surfaced for a third time in 2017. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” her husband wrote. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Her “Grease” costar and hit duet partner John Travolta was quick to weigh in with a tribute on social media.
- 8/8/2022
- by Chris Morris
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Olivia Newton-John, the angelic Australian singer who forged a hopelessly devoted following with her chart-topping hits “Physical,” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “You’re the One That I Want,” her Grease duet with John Travolta, has died. She was 73.
Newton-John died Monday morning at her ranch in Southern California, her husband, John Easterling, announced on Facebook.
“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” he wrote. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Born in England and raised in Melbourne, Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, and she announced in May 2017 that after 25 years in remission the disease had spread to her lower back. The singer in August 2018 canceled a two-date tour just three...
Olivia Newton-John, the angelic Australian singer who forged a hopelessly devoted following with her chart-topping hits “Physical,” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “You’re the One That I Want,” her Grease duet with John Travolta, has died. She was 73.
Newton-John died Monday morning at her ranch in Southern California, her husband, John Easterling, announced on Facebook.
“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” he wrote. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.”
Born in England and raised in Melbourne, Newton-John was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992, and she announced in May 2017 that after 25 years in remission the disease had spread to her lower back. The singer in August 2018 canceled a two-date tour just three...
- 8/8/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Bob Rafelson, the writer, director, producer and maverick who set the tone for the swinging, psychedelic 1960s with The Monkees, then was a pioneer in one of the most influential eras in the history of independent film, has died. He was 89.
Rafelson, who collaborated with Jack Nicholson on seven features, including the classics Easy Rider (1969), Five Easy Pieces (1970) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), died Saturday night of natural causes at his home in Aspen, Colorado, his wife, Gabrielle, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Rafelson earned Oscar nominations for co-writing and producing Five Easy Pieces and then, for an encore, produced Peter Bogdanovich‘s breakthrough hit, The Last Picture Show (1971).
Along with his late partner Bert Schneider, Rafelson created The Monkees, the touchstone NBC show that debuted in 1966. He conceived the idea of a program that mimicked the exuberance of The Beatles, specifically the...
Bob Rafelson, the writer, director, producer and maverick who set the tone for the swinging, psychedelic 1960s with The Monkees, then was a pioneer in one of the most influential eras in the history of independent film, has died. He was 89.
Rafelson, who collaborated with Jack Nicholson on seven features, including the classics Easy Rider (1969), Five Easy Pieces (1970) and The King of Marvin Gardens (1972), died Saturday night of natural causes at his home in Aspen, Colorado, his wife, Gabrielle, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Rafelson earned Oscar nominations for co-writing and producing Five Easy Pieces and then, for an encore, produced Peter Bogdanovich‘s breakthrough hit, The Last Picture Show (1971).
Along with his late partner Bert Schneider, Rafelson created The Monkees, the touchstone NBC show that debuted in 1966. He conceived the idea of a program that mimicked the exuberance of The Beatles, specifically the...
- 7/24/2022
- by Chris Koseluk
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Adam Wade, who had three consecutive Top 10 hits on the Billboard chart in 1961 and broke barriers when he became the first Black host on a network game show in 1975, died on Thursday at his home in Montclair, New Jersey. He was 87.
His wife of 33 years, Jeree Wade, a singer, actress and producer, told the The New York Times that his cause of death was complications of Parkinson’s disease.
In May 1975, CBS named Wade as the host of the weekly afternoon game show, “Musical Chairs,” which was co-produced by Don Kirshner and which featured musical acts including The Spinners and Irene Cara.
Also Read:
Monty Norman, James Bond Theme Music Composer, Dies at 94
As the first Black TV host, Wade’s reception was not warm. He received hate mail and one CBS affiliate in Alabama refused to carry “Musical Chairs.” The show only lasted five months, but Wade told Connecticut...
His wife of 33 years, Jeree Wade, a singer, actress and producer, told the The New York Times that his cause of death was complications of Parkinson’s disease.
In May 1975, CBS named Wade as the host of the weekly afternoon game show, “Musical Chairs,” which was co-produced by Don Kirshner and which featured musical acts including The Spinners and Irene Cara.
Also Read:
Monty Norman, James Bond Theme Music Composer, Dies at 94
As the first Black TV host, Wade’s reception was not warm. He received hate mail and one CBS affiliate in Alabama refused to carry “Musical Chairs.” The show only lasted five months, but Wade told Connecticut...
- 7/13/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Adam Wade, the suave singer and actor who registered three Top 10 hits on the Billboard 100 in 1961 and appeared in films including Shaft, Crazy Joe and Claudine before making history as a game show host, has died. He was 87.
Wade died Thursday at his home in Montclair, New Jersey, after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, his wife, singer Jeree Wade, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Pittsburgh crooner drew comparisons to Johnny Mathis when he scored hits in 1961 with the romantic ballads “Take Good Care of Her,” which reached No. 7 (the tune was later recorded by Elvis Presley), “The Writing on the Wall” (No. 5) and “As If I Didn’t Know” (No. 10).
In a 2014 interview, Wade said he “was trying to imitate Nat King Cole, my boyhood idol, not Johnny Mathis. So I guess that tells you how good my imitating skills were.”
In...
Adam Wade, the suave singer and actor who registered three Top 10 hits on the Billboard 100 in 1961 and appeared in films including Shaft, Crazy Joe and Claudine before making history as a game show host, has died. He was 87.
Wade died Thursday at his home in Montclair, New Jersey, after a battle with Parkinson’s disease, his wife, singer Jeree Wade, told The Hollywood Reporter.
The Pittsburgh crooner drew comparisons to Johnny Mathis when he scored hits in 1961 with the romantic ballads “Take Good Care of Her,” which reached No. 7 (the tune was later recorded by Elvis Presley), “The Writing on the Wall” (No. 5) and “As If I Didn’t Know” (No. 10).
In a 2014 interview, Wade said he “was trying to imitate Nat King Cole, my boyhood idol, not Johnny Mathis. So I guess that tells you how good my imitating skills were.”
In...
- 7/10/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In an utterly accidental way, a box set devoted to the Archies, the infamous TV cartoon band of the Sixties, couldn’t have arrived at a timelier moment. Earlier this month, we lost the Monkees’ Michael Nesmith. The band’s musical gatekeeper, the one most preoccupied with the TV-generated combo being allowed to write its own songs and play on its own records, Nesmith famously rejected “Sugar, Sugar” — a bubblegum pop song as basic as it gets, brought to them by producer Don Kirshner.
As the late Kirshner told Rs...
As the late Kirshner told Rs...
- 12/22/2021
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Robert Michael Nesmith, who died at the age of 78, is best known as the member of the Monkees who wore the wool cap, but also one of the band’s premiere songwriters. Besides providing several hits, the songs kickstarted the made-for-tv band into a self-producing, songwriting team.
The Monkees played their own instruments. Former child actors Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz weren’t initially proficient but were as eager to learn as any garage band. Musicians Nesmith and Peter Tork were hired as actors who knew how to ape The Beatles look in comedy films like A Hard Day’s Night and Help!.
Nesmith changed that. His song “The Girl I Knew Somewhere,” which was the B-side to the top 5 hit “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You,” was the first song that had all four Monkees playing on it.
Nesmith quit the Monkees four days after Paul McCartney...
The Monkees played their own instruments. Former child actors Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz weren’t initially proficient but were as eager to learn as any garage band. Musicians Nesmith and Peter Tork were hired as actors who knew how to ape The Beatles look in comedy films like A Hard Day’s Night and Help!.
Nesmith changed that. His song “The Girl I Knew Somewhere,” which was the B-side to the top 5 hit “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You,” was the first song that had all four Monkees playing on it.
Nesmith quit the Monkees four days after Paul McCartney...
- 12/11/2021
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
On Nov. 14, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith stood onstage together at L.A.’s Greek Theater and took their final bow as the Monkees. It was end of a farewell tour that had taken them all across North America. And although it was impossible for fans to ignore Nez’s frailty throughout the long tour, especially during the early shows when he sat on a stool for much of the set, it was still an enormous shock when the news came today that Nesmith had died from heart failure.
“I...
“I...
- 12/10/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Monkees singer and guitarist Michael Nesmith, a pop visionary who penned many of the group’s most enduring songs before laying the groundwork for country rock with the First National Band in the early Seventies, died Friday from natural causes. He was 78.
“With Infinite Love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement. “We ask that you respect our privacy at this time and we thank you for the love and...
“With Infinite Love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement. “We ask that you respect our privacy at this time and we thank you for the love and...
- 12/10/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
“It’s a golden age to be an Archie Comics fan right now,” says company president Mike Pellerito with infectious enthusiasm, adding “I just can’t imagine a better time.”
The declaration is more than accurate, as the independently owned publisher is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the massive CW hit Riverdale entering its sixth season. Despite the TV success, comics are still Archie’s bread and butter, from the digest reprints that beg for impulse buys at the supermarket to a series of innovative titles that have seen Archie and his “pals and gals” become critical darlings.
Some history: In December of 1941, Mlj Comics – a publisher then best known for its stable of superheroes like The Shield, a patriotic figure who predates Captain America – released Pep #22, featuring a backup story focusing on lovable klutz Archie Andrews. It was an instant success due to the humor and charm of its cast,...
The declaration is more than accurate, as the independently owned publisher is celebrating its 80th anniversary with the massive CW hit Riverdale entering its sixth season. Despite the TV success, comics are still Archie’s bread and butter, from the digest reprints that beg for impulse buys at the supermarket to a series of innovative titles that have seen Archie and his “pals and gals” become critical darlings.
Some history: In December of 1941, Mlj Comics – a publisher then best known for its stable of superheroes like The Shield, a patriotic figure who predates Captain America – released Pep #22, featuring a backup story focusing on lovable klutz Archie Andrews. It was an instant success due to the humor and charm of its cast,...
- 12/2/2021
- by Chris Cummins
- Den of Geek
The legendary punk god joins us to talk about movies he finds unforgettable. Special appearance by his cat, Moon Unit.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Tapeheads (1988)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
A Face In The Crowd (1957) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Meet John Doe (1941)
Bob Roberts (1992)
Bachelor Party (1984)
Dangerously Close (1986)
Videodrome (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
F/X (1986)
Hot Rods To Hell (1967)
Riot On Sunset Strip (1967)
While The City Sleeps (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Spider-Man (2002)
The Killing (1956) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Serpent’s Egg (1977)
The Thin Man (1934)
Meet Nero Wolfe (1936)
The Hidden Eye (1945)
Eyes In The Night (1942)
Sudden Impact (1983) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
Red Dawn (1984)
Warlock (1989)
The Dead Zone (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
Secret Honor (1984)
The Player (1992) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary,...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Tapeheads (1988)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
A Face In The Crowd (1957) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Meet John Doe (1941)
Bob Roberts (1992)
Bachelor Party (1984)
Dangerously Close (1986)
Videodrome (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
F/X (1986)
Hot Rods To Hell (1967)
Riot On Sunset Strip (1967)
While The City Sleeps (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Leaving Las Vegas (1995)
It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Spider-Man (2002)
The Killing (1956) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary
Serpent’s Egg (1977)
The Thin Man (1934)
Meet Nero Wolfe (1936)
The Hidden Eye (1945)
Eyes In The Night (1942)
Sudden Impact (1983) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary
Red Dawn (1984)
Warlock (1989)
The Dead Zone (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
Secret Honor (1984)
The Player (1992) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary,...
- 6/22/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
The Monkees are coming to your town one last time. They have just announced a North American farewell tour starting September 11th at Seattle’s Moore Theatre and wrapping up November 14th at L.A.’s Greek Theatre.
” ‘The Monkees Farewell Tour’ will feature songs that span the band’s entire career — from their 1966 self-titled debut album to 2016’s Good Times!” according to a release announcing the tour. “In addition to their hits, their farewell shows will spotlight songs featured on their Emmy-winning TV series (‘The Girl I Knew Somewhere,...
” ‘The Monkees Farewell Tour’ will feature songs that span the band’s entire career — from their 1966 self-titled debut album to 2016’s Good Times!” according to a release announcing the tour. “In addition to their hits, their farewell shows will spotlight songs featured on their Emmy-winning TV series (‘The Girl I Knew Somewhere,...
- 5/4/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Andrew Sandoval manages the Monkees, but that’s just one of many roles he occupies in the group’s vast universe. He’s also the guy who oversees their album reissues, spearheads their new albums, produces their tours, and picks out the songs they play every night out on the road. If that’s not enough, he’s also the world’s foremost Monkee historian and author of the 2005 book The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation.
It’s the definitive account of their history that draws from countless sources,...
It’s the definitive account of their history that draws from countless sources,...
- 3/16/2021
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Four days after Paul McCartney announced he was leaving The Beatles in an April 10, 1970, press release, another iconic rock and roll creation de-evolved. Despite their reputation, The Monkees were a real band and their TV series was more accurate in showing the development of a musical unit than history has given them credit for. It didn’t matter if the four actors wrote their own songs, played their own instruments, or even if that was Michael Nesmith’s real hat. They did what every group does. They learned their songs, got better on their instruments along the way, and left behind a bunch of tunes which truly captured an individual sound. And people said they were monkeying around.
The Monkees TV show, which aired from Sept. 12, 1966 through March 25, 1968 on NBC, glorified the magic of rock and roll. The band, which was inspired by The Beatles’ personas captured in A Hard Day’s Night...
The Monkees TV show, which aired from Sept. 12, 1966 through March 25, 1968 on NBC, glorified the magic of rock and roll. The band, which was inspired by The Beatles’ personas captured in A Hard Day’s Night...
- 4/14/2020
- by Mike Cecchini
- Den of Geek
Five months after the 1975 Grammys, Elton John and Diana Ross drove onto the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium stage in a futuristic-looking golf cart to host a ludicrous awards show that has been forever lost to time.
Producer-manager-impresario Don Kirshner, who had long since earned his bona fides as the capo of the Brill Building, manager of the Monkees, and, later, as the dry host of Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, which featured countless A-list acts, was looking for an alternative to the Grammys. He had the clout to get numerous...
Producer-manager-impresario Don Kirshner, who had long since earned his bona fides as the capo of the Brill Building, manager of the Monkees, and, later, as the dry host of Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, which featured countless A-list acts, was looking for an alternative to the Grammys. He had the clout to get numerous...
- 3/31/2020
- by Jason Newman
- Rollingstone.com
Comedian Kip Addotta, who frequently appeared on The Tonight Show, has died. His family posted on Facebook but did not provide details on his death. He was 75.
Addotta’s credits in addition to The Tonight Show included The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, and the syndicated Make Me Laugh. He also hosted the game show Everything Goes on the Playboy Channel.
In addition, Addotta was featured on the Dr. Demento radio show for his songs Wet Dream and Life in the Slaw Lane.
Born in Rockford, Illinois in 1944, Addotta also appeared as an actor in the films and Bound for Glory(1976) and For da Love of Money (2002) as well as TV’s The Larry Sanders Show (1992).
One of Addotta’s last Facebook posts this month showed his sometimes bizarre sense of humor.
Addotta wrote, “An elderly couple is walking along when a pigeon flys over and drops one...
Addotta’s credits in addition to The Tonight Show included The Midnight Special, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, and the syndicated Make Me Laugh. He also hosted the game show Everything Goes on the Playboy Channel.
In addition, Addotta was featured on the Dr. Demento radio show for his songs Wet Dream and Life in the Slaw Lane.
Born in Rockford, Illinois in 1944, Addotta also appeared as an actor in the films and Bound for Glory(1976) and For da Love of Money (2002) as well as TV’s The Larry Sanders Show (1992).
One of Addotta’s last Facebook posts this month showed his sometimes bizarre sense of humor.
Addotta wrote, “An elderly couple is walking along when a pigeon flys over and drops one...
- 8/17/2019
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Steve Miller Band have unearthed their song “Say Wow,” one of nearly 40 unreleased tracks destined for their upcoming Welcome to the Vault box set. The Miller-penned laid-back number was originally recorded in 1973, the same year that saw the release of the band’s hit The Joker LP.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band dig through six decades’ worth of rarities for the band’s new box set, a three-disc set featuring 38 unreleased songs, five never-heard compositions, dozens of alternate versions and live performances and more.
Welcome to the...
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted band dig through six decades’ worth of rarities for the band’s new box set, a three-disc set featuring 38 unreleased songs, five never-heard compositions, dozens of alternate versions and live performances and more.
Welcome to the...
- 8/16/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
In the tradition and style of IFC’s sublime “Documentary Now!” parody series, the bizarre allure of “Sherman’s Showcase” is that it’s a spoof that takes itself seriously. The IFC series from Diallo Riddle and Bashir Salahuddin is sneering in tone, wringing out the absurdities to be found in classic shows like “Soul Train” and “Solid Gold,” even as it goes to great lengths to imitate their style. Satirizing a format the creators clearly love, the series is so obviously a passion project – a fanboy costume party that celebrates a legendary, even if fictional, TV program’s history.
A variety show in the purest sense of the word, “Sherman’s Showcase” is structured as a series of infomercials – running from a few seconds to several minutes in length – for a 23-disc DVD compilation of a 40-year-old music variety show, hosted by Salahuddin’s egotistical and maybe even slightly shady Sherman McDaniel.
A variety show in the purest sense of the word, “Sherman’s Showcase” is structured as a series of infomercials – running from a few seconds to several minutes in length – for a 23-disc DVD compilation of a 40-year-old music variety show, hosted by Salahuddin’s egotistical and maybe even slightly shady Sherman McDaniel.
- 7/31/2019
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Happy 73rd birthday to Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Linda Ronstadt, born July 15th, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to her mid-Seventies dominance as rock’s premier female artist, Ronstadt also delivered impassioned performances of country songs throughout, and beyond, that era, with crossover hits including the Everly Brothers’ “When Will I Be Loved,” Neil Young’s “Love Is a Rose,” and her Grammy-winning take on Hank Williams’ “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love With You).”
Also faithful to the origins of country music...
Also faithful to the origins of country music...
- 7/15/2019
- by Stephen L. Betts
- Rollingstone.com
Steve Miller will place his biggest hits alongside a slew of previously unreleased tracks on a new box set, Welcome to the Vault, out October 11th via Sailor/Capitol/UMe.
The three-disc, one DVD collection will span Miller’s six-decade career and boast 38 previously unreleased recordings including demos, rehearsals, outtakes and live performances. The set will also feature five recently rediscovered Steve Miller Band tracks recorded in the Sixties and Seventies. To accompany the box set announcement, Miller shared an alternate version of his 1976 Number One single “Rock ‘N Me.
The three-disc, one DVD collection will span Miller’s six-decade career and boast 38 previously unreleased recordings including demos, rehearsals, outtakes and live performances. The set will also feature five recently rediscovered Steve Miller Band tracks recorded in the Sixties and Seventies. To accompany the box set announcement, Miller shared an alternate version of his 1976 Number One single “Rock ‘N Me.
- 6/12/2019
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Tony Sokol Feb 21, 2019
Multi-instrumentalist Peter Tork insisted The Monkees play their own music on the pre-fab four's records.
Peter Tork of the 1960s TV-band-turned-real-band The Monkees, died from complications of a rare form of cancer on Thursday at a family home in eastern Connecticut. He was 77.
"Our beloved Peter passed away peacefully today at the age of 77. His talent, charm and humor were undeniable and he had the rare honor of bringing joy and music to multiple generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fans around the world.," an announcement on The Monkees' official Facebook page reads.
"Peter Tork died this Am. I am told he slipped away peacefully," Michael Nesmith said in a statement. "Yet, as I write this my tears are awash, and my heart is broken. Even though I am clinging to the idea that we all continue, the pain that attends these passings has no cure.
Multi-instrumentalist Peter Tork insisted The Monkees play their own music on the pre-fab four's records.
Peter Tork of the 1960s TV-band-turned-real-band The Monkees, died from complications of a rare form of cancer on Thursday at a family home in eastern Connecticut. He was 77.
"Our beloved Peter passed away peacefully today at the age of 77. His talent, charm and humor were undeniable and he had the rare honor of bringing joy and music to multiple generations. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and fans around the world.," an announcement on The Monkees' official Facebook page reads.
"Peter Tork died this Am. I am told he slipped away peacefully," Michael Nesmith said in a statement. "Yet, as I write this my tears are awash, and my heart is broken. Even though I am clinging to the idea that we all continue, the pain that attends these passings has no cure.
- 2/22/2019
- Den of Geek
While on tour in 1967, the Monkees stopped at a store in Cleveland and were shocked to find that a new album was for sale with their name on it. Overseen by music supervisor Don Kirshner, More of the Monkees was rush-released amid the chaos of Monkeemania, a mere three months after the release of their first record.
Decked out in Sixties avocado green, the front cover featured a shot of the group from a JCPenney photoshoot. “The record was timed to come out specifically to go with a fashion thing...
Decked out in Sixties avocado green, the front cover featured a shot of the group from a JCPenney photoshoot. “The record was timed to come out specifically to go with a fashion thing...
- 2/21/2019
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Monkees bassist and singer Peter Tork, who played with the group from their earliest days as a made-for-tv band in the Sixites through their recent reunion tours, died Thursday of unknown causes. He was 77. Tork’s sister, Anne Thorkelson confirmed the affable musician’s death to The Washington Post.
“I am told he slipped away peacefully,” his Monkee bandmate Michael Nesmith said in a statement. “Yet, as I write this my tears are awash, and my heart is broken. Even though I am clinging to the idea that we all continue,...
“I am told he slipped away peacefully,” his Monkee bandmate Michael Nesmith said in a statement. “Yet, as I write this my tears are awash, and my heart is broken. Even though I am clinging to the idea that we all continue,...
- 2/21/2019
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
The first time Glenn Frey heard “Peaceful Easy Feeling” was at Jackson Browne’s house in Echo Park. “He said he had a new band that had only been together for eight days,” songwriter Jack Tempchin recalled. “He wanted to know if I’d mind if they worked it up.”
The Eagles began as Linda Ronstadt’s backing band, but after a short tour in 1971 they splintered off to form their own group. “It was like people in love, it was the greatest thing to see that band when they first formed,...
The Eagles began as Linda Ronstadt’s backing band, but after a short tour in 1971 they splintered off to form their own group. “It was like people in love, it was the greatest thing to see that band when they first formed,...
- 1/18/2019
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Back in the early 1970s, there weren’t any options for seeing pop music performed live on TV. Lip syncing was king — until The Midnight Special came along in early 1973. Now that series’ creator/Ep, Burt Sugarman, is teaming with Derik Murray’s Network Entertainment to produce a feature documentary about it.
During its eight-season run of 450 90-minute episodes, The Midnight Special offered live performances by such iconic acts as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Ike & Tina Turner, David Bowie, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Prince, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees. It also featured stand-up comedy from such masters as Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Steve Martin.
“I’m excited to be working with Network Entertainment’s award-winning team to produce this important retrospective on The Midnight Special,” Sugarman said. “In addition to appealing to those who were fans back in the day,...
During its eight-season run of 450 90-minute episodes, The Midnight Special offered live performances by such iconic acts as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson 5, Van Morrison, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Ike & Tina Turner, David Bowie, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Linda Ronstadt, Billy Joel, Prince, Diana Ross and the Bee Gees. It also featured stand-up comedy from such masters as Richard Pryor, George Carlin and Steve Martin.
“I’m excited to be working with Network Entertainment’s award-winning team to produce this important retrospective on The Midnight Special,” Sugarman said. “In addition to appealing to those who were fans back in the day,...
- 10/1/2018
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
The beginning of Beautiful, which opened in Los Angeles at the Pantages Theater this week, isn’t a full-blown orchestral overture to introduce the story of legendary singer-songwriter Carole King as one might expect from a Broadway musical. Instead, it starts with a lone baby grand on the stage and Sarah Bockel, who plays the titular music icon, walking out on stage as if this is her memorable 1971 concert at Carnegie Hall. She sits at the piano and starts performing “So Far Away”, swaddling the audience with the emotional song about two distant lovers, setting the tone for this jukebox musical that doesn’t feel anything like a jukebox musical.
As Bockel sings the words from “So Far Away”, she embodies quintessential 1971 King with her gorgeous mane of hair and a pre-disco era maxi dress that flows with Earth mother realness. With a tinge of a Brooklyn accent, she talks to the audience,...
As Bockel sings the words from “So Far Away”, she embodies quintessential 1971 King with her gorgeous mane of hair and a pre-disco era maxi dress that flows with Earth mother realness. With a tinge of a Brooklyn accent, she talks to the audience,...
- 9/16/2018
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
In an exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, Paul Shaffer reminisces on how he landed his Late Show with David Letterman and Saturday Night Live gigs. The 68-year-old admits his goal was to be a musician. "The first real jobs I got out of college were playing weddings, bar mitzvahs, topless clubs — anything available! Then on a fluke, I was hired to conduct Godspell [in Toronto in 1972] with some of the funniest people I've ever worked with. Many remain my good friends today, including Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Victor Garber." And that's how he ended up in comedy. "We hung out incessantly and tried to make each other laugh nonstop. I was influenced profoundly by them — they seemed like they were having a better time than anybody I knew. They looked at everything through a comedic prism, and I started doing the same." Paul tells Closer. He landed SNL when Howard Shore,...
- 3/16/2018
- by Closer Staff
- Closer Weekly
Chris Cummins Jan 24, 2017
A look-back at the previous attempts to bring Archie to TV before they got it right with Riverdale...
When Riverdale premieres on the CW on January 26th, it will mark a milestone for Archie Comics - the first time in the company's 75-year history that its characters will truly shine on television. A mix of gleefully ridiculous kitsch with standout performances and some truly smart writing, the series is poised to be 2017's breakout TV hit.
See related Shane Black: a career retrospective Zack Snyder interview: Batman V Superman
That said, it took a while for Archie to get to this point. There have been many attempts to bring Archie and his friends to TV before, but these all suffered for either being shoddily animated (the various 1960s cartoons), misguided (1990's Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again), or just plain, um, weird (the X-Files cash-in Archie's Weird Mysteries...
A look-back at the previous attempts to bring Archie to TV before they got it right with Riverdale...
When Riverdale premieres on the CW on January 26th, it will mark a milestone for Archie Comics - the first time in the company's 75-year history that its characters will truly shine on television. A mix of gleefully ridiculous kitsch with standout performances and some truly smart writing, the series is poised to be 2017's breakout TV hit.
See related Shane Black: a career retrospective Zack Snyder interview: Batman V Superman
That said, it took a while for Archie to get to this point. There have been many attempts to bring Archie and his friends to TV before, but these all suffered for either being shoddily animated (the various 1960s cartoons), misguided (1990's Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again), or just plain, um, weird (the X-Files cash-in Archie's Weird Mysteries...
- 1/22/2017
- Den of Geek
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