Monkees Singer Davy Jones Dead at 66 From Heart Attack

[flexnor]

74. saw an interesting interview with 'Mickey' tonight on pierce whats-his-name

along with being sad about the loss of a close friend, he gave some insight about the orgins of the show

he made no bones about it being 'a TV show about a garrage band trying to make it big, but never quite making it'

(the rest is my interpretation) that's what it was - no more, no less. in that context, they were no more fake than batman, the flying nun, or 'That Girl' (none of them were really the role they played, either. For that matter, Adam West isnt really the mayor of quohog). but in the creation of such a show by very shrewd TV execs, they put together the best resources of writing, musicians and stage presence, that they created something that went at the top of the charts in real life - and still holds up today. they really nailed the carefree mood of 1966 in the music

and that's where the controversy about the 'fake' or 'pre-fab 4' comes from, it had never knowingly been done in the 'rock-n-roll' era.

but it had been done in genras past, big bands and singers like sinatra and peggy lee had a front line singer, singing songs written by someone else, and played by lessor known professional musicians all the time, and people thought nothing of it (ok, well they didnt have anyone pretending to play)

quite simply, execs trying to emulate the succes of the beatles 1964 'Help' adapted for TV and get it on the air before the style passed (correctly) felt they could create what they were looking for, faster than they could find and aquire it

the fact that it was going head to head on the charts is what dredged up it's unconventional orgins, ironically, being a corporate creation made them the most unconverntional of all

most stuff on the air was put there by corporations anyway - the only differnece with the monkees was, they were created, not found