HUNTINGTON —
The pop band known as “The Pre-Fab Four” will perform in the Tri-State 45 years after their hit show and controversial music career.
The Monkees will perform Sept. 2 at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, part of “An Evening with The Monkees — The 45th Anniversary Tour.”
The Monkees’ story began in the fall of 1965, when Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, a pair of producers whose Raybert Productions had a deal with Columbia Pictures and their TV branch Screen Gems, came up with an idea for a television series about a rock group, according to The All Music Guide.
Inspired by Richard Lester's groundbreaking comedies with The Beatles “A Hard Day's Night” and “Help!,” Rafelson and Schneider imagined a situation comedy in which a four-piece band had wacky adventures every week and occasionally burst into song. The NBC television network liked the idea, and production began on The Monkees in early 1966. Don Kirshner, a music business veteran who was a top executive at Colgems Records (a label affiliated with Columbia/ScreenGems), was appointed music coordinator for the series, and Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, a producing and songwriting team, signed on to handle much of the day-to-day chores of creating music for the show's fictive band. A casting call went out for four young men to play the members of the group, the website stated.
The band took much criticism because its members were cast and were not considered real musicians, not having written much of their material and sometimes not playing their own instruments.
However, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork were musicians with solid performing and recording experience who also had a flair for playing comedy. Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones were primarily actors but had also dabbled in pop music and had strong vocal abilities. Eventually, producers were impressed with Nesmith’s songwriting skills and used some of his tunes in the show.
The show debuted on NBC in 1966; the band’s first release, “Last Train to Clarksville,” became a number one hit in weeks.
Well-known songwriters and musicians worked with The Monkees on many songs, but Nesmith and Tork were eager to use their talents in the band. Their second album, “More of The Monkees” in 1967, relied heavily on music from the television series and allowed the band members no input on packaging. All four were stung by the negative publicity they'd received from music rock critics and demanded more control, which they won in 1967, when they turned out their third album, “Headquarters.” On this collection, there were a few studio musicians, but band members were the primary musicians. What is considered their masterpiece arrived in late 1967. Titled “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ldt.,” the album also led to the discovery of creative differences which ultimately led to the demise of the band. Tork left, then Nesmith, before The Monkees officially ended.
Band members pursued individual creative endeavors, occasionally reuniting for a tour, such as the 45th anniversary shows.
Tickets are available at $29.75, $39.75 and $59.75 at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena box office or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
The Monkees will perform Sept. 2 at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena, part of “An Evening with The Monkees — The 45th Anniversary Tour.” Tickets, which are $29.75, $39.75 and $59.75, are available at the Big Sandy Superstore Arena or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000.
LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.
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