Gathering my thoughts together to compare the Monkees and the Beatles, similarities, influences, and where they differed. Huge difference between Season 1 and Season 2-parallel to early Beatles and late Beatles (dividing line is Headquarters/Sgt Pepper)
Other thoughts include the following, to develop into a larger paper:
Other thoughts include the following, to develop into a larger paper:
The existence of the Monkees TV Show (1966-1968) was a direct result of Beatlemania.
The concept of 4 musicians struggling to make it as a rock band for TV had been proposed
prior to the British Invasion, but not until 1965 was the series given the go-ahead and proved
to be a sure fire moneymaker. The Monkees band has been named the “PreFab Four”
and have often been unfairly dismissed as mere copycats.However, there is a lot
of evidence of respect and positive influences between the two groups.
The concept of 4 musicians struggling to make it as a rock band for TV had been proposed
prior to the British Invasion, but not until 1965 was the series given the go-ahead and proved
to be a sure fire moneymaker. The Monkees band has been named the “PreFab Four”
and have often been unfairly dismissed as mere copycats.However, there is a lot
of evidence of respect and positive influences between the two groups.
Lennon called them The Marx Brothers. Nesmith was invited to the recording of “Day
in the Life”, Dolenz wrote a song mentioning the “four kings of EMI”. Harrison invited
Tork to play on his Wonderwall album. The Monkees pilot literally has a character taking
a shot at a photo of the Beatles, in the final episode the Beatles’ song “Good Morning”
appeared-which was an unusual precedent for any Beatles song to be used in an
American sitcom. Visual gags, camera shots and photos echoed the style of
Richard Lester and Hard Day’s Night.
in the Life”, Dolenz wrote a song mentioning the “four kings of EMI”. Harrison invited
Tork to play on his Wonderwall album. The Monkees pilot literally has a character taking
a shot at a photo of the Beatles, in the final episode the Beatles’ song “Good Morning”
appeared-which was an unusual precedent for any Beatles song to be used in an
American sitcom. Visual gags, camera shots and photos echoed the style of
Richard Lester and Hard Day’s Night.
But the long and winding road of evolution would led each band down different paths.
The Beatles capitalized on their musical success by appearing in films as themselves.
The Monkees were created and developed as a TV Show before the music came into play.
The Beatles capitalized on their musical success by appearing in films as themselves.
The Monkees were created and developed as a TV Show before the music came into play.
