Retroist Podcast Episode 336 (The Monkees)

For years I have been considering doing a Monkees podcast. It has always felt like a big subject since I believe the band was very important in the history of pop music. I have tried to record it a couple of times, but was never happy with the direction or the results. This time I decided to mainly focus on the TV show, and I am happy with how it turned out.

On the show, I start by discussing a friend in school who was obsessed with the band and how they hoped to get a part in the reboot of the Monkees. Then I move onto the band. I discuss their casting, music, the tv show, the movie, their tours, reception, rebellion, and much more.

This band matters. Not only were they wildly successful, but at the height of their popularity, they turned a critical eye towards themselves. It is amazing that a band that was constructed to serve as a commercial enterprise, not only played along, but then subversively began tearing down their own image. I am not sure if its unprecedented, but it a big deal and deserves to be remembered.

I am a Monkees fan, and because of their TV antics, they rank pretty high in my lost of bands from that era. Were they more talented than the Beatles? Maybe not musically, but in other ways, like presence and certainly acting ability, they were much better. So if you are not familiar with the band, please give them a try. If you haven’t listened to them in a while, now is a good time to revisit them.