Fifty years ago today, the Monkees recorded their first single.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Last edited Mon Jul 25, 2016, 11:21 AM - Edit history (2)

Music History for July 25

1966 - The Monkees recorded their first single. The song was "The Last Train to Clarksville" and was later included on their self-titled debut album.

[femmocrat]

1. Gawd, are we old.

I loved the Monkees.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. 2 new grey hairs popped up after I read this.

Sigh.

[pinboy3niner]

9. One of my feet just moved into the grave

I'm still hangin' on, but these threads are killing me,

[rug]

10. 55 years ago.

I'll throw you a rope before you fall in.

[pinboy3niner]

11. It has to end sometime

But if you had to choose a musical era to grow up in, I can't think of a better one.

Oh, what a time we had!

[rug]

13. Amen!

[Solly Mack]

15. Yeah

[Initech]

3. Their new album "Good Times" is great. I highly recommend it.

[Iggo]

5. You ain't kiddin'. I heard two or three advance cuts a couple months ago and...not bad at all.

[Initech]

6. I love that song they did with Rivers from Weezer:

[Iggo]

4. The Monkees was my favorite band when I was a little kid, just edging out The Beatles.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. They had such great people writing songs for them.

It's Monkees Fever!

I just want to say two words: Peter Tork.

I would prefer not to elaborate at this time.

Of course, Michael Nesmith could crank out a swell tune, but how can you top Neil Diamond?

IMHO, "I'm a Believer" is among the five or ten best pop tunes from the 1960s.

Interestingly, the video at Youtube was published four years ago today, so maybe it was recorded on this day fifty years ago too. (ETA: the Wikipedia entry says it was recorded on October 15 and 23, 1966. How did people ever get along without the internet?)

Many years ago, I had a free Friday night open. (Which makes it like all my nights, but let's not get into that.) Anyway, it was in August, and the only thing on TV was a Neil Diamond special, "Hot August Night." Yecch, I thought. Oh, well; turn it on.

After the first few seconds, I was transfixed. Wow, what a great show. I keep looking for the DVD at yard sales (I'm too cheap to buy a new copy). He is so good.

Hot August Night/NYC: Live from Madison Square Garden

Hot August Night/NYC is a DVD release from Neil Diamond released on August 14, 2009. The DVD features songs from Diamond's four shows at Madison Square Garden during his 2008 tour. An accompanying 2-CD album was released at the same time.

An edited, hour-long special featuring songs from this DVD was shown on CBS on the night of the disc's release. The special was watched by 13 million viewers.

This is the third in a series of similarly titled live albums; it was preceded by Hot August Night (1972) and Hot August Night II (1987).

I have a wide screen TV now, so I want to get this DVD.

This is it, on Youtube. Give it a try. You won't be sorry.

[astral]

19. I just found some Neil Diamond songs I didnt know about.

I watched this link and got all teary-eyed as I have loved Neil Diamond since I was about 12, even though I didnt love ALL the musical genres he dipped into. And I just love how so many people young and old, male and female, adore him, STILL!

So he mentioned the 1972 Hot August Night concert being like his best-selling record, ever. Well I had that album when I was 12-ish, and I went poking around Amazon this morning (so no live link to a free play) and found the DELUXE version of Hot August Night had songs that were left off the original album! Like, Walk on Water (but without the fantabulous piano thing at the end), Stones, I Think its going to Rain Today, and, a song I always loved from Velvet Gloves and Spit that I always knew he could do better:

A Modern Day Version of Love.

He did. He did it better than anything I ever heard him do. With his still young strong voice. THIS is the Neil Diamond I love that he just never did enough of, or, at least that I can be aware of.

Thanks for posting the show!

[RebelOne]

23. Yes, thanks for posting. Love that man. n/t

[mahatmakanejeeves]

8. "The Monkees On Tour" {Full Episode}

Swell vintage Pentax at 3:46.

[trueblue2007]

12. i can't believe all of our music heroes are in Music Heaven.

rest in peace Davy Jones

[texanwitch]

14. Just became a teenager at 13 then.

Went to a Monkees concert. Ticket cost $7.

Could not hear anything from the screaming girls.

[whistler162]

16. Shouldn't have trod on their feet

if you didn't want to hear them screaming!

[3catwoman3]

17. Getting my Medicare card in April...

...was sobering enough. This isn't helping -

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

18. Have a poster

Interesting combination, the Monkees and Jimi Hendrix.

[nolabear]

20. Hendrix opened for The Monkees?

Mind you I love both but...

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

21. exactly

[Archae]

22. Oh yes!

Michael Nesmith said Hendrix just blew him away, but the audience kept screaming "We want the Monkees!"

[mahatmakanejeeves]

24. Pod Stallions 45 : The Monkees

Thursday, July 28, 2016

Pod Stallions 45 : The Monkees

We're thrilled to be back recording PodStallions after some truly turbulent times.

Today's show is all about our mutual love for the Monkee's, although neither of us were alive for the show's original run we were both hooked on reruns and records during the middle 1970s.

We kick off the show playing catch up and discussing Jason's adventures at San Diego Comic Con, including a chance meeting with SCTV's Dave Thomas and being on the Famous Monsters of Filmland panel.

Then we get into the Monkee's, our early impressions, favourite bits of merchandise, songs and episodes. We even get into the disastrous "New Monkee's" series that should just be forgotten.

Hit us up on our facebook page and tell us what your favourite Monkees song and merch is!

[retread]

25. The Wrecking Crew -- Tommy Tedesco

[Miles Archer]

27. Plus Larry "The Mole" Taylor from Canned Heat, Leon Russell, Neil Young, Glen Campbell...

...when you dig into the sessions documentation on their albums, the list of players is a jaw-dropper.

That's Neil, playing lead guitar on this track:

[oberliner]

26. So the equivalent in 1966, would've been a band from 1916

The Monkees are still touring now and people still enjoy their music, even though it is 50 years old.

So that would be like a band that was popular in 1916 still being listened to in 1966 (and touring).

Like Al Jolson maybe?

[greendog]

29. In the early 80's I saw a bluesman who first recorded in the late 20's.

[bikebloke]

28. Back of a cereal box

Last Train to Clarksville was printed on the back of a cereal box. I scissored it out, then played on the record player.