The Monkees

The Monkees

The Monkees are an American pop rock group from Los Angeles, formed in 1966 and active until 1970. The classic line-up is Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. Their music sits across pop, rock, country pop, pop rock, psychedelic pop and sunshine pop.

Formation and television origins

The group begins as a fictional band created for the NBC sitcom The Monkees. Dolenz, Jones, Nesmith and Tork are cast to play members of the band in the series, which airs from 1966 to 1968. Music credited to the Monkees first appears in the programme and is released on LPs and singles from 1966 onward.

Recording success

At first, the members’ musical role is largely restricted to lead vocals and occasional songwriting, while studio musicians and professional songwriters provide much of the instrumental backing. The arrangement still produces major commercial success, including four chart-topping albums and three chart-topping songs: “Last Train to Clarksville”, “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer”.

In 1967, after a brief struggle over control of the project, the group gains full control of its recording process. For two albums they mostly perform as a band, although within about a year each member is also pursuing individual interests under the Monkees name.

Breakup and later activity

As the television series is cancelled, chart success fades and overall popularity declines, members begin leaving after the production of the theatrical film Head. The Monkees hold a final recording session in 1970 before breaking up.

Interest in the group returns in 1986, leading to a 20th anniversary reunion tour and a new best-of album. Over the following decades the band reunites intermittently for reunion tours, a major-network television special, and new studio albums. After the deaths of Jones in 2012, Tork in 2019 and Nesmith in 2021, Dolenz continues as the sole surviving member.

Members

Micky Dolenz contributes lead and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, drums, percussion and keyboards. Davy Jones provides lead and backing vocals, percussion, drums, rhythm guitar and bass. Michael Nesmith plays lead and rhythm guitars and keyboards, and sings backing and lead vocals. Peter Tork plays bass, rhythm and lead guitars, keyboards and banjo, and also sings backing and occasional lead vocals.

Albums

The Monkees' albums include The Monkees (1966), More of The Monkees (1967), Headquarters (1967), Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967), The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968), Head (1968), Instant Replay (1969), The Monkees Present (1969), Changes (1970), Then & Now...The Best of the Monkees (1986), Pool It! (1987), Live 1967 (1987), Justus (1996), Good Times! (2016) and Christmas Party (2018).