This was wonderful to hear one of The Monkees first or earliest concerts! I was a young bass player and singer at this time and you can't compare it to today's live performances. Live appearances then [esp for new groups] were more about the fact you were there and being experimental was popular that's where you learned a lot, esp what the audience liked. This is the REAL Monkees, no backup players this was them and they did a top job considering their time limitations for practice etc.
Rumor? Is this really still being debated? They COULD play their instruments but that's just not how things were done. They were hired as actors for a TV show. The first 2 albums, studio musicians played the instruments & Monkees sang. By the 3rd album they lobbied their record co to allow them to play & write more. Could they play? Sure. Could they play well? Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Monkees fan, but those songs would not have sounded anywhere near as good.
@65MuseFan Peter and Mike were in fact real musicians. Maybe not great but decent. Listen to this and you'll hear Mickey off count many times but in all fairness, he only played drums less than a year.
@Lemniscate My first ever concert was The Monkees @ Cincinnati Gardens, summer of '67! A band called "Lewis and Clark Expedition" was the opener; kind of a Buffalo Springfield wanna-be. The Monkees were awesome (what I could actually hear over the screaming). Oddly, the second concert I ever saw was Jimi Hendrix!
I was at this concert as well, and it was just insane! Some poor guy down at the ground level of the Coliseum fainted from lack of air. The girls around him smothered him in their zeal screaming for their favorite Monkee! Up where we were a girl was near our aisle crying for Davy, and we realized she must have injured her leg in her mania, because she was limping badly. Still, it was an amazing concert!
This is better than it has any right to be! Phoenix is my home, and around the corner from my childhood home was a park where 'the Monkees' was spraypainted on a wall in a park circa this concert. It stood for 30 years!
WOW, I was at this concert ! . Had someone right behind me who screamed "Mickey, Mickey, Mickey" non-stop during the whole concert. This was the first concert of my whole life LOL. The crowd was in a state of pure excitement. I remember how thrilled I was to see Davy Jones. I was in teenage bliss.
By the way, I could hardly hear the vocals while I was there. The screaming was so loud.
@LemniscateLight Now it's my turn to say Wow! Thanks for sharing your memories with the community! BTW if you have any pictures it would be awesome! :D
@nedphoenix It was my first concert too! It's fun to watch and hear it all again here. Some parts of life have truly been delightful, such as experiencing this concert, both then, and now.
I wish all those naysayers from the 60's listened to this, and then perhaps they wouldn't have created all that bad press for the monkees. Can't they remaster this recording or something to bring the vocals out more?
@hopop313 I don't think so. This is a bootleg that's pretty rare on the net, it's the same concert as in the 'Monkees on tour' episode and on 'Last Train to Clarksville' Micky Dolenz had to overdub vocals for the inclusion of a snipet of the track on the episode as you should witness on part 7/7. I think the master will just stay the way it is. Thanks for your comment!
@bubblebear83 This is a soundboard recording that was recorded to be used on an episode of the TV series. Only snippets appeared on the episode and this is the complete recording (in 7 parts)
not bad performance of a band that never played their own instruments
what a crock of SHTI that was I seen these guys back in 96 in L.A. promoting justus
great great show nesmith included i always feel and now more than ever that it would be the greatest reunion of all time being that they are all still alive
@dadadruma Mike was always the a-hole and is the holdout now. Peter is a damn near Segovia on guitar, but Mike refused to try to learn even mediocre bass. And Micky was the main vocal force, but refused to get serious with the drums. Later poor Micky couldn't get laid and took drum lessons and begged Mike to come back, but Mike said screw-it ya'll.
@dadadruma --Hi dadadruma, The Monkees actually did play their own instruments according to an interview I saw on Biography. That was a rumor that they did not play their own instruments.
@dbowie007 they played all instruments on headquarters and almost all of PACJ Ltd. as well the only track micky drummed on was cuddly toy have you checked out the uploads of their 68 japan tour? pretty damn good quality and mind you mickys drumming was totally on form at that time its too bad there is no known footage so it could be restored
@dadadruma Not true. Michael Nesmith was a legit songwriter and folky of some remown prior to the Monkees. Mickey Dolenz was the "drum wonder" of Mickey Mouse Club in 1950's performing impressive solos. That started many kids learning drums. You can hear how good Dolenz is in this.
My hometown!
saguaroboy 2 months ago
Led Zep nicked the riff from 'Clarksville' for Down by the Riverside... Probably not- but despite vocals being obscured- they sound great.
saguaroboy 2 months ago
This was wonderful to hear one of The Monkees first or earliest concerts! I was a young bass player and singer at this time and you can't compare it to today's live performances. Live appearances then [esp for new groups] were more about the fact you were there and being experimental was popular that's where you learned a lot, esp what the audience liked. This is the REAL Monkees, no backup players this was them and they did a top job considering their time limitations for practice etc.
mattcxl6 5 months ago
they did play their own instruments. they just wernt allowed to on thier first 2 albums!.
TheBeatlesArchive 6 months ago 2
You Tube search "wrecking crew film trailer" Micky even talks about how great they were.
65MuseFan 9 months ago
Rumor? Is this really still being debated? They COULD play their instruments but that's just not how things were done. They were hired as actors for a TV show. The first 2 albums, studio musicians played the instruments & Monkees sang. By the 3rd album they lobbied their record co to allow them to play & write more. Could they play? Sure. Could they play well? Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Monkees fan, but those songs would not have sounded anywhere near as good.
65MuseFan 9 months ago
@65MuseFan Peter and Mike were in fact real musicians. Maybe not great but decent. Listen to this and you'll hear Mickey off count many times but in all fairness, he only played drums less than a year.
surf4food 7 months ago
so who's playing bass?
philh37 10 months ago
@philh37 Peter Tork and sometimes Davy Jones
mewrth 10 months ago 2
@philh37 Mike plays bass on Words...
wildcatter63 6 months ago
I have tears in my eyes right now...THANK YOU for posting this. Sign me both a lifelong Monkees fan and Phoenix resident.
BettinaBalser 11 months ago
@Lemniscate My first ever concert was The Monkees @ Cincinnati Gardens, summer of '67! A band called "Lewis and Clark Expedition" was the opener; kind of a Buffalo Springfield wanna-be. The Monkees were awesome (what I could actually hear over the screaming). Oddly, the second concert I ever saw was Jimi Hendrix!
squidlycarmichael 1 year ago
Mike:We hope that disproves some rumors.
cookmoore 1 year ago 5
Thank you!
cookmoore 1 year ago
I was at this concert as well, and it was just insane! Some poor guy down at the ground level of the Coliseum fainted from lack of air. The girls around him smothered him in their zeal screaming for their favorite Monkee! Up where we were a girl was near our aisle crying for Davy, and we realized she must have injured her leg in her mania, because she was limping badly. Still, it was an amazing concert!
ArizLadybug 1 year ago
This is better than it has any right to be! Phoenix is my home, and around the corner from my childhood home was a park where 'the Monkees' was spraypainted on a wall in a park circa this concert. It stood for 30 years!
saguaroboy 1 year ago
WOW, I was at this concert ! . Had someone right behind me who screamed "Mickey, Mickey, Mickey" non-stop during the whole concert. This was the first concert of my whole life LOL. The crowd was in a state of pure excitement. I remember how thrilled I was to see Davy Jones. I was in teenage bliss.
By the way, I could hardly hear the vocals while I was there. The screaming was so loud.
Gosh life went by fast................
LemniscateLight 1 year ago
@LemniscateLight Now it's my turn to say Wow! Thanks for sharing your memories with the community! BTW if you have any pictures it would be awesome! :D
mewrth 1 year ago
@LemniscateLight "That was me screaming "Mickey, Mickey, Mickey!" No not really. However, this was the first concert I ever attended.
nedphoenix 9 months ago
@nedphoenix It was my first concert too! It's fun to watch and hear it all again here. Some parts of life have truly been delightful, such as experiencing this concert, both then, and now.
LemniscateLight 9 months ago
I wish all those naysayers from the 60's listened to this, and then perhaps they wouldn't have created all that bad press for the monkees. Can't they remaster this recording or something to bring the vocals out more?
hopop313 1 year ago
@hopop313 I don't think so. This is a bootleg that's pretty rare on the net, it's the same concert as in the 'Monkees on tour' episode and on 'Last Train to Clarksville' Micky Dolenz had to overdub vocals for the inclusion of a snipet of the track on the episode as you should witness on part 7/7. I think the master will just stay the way it is. Thanks for your comment!
mewrth 1 year ago
@hopop313 By the way, did you hear what Mike said at 3:38 ?
mewrth 1 year ago
@mewrth I am not certain, but I believe that he said 'We hope that disproves the rumors' ?
sr71ablackbird 1 year ago
@sr71ablackbird Yes he did :)
mewrth 1 year ago
@mewrth Where/How did you get this? Is this a bonus feature?
bubblebear83 1 year ago
@bubblebear83 no it's a bootleg that you can download in .flac format as a torrent. I'll send you a link if you want it
mewrth 1 year ago
@mewrth I wonder how bootleg was invented at that time. They did not have the technology that we have here today.
bubblebear83 1 year ago
@bubblebear83 This is a soundboard recording that was recorded to be used on an episode of the TV series. Only snippets appeared on the episode and this is the complete recording (in 7 parts)
mewrth 1 year ago
@bubblebear83 the episode in question is "Monkees on Tour" (#32) the last of the first season.
mewrth 1 year ago
@mewrth I saw that clip on YouTube. They only show some clips of the concert.
bubblebear83 1 year ago
not bad performance of a band that never played their own instruments
what a crock of SHTI that was I seen these guys back in 96 in L.A. promoting justus
great great show nesmith included i always feel and now more than ever that it would be the greatest reunion of all time being that they are all still alive
hope they do one more tour
dadadruma 1 year ago 8
@dadadruma, The Monkees played instruments on a lot of the stuff they did.
watchika2 1 year ago
@dadadruma Mike was always the a-hole and is the holdout now. Peter is a damn near Segovia on guitar, but Mike refused to try to learn even mediocre bass. And Micky was the main vocal force, but refused to get serious with the drums. Later poor Micky couldn't get laid and took drum lessons and begged Mike to come back, but Mike said screw-it ya'll.
xxxMrSuspendedxxx 1 year ago
@dadadruma I Just dont see it
wileycoyote64 1 year ago
@dadadruma --Hi dadadruma, The Monkees actually did play their own instruments according to an interview I saw on Biography. That was a rumor that they did not play their own instruments.
dbowie007 10 months ago
@dbowie007 they played all instruments on headquarters and almost all of PACJ Ltd. as well the only track micky drummed on was cuddly toy have you checked out the uploads of their 68 japan tour? pretty damn good quality and mind you mickys drumming was totally on form at that time its too bad there is no known footage so it could be restored
dadadruma 10 months ago
@dadadruma gotcher wish...they're touring this summer. Enjoy!
notanotheraccount 9 months ago
@dadadruma Not true. Michael Nesmith was a legit songwriter and folky of some remown prior to the Monkees. Mickey Dolenz was the "drum wonder" of Mickey Mouse Club in 1950's performing impressive solos. That started many kids learning drums. You can hear how good Dolenz is in this.
clarkewi 3 months ago