Jan 312012
I had no idea the following TV special existed. This must have come out during my first days or months as a father. I had more pressing matters at that time, but nevertheless…fascinating. See if you don’t agree—and see if you’re not shocked by something at the 4:05 mark. Et tu, Davy? After the jump…
I don’t remember this TV special either (fortunately), though I was somewhat surprised at the heaviness of the treatment of “Circle Sky” – one of the Monkees’ better songs.
I did watch this special when it first came out & I did like it. To me it was like the Monkees’ low-rent version of the Beatles Anthology, which was on around a yr. or so before. I’ve been watching the original episodes on DVD for a yr. or so now, which I do enjoy in a “comfort food” sort of way (I was 5 when the series 1st came out). They should be in the R’nR Hall of Fame for what they did, being the pioneers of rock video.
I agree that they belong in the R’nR HoF. In this clip I stumbled across I was surprised at how sharp the humor still was.
The huge letdown of the Monkees special following after the big high of the Anthology was my exact experience at the time.
Though, yeah, that take on Circle Sky (also a contender on my list of their best songs) is a lot better than it had any right to be for a late 1990s Monkees project.
Mr. Mod, remember the words of Uncle Ben – “with great power comes great responsibility” – the next time you speak ex cathedra as the supreme pontiff of RTH and ask the flock to invest 9:21 in such a video.
Having said that, (1) Circle Sky was pretty good (2) Mike Nesmith rejoined the band for this?!?!, and (3) “pioneers of rock video” has even more contenders than “pioneer of country rock”, doesn’t it?
Ha!
What’s shocking at 4:05?
Davy strapping on a guitar. I don’t recall him even holstering in the old days.
I didn’t own a telly at the time this came out, although I did go and see them on the tour they did with Nez (a few months before becoming a first-time father myself, coincidentally) at the NEC in Birmingham. They opened with Circle Sky and the show was superb, far better than one had any right to expect. I still use the “Hey Hey We’re The Monkees” mug I bought on the night every day at work.
I couldn’t at the time, and still now can’t work out why Nez finally agreed to go out one last time with them, he’s not short of a bob or two and has never made any bones about the disdain he feels for the band, although he seemed to be enjoying himself on the night.
Circle Sky is a great song, agree with Alex possibly their best, but what on earth were they thinking of for the time before and particularly after it on that video?
Ah yea. Went right over my head.
This is a rant not specific to the Monkees tv show, but it irks me that it cannot be found on tv anymore. Don’t get me wrong: I think the fact that one can buy the complete series on dvd is great. But I don’t want to buy it or even rent it (or whatever people do nowadays). I would be happy, though, to watch an episode once in a while. For “the Monkees” one could also insert, say, “Hogan’s Heroes.” Yeah, it’s tough getting old.
“Hogan’s Heroes” is shown on some cable station now (I can’t remember the name – something boring). It’s still excellent! The same station also shows TJ Hooker and Charlie’s Angels!