Discuss The Monkees
Discuss → TV Shows → The Monkees → General
I saw Head for the first time a couple of months ago, and I wish I didn't. It totally damaged the image the Monkees portrayed in their TV series. Fortunately, we have the resurgence from 1986 and what has followed to know what they're like today. Back when the movie was released, people must have figured this is how the Monkees were now, and it was totally rejected. It's amazing they survived that. I mean, how can you go from four men running away from ocean waves like little girls to having them jump off a bridge to commit suicide? It's one of the weirdest things I've ever seen.
Reply by manfromatlantis
on February 21, 2017 at 12:22 AM
The monkeys wanted to be seen as a real life band.
Reply by rooprect
on May 16, 2018 at 2:58 PM
The Monkees TV show = Hard Day's Night
Head = Magical Mystery Tour
In line with the Beatles, the Monkees attempted to evolve into trippy drug type randomness. It worked for the Beatles because they were cranking out quality mind bending music to go along with the shift. But the Monkees were still relying on the same songwriters who were feeding them pop material.
So what happened was a total disconnect between the trippy visual direction and the traditional 60s boy band. Me personally, I liked parts of Head, but I felt like other parts were getting way ahead of themselves in terms of experimentation. Like I said, if the Monkees music had evolved the same way as the Beatles (Strawberry Fields, A Day in the Life, or even the most WTF song ever, Revolution No 9), then Head would've made more sense.
A few Monkees tunes started to go in that direction, like the Porpoise Song or that weird one Shorty Blackwell about the cat (actually one of my faves), but those never caught on. The public wanted the mainstream Monkees from the tv show with catchy 3 minute songs, and quippy prime time personalities to go with.
Reply by manfromatlantis
on October 8, 2020 at 2:08 AM
I like the cameo by Annette Funciello .Frank zappA