The Monkees: Hall of Fame or Hall of Shame

[Shadowmancer]

Should they be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Simple question but it is a difficult answer.

My view is that they should be in there because of the many hit songs that they did as well as the fact that they sold 65million albums during their heyday in the 60's. The TV show was fun and it was a part of what made The Monkees what they were. They toured with Hendrix opening for them. Bill O'Reilly, while being a complete cock, he is for them getting in and is saying nice things about him and I have never heard him be nice to anyone on there.

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While they didn't perform their own music on the records they did do the singing. This was the standard of the time with the Session Musicians doing the music while they got the band to do the singing only. The writing of the music by some big names like Carol King and Neil Diamond doesn't take away from the fact that they performed it live and they sung on the original recordings. They may have been a contrived band but they put out far more memorable music than those that are considered real music now like Rihanna and Chris Brown where there is no depth to the music. Songs like "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Last Train to Clarksville", "Daydream Believer" and 'I'm a Believer" are all well thought out and there is a message in there that isn't able to be seen now. The tone and quality of Davy Jones and Micky Dolanz' voices is great, the music is as said in that interview the music is still hummed today.

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So what are your thoughts?

 

[IrishCanadian25]

I absolutely support the Monkees in the Rock HOF. I have actually rated them along side bands such as The Beatles and Tho Who, and in terms of the brit-rock invasion, I enjoy The Monkees more than McCartney & co.

I grew up on re-runs of the TV show. Last Train to Clarksville, I'm a Believer, Daydream Believer - all absolutely classics, and the band had such engaging personalities. They are absolutely HOF rockers.

 

[klunderbunker]

Definitely. These guys were just awesome. Sure there were kind of silly, but their music was always solid. They didn't take themselves seriously and that was exactly the way it should have been. How many other bands made a corny tv show and are more famous for it than their music? this band is pure fun that still has some great music to go with it. Easy acceptance.

 

[PDepew2181]

The problem with inducting the Monkees to the Rock N Roll HOF is because they didn't really play and/or write a lot of the material released under their name. They were never taken seriously as musicians, which wasn't their fault, but that feeling probably still exists. I have a feeling there would be a much more negative reaction to them being inducted than there would be a positive one.

That being said, I'd love to see them get inducted. I remember watching the reruns on Nickelodeon when I was like 7 or 8, which was around the time of their '80's comeback, and being instantly hooked. Perhaps the best way to induct them is the "contributors" wing, I believe it is called, where a lot of session musicians have been inducted. This way you don't offend people by inducting them as musicians proper, but as contributors to music in general and to music television much more specifically. After all the show was practically a blueprint for MTV. Not saying that's necessarily a good thing, but there you have it.

 

[Shadowmancer]

The problem with inducting the Monkees to the Rock N Roll HOF is because they didn't really play and/or write a lot of the material released under their name. They were never taken seriously as musicians, which wasn't their fault, but that feeling probably still exists. I have a feeling there would be a much more negative reaction to them being inducted than there would be a positive one.

That is complete and utter bullshit, They played their own instruments live on stage, they sang the songs that they sing. The session musicians were common during those days, Elvis had it, Buddy Holly had it. Every single group had it when they were being dealt with by the big studios within America. As for the Writing of their own songs, what the fuck, that thing still happens now, Elvis didn't write half the music that he put out, neither did a vast majority of the acts that are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Aretha franklin being a big example, you are saying that they have not had the same lasting affect on music as any of the names mentioned? The only people that would truly disagree are those snobs that think that because they had to work within a system that they are no good.