Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I heard that some of the Monkees COULD play instruments, but that they were cast in roles that didn't feature their talents. Example (not sure if this is right or not): the Monkee drummer actually knew how to play the piano, but they thought he looked better as a drummer, guitarist could actually sing, etc...

Any truth to that rumor?

Mickey Dolenz could indeed play the drums a bit but I think you may be right about the piano thing, Scoobster. He was a great elephant rider..... anybody remember 'Circus Boy'?

I have a Mickey Dolenz story. About 10 years ago I was entertainment editor at a midsized local newspaper. Mickey Dolenz came to town showing off his "artwork," which was pictures he had taken through a microscope, then painted. It was not earthshaking, but it was different. I went to the show and interviewed him, trying my best to ask only about art and NOT about the Monkees because I knew almost everyone asked the same questions over and over again. It went well. At the end, thinking that Mickey was a pretty funny dude and would have a warped sense of humor, I said, "Can I ask you one music related question even if it's not about the Monkees?"
"Sure," he said.
"Do you think the Beatles will get back together," I asked.
There was silence for about 15 seconds and he had a blank look.
"The Beatles???" he said, screwing up his face.
"Yes," said I.
"I doubt it man," Mickey said. "One of 'em's dead!"
Thus endeth the interview. I still don't know if he thought I was serious (and an ***hole) or if it just went right over his head. Or how much of his "humor" was scripted.
Close Encounters of the Monkee Kind

I think he sang more than any of the other ones. I would have thought you were nuts, haha!

Last Train To Clarksville. Clarksville was the train station in Tennessee where the Draftees in the mid-60's reported to before they left for Viet Nam. So the line: "and I don't know if I'm ever comin' home" is very fitting for a 19 year old headed off to war not knowing if he will come back alive. Do you fellows know that Steven Stills auditioned for the guitar/singer part and turned down the job when it was offered to him. Good decision on his part.

See..you can learn something new everyday.

Did not know that!

I know Stills audtioned not aware he turned it down, Nesmith and Tork could clearly play, their instruments, if truth be out there will be an abundance of bands who for reasons of finance and expediency did not play on some recordings.

Stills turned it down because he looked like Tork's father.

This was at a time in the mid-60's before Buffalo Springfield, he was living off Sunset Blvd. in Hollyweird and trying to break into the record industry like alot of other musicians at that time of instant success if you could get an audition that led to a hit record. After the audition he really felt like he wouldn't fit into a comedy/musical group, so he pursued his own talents. Hooking up with Jim Messina was good for his career which led to many hit records and opened the doors to all the temptations of being a Rock Star.

Good for Stills' career, maybe...but thank G*d he got away from that scene before "Yo' Mama Don't Dance" got recorded...

"Outta' the car, long hair!"

Story I heard was Stills was rejected (at the Monkee audition) because of his bad teeth

I've heard the "bad teeth" story, as well. According to the legend as mis-remembered by your faithful correspondent, Stills was also the one who talked Peter Tork into going to the audition. To steal an Alannis line, "Isn't It Ironic?"

Think about it. Stephen Stills was one good Dentist away from being the Quiet Monkee. I wonder if there were ever times when he thought that trading Crosby for Mickey, Davey and Mike might not have been so bad after all.

Davey was on the Ed Sullivan Show during The Beatles first appearance. He was an original theatrical cast member of "Oliver."

...and who can forget his memorable guest-starring role on The Brady Bunch!

I have a Stills 2 show interview vhs from the show LATER w/ Bob Costas, early 90s where Costas asked him about the Monkees audition. He said he heard about the auditions and showed up because he wanted to get in on the writing/publishing of the songs, but they already had that lined up w/ the guys that eventually did it (Boyce & hart, Neil Diamond, Goffin and King- all early 60s Brill building alumni w/ the show's music director- Don Kirshner). Stills knew it was a 'corporate' TV/ Fabs copycat approach and assured Costas he would've wriggled out of it if he had been chosen. He then recommended his friend Tork. THAT'S what Stills said.