I'm supposed to be surprised that a synthetic band was quick to jump on the synthesizer bandwagon?

/Just kidding. I love the Pre-fab Four.

I just bought my wife a copy of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (autographed by Micky Dolenz), which is the album that has the songs listed in TFA, so I'm really getting a kick out these replies.

/I think Headquarters is better overall, but PAC&JL has "Pleasant Valley Sunday" which rocks 100% of everything, so it's kind of a wash.

So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?

Very cool tunes. Mickey Dolenz will forever be Arthur to me & mine. Cool little bio here

BKITU: I just bought my wife a copy of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (autographed by Micky Dolenz), which is the album that has the songs listed in TFA, so I'm really getting a kick out these replies.

/I think Headquarters is better overall, but PAC&JL has "Pleasant Valley Sunday" which rocks 100% of everything, so it's kind of a wash.

I agree on all accounts, and am jealous of the signed copy of PAC&J. Like the guy in TFA, loved them as a kid and probably appreciate them even more as an adult.

/Already knew the facts on this, but glad to see a Fark thread about it. Proof they did some things before the Beatles.

The Monkees are awesome. Michael Nesmith is all sorts of awesome. That is all.

Peter Tork (new window) is still touring...

Also appears on my Monkees favourite:
Porpoise Song

"So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?"

Looks like it. And Owens was quite the innovator, so I can believe it.

I thought it was funny that Mike wrote the song and does pretty much nothing in that video.

I also was 11 when I watched the Monkees every weekday after school -- if it's unhip to like a bit of the weird later episodes with "Daily Nightly" and the always awesome "Plesant Valley Sunday," so be it. I'm sure the classmates were far more hip listening to the New Kids on the Block or Vanilla Ice.

Still, it might be a little like finding out NSYNC's last CD sounded like Porcupine Tree.

I f*cking hate MOOG.

I hate them because I love them.

Why does their "cheapest" synth cost $1300?

Little Phatty which is a basic monophonic(only one note can be played at a time) costs 1300 bucks. Absurd.

Don't even get me started on their Mooger Fooger effects pedals.
(about $300-400 each)

That Dave Smith stuff is too expensive too.

My dad bought this for me on vinyl when I was 7. I love that freaking Moog.

Do What Now Question Mark: "So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?"

Looks like it. And Owens was quite the innovator, so I can believe it.

Although I can't verify it, I was told repeatedly that Buck Owens also had the first multitrack recorder in the state of Arizona.

The wikipedia entry for Buck Owens suggests that he moved from AZ to California in 1938, which makes me suspect the story isn't true, unless he had a studio here too.

I came here to say that I was not familiar with this Monkees song, and it is quite excellent

HappyHarryHardOn: I came here to say that I was not familiar with this Monkees song, and it is quite excellent

And may I add, is there other Monkees song such as this?

Do What Now Question Mark: "So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?"

Looks like it. And Owens was quite the innovator, so I can believe it.

The rumored story is that the album was going to be called "Switched On Buck", but about half way through the record Buck said he hated it. He had the synth put back in the original boxes and packing cases, then put it in storage where it sat until a maybe 5 years ago when he put it up for sale. I had a shot at it, but the price, even with collectible (#2 in the original boxes) and intrinsic values added, was comically high.

elev8meL8r: The wikipedia entry for Buck Owens suggests that he moved from AZ to California in 1938, which makes me suspect the story isn't true, unless he had a studio here too.

I swear to Jesus I'm not Buck fan but (because of the aforementioned Moog) I understand he's been in Bakersfield, CA for decades.

strangeguitar: My dad bought this for me on vinyl when I was 7. I love that freaking Moog.

I had that same album.

HappyHarryHardOn: HappyHarryHardOn: I came here to say that I was not familiar with this Monkees song, and it is quite excellent

And may I add, is there other Monkees song such as this?

They have lots of great songs that aren't part of their 'greatest hits'. Check out the link to 'Porpoise Song' a few spots up in the thread.

code_monkey: elev8meL8r: The wikipedia entry for Buck Owens suggests that he moved from AZ to California in 1938, which makes me suspect the story isn't true, unless he had a studio here too.

I swear to Jesus I'm not Buck fan but (because of the aforementioned Moog) I understand he's been in Bakersfield, CA for decades.

Yeah, wiki says since 1950, and elsewhere in CA since even before that. Multitrack tape was 1953 at the earliest, I think. I suspect you're right and I was probably getting a fish story.

I worked very briefly with a guy who really did do a lot of recording work with Buck Owens, but I can't prove or disprove any of his tales. I sure as hell would like an old Moog, though.

I've shaken the hand of Walter Carlos and Wendy Carlos. The former when I was a terminally hip music school student. The second time as a terminally unhip journalist. 'Sonic Seasonings' is still one of my favorite vinyl happenings.

As for the Monkees - yep, they were a guilty pleasure of mine even as I was listening to Cream and Hendrix. 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' is one of the greatest pop tunes ever recorded and I looked forward to their show every Monday night - I blamed it on my younger brother.

With talent like Boyce & Hart, Goffin-King, and John Stewart writing, it's no wonder they turned out a stream of hits.

And even as a hi skul stoodnt, I knew what "Star Collecter" was about.

HappyHarryHardOn: HappyHarryHardOn: I came here to say that I was not familiar with this Monkees song, and it is quite excellent

And may I add, is there other Monkees song such as this?

Mentioned elsewhere, but Porpoise Song is linked above. Another song by Carol King.

The Head soundtrack overall has a different feel than the others, if you like the more psychedelic feel of the song.

OldManDownDRoad: I've shaken the hand of Walter Carlos and Wendy Carlos. The former when I was a terminally hip music school student. The second time as a terminally unhip journalist. 'Sonic Seasonings' is still one of my favorite vinyl happenings.

coooooool.


/watched that show on re-runs as a youngin'.

There is a terrific documentary that came out this year called simply "Moog" which profiles Robert Moog and his wonderful creation.

/Old enough to remember the first wave of Monkee mania, Just bought The Monkees Deluxe edition. The original album as it was originally recorded in wonderful mono and the same album remixed in stereo. Its loaded with lots of extras.

This was always my favorite musical clip on the TV show (in reruns, I'm not that old).

I don't care who wrote it or played it, a LOT of good music was recorded under "The Monkee's" banner.

Has anyone started the "how do you pronounce Moog" argument yet?

No?

It's Moog, not Moog, you farkin' morons!

Your turn.



/ was saying it wrong until I saw the documentary
// rhymes with vogue

I worked with a keyboard player who had miniMoog #13. One of the oscillators crapped out and when I called the company to get a schematic they put me through to the engineers. "Oh, thirteen?....Yeah, I remember that one. Just a minute.." The guy digs around in his desk for a minute and found a blueprint. Xeroxed (as best as he could) the freakin' blueprint and sent it to me......

Dr.Zom: So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?

Buck got the second one, Wendy Carlos got the 1st

craigdamage: I f*cking hate MOOG.

I hate them because I love them.

Why does their "cheapest" synth cost $1300?

Little Phatty which is a basic monophonic(only one note can be played at a time) costs 1300 bucks. Absurd.

Don't even get me started on their Mooger Fooger effects pedals.
(about $300-400 each)

That Dave Smith stuff is too expensive too.

get a job, hippie

BKITU:

/I think Headquarters is better overall, but PAC&JL has "Pleasant Valley Sunday" which rocks 100% of everything, so it's kind of a wash.

That might be one of corniest things I've ever heard, but I have to say I do agree.

/with Headquarters being better
//not that "Pleasant Valley Sunday" rocks 100% of everything, thats like calling vanilla spicy

Moses To Sandy Koufax: The Monkees are awesome. Michael Nesmith is all sorts of awesome. That is all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWTz3zY1WY

/not a rickroll but you might wish it was

Passive Aggressive Larry: //not that "Pleasant Valley Sunday" rocks 100% of everything, thats like calling vanilla spicy

yo, I just had this SPICY-ass vanilla! You need to try it!



/loved the wedding presents cover of Pleasant Valley Sunday

Used to have one of these beasties back in the late '80s.



Unreliable, glitchy & took 10 minutes to stabilize to pitch. Fun to play with, though. Traded it for a Korg DW-8000, which is less fun, but an all-round better synthesizer.

I always thought The Monkees were cooler than they got credit for being.
Ever see their movie "Head?" It's an interesting flick.
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" was a protest song, I'm told.

GibbyTheMole Traded it for a Korg DW-8000, which is less fun, but an all-round better synthesizer.


I am very interested in the Korg DW-8000.
I see these on Ebay all the time for very reasonable prices and most are in superb condition.

I had always assumed the Korg DW-8000 was a thin or weak sounding synth like the Roland Juno series but I just found a video on youtube where a guy is getting a really good vintage Yamaha CS-80 (Vangelis,Keith Emerson) sound on one.

"Pleasant Valley Sunday" is the great American pop tune. It deserves its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Buck may have bought the first and the Monkeys may have recorded with it first, but Keith Emerson was the first to really play it.

The Amazing Mumford: Moses To Sandy Koufax: The Monkees are awesome. Michael Nesmith is all sorts of awesome. That is all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWTz3zY1WY

/not a rickroll but you might wish it was

That video just shot me back to the early 80's. They used to play Nesmith's "Elephant Parts" at a local TV/Stereo store in the mall near my hometown. Up until then, I only had seen him on repeats of The Monkees TV show.

Do What Now Question Mark: "So Buck freakin' Owens bought the first Moog?"

Looks like it. And Owens was quite the innovator, so I can believe it.

Buck freakin' Owens also wrote the very excellent Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass which features a rare example of fuzz guitar in country music. It sounds like a Nesmith outtake.

Melody_Nelson: Buck freakin' Owens also wrote the very excellent Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass which features a rare example of fuzz guitar in country music.

not so rare (new window)

bigbottom: "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was a protest song, I'm told.

It's a song that comes from the same sentiment as the theme from "Weeds" (Little Boxes); the one that goes "and they're all made out of ticky-tacky" - that was a beat generation protest song (and source of the term "tacky").

Pleasant Valley Sunday was a very wearied and less sarcastic take on the same feeling.

mahavishnunj: Melody_Nelson: Buck freakin' Owens also wrote the very excellent Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass which features a rare example of fuzz guitar in country music.

not so rare (new window)

I know how I'm wasting the rest of my day. Damn you, and thanks.

Two things I want to ad to this thread.

Buck Owens WAS awesome.
(so was Jerry Reed)

and The Monkees were a great band too.

Yes, they were initially "prefabricated" and "manufactured" but it just goes to show you how once there was a time when people did things right. They got the Zen-like essence of a good rock band down and did a really great job of presenting it. They added talent and superb songs in the mix. Sadly this is absent today. Current fabricated crap is ALL image and style. There is no merit within the marketing and hype and is always utterly disposable.

40 years later,The Monkees still sound good.

craigdamage: Yes, they were initially "prefabricated" and "manufactured" but it just goes to show you how once there was a time when people did things right. They got the Zen-like essence of a good rock band down and did a really great job of presenting it.

counterpoint; BACK STREET'S BACK, ALRIGHT!


/Q.E.D.

I used to watch this on Nick at Night (flame away), and I saw once on VH1 that the Monkees had an album that had all songs that they wrote instead of the show's people. Anyone have a torrent of information about that?

I remember hearing a little song clip of Dolenz singing a chorus with the line " I just wanna be alone" in it. This was perhaps a decade or more ago, so it's hard to be more helpful.

Always wanted to find that album.

Ashtrey: I used to watch this on Nick at Night (flame away), and I saw once on VH1 that the Monkees had an album that had all songs that they wrote instead of the show's people. Anyone have a torrent of information about that?

In case you come back to look at this thread, Justus from 1996 was 100% Monkees-written and 100% Monkees+Session Musicians-played. Headquarters was mostly Monkees-played, and about 50% Monkees-written.