In 1968, The Monkees break out of their television show and with Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, create this beautiful, meaningful, cinematic experience known as 'HEAD'. No one watches it, it disappears out of theatres in a month or so. Teenybopper are more interested in Paul Cowsill and Bobby Sherman, hipsters are digging Led Zeppelin. It's time for the Monkees to fade into pop culture oblivion.

Or is it?

Somehow, the NBC books the Monkees for three hour-long specials for 1969. The Monkees agree to it. Bert, Bob and Jack, having washed their hands with the Monkees after the 'HEAD' fiasco, film a movie called "Easy Rider" with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. Perhaps you've heard of it? Anyway, so the Monkees agree to do these specials. There are all sorts of talented people involved like Jack Good (who created Shindig, and even more importantly, appeared on a Monkees episode playing a fantastic drunk), Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll & The Trinity, The Buddy Miles Express, the Clara Ward Singers, and even more importantly, some 'relics' from the good old days of rock and roll: Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Fats Domino. How could this thing possibly suck with all of this talent? Oh but it can...


33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (clever title, not) is about the Monkees being manufactured by Charles Darwin, the famous scientist/philosopher who developed the theory of evolution. In 33 1/3, Charles Darwin is played by talented organist/prog-rock musician Brian Auger. Darwin and his assistant, the talented Julie Driscoll, want to brainwash the world and they do it through the ongoing evolution of the Monkees. You know, the old idea where you 'manufacture' a band and make money and control the band until they finally 'break free' and make their own destiny (or die trying..?). Wait, didn't I see this concept more artfully conceptualized in 'HEAD'? Yes.

But the "storyline" of 33 1/3 isn't important, because this film makes no sense. Unlike 'HEAD', which was not supposed to be easily understood and was supposed to be left up to the viewer to comprehend, 33 1/3 lays the whole message right out there, because it tries too hard to be 'profound'. To me, the plot is so obvious and trivial, that it's the part of the show I least pay attention to. So this analysis isn't going to be about the plot, or the fact that the quality of the show is shitty because there was an actor's strike at NBC, or how Peter told the guys he was quitting the band BEFORE they filmed it, or any of that nonsense. I'm going to talk about this special is one of the most offensive musical moments ever caught on television.

33 1/3 not only kills the Monkees, in a sense, it makes them look entirely soulless and pathetic, musically speaking.

There was a point in the Monkees brief 1960s career (perhaps around mid 1967, or even 1968) when the Monkees really gelled as a band, and could play decent pop music, could perform as a somewhat cohesive live band, and even improved the state of pop/mainstream music. I mean comparing them to the pop music heavyweights of 1967 was not wholly ludicrous, because at that time in their career, The Monkees knew their place. They knew they weren't the Beatles, they weren't a druggy/San Francisco freakout band. They were the Monkees, and could only expand on their schtick so much...the realm of pop music could only be taken so far when your musical skills together are limited.

Yet somehow, their egos took ahold and they thought since they were so rich, so powerful, and so 'in the spotlight', that they could turn molehills into mountains, so to speak. 'PAC&J LTD' is a good album, but you could see the first few moments of self-indulgence there, with Peter's little interlude before "PVS", or even the psycho-jelloness of PVS, Star Collector, Daily Nightly, the druggy lyrics of Salesman, Davy's first attempt at writing a song, Mike's country schtick, etc. They weren't thinking as "The Monkees", a cohesive pop group, but as individuals. They wanted to get "THEIR VIBE" and "their message" across. This continued on through BBM, and HEAD (which I think is actually a great album), and blew up in their faces on 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee.

When I watch this special, I cringe with embarrassment throughout most of it, though before I get into the bad moments, I'll mention some highlights. Of all the solo numbers, Michael's is a real treat (and he's wearing his hot Nudie suit. YES PLEASE) because it showcases his shizophrenic rock and roll/cosmic country split personality, and the song "Naked Persimmon" isn't that bad. Another obvious highlight is seeing Brian Auguer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Fats Domino plays pianos stacked on top of one another. I mean where else are you going to see that? Nowhere. Jerry Lee, Little Richard, Fats, and the Clara Ward Singers all perform well on the show, and it's interesting to see them perform in the late '60s, when their popularity was definitely not skyrocketing. I also think the "Listen to the Band" sequence/freakout at the end (especially when it is just the four Monkees playing) is just great. I mean the Monkees jamming with the Buddy Miles Express and Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll & The Trinity on one of their own songs...not bad.

The trouble comes when the Monkees try and fray from their element. This is first evident on the "solo numbers" when Micky attempts to "get funky" and "soulful" on "I'm a Believer" with Julie Driscoll. Many people make fun of Julie's wailing, but HELLO...can anyone hear Micky just butcher the song? I am SO SORRY, but Micky does not have the voice of an "R&B singer". He has a pop voice. And this song showcases that some white boys can't pull soulness out of their little bellbottom suede pants. It just DOESN'T FLY. And that hair, Micky? Oh lord.

It goes from bad to worse with "Prithee", Peter Tork's number. By 1968, Peter was all "brown rice, waterbeds, hare krishna" as Davy Jones likes to point out. You know, digging the whole Indian vibe. That's what this solo number is trying to showcase. Later on in the special, Peter showcases his organ skills. His organ skills are a bout 10,000 times better than his singing skills. This is obvious. Peter sings completely off tone and off key in this segment, and we would all be lying if we thought otherwise. There's almost always a member of a pop band whose vocals are "used sparingly" (and for a reason). Take Ringo, for instance. He was used sparingly, in comic songs and only on songs that worked with himself. This scene makes Peter look like he's trying to hard.

And Davy's scene? It was full of Davy-ness, but it was embarrassing. Maybe if I was five or six, it would be ok. But to see a 20something year old man prance around like a doll? Hmm...no thanks.

The Monkees descended into utter shambles by the "Wind Up Man" and "I Go Ape" segments. Sure, the script might have called for these grown men to get into furry gorilla costumes, jump up and down and grunt odd syllables, but what SELF-RESPECTING BAND IN THE 1960s WOULD DO THAT TO THEMSELVES? Can you picture the Rolling Stones putting themselves through this? Or even the Turtles? NO. This stuff is embarrassing. And the Monkees just WENT WITH IT. GET SOME BALLS! JUST SAY NO TO GORILLA SUITS.

So sooner or later we get to the ultimate overindulgence gone wrong: the 1950s segment. Imagine the Bay City Rollers or The Osmond Family, or even Alice Cooper or the Runaways performing the classic songs of then '60s by Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and the Byrds IN FRONT OF THE LEGENDARY ARTISTS WHO SANG THEM FIRST. How embarrassing would everyone feel? Because the sheer fact is, having the Osmond family do a classic soul song by Marvin Ga ye is just ludicrous. That's what was happening here. The Monkees, or Jack Good or whoever wanted to pay tribute to the 1950s before the 1960s even ended. How indulgent is that to begin with? But also, someone had the bright idea of letting the Monkees perform these doo-wop, soul, and 1950s rock and roll gems IN FRONT OF THE FOUNDERS OF ROCK AND ROLL! It's damn INSULTING. HELLO, you have LITTLE RICHARD HIMSELF ON YOUR SHOW AND YOU'RE MAKING DAVY JONES DO A HORRID RENDITION OF "Little Darlin" in front of his FACE? Why not let freaking LITTLE RICHARD PERFORM MORE OF HIS ORIGINAL SONGS OF THE 1950s? I mean Davy and Micky make utter ASSES of themselves. Besides Micky's whiteboy fro, these are the absolute WHITEST guys on the planet and they're trying to sing DOO WOP in front of the CLARA WARD SINGERS AND FATS DOMINIO? You must be kidding me.

This skit is like saying the 1950s never happened, or mattered. These legends of rock, Jerry Lee, Fats, etc. apparently DON'T MATTER. We don't need the originals to perform when we have the freakin MONKEES to do the hits of your generation.

It's indulgent of the Monkees to think that they can perform doo wop or 50s classics. It's out of your element, kids. Sorry. People like the Clara Ward Singers, Fats Domino, Little Richard, hell even Jerry Lee. These people have SOUL, real soul. It's an insult to them and their 'generation' for you to massacre their songs. If the Monkees would just stick to what they do best, which is pop music, they wouldn't make asses of themselves.

Now, you might be saying..."But honey, this is the WHOLE ENTIRE POINT of the special....that this Charles Darwin cat tries to mold these manufacted people into whatever he wants and its not until the end, during "Listen to the Band" when they are able to be themselves and that is why THAT PART gels and the 1950s skit sucks." Well I don't care. The whole entire plot is a shoddy HEAD cop-off and an embarrassment. The sheer fact that the Monkees somehow went along with not only the 1950s bit, but the gorilla suits and everything just shows poor judgement, and ego, in my opinion.

I mean honestly, when you look at the Monkees career, it was best when they just were themselves and were not trying to be teen idols, or soul singers, or psychedelic freaks, or whatever. And by 1968-9, their minds were so completely full of ego that they probably really did see themselves as being able to do whatever they wanted. Although we have no way of knowing how much of a say the Monkees had on this special, today it reads as a big embarrassment in their career. It is one of the few Monkee endeavors that I really don't enjoy.



LITTLE KNOWN 33 1/3 FACTS!