Coyote Rock wrote: > A song came on he claimed was the "coolest" Buffalo Springfield song he had > heard. I told him it was actually a song by the Monkees. I can't recall the > name of this "gem," but it did take me back to 4th grade fandom and Bobby > Wright's bedroom in 1967ish. The chorus had a line like, "shades of gray," > sung very interestingly. I listened again, and realized the song, standing > by itself, untarnished by the knowledge the original boy band morphed it, > wasn't that bad. BS? Naw, but sure made me listen to the junk music I've > since written off a little bit differently.
Hehehe, well there is a good reason they sometimes sounds a little bit like Buffalo Springfield. Check out some of the previously uncredited musicians in this excerpt from Rhino's history of the Monkees: "After Rhino's 1994 purchase of everything Monkees-related, including all sound recordings released and unreleased; all 58 episodes of the TV series; the film Head; and the hour-long TV special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (even the Monkees logo now belongs to Rhino), the label embarked on a massive reissue campaign of all nine original albums: The Monkees; More Of The Monkees; Headquarters; Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.; The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees; Head; Instant Replay; The Monkees Present; and Changes. In addition to the original lineups, each album contains a bonanza of bonus tracks, alternate versions, different mixes, non-LP A- and B-sides, unissued songs, live cuts, and radio spots. For the first time, musician credits are provided for each track, at long last detailing who played what. There are some eye-opening revelations here, as such stalwarts of American music as Harry Nilsson, James Burton, Earl Palmer, Hal Blaine, Leon Russell, Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder, Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Buddy Miles, and many more are identified as collaborators and contributors to The Monkees' recordings." Also Peter Tork and Stephen Stills were good friends back then and both tried out for the Monkees - but Tork won the part. Kakki, unabashed Monkees and also Pure Prairie League fan, too
