Theory: Hendrix publicly stated disdain for the Monkees to keep up his image but was actually a fan.

The Monkees TV show was a vague, yet pleasant childhood memory (like, say, Lidsville) when it was revived on MTV when I was in college and just about every music nerd was hip to the Monkee's later work and acid connection. Bottom line - the Monkees were and are cool and having the Jimi connection contributes to that. I don't see why we have to put them in a box. They evolved - more so than Lancelot Link and the Evolution Revolution.

 

Since there is an Archies boxset forthcoming -- anything is possible

 

Why are Monkee fans so defensive? If you like an artist's music why do you care if others like it, too?

It seems Monkee fans need constant validation to justify being a fan.

 

Publicly, of course, it made sense for Hendrix to rubbish acts like the Monkees and Englebert Humperdinck because they were uncool and MOR.

Privately, it's known that he though Humperdinck had a great voice....and I wouldn't be surprised if he enjoyed the guitar lines of Tommy Tedesco and Louis Shelton on the Prefab Four's records.

 

Any pics?

 

Absolutely. Not to mention their influence on Bob Marley and Malcolm McLaren.

 

I don't think tries to keep up his image at all.

If anything he was talking about without saying it the genre he was mining as opposed the genre the Monkee's were mining.

I think with the Hipsters, the Heads, with the Freaks the Are You Experienced group he was talking to them. Maybe you could say it was the image, but back then it was more what you were. Back then there was this vibe, and that when you met people, and talked to them you could tell if they were cool. It hard to describe all these years latter, but it was in the air back then. Maybe someone else can explain it better than me.

 

Source?

 

plus, the drugs.

 

I'd say "Stepping Stone" was more influenced by The Animals or The Kinks than Hendrix.

 

Either Noel Redding, Mitch Mitchell has told this story and Humperdinck got on very well with Hendrix during that strange package tour (Humperdinck/Hendrix/Cat Stevens/Walker Brothers), so much so that Jimi was happy to help his fellow 'H' out:

Hendrix Saved Humperdinck By Playing Behind Curtain »

 

Henry Diltz probably has some

 

It has often been said in Hendrix books that Jimi thought that EH was a good professional performer.

 

I think old Humper is lying his **** off for a piece of free publicity. It was Noel Redding who by his own admission played behind the curtain for him.

 

It sounds like it's in dispute whether it was Hendrix or Redding who backed him up. Regardless, even if Hendrix did do it, that doesn't prove he thought Humperdinck had a great voice. Has anyone reported that Hendrix said that?

Also, you said he publicly "rubbished" Humperdinck. When did he do that?

 

He referred to Humperdinck as 'Englebert Fumplefluff' in a Melody Maker interview shortly after the tour had finished. Paul Gambaccini's radio programme on Hendrix also referenced the appreciation of Humperdinck's vocal abilities and E.H. seemed to like/be a fan of Jimi - he chose Foxy Lady on his Desert Island Discs programme.

I don't think Humperdinck is necessarily 'lying' about the 'curtain guitarist': it was a long time ago and he may have got Hendrix confued with a member of his band (they all had the same perms, after all!)

 

"Zero" is a strong word. Michael Nesmith (in addition to writing some of the Monkees' best songs) went on to become a pioneer in so called "country rock" and also in the extension of music video(years before MTV). He and Peter Tork are also very talented instrumentalists.

 

I see what you did there,I think.

 

The Monkees would be the first to admit that they were influenced by the Beatles (and of course everyone is influenced by someone or something), but let's not forget that the Monkees used the Moog synthesizer 2 years before the Beatles did. The Banana Splits were also a huge influence on Barry White. After all, he did write a song for them ("Doin' the Banana Split, y'all!").

 

The influence of The Banana Splits on the history of Rock is seriously underrated!



(Maybe I should have posted this in the "Who invented punk rock?" thread instead?)

 

Not at all. We just get tired of defending them against @$$wipes who say they're no good just because they were put together for a TV show so the over-defensive-ness comes from that.

Bands are assembled many various different ways, how is one less valid than any other? Are the Police not a "real band" because Miles Copeland assembled them specifically to get his brother a "job"?

There have been a myriad of bands assembled for TV and movie projects. They do their thing and, once the project ends, quickly fall off the map, never to be heard from again. There's a *reason* The Monkees are still being talked about 50 years later. It's not just the TV show being great and funny and ground-breaking. It's not just that they are endearing characters, as people. It's both of those... and it's also the music. They made some great music, together. Far, far better music than they had any right to make.

So...

Why are non-fans so hateful? If you don't like an artists music why do you have to hurl horrible insults at the group and the people who do like their music?

It seems Monkee non-fans need constant validation that they should be despised.

 

What ?

 

Maybe Hendrix did really hate the Monkees. I mean 4 guys living in a house together who spent half their time walking backwards without their feet moving. Rock and roll.

 

See what I mean?

 

This sentence needs a serious re-write.