The Monkees “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.”

I wasn’t a big fan of The Monkees TV show—I watched it, because I watched everything when I was a kid—I watched enough TV for a whole generation. But it’s not something I remember fondly or search out or tune into on those odd, spotty, digital TV channels. For one thing, never in the entire history of comedy has the use of fast motion worked in a comic way—or been the least bit funny at all. And when something is trying to be funny, but is not, it’s not merely not funny, it’s also depressing, soul-crushing, and embarrassing. A strange land I know all too well. I’m sure there are some real gems among the xxx hours of surviving Monkees TV—stuff I could even discover—like, are there any women who I could have a time-travel Marcia Brady crush on? I can’t name a single episode or detail, however (except that famous one where Frank Zappa “plays” a car), even though I somehow know the names of the Monkees off the top of my head and remember what they look like and a little about their personalities—which, as far as I can remember—I had problems with—I mean, each of them, for different reasons—the way you might have problems with the characters on Scooby-Doo and Gilligan’s Island. What I didn’t realize is they were actual people (much like the kids on The Brady Bunch) who were collectively embroiled in a real-life version of that episode where Greg “fits the jacket.” But since I wasn’t a fan of their music (aside from the TV show theme—one of the great TV show theme songs! —and a couple of the monster hits) —I’d never bothered to read up on the real-life versions, the dramas, the ins and outs—etc.—until now. But to simply regurgitate Wikipedia on these matters at this point would be a disservice to both my 2 readers… and my 2 fingers (actually, 8, plus spacebar thumbs).

All that to say, I’m approaching this record as if I’ve never heard it—and I haven’t! —aside from the songs Jeff Curtis has played on his radio show. I like the album’s title! Back then (1967) astrology was akin to dropping LSD, and using “LTD” in place of the hallucinogen is a not-very-subtle, cynical nod to “the industry”—that ruined lives as sure as drugs did. The line drawing cover illustration would be at home in those Sixties grade school literature anthologies that I loved, even though the trippy, LSD plants are scary. The fact that you really have to look to even find the Monkees logo—and the four band members faces are absent—just blank spaces—yet you (even a non-fan) know exactly who each one, by name, represents —is a haughty declaration of fame. As is the songwriter rollcall of heavy-hitters who probably take up a good portion of the R&R Hall o’ Fame songwriters’ wing—even if it doesn’t represent some of their best work. (There are two Goffin/King tunes—usually my favs on any record—so it’s surprising I don’t like these more!) But I’m not here is dis geniuses while misspelling their names, so I’m going to stick to my very favorites among the 12 perfectly delightful but mostly uninspiring pop offerings (and one spoken word masterpiece). “Love Is Only Sleeping” (Mann/Weil) is my favorite from a Side One that should be better. It’s another classic among the long line of songs about erectile dysfunction, and it has some really odd percussion instrument that I have no idea what it is—almost sounds like a giant rattlesnake rattle! “Daily Nightly” is a Mike Nesmith song, sung by Micky, with a really dated psychedelic feel that I love, and it’s the most catchy song on the record—and includes some fun, self-indulgent, sounds-like-Moog-noodling. And finally, “Don’t Call on Me” (Nesmith/John London) which sounds so adult as to feel out of place (one of my favorite attributes) —a pretty, mellow, song that, for me, stands out. Does all this mean Mike is my favorite Monkee? Probably, though I’ve always wondered if he would have switched hats with John Phillips, if he could have (you know, in the alternate, mad-hatter universe and all). That’s all! —but… oh, right… we can’t forget the one track of pure 27-second genius (by Peter Thorkelson) —“Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky.” Mince tarts, indeed!

9.27.24