The Monkees

[nec13]

Did you know that Mark E. Smith once auditioned for The Monkees? That may explain the unintentional plagiarism.

[mcphee from the forum]

I so badly want that to be true. Making up people who auditioned for the Monkees would be a good game. I'm going to spend the next week trying to convince people Skip Spence was a frontrunner.

even if either of these were true, it would still not be as as weird as the Mynah Birds.

[nec13]

Actually, there is a Monkees-Mynah Birds connection. Stephen Stills auditioned for The Monkees in 1966. But the producers turned him down because of his appearance. Peter Tork, who was his roommate, was hired as his replacement. A useless fact, but interesting nonetheless.

[crumbum]

Saw Head last night. Beforehand Edgar Wright read out some emails he had received from Mickey Dolenz. The first read something like 'I'd be glad to send you something to introduce the movie. It might have to be short and sweet though as I'm writing from my blackberry in the mountains of Indonesia LOL.' The 'LOL' got quite a laugh/cringe from the audience.

Of the introduction proper that MD referred to, Wright only read out one or two sentences. Or maybe that's all there was -- short and sweet as promised. Part of it was 'If anyone there knows what the f*** it's about please tell me.' But he actually wrote 'f***' with the asterisks.

And of course I was thrilled to find that Head is every bit the masterpiece Tom has made it out to be. It makes those Beatles movies look like the work of Kevin Smith.

[mcphee from the forum]

I've always found it weird that Skip Spence was a frontrunner.

[JBillington]

There's a Fall Song, I think its off Wonderful And Frightening World, but i cant remember the title, that rips off Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight by Spinal Tap.

[cas-vik]

There's a Fall Song, I think its off Wonderful And Frightening World, but i cant remember the title, that rips off Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight by Spinal Tap.

The Fall song is "Athlete Cured" off Frenz Experiment.

[JBillington]

There's a Fall Song, I think its off Wonderful And Frightening World, but i cant remember the title, that rips off Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight by Spinal Tap.

The Fall song is "Athlete Cured" off Frenz Experiment.

Ah, thats it thanks. Need to go back to those mid to late 80s Fall albums. The Brix era is probably my least favourite.

[cas-vik]

Brix era isn't all that bad.  In fact I love This Nation's Saving Grace and The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall! They're fantastic albums in my book! I even like I am Curious Oranj though there are some stinkers on there.  I can really only take about half of Frenz Experiment. 

[nec13]

The best Fall era is 1979-83. Dragnet, Grotesque (After The Gramme), Slates, Hex Enduction Hour and Perverted by Language are all great albums.

[Man Machine]

In truth, I have been totally obsessed with "Valleri" lately. I've listened to it a dozen times in the past week or so. This is probably a well-known factoid, but the Fall's "Barmy" is a straight lift of the bridge from "Valleri."

Many years ago I lived in a house with a guy who played Fall records constantly. One morning while I was half asleep I heard the Fall playing the Monkees' "Valleri". I could never track down the Fall record that had this, and this guy had never heard the Monkees song and thought I was nuts. Now I know why.

[cas-vik]

The best Fall era is 1979-83. Dragnet, Grotesque (After The Gramme), Slates, Hex Enduction Hour and Perverted by Language are all great albums.

Yup. That's a great period. Best even but I feel Brix-era Fall gets an unfair wrap. Forgot to mention Bend Sinister another great Brix-era album!

[nec13]

One reason to like The Frenz Experiment is the great cover of The Kinks' "Victoria."

[cutout]

Stephen Stills auditioned for The Monkees in 1966. But the producers turned him down because of his appearance.

That's weird because he looks like a pretty convincing monkey -

[Big Plastic Head]

Stephen Stills auditioned for The Monkees in 1966. But the producers turned him down because of his appearance.

That's weird because he looks like a pretty convincing monkey -

Um...Orangutans ARE NOT MONKEES!



Crack a book about simian classification much?