#33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee

[happyfoxphantom]

The Monkees rehearsing for 33 1/3 Monkees Per Revolutions, October, 1968

[jokerlennon]

ART-I-FICIAL! (NEW & IMPROVED VERSION)

[radarsteddybear]

Peter:

Micky:

Davy:

[dandylion420]

Happy slightly late anniversary, 33 1/3 Revolutions <3

[mrsarcadian]

[monkeesmvs]

Peter Tork performing Bach's Solfeggietto From 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee

[cptnbeefheart]

now that ABOM issue 1 is published, i can post my contribution :] please do not repost unless you clearly credit me!!

here’s an obnoxious explanation of all my choices that is probably way too much information :

I find the most interesting aspect of the monkees to be their era of deconstructing the image that TV & studio execs had so carefully crafted. in the process of preserving this image, these execs had created somewhat palatable characters, caricatur-izing (sorry.) elements of the casts’ real personalities. the artists themselves were given an illusion of control over their brand, rarely getting the opportunity to publish the art that they made themselves.

ANYWAY.. tying this all into my piece .. i wanted to make something dedicated to frustrations felt by all members of the monkees. Peter is in the front, making strides toward the edge of the chessboard; the monkeemobile flooring it to stand in his way. I wanted the image of a monkee crushing something that was a major symbol in the show itself. what’s more iconic than the monkee mobile itself ?! my hope is that this shows autonomy on peters part, his true self contradicting this false image created by execs-- no longer a pawn for them! of course peter was the first to quit, which is why he is taking the lead. Mike was next, buying himself out of his contract in order to publish his own music and take control of his artistic career. even throughout the brainstorming process for this, i knew i wanted to put mike in his flashy (but fabulous) nudie suit. to me its such a foreshadowing of what he would go on to do in his solo career and with the first national band. i had to CONTAIN MYSELF because i didnt want mike to have a whole bunch of detail and not fit in with the rest of the subjects.. Mike is looking straight toward the audience, realizing he would like to pursue creative projects that would not be possible working with the monkees™ and everything that they symbolize. Davy looks for the edge of the chessboard, contemplating whether or not he should leave. Micky, wearing his outfit from Head (1968), holds a remote control. This is all in reference to the imagery seen in the film; he finally has the option to change the channels for himself. I actually used a screenshot from the movie to get his face & hair right. I think in the 2 years filming the show micky started embracing his curls, but the only references from a upward angle were when he was straightening his hair !!!! I ended up using the scene where he blows up the Coke machine, a satisfied smirk on his face. what an appropriate scene. finally the chessboard, white rabbits & wind up toys. I don’t think I really need to explain that aside from mentioning that the image of the wind-ups is from 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (1969). I think this was the last official monkees thing Peter was in (outside of future reunion tours). The television special echos the themes already present in Head, so i felt like it would be a nice addition. And it shows the monkees as pawns versus having full autonomy. WHICH BRINGS ME TO MY LAST POINT ONE MORE THING ITS QUICK I PROMMY okay perpective ! I wanted to do an upward shot because First of all its fun but more importantly . it shows the cast themselves have outgrown their characters :] now who knows if ive succeeded in any of the things i attempted but at least i had fun :] and feeling like charlie iasip pepe silvia is healthy every once in a while...

[monkee-mobile]

My contribution to the age old argument of “but the Monkees don’t play their own instruments!!” yadda yadda, and the little Head-fueled speculation of whether or not all of it is real at the end of 33 1/3.

I saw the meme, and immediately Peter came into my head.

[genericruleroftheflies]

Say what you want about 33 1/3 Revolutions per Monkee I LOVE the part where an announcer is introducing them on stage and the the camera pans over to the band being let out of a cage.

Like yo that’s epic. I wish that was in Head somewhere.

Also that whole 50s number is great!

[mickgaydolenz]

now just my fav bits from micky’s commentary:

“he always wanted to be a small little doll” -> referring to davy

little richard was a monkees fan and came to their shows????

as always micky showing his true colours as the og mike girl and going on and on about how great his music is

“hey look it’s bert schneider” ->referring to the alligator(?) on the screen during the interpretive dance sequence

“that’s what happens when you have an hour special and only about four minutes of good material” -💀

“I must have blocked this out” -💀

and then he explains the last big jam session scene was possible thanks to some people going down to sunset boulevard and telling every one they were having a party and to come to the studio

[jokerlennon]

you think they call us plastic now, babe... (monkees/beatles barbie girl edit)

[radarsteddybear]

I left out "Listen to the Band" because, given that it shows up on just about every single "greatest hits" Monkees albums, I think it would be the clear winner here.

[ninetimesbluedemo]

[doublydaring]

Do you have anymore monkees killjoy lure??

Alwaayyyss

-Shorty is beloved by all the sleazy bartenders and restaurant managers in every zone because his parents were a lounge singer piano player duo and brought baby shorty to all their gigs

-Carlisle is such a good shot because he was in scarecrow training program, think marines, he kept his head down and was very disciplined. He was a good marksman but really struggled in other areas, couldn't put on weight, absolutely abysmal lung capacity, and a total loner. Hated his superiors and hated his peers. Needed to get out of there.

-Love has the opposite experience, gets marked as a troublemaker the second he entered school and was in juvie programs soon after, he's an absolute nightmare for BLI and he spends a lot of his teen years semi-sedated to keep him docile. Witnesses a lot of violence in juvie, and is responsible for a lot himself. This puts him off it for life.

-Dee is basically a walking jukebox, when they first find him he has a very limited catalogue of BLI schlock with corny little routines to go along but they figure out pretty soon how to program their own tunes into him and teach him a few more dance moves before he loosens up and starts doing his own choreo.

[thmollusk]

I MISS BEING IN A SERVER WITH MONKEES FANS WHO ELSE AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL I HAVE ALL THE SHOW ON MY COMPUTER NOW 💔💔 WORKING ON UPLOADING IT TO A GOOGLE DRIVE FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE