This summer the Monkees and the Beatles got together in England and had an outasite party that both groups are still talking about! It was the first opportunity the two groups had had to get together, all of them, and talk as much as they wanted and both groups took full advantage of every precious moment.
It was a time of renewing old friendships and forming new ones. There was laughter and singing and dancing, but beneath it all was the solid bond of true friendship. It was a friendship quickly formed, for both groups saw in each other the things they each valued most.
Mike, of course, had met John Lennon and the others on his vacation to England this year and Micky had met Paul McCartney at the same time. So, except for Davy who went to see his father, all the rest of the Monkees got to meet all the rest of the Beatles and a fantastic time was had by all.
The party Permalink
The party started early in the evening and lasted until the sun was peeping over the rooftops. Micky sang and danced both Monkee and Beatle songs while Peter and George Harrison huddled in a corner, talking. Each of them is interested in the same serious subjects: Eastern philosophy and religion, classical music and the more serious problems of the world. Ringo stayed home with Maureen, who was expecting their second child, so Peter wandered over to his house during the evening to see him. They climbed into Ringo’s treehouse and talked until six in the morning.
During the long evening some very interesting facts were revealed. The Monkees and the Beatles have more in common with each other than either of them had expected. And it became obvious that both the top British group and the top American group were both changing in the same direction. Their music, dress and actions were becoming more and more of a kind, and this could mean that the whole direction of modern music is moving in the same direction.
Their similarities Permalink
First of all, both groups are intensely aware of their music. They want to perform the best music they are capable of performing, and they are coming to find that the best ways of each of their groups are very much alike.
Both groups have members that are especially interested in the deeper subjects of philosophy and religion and the effects of these things on human life.
Both groups are very much aware of the influence they have on their fans and on the whole field of popular music. And both groups have been very much identified with their own countries.
Their closeness Permalink
Because of these similarities, both groups are finding that their thoughts on such external things as how they should dress sometimes are similar. The clothes each of them wears are very up to the minute with lots of bright colors.
All of these things mean that in the near future you’ll probably be able to find more and more similarities between the Monkees and the Beatles because these are the two most outasite groups ever!
