Editor’s note: We thought this letter was an excellent summing up of the way Monkee fans feel today.
Dear Monkee Spectacular,
Since open letters seem to be very popular nowadays, I thought I’d write one to you. I have been hearing many “straws” that are breaking my round, camel-type back and I can’t take it anymore. My subject is the Monkees and I hope you don’t mind me sounding off on you.
The Monkees are mean, inconsiderate people who bite the hands that feed them. They cannot play their own instruments and they hate each other and cannot work well together. All those statements are rotten LIES! (boy, I bet that would have blown the minds of Monkee fans!) When groups come along that make it big, naturally people find every possible way of putting them down. But I have never seen a group knocked so much as the Monkees. So many stupid people give them such a hard time and it makes me sick.
It all started with this bit about them not being able to play their instruments. Now that rumor is about as old as dinosaurs and cavemen! That terrible incident was not their fault as you could see if you read that article in the TV Guide. I believe the Monkees have proved to the music world that they can play, but there are still some stubborn-headed people who cannot accept this fact. What really gets me mad are those who put down the Beatles and praise the Monkees, and vice versa. Those people I would like to stomp on with my size 10 combat boots! Those 2 groups, in my opinion, are very much equal.
The Beatles are much better musicians than the Monkees but the Monkees are much better actors. However, the Beatles are becoming better actors and the Monkees are becoming better musicians. They are now writing more of their songs and those that they write are beautiful. Of course, they don’t have as much time as the Beatles to write songs, but when they find time, their songs are very good. I wish now that the people in England will accept the Monkees musically since their music is not the complicated, hard to understand, English kind.
Now to look at the Monkees people-wise. I think many reporters and fans are forgetting that under those Monkee-image bodies lie regular, common-type humans. So many people think they are robots and are programmed to withstand anything. They think that each Monkee is an octopus and has 8 arms to do 8 things all at one time! They may be immortal Gods to us fans, but they are also humans who have feelings and work hard. In fact, not enough fans seem to realize how hard they work. Especially at their concerts. I’ve been to one and it’s the most beautiful thing to see. The trouble is, fans are too busy screaming to see and hear how good their concert is. But I guess it is hard to keep quiet at a Monkee concert!
Though I don’t know the Monkees personally, I can say that they are a bunch of groovy guys. You see, I got to see 3 of them at RCA and they were really nice. Micky, of course, was his same nutty self. Peter, naturally, was not dumb and dopey, but very nice to all the girls there (and even to this 1 boy!). And Mike, well, I was kinda scared to meet him because of the cold image reporters made of him. But Mike was very nice and real cool, if you know what I mean. Davy didn’t show up (shucks!) but maybe one day I’ll be lucky. They were all so nice and I love them all. Without any one of them, the Monkees would just not be the Monkees. (I wish more fans felt like this and wouldn’t put down one Monk and love another.) Without Davy and that lovely accent, the girls wouldn’t have someone to sigh over. Without Micky’s nuttiness, we wouldn’t have any laughs. Without Peter’s sweetness and innocent look it would be unbearable. And without Mike, gosh, I’d shiver to see what would happen to them musically and TV wise. They’re all very much individuals, but they’re all very much The Monkees and I hope they stay that way forever.
Well, thank you Monkee Spectacular for letting me sound off. I feel better now that I got my feelings out in the open. I shall sign this “Anonymous” because I feel that though I’ve written this down on paper, this feeling is in the hearts of all Monkee fans. Thanks again MS and keep up your good work.
Signed,
Anonymous
