AVarietyBest Music Book of 2023
The behind-the-scenes story of the controversial 1960s made-for-tv rock band. The Monkees represent a vital problem for rock and pop: is it the music that matters or the personality and image of the performers? This book explores the system behind the Monkees, the controversial made-for-TV band that scored some of the biggest hits in the 1960s. The Monkees represent the cumulative result of a complex coordination of talented individuals, from songwriters to studio musicians to producers—in short, the 1960s Hollywood music industry. At the time, the new rock criticism bewailed the “fake” band while fans and audiences pushed the Monkees to the top of the charts. Through the Monkees’ unlikely success, this book illustrates the commercial genius of the Hollywood system and its legacy in popular music today.
Tom Kemperteaches at the School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California, and the Crossroads School of Arts and Sciences, Santa Monica. His books include
Hidden Talent: The Emergence of Hollywood Agents. "What a difference a half-century can make: The Monkees were one of the most successful pop acts of the 1960s but were viciously maligned as a prefabricated Beatles knockoff created purely to populate a weekly sitcom — all of which was true. But in the process the group made some of the most memorable pop songs of a vibrant era . . . Now, in an era where such qualities are an unequivocal benefit if not a virtue, it’s hard to imagine the extent of puritanism the group faced, but Kemper places it all in refreshingly contemporary and judgment-free context, viewing the group’s history through a clear-eyed artistic angle as well as a business one."
"Kemper helps us understand what it is that continues to make the Monkees phenomenon ‘compelling, fascinating and divisive’ . . . lSú
![The Monkees: Made in Hollywood [Paperback]](/itemImage/2/9/8/6/2_6992588.jpg "The Monkees: Made in Hollywood [Paperback]")