One Of The Most Misunderstood Groups In Rock History

Davy Jones of Monkees fame dead of heart attack at 66

"Davy Jones, an actor-turned-singer who helped propel the made-for-TV band The Monkees to the top of the ratings and the pop charts and into rock ‘n’ roll history, died Wednesday in Florida.

Jones, lead singer of the 1960s group that was assembled as an American version of The Beatles, died of a massive heart attack in Indiantown, where he lived, his publicist Helen Kensick said."

The Monkees were formed primarily as a video group for their TV series but quickly became a cultural icon that had to fight for autonomy from their parasitic handlers. There's always been the stigma that they were a faux band and didn't play any instruments, but that's not the case, Wikipedia has a good synopsis. They used session musicians just like any other band at the time and were good enough to go on tours. A lot of their music was written by the best in the business at the time.

Pleasant Valley Sunday, written by Carole King

The local rock group down the street
Is trying hard to learn their song,
They serenade the weekend squire
Who just came out to mow his lawn.
Another pleasant valley Sunday,
Charcoal burning everywhere,
Rows of houses that are all the same,
And no one seems to care.
See Mrs. Gray, she's proud today
Because her roses are in bloom,
And Mr. Green, he's so serene,
He's got a TV in every room.
Another pleasant valley Sunday,
Here in Status Symbol Land,
Mothers complain about how hard life is,
And the kids just don't understand.
Creature comfort goals, they only numb my soul,
And make it hard for me to see.
Ahhh...thoughts all seem to stray to places far away, I need a change of scenery