User Reviews

"The Monkees on Tour" was a wise choice to close out the first season (32nd broadcast- Apr 24 1967, 30th in production), a documentary shot at LA radio station KRUX (Jan 21), and their Phoenix concert the following night (Jan 22). We see them enjoying the benefits of fame, the value of time spent alone, and how it feels to have become a real working band, as opposed to their unchanging status on the series as a chronically unemployed one (which most groups at the time could relate). Their takeover of the radio station, which happened in every city they performed, features brief shots of two debut LP covers- THE MONKEES and MEET THE BEATLES. The main song featured is a repeat of Nesmith's "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," while watching brief, live concert snatches of popular Monkees tunes "Last Train to Clarksville," "Sweet Young Thing," "Mary, Mary," "I Wanna Be Free," and "I'm a Believer." We also get to enjoy solo spots from each member, with Peter alone with banjo playing and singing "Cripple Creek," a bluegrass number of unknown origin, dating back to the early 20th century; Nesmith singing "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover," a 1962 hit for Bo Diddley, composed by Willie Dixon; and Micky 'James Brown' Dolenz belting out "I Got a Woman," actually a Ray Charles song dating from 1954 (which became his very first hit), all three of which would be retained for the summer tour that only ended Aug 27 1967. The whole thing concludes with Nesmith name-dropping The Rolling Stones ('a great group'), The Mamas and the Papas ('making it good'), The Lovin' Spoonful ('making it happy'), and 'most of all, we'd like to thank The Beatles for starting it all up for us!'

In response to Kevin's review, KRUX was actually a Phoenix radio station, in a pitched battle with KRIZ for the hearts and souls of local listeners