User Reviews

Broadcast no. 42 (Nov 13 1967), "The Wild Monkees" spoofs Brando's "The Wild One," not the more recent Roger Corman biker film "The Wild Angels." Hired not as a band but for menial work by Blauner (Henry Corden), manager of the Henry Cabot Lodge and Cemetery (!), The Monkees try to impress a quartet of girl bikers by pretending to be tough, grubby riders themselves, no match for their biker boyfriends, led by Norman 'Woo Woo' Grabowski as Butch (suitably cast, starting out as a hot rod builder which led into acting). Henry Corden, who had appeared four times as Monkees landlord Babbit during the first season, bows out of the series here. Nesmith is back, but the asides are growing tiresome, even with all four cracking up during one scene with Micky strategizing. The pre-credit sequence is a one-time first, Micky doing a live vocal for the debut appearance of "Goin' Down" (recorded June 21), B-side of current single "Daydream Believer," neither of which were included on the just released PISCES LP (Nov 14, the day after this telecast). A group jam on Mose Allison's 1957 "Parchman Farm," featuring Tork and Nesmith on electric guitars, the songwriting credit goes to all four Monkees, with new lyrics penned by Peter's friend Diane Hilderbrand, co-writer with Jack Keller of "Your Auntie Grizelda" (sung by Peter, from MORE OF THE MONKEES), and "Early Morning Blues and Greens" (sung by Davy, from HEADQUARTERS). The climactic romp features the debut of "Star Collector" (recorded June 22, and included as the closing track on PISCES), another subversive effort from masterful songwriting duo Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who similarly took aim at suburbia with "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Who better to sing a rocker about groupies than Davy Jones, even before Mick Jagger, featuring Nesmith on electric guitar, Tork on organ, and Paul Beaver on Moog synthesizer (not audible on this telecast). "The Wild Monkees" was filmed Oct 4-6, 47th in production. Next- "Hitting the High Seas," minus Nesmith again (mostly).