Category:

Hal Blaine, famed "Wrecking Crew" and Monkees session drummer, passes away

3/12/2019

Legendary Wrecking Crew member Hal Blaine played drums on a number of Monkees songs in the 1960s, including "Papa Gene's Blues," "Mary, Mary," and "Someday Man." He passed away on Monday at age 90.

I am deeply saddened about the passing of drummer, Hal Blaine. Hal played drums on the soundtrack of our lives for many of us... Worth reading: An Interview with Hal Blaine | Modern Drummer Magazine https://t.co/1FWoi0bOw2
— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) March 12, 2019

0 Comments

The Monkees record "Headquarters" in 1967

2/11/2019

5 Comments

Michael Nesmith in the studio while recording The Monkees' "Headquarters" LP

2/8/2019

0 Comments

(From the June 1967 issue of Monkees Monthly)

0 Comments

Adam Schlesinger discusses The Monkees, "Christmas Party," and "Good Times!"

12/7/2018

8 Comments

Adam Schlesinger, producer of The Monkees' two most recent albums Good Times! and Christmas Party, breaks down the tracks on the group's new holiday LP and much more on The Nightfly with Dave Juskow podcast. Thanks to Tracy Robison for the heads-up!

8 Comments

Peter Tork in the studio during the recording of "Headquarters"

10/6/2018

0 Comments

(Photo courtesy of "Listen to the Band" box set booklet)

0 Comments

Micky Dolenz in the studio with Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey

9/21/2018

2 Comments

Here's a great photo of Micky with R.E.M.'s Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey of The Minus 5. Buck and McCaughey co-wrote the title track of The Monkees' forthcoming holiday album, Christmas Party.

On a personal note, I'm a longtime fan of R.E.M. and am thrilled that Peter is working with The Monkees. Scott is also closely aligned with R.E.M. as he was an auxiliary musician in the studio and on stage with the group from 1994 until their their breakup in 2011.

Scott's band The Minus 5 released Of Monkees and Men in 2016, described as "an imaginative tribute to the Monkees’ legacy in music and popular culture."

(Photo courtesy of Micky Dolenz's Facebook page)

2 Comments

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO! Inside a recording session for The Monkees' "Christmas Party" album

9/20/2018

8 Comments

Thank you very much to John Hughes of Rhino Records for providing The Monkees Live Almanac with an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek in the studio when Peter Buck (R.E.M.) and Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5) joined Micky Dolenz to record the tracks "Christmas Party" and "Jesus Christ" for the upcoming Monkees holiday album, Christmas Party. John is the executive producer of this latest Monkees project.

Left to right are guitarist Jody Porter, producer Adam Schlesinger, John Hughes, Mark Pinkus (President, Rhino Records), Micky Dolenz, drummer Brian Young, Peter Buck, and Scott McCaughey: