Should the Monkees be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum? Certainly the argument that they began life as a solely commercial construct is a valid one, but then again, shouldn’t the Rock Hall at least recognize them for that alone, since they were trailblazers in the way rock music was mass marketed? And what about that music? If the group was nothing more than a pre-fab four, then why should you like the Monkees? The evidence, please:

Country/Rock Pioneers: You’re well-read, Popdosers, so I won’t bore you with the oft-told story of how the Monkees were cast. What I will point out is that while Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones were cast primarily for their acting experience, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith had strong folk music backgrounds. That influence came through immediately on songs like “What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round,” (download) which featured members of the Byrds on guitar. Nesmith would usually get two or three songs per album and could always be counted on for a strong performance that would influence future country/rock acts like America and Seals & Crofts.

One of Pop’s Best Rock Vocalists: That’s a pretty big statement to make about anyone who’s not John Lennon, but check out Micky Dolenz’s performance on “Tear Drop City” (download). Dolenz takes what should just be a dreary “Last Train to Clarksville” Xerox and lifts it to a higher plane with his gritty, sad and almost desperate delivery. Dolenz’s frenzied and committed takes on songs like “Goin’ Down,” “She” and “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” brought true rock fire to songs meant to crackle in mono over a teeny-bopper’s AM radio or from a cardboard record cut from the back of a cereal box. Not too shabby for someone hired to just be “the goofy one.”

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