Monkees revisited.

I mentioned that I recently watched a program called, “The Making of the Monkees”, in my blog, Don Kirshner & The Monkees. There I mentioned that Don Kirshner believed in the Bubble Gum formula of selling millions of records. That is music that was light and almost meaningless lyrics* with fluffy beats to it, and that was why he was giving the commission of creating what is now regarded as the first “Boy Band” ever, the Monkees. A good looking group put together of 4 young wannabe actors almost off the street, with the sole purpose of looking good on TV and selling lots and lots of records and other merchandise. Which they did for a while until their final acrimonious parting form Kirshner, where the Monkees and Don each went their own separate ways.

It seems as well as having an eye for a formula that sold millions of records to Teenagers; Don Kirshner had one other talent too! That of keeping the Monkees united. Sadly, it was only united against him, and when he left and the boys were left with their own creative freedom, freedom that they had fought so hard for, they started to turn on each other.

Up till then, they had been united within themselves against a common enemy. Yes, while Don was still around, they had a common enemy and they united around one of them in the fight against him, but when that common enemy was finally dispatched, they started turning against one another.

Sounds very typical of life in general doesn’t it when you get a group of diverse people together, for a common purpose? As long as there is a common enemy or a single prominent goal, there is no problem and all are united. But without a common goal or focus, the once united group starts to, (usually slowly at first,) disintegrate, unless another common goal can be found and fast it seems.

Is that how it is with you at the moment? You have lost your focus or common goal and have become somewhat bitter and in danger of fragmenting? I have no quick and easy solution for you. Only for you to just stop for a moment and rethink things through again. Maybe you can regain that common goal and focus again and continue on. Maybe you can’t and you have to go your separate ways. But if so, just remember not all of the Monkees were able to quickly find their focus in life. Some did immediately and some only just recently nearly 30 years down the track, and at some great personal cost too! Are you prepared to pay that cost, or are you really far better off where you are now? Only you can answer that question. Consider carefully and wisely: Walter.

{*For examples, try: “Yummy, Yummy, (I have love in my tummy)” by “Ohio Express”; “Simon says” by “The 1910 Fruit Gum Company” and of course, “Sugar, Sugar” By “The Archies”.}