TV rock

Shows such as American Bandstand help U.S. acts shine and help launch groups like the Monkees.

Now television’s role in America’s reply to the Invasion—and how TV helps Americans meet the huge British success that starts with the Beatles in 1964.

For TV in pop, American Bandstand is the touchstone and source. In 1955–59 and especially 1959–63, Dick Clark’s Philadelphia show is after-school ritual for many kids—mainly dance, also a promo path for early-1960s pop: teen idols, girl groups, sweet-soul acts like the Drifters and Ben E. King. As the 1960s unfold, teen-music variety shows multiply. Bandstand itself runs into the 1980s; later shows do not mean it fades—it stays important.

A successor: Shindig!, fall 1964 on ABC, hosted by Jimmy O’Neill, with many stars. Content leans Invasion and American pop; it replaces Hootenanny, which was all folk revival. Mid-1960s U.S. pop: folk revival interrupted by the Invasion. After ABC’s Shindig! success, January 1965 brings NBC’s Hullabaloo—same teen-pop audience.

Important for our story: Dick Clark’s CBS show Where the Action Is, summer 1965—around “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” Important because its house band is Paul Revere & the Raiders. Shindig! and Hullabaloo have regular musical guests but no true house band; on Where the Action Is you see the Raiders constantly.

They come from the Pacific Northwest, tied to that scene. Soon after the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie” record, the Raiders cut their own; the Kingsmen’s local success goes national. The Raiders fade and basically break up, then reform in L.A. with organist Paul Revere and singer Mark Lindsay back, as house band on Where the Action Is. With British music already on the coasts, they answer by wearing Revolutionary War dress—tricorne hats, buckled shoes, stockings, jackets. Every appearance is in that uniform. They play the Paul Revere name—“One if by land, two if by sea” (from Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride,” the midnight-ride signal). Hollywood-style America’s reply. Producer: Terry Melcher, once Byrds producer; show taped in L.A. Big singles 1966: “Just Like Me,” “Kicks,” “Hungry.” More than anyone they push garage sound into the mainstream—polished garage that can sound Stones-like.

If we talk TV’s impact on music, the Monkees matter most. People like them for a slightly ironic cool—not because they equal the Beatles, but because the band is a bit cool, odd, maybe shallow. Interesting because they are built much like early-1960s teen idols: writers and producers invent an image, then cast four people to fit. Pros write the songs. Difference: they do not mainly tour—they star in a weekly sitcom, basically A Hard Day’s Night as TV. So members need music background plus comedy and acting. Davy Jones has Broadway experience—in Oliver the night the Beatles first do Ed Sullivan. Mickey Dolenz was a child star on Circus Boy. They spend so much time improvising and interacting that learning instruments and band craft comes second; before each episode they cram the songs needed on camera.

Album tracks are cut by studio bands—same as the Byrds on “Mr. Tambourine Man.” The Monkees sing; others write. Some songs by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart—once Monkees candidates, then assigned as writers. Others by Don Kirshner’s former Brill Building writers. Kirshner co-founded Aldon Publishing at Brill; like many, he leaves New York for L.A. You hear Brill craft in many Monkees songs—strong melodies, fine playing and production, competitive with contemporary hits. But music is not the main product. On the debut LP’s back you may see the show’s ad—“Monday 7:30 on ABC”—like a flyer with an album slipped in. The music still hits; it does not drown the show, but it is strong.

The series premieres fall 1966—almost when, summer 1966, the Beatles quit touring: no more matching suits, no more moptops. August 1966 Revolver, then “Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” Sgt. Pepper—they no longer want to be moptop Beatles. Fall 1966 the Monkees become the new moptop Beatles. Through 1966–67 you get “new moptop Beatles” (Monkees) and “new Beatles” (long-haired, bearded hippie Beatles)—the latter the real band.

AM vs. FM splits. Many Monkees hits: Neil Diamond’s “I’m a Believer,” 1966 No. 1; B-side “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” reaches No. 20—a garage song also covered by the Raiders—an album with hits on both sides. 1967 “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” No. 2; “Pleasant Valley Sunday” No. 3, by Brill’s Gerry Goffin and Carole King. First two Monkees LPs trade No. 1 on the album chart from late 1966 into summer 1967—about 31 weeks. They tire of the model and want to make their own music. Guitarist Michael Nesmith is a strong writer; producers dislike his songs. He gives “Different Drum” to Linda Ronstadt’s Stone Poneys—an AM hit. So: songs written by others, sung by Monkees, and songs written by Monkees, sung by others, chart at once. After the group, members build solo careers.

After the Monkees leave TV, curious follow-ons into early-1970s psychedelic-era framing. The Archie Show cartoon: Archies songs cut by session bands and hired writers; “Sugar, Sugar” is a 1969 No. 1—Jeff Barry of Brill involved. Fall 1970 ABC: Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp—Lancelot Link and the Evolution Revolution sing a pop song each episode; single “Sha-La Love You” and an LP. That season sparks similar shows, including The Partridge Family with Shirley Jones and David Cassidy—teen heartthrob; “I Think I Love You” No. 1 in 1970. Also teen idol Bobby Sherman from 1968’s Here Come the Brides; 1970’s “Julie, Do Ya Love Me” succeeds.

We see Donny Osmond, young Michael Jackson, and other teen idols—bubblegum—on AM; Chapter 7 returns to this. When rock histories hit the late 1960s they lean album-oriented rock—first concept LP Sgt. Pepper, album bands. Note that in the “TV rock” years these acts still rule AM. AM becomes the home of teen hits and bubblegum; FM, rising 1968–69, becomes the home of the rock we usually discuss. If I mention the Grateful Dead or Led Zeppelin, remember Donny Osmond, Michael Jackson, Bobby Sherman, David Cassidy also shine on the charts then—we tend to skip that side. An interesting link is Ricky Nelson’s influence: late 1950s, first to use a TV show to drive a music career. Much late-1960s / early-1970s TV rock builds on that base—and together they prepare MTV: about a decade later, image-plus-music becomes a major scene.

That closes America’s reply. Next chapter: 1960s Black pop—Motown, Stax, James Brown. We have covered the Invasion and white American pop’s reply; Black pop also places major hits. Line up Beatles and Supremes chart singles from 1964–66 and you find the Supremes nearly keep pace—that is next.