Motor City Radio Flashbacks

From the MCRFB news archives:

MONKEES SWINGING PITCH SET

NEW YORK — The Monkees, just signed by Colgem Records, distributed by RCA Victor Records, is set for a massive promotion campaign in publication print, radio and through television. The group stars in the new NBC-TV half-hour comedy series “The Monkees” which debuts September 12.

Don Kirschner, back in the 1960s — **DON KIRSCHNER**, back in the 1960s. *(Click image for larger view)*

First Colgems release by the group is slated for August 16. The title of the group’s first release is “Last Train To Clarksville,” flip-side is “Take A Giant Step,” according to an announcement by Don Kirschner, head of the new label, and Norman Rachusin, division-vice president and operations manager for RCA Victor.

The show centers around the antics of an unknown, long-haired rock ‘n’ roll group named the Monkees. The artists on-screen-and-off are Davey Jones, who appeared on Broadway in “Oliver!”; California folk-singer Michael Nesmith, Greenwich Village folk-singer Peter Tork, and Mickey Dolenz, who appeared in the “Circus Boy” TV series. Kirschner, also president of the Columbia Pictures-Screen Gems TV music division will supervise the Monkees musical activities and serve as musical consultant for the TV series.

The group will introduce two new songs in each of the Monday night shows, which will be telecast in color.

The publicity campaign to promote the group’s first single was launched recently with teaser ads in the trade papers hinged on the idea “that Monkee business is big business.” This same teaser ad campaign is being kicked off in teen magazines at the time of the single release. A teaser ad campaign has also been initiated to the press and deejays. Ad materials, point-of-sales materials, four-color counterpiece display and streams are ready for use at retail level. END

Addendum: For an excellent, highly-detailed and comprehensive review, synopsis of every episode of “The Monkees” television series aired from 1966 – 1968, go here. Davy Jones passed away on February 29, 2012. In the wake of his sudden passing, read Scott Westerman’s annotated and excellent review of Jones career on MCRFB, here. For all other references on the Monkees on MCRFB as to date, you’ll find several more here. For the official Davy Jones website, celebrating his life today, you will find it here as well.

(Information and news source: Billboard; August 20, 1966)