Is it true the Monkees didn play their own instruments?
No. Nez, Peter and Micky had experience as working musicians prior to auditioning for the Monkees. However, Don Kirshner preferred to record with studio musicians who were more seasoned and whose time wasn’t taken up with shooting a series. Despite this, Peter Tork has a guitar credit on the very first album and all four were expected to perform as a group on tour. After ousting Kirshner and winning more musical control, the group continued to utilize session musicians, by choice. This was not unusual. Both the Beatles and the Beach Boys were highly respected and were making good use of outside musicians on their recordings. 30 years later, the Monkees reunited to record “Justus,” so named because it is just them – writing, singing, playing, producing, arranging, etc.
