The Behind-the-Scenes Sabotage of 1960s Music Groups

The Monkees started as a fictional band created by television producers. Music supervisor Don Kirshner forbade the four young men from playing instruments on their early hit records, relying exclusively on studio pros. The music press mocked them as puppets, which upset the band members. They staged an internal rebellion, confronted Kirshner face-to-face, and demanded total control over their music.