The Monkees represent a vital problem for rock and pop, and perhaps the major question: is it the music that matters or the personality and image of the performers? This book explores the system behind the Monkees, the controversial made-for-tv band that scored some of the biggest hit records of the 1960s. The Monkees represent the cumulative result of a complex coordination of talented individuals, from songwriters to studio musicians to producers - the system of the 1960s Hollywood music industry. The new rock criticism bewailed the fake band, while fans and audiences made the Monkees a major commercial success. More than any other band in the 1960s, the Monkees illustrate the genius of the system and its role in popular music.