Easily my favorite episode of the Monkees, and I'm sure that's how it is with a lot of people.

These guys were definitely inspired by the band Spirit, from the same era.

Note how there are four guys.

The band spirit also has four guys.

By season 2 the Monkees were making NBC so much money that they demanded and were given pretty much complete creative control of the show. They also allegedly had a studio-provided camper on set at all times that was specifically for smoking weed in.