[sammyg2]

The ironic part is this: many bands from that era did not play their own instruments on their records, they used the same studio musicians as the monkeys in their recording sessions. it was standard practice.
Yet they didn't get the same criticism.

Here are a few examples:
The Beach Boys
Jan & Dean
Sonny & Cher
Barry McGuire
the Mamas & the Papas
Frank Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
The Byrds
Bob Dylan
The crystals
The Ronettes
The Righteous Brothers
Johnny Rivers
Gary Lewis and the Playboys
Simon & Garfunkel
The Association
The 5th Dimension
Scott McKenzie
Gary Puckett and the Union Gap
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Glen Campbell
The Grass Roots
Richard Harris (MacArthur park)
Mason Williams (classical gas)
Neil Diamond
Tommy Roe
The Partridge Family (OK, maybe)
The Carpenters
Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds
Paul revere and the Raiders
Captain & Tennille
Most Phil Spectre recordings (wall of sound)