On This Day In 2011…

Davy & Micky with young Davy background

It was five years ago today when I met my favorite band (well, 3 out of its 4 members), The Monkees. It was an exciting concert in such a beautiful setting, Mountain Winery in Saratoga, Calif. However, that night was also very nerve-racking for me because I have loved this band since I was 3.5-years-old. I met Peter and took a photo with him. I was then able to say hello to Micky and ask for a photo with him, as well. But when it came time to meet Davy, well, I couldn’t talk to him other than to say “hello.” I guess you can say I was having a Marcia Brady moment that night.Β  πŸ˜‰

This day was one of the most happiest moments in my life. I’ve never been starstruck before; however, this was a different situation because these were the same guys who made me laugh and sing along to their songs as I watched reruns of The Monkees TV series. Their show was one of my earliest TV memories and the band has always been an inspiration to me…from then and until now. And for that, I say, “Thank you!”Β  ❀

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Listen To “She Makes Me Laugh,” New Song By The Monkees

Any one of my closest friends or family members will tell you that I’ve been a fan of the band The Monkees since I was three-and-a-half-years-old. Every summer, I used to watch reruns of their television show since I wasn’t born when the show initially aired, in 1966. I own all their albums and a few other miscellaneous collectibles. In fact, I was fortunate enough to meet Davy, Micky and Peter (minus Michael Nesmith) in July 2011, just seven months before Davy Jones died.

I’ll always treasure the memories and the happiness their songs have brought me over the years. The Monkees TV show was one of my first television memories and the band has inspired me in more ways than one.

Well, it’s finally here. The new song by my first favorite band! Take a listen to “She Makes Me Laugh,” which was written by Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo. The song certainly has that true classic harmony sound that The Monkees are known for. πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€ πŸ˜€

The Monkees Celebrate 50th Anniversary With New Album And Tour

The Monkees’s 12th album is scheduled for release June 10.

It was announced today that The Monkees will be releasing a new album and will tour this summer to commemorate the band’s 50th anniversary.

The album, titled Good Times, is scheduled for release June 10. Band members Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork will tour multiple cities across North America, beginning May 18. Michael ‘Mike’ Nesmith won’t be involved with the new album nor the tour since he currently has multiple projects he’s working on.

Sadly, one missing link will be the absence of front man Davy Jones, who died on Feb. 29, 2012, after having suffered a severe heart attack near his Florida home.

For more information about The Monkees new album and tour, click here.

Do you have a favorite Monkees song or album?

This Day in History: ‘The Monkees’ Television Series Debuted

The Monkees_directors chairs The Monkees-proper seating

Forty-nine years ago today, on Sept. 12, 1966, The Monkees comedy series debuted on NBC-TV. The series starred actors Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz, and musicians Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. The show was the creation of film director and producer Bob Rafelson, and film and TV producer Bert Schneider, whose production company Raybert Productions also produced the films Easy Rider and The Last Picture Show. The Monkees television show incorporated an element that (I believe) is lacking in today’s situation comedies, which is music (sorry, but Glee doesn’t count).

The Monkees lasted only two seasons and the band has toured subsequently since 1966. The Monkees became a band despite critics (I’m looking at you Jann Wenner, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, who Monkees fans believe is ‘holding the key’ so they aren’t inducted into the RRHOF) stating they weren’t a band. I’m pretty that if they’ve sold more than 75 million records worldwide and out-sold The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined during their peak (not to mention that the show won two Emmy Awards), then they ARE a real band!

🎀 🎸 🎢 🎡 πŸ“Ί

Born on this Day: Micky Dolenz

 

Born George Michael Dolenz on March 8, 1945, Micky Dolenz–then known as Micky Braddock–became a child star at the age of 11 while starring in the 1950’s television show Circus Boy. In 1966, at age 21, Micky–who now went by his real last name–was chosen to star alongside fellow child actor and singer Davy Jones and musicians Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, in the NBC television comedy series The Monkees.

Since The Monkees, Micky lived in the U.K. for several years in which he created and produced a children’s television show, as well as directing and producing stage and television shows.

In 1986, MTV helped to re-ignite the resurgence of The Monkees when they aired reruns of the television series. It was during this same year that Dolenz and his bandmates Jones and Tork reunited to celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary and went on tour. During On Sept. 7, 1986, Micky, Davy and Peter performed at L.A.’s Greek Theatre when they were joined by absentee bandmate Michael Nesmith, who had left the band in 1970.

Since then, The MonkeesΒ (minus Nesmith) have reunited several times over the years to perform in concert together. However, after Jones’s untimely death on Feb, 29, 2012, Nesmith rejoined the band to help celebrate Jones’s memory and time with The Monkees.

Happy 70th Birthday, Micky! 🍰

Backstage with Micky Dolenz after The Monkees concert on July 10, 2011.

Backstage with Micky Dolenz after The Monkees concert on July 10, 2011.