FriendBurst Blog

Back in 1966, a TV show hit the air waves about a group, the “Pre-Fab Four” as they were often called, that was supposed to be America’s answer to the Beatles. It was called the Monkees. It was simply supposed to be a show about a group of goofy guys who lived together and were just “trying to be friendly” as they were hired for singing gigs, but somehow they always found themselves getting caught up in all sorts of madcap situations. Little did anyone know the phenomenon they would become. People either loved them…. leading them to actually sell more albums in 1967 then the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined…. or hated them…. writing them off as simply a bubble gum group not worthy of the attention and popularity they had achieved.  But who was right and who is wrong about this is not what I want to talk about right now. What I want to share is what the Monkees have meant to me and the effect they have had on me throughout my life.

Ever since their inception, the Monkees seem to enjoy a surge of popularity every ten years among a new generation of fans. Back in the mid 70’s, ten years after their initial premiere on Prime time TV, they went into syndication and a local TV station started to run reruns of the show every weekday afternoon and did so for a few years. This was my first exposure to the show and I was hooked right away, even at the tender age of about 4.  One vivid memory I have was the day I saw the commercial for their double album, The Monkees Greatest Hits, that was only available for purchase through the mail. I FLIPPED OUT and ran through the rooms to get my Mom so she could see the commercial, too. After begging my Mom to get for me and sharing with her my sincere 4 year old enthusiasm for the Monkees, she ordered it for me….my very first record album. I still remember the day we went to the post office to pick it up once it arrived. I still remember playing the albums over and over again on my little kiddie record player and I still remember the big scratch I caused over “Tapioca Tundra” causing it to skip every time I played it. I still have these albums and wouldn’t part with them for anything.

I also remember the crush I developed on Davy……one of my first crushes…..that started with his cuteness on the Monkees but became solidified when he was just SO SWEET to Marsha on “The Brady Bunch”. Each time I watched that episode, I would get goosebumps whenever Davy sang “Girl”….and I still do sometimes.  But as I grew up, my affection for the Monkees slowly faded….but only to return again 20 years later.

One evening in January 1997, I was channel surfing and came across a special that was running on the Disney channel called “Hey Hey, We’re the Monkees”. It was a retrospective which featured new interviews with all four Monkees as well as footage from their show and other various concerts and performances. By the end of the show, all of the sweet memories that had been tucked away in the recesses of my mind from my childhood had flooded back to me all at once. I dug out and listened to my Monkees Greatest Hits CD (hey, I still had the albums but CDs were just SO much handier) and the Monkees had worked their magic on me once more. Little did I know just how much I would soon turn to and rely on these precious memories to help me get through one of the worst times of my life.

About a month later, my world turned completely upside down. My aunt, who lived in the same house with us and who was one of the dearest and most important people that I ever had in my life, took a stroke and from that day on, she had to deal with debilitating physical and mental effects as well as long term health problems because of it. From one day to the next, you would never know what condition she would be in or if she would be sleeping in her own bed or in a hospital bed that night.  Everyday was a nightmare for my family and myself and the stress was unreal, but we loved her and were going to care for her no matter what. At the same time, though, I felt like my world was slowly crumbling down around me. I wanted and needed some kind of escape SO BADLY. Perhaps some people would have turned to drugs or alcohol in order to cope. I instead…. turned to the Monkees. They offered me the solace I needed so badly. I threw myself into anything and everything that was about them and made them my project and my escape from reality. I wanted to learn all that I could and read dozens of books written by them and about them. I bought all of their original album releases on CD and their TV show on VHS tapes and listened and watched them over and over again.  Their humor, their simple comedy, and my sweet memories of a much simpler and happier time in my life helped to keep me going. They were a welcome and much needed distraction for me and I credit them so much for helping me to get through one of the roughest times of my life. A few years later, my aunt passed away. Eventually life changed for me again but this time in a good way. When it did, once again, the Monkees found their place tucked away in my heart, but they were no longer in the forefront of my mind. But as usual…they weren’t done with me yet.

In 2011, the Monkees would celebrate their 45th anniversary. Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork would start a worldwide tour to celebrate this occasion, including having a concert in my area. Unfortunately, tickets were going for about $100 a piece and were unaffordable to me. As much as I would have loved to see them perform live and person, I knew this would be a dream unfulfilled……or so I thought. In the summertime, Coney Island has a free concert series. This year among the acts performing…were the Monkees. The cost of a subway ride was all it took for me to see them and have my childhood dream fulfilled. Below are pictures I took myself at the concert.

The circle had now been completed. In my own way, I silently thanked them for always somehow being a part of my life and for seemingly just being there to make things better for me and bringing some happiness into my life when I needed it most. I teared up a few times during the concert because I just could not believe that it was all for real. It was, and will always remain, one of the BEST nights of my life.

Davy Jones birthday was December 30th. He shared the same birthday with his fellow Monkee, Mike Nesmith, and little did he know, with my dear uncle, too. With Davy Jones’ passing, I am left with feelings of shock and great sadness. I feel like I lost a piece of my childhood. In some ways, I feel like I’ve lost a life long friend. He must have known how his fans loved him, but I could only wish that he could have somehow known the effect he had on my life. I wish I could have somehow thanked him.

The Monkee’s music never looked to solve the worlds problems. It didn’t cure any diseases or help to find world peace. The Monkees were simply FUN and sometimes…. that’s just enough. They had their place and made their difference in many, many people’s lives….including my own. I will always be grateful to them and they will hold a special place in my heart forever. Thanks to them….I will always be a Daydream Believer.