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Interview: Gordon Barr speaks to Davy Jones of The Monkees
The Monkees. From left: Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz
THE Monkees are in Newcastle next month to celebrate 45 years in showbusiness. Entertainment editor Gordon Barr meets up with English band member Davy Jones
JUSTIN Bieber stole my haircut!
Despite him being four times Bieber’s age, that’s the proclamation from The Monkees singer Davy Jones.
Davy – he’s now 65 – is in fine form as we chat about the forthcoming 45th anniversary tour of the group who once rivaled the Beatles in popularity terms.
“Everyone is getting excited that The Monkees are going to be on the road again.
“This guy Justin Bieber? He stole my haircut! And that Axl Rose, he stole my dance! Plus, I’m the guy that made David Bowie change his name,” laughs Manchester-born Davy from his home in Florida.
“Seriously, though, it’s great to still be going and playing venues like Newcastle City Hall – and to fans of all ages. I’m loving it.”
That City Hall gig takes place on May 15, when the original TV boy band will be back together for their first UK tour in 12 years, featuring Davy, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (Mike Nesmith is not touring with them).
The Monkees wrote the script for modern-day pop music, selling 50 million records with hits such as Daydream Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, I’m a Believer and (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.
They provided the soundtrack to teenage lives on both sides of the Atlantic from the 60s onwards, with the TV series being repeated throughout the 80s and a whole new legion of fans exposed to their crazy antics – even now, courtesy of the internet.
“We’ve been talking wardrobe for The Monkees tour, which is quite incredible. I mean we are all in our sixties so we will hardly be wearing Black Eyed Peas outfits!” smiles Davy.
“I have put the show together and chosen a lot of songs the fans will remember and enjoy, and not just the obvious ones.
“There are lots of hits but lots of other songs played on the TV show that were favourites. We asked our fans via the web what tunes they wanted to hear.
“I was listening to some Mike Nesmith songs the other day and, just because he isn’t going to join us, doesn’t mean we can’t include some of his material. He was so absolutely prolific.
“There is an audience for everything. You know, it is never the same old same old with me, because every time I sing Daydream Believer it is the first time some of those people will have heard me sing it.
“I am so blessed. The world is in a horrendous state of economic, social and moral decay at this particular point and I hope we can just let people forget their troubles for a while.”
Davy shows no signs of slowing down either. “My goals as a kid were to walk on a tightrope, run the marathon (I did London in 1985) ride on a camel and be in showbusiness. “My dad told me I needed to get a job, then a savings account and, when I got that savings account, I would get credentials and buy my own house.
“When I bought my dad a house in Manchester in 1967 for £3,700, he said he was not moving out of his terrace. He did not want to have a mortgage. I told him I was paying for it all. That is all he ever wanted – stability, his house and car paid for. Nothing was bought on the never never.
“Money is very important as you get older, but that is not why we are doing this tour.The fans are asking us to do this.
“The fun of the fair is not over – The Monkees can still entertain and be the way they were. The skipping’s not happening too much anymore, obviously!”
When he’s not out on the road, Davy enjoys nothing more than spending time at his home in Florida, especially during the spring and summer months.
“I love this time of year, one of the reasons being my horses. Once I have finished all my chores, if I haven’t ridden in the morning, I can go in the evening.
“It was always my dream to end up by the ocean and we have a nice little apartment on the beach in Hollywood, Florida, funnily enough in the same street name, Franklin Street, as we had in Hollywood, California.
“We had a house in the hills above Sunset Strip years ago and so it is kind of crazy. It’s a full circle thing.”
