Monkees reunion is all about the fans

Davy Jones of the Monkees said he still hears the funniest lines from people he meets.

“I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me and said, ‘Do you know who you are?’ Or ‘I used to kiss the television when you appeared.’”

Now a vibrant 65, Jones is one of three original members of the Monkees quartet who will be appearing as part of “An Evening With The Monkees: the 45th Anniversary Tour” June 29 at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan.

For this two-hour, multi-media concert presentation, Jones will be joined onstage by Micky Dolenz, 66, and Peter Tork, 69, and a back-up band as they offer a set list with more than 40 songs.

“Everything sounds the way it was, but it’s just a little more 2011,” said Jones.

Happy to be there

The singer said he considers himself blessed to still be on stage.

“Are we sick of singing ‘Daydream Believer,’ ‘Last Train To Clarksville’ or ‘(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone?’ Is Tony Bennett sick of singing ‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco?’ No. He wishes he had 10 more of those.”

Absent from this reunion will be Mike Nesmith, who last toured as a Monkee in 1998.

“For that tour he stayed at a different hotel than the three of us. He traveled in his own transport. What does that tell you?” said Jones.

But the tour still includes the music from the original foursome, and his contributions will be recognized. “We do four of Mike’s songs in this show. Mike stands there with Carole King, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart who also wrote for the Monkees,” Jones explained.

Once known as the Pre-Fab Four, the group was assembled in a Hollywood studio as characters in their own TV sitcom. That show’s band was designed to rival the popularity of the Beatles and its members did. In 1967, the Monkees outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined.

“The TV show was all about four guys trying to make it in show business,” said Jones. “We never made it on the TV show. We played bar mitzvahs and elevators. But in real life, we had hit records on the radio, one after another and another for two years and we all decided, as most young men do, I think we will move on now.”

Jones, Tork and Dolenz last toured together in 2001 before personalities clashed and Tork went his separate way. A decade later lessons have been learned.

“We are all a lot wiser. Peter (Tork) just came in and he kissed me on the cheek. Micky and I hug every time before we go on stage,” said Jones. “I love the fact that Peter plays four or five different instruments on this show. I just wish he wouldn’t play them all at the same time.”

However this isn’t meant to be a comeback, and Jones jokes that “Justin Bieber stole my haircut and Axel Rose stole my dance. What have I got left? I guess it’s the music.”

And the fans who have been waiting for the Monkees to get back together again.

“Some of these people haven’t been out at a concert for years and we’re just renewing a friendship that has never gone away, really,” Jones said.

Fan-driven show

He noted that fans were surveyed online to find out what they wanted to hear in this concert, and they’ll get what they want.

“We have never done live half the material we are do in this show,” said Jones. “We have a whole segment of songs from our movie ‘Head.’”

Jones added that “Head,” the only Monkees film, was co-written by Jack Nicholson, and was overlooked when it opened in 1968.

Jones said it hasn’t been decided yet if there will be a DVD or CD recording of this reunion tour which continues through July, but he hopes to keep the fans happy

via Monkees reunion is all about the fans – Lake County News-Sun.