My Favorite Monkees Memories With John Lund

Do you have a special Monkees memory or two (thousand!) that you want to share? I want to hear from you. Email me at Macwriter1@aol.com for future consideration on Monkees.net. Subject bar should say “My Favorite Monkees Memories.”  Please be as detailed as possible in explaining your favorite Monkees memories.  If your story is accepted, you must be able to provide photos from your collection and/or another with you and the guys. Sorry, your story will not be considered without photos to support it. Thanks!

By M.A. Cassata

(All photos): John Lund

In this installment of My Favorite Monkees Memories, we have first generation fan, John Lund to tell us all about his first-ever Monkees concert experience.   In 1967 he was 12 years old and captured by The Monkees music and their  oh so cool personalities.

“When The Monkees came to Seattle that summer,  my parents let me go to my first concert!,” recalls John. “Dad had some “issues” with the curl in Micky’s hair on that first album cover, but he drove me and my friend Marvin to the show and picked us up afterwards.”

You never forget your first concert and being The Monkees just makes even more memorable.

 

 

“It was an amazing experience to say the least, “ he continued.   “I was very shy and took it all in quietly taking pictures like crazy.  The place was going nuts!  Micky broke his snare drum a couple of songs into the show because he was playing the drums so hard.”

John, now 62, stills owns the original 1966 Monkees thermos he once  used in sixth grade. Can you imagine?  How many of you fortunate fans still  have yours?  John also plays in a  local band called Flashback and pays tribute to our guys. He credits them for jump starting his music career.

Though he’s seen The Monkees in concert several times,  still nothing compares to that first-ever experience… and if you are taking pictures, even better!

“I remember, I had used all my ‘flashcubes’ way too early and could not take any more pictures by mid-show,” he said. “Mike Nesmith went up to the mic and asked us all to take a flash at the same time.  I thought it would be a chance for me to take one more shot when the venue lit up.  Mike counted to four and we all made a big flash!  I got the shot!  We were united and part of something wonderful!  What a fantastic show! I will never forget it.”

From that moment on John says  became lifetime Monkees fan.  Now more than 50 years later he saw The Monkees again on September 26, 2016 in Seattle.  This time from the front row where he sang along and danced to every song.

“I went nuts!! They were totally amazing again and we were united in something wonderful,” he sums up. “These guys have been like good friends to me.  Their music makes people happy.

At the concert, we were chanting ‘We want The Monkees. We need The Monkees!’… Good times is one of the best albums they’ve ever made and I am a proud fan!” …Thanks old buddies for all these years. See ya next show. Yeah, The Monkees forever!”