My haven, Micky Dolenz:  The Monkees singer and drummer in the furniture workshop at his Los Angeles home

Micky says he has always had an interest in DIY ever since his father introduced him to it

1  MAKE A STAND

My  father got me into DIY and it’s always been my release from the crazy world of showbusiness, so my haven is the garage in my four-bedroom Spanish-style house in LA, which I’ve converted into a workshop. I even do my own plumbing, electricals, and repairs. I got my children into DIY too and last year my youngest, Georgia, and I started a handmade furniture company, Dolenz & Daughters. I made this mahogany guitar stand, and we may start selling them.

2 MONKEE BUSINESS

I was at college studying architecture when I auditioned for The Monkees, a TV show that ran from 1966-8. It was about an imaginary pop group and we were compared to The Beatles, but on the show we were more like The Marx Brothers. This photo is of us winning an Emmy for the first series. We could all sing and play, and still do. My co-stars Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork and myself are now on our third Monkees tour since the tragic death of Davy Jones in 2012.

3 FAMILY FIRM

This photo of my four daughters was taken about 12 years ago, and they gave it to me for Christmas. Ami, 45, [bottom] is from my first marriage to Samantha Juste, who co-hosted Top Of The Pops and who sadly died in February this year. From my second marriage to Trina, I have Charlotte, 33, [left] Emily, 31, [right] and Georgia, 30 [top]. I’ve been married to my third wife Donna since 2002. All of us get on so well we’ve holidayed together, even the ex-wives.

4 GUITAR PICK

This original Monkee Gretsch guitar was among those produced as merchandise for the TV show. In recent years I’ve wanted one, and I finally tracked this down and bought it from a guy for a few thousand dollars. To this day, often when people see me out in public they sing, ‘Here we come, walking down the street…’ from The Monkees theme song. I have a gold record of The Monkees’ first album here too, though the metal has faded with time.

5 CIRCUS ACT

My parents, George and Janelle, were actors and singers – I was so used to seeing Dad on movie sets that I thought everybody’s father was an actor. I got into the business myself as a child in 1956 in a TV series called Circus Boy, about a child adopted by circus folk when his parents die. Here are some mementoes from the show – my hat, belt, gloves and pictures. Sadly, my dad died of a heart attack when I was 17. Mum became my business manager and we were very close until she passed away in 1995.

6 STAR SIGN

In the late 80s, The Monkees got a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. And in 2003, while I was hosting the morning show on a radio station in New York, a nearby street was named Micky Dolenz Way. This is one of the street signs they made. I’ve also lived in the UK – in the 70s and 80s I was a TV director on shows such as Metal Mickey and lived in London and Newark. A few years ago I played Wilbur in the West End production of Hairspray, and I’d love to get back on stage there.

For more information on Micky and Georgia’s furniture company visit www.dolenzanddaughters.com

 

via My haven, Micky Dolenz:  The Monkees singer and drummer in the furniture workshop at his Los Angeles home | Mail Online.