In early 1986 MTV started showing The Monkees on a daily basis. I was 16 and I fell in love with the show and the four guys in it immediately. I taped every episode from the TV and bought The Monkees music and books about them. They became my secret obsession. Of the four, my heart belonged to Micky Dolenz (comediens and ballplayers always win my heart). My mom thought I was crazy. She reminded me that this show was over 20 years old, which was her way of telling me that Micky was much older than I was and not what she considered dating material (in addition to the fact that he was married and I had little shot of meeting him being 16 and living in central Jersey) I didn't care - that's why they call it an obesession, right?
By the summer of 1986 a resurgence in The Monkees popularity thanks to MTV resulted in The Monkees reuniting (minus Mike Neismeth) touring the country and in 1987 releasing Pool It, their first new album as a group since 1970. Pool It had all new songs and I wore that tape out.
As time went on my obession waned like most teenage obessions do. Every so often, when something about The Monkees would be on TV or in the paper, my mom would remind me of how much I loved those guys while she shook head and rolled her eyes. But I would smile and stop to read or listen to the story. Immediately I was 16 again. Over time I have downloaded various Monkees songs - Daydream Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Valleri, Last Train to Clarksville, and of course I'm a Believer, just to name a few. My obsession may have waned, but my love of their music never did.
I was a truly saddened when I learned last Wendsday that Davy Jones had died. Over the years, watching various interviews of Davy (with and without his former bandmates) made me realize how he was not only a good singer but what a great sense of humor he had. He performed in NYC only two weeks prior to his death, singing Monkees classics and entertaining the audience with anacedotes. He embraced the fact people wanted to hear the songs of their youth. Once again, talent has been taken from the world much too soon.
In Davy's death another resurgance in The Monkees music has happened.
Somewhere Davy Jones is smiling and loving it. Of that, I'm a Believer.
