Surviving Monkees to Launch First Tour in 15 Years

The Monkees are set to return to the stage this November for a 12-date U.S. tour, marking the first time Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork have played together since 1997. The tour kicks off at Escondido's California Center for the Arts on November 8th and finishes at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on December 2nd.

The trek is also Nesmith's first with the Monkees since a brief U.K. run in 1997; and of course, it's the group's first outing since singer Davy Jones passed away in February. "This seems like a good time to do this – the right time," says Nesmith. "Who knows when we will get another chance?"

The Monkees will perform a selection of their biggest hits and deeper cuts from their first five albums, as well as music from their film Head and their TV series. Accompanying the tunes will be a multimedia show filled with rare films and photographs. 

Jones will be saluted "in the show's multimedia content," according to a statement. 

Full tour dates below: 

11/8 Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts
11/9 Santa Barbara, CA - The Arlington Theatre
11/10 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
11/11 Cupertino, CA - Flint Center for the Performing Arts
11/15 Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
11/16 Chicago, IL - The Chicago Theatre
11/17 Cleveland, OH - Lakewood Civic Auditorium
11/18 Buffalo, NY - The Center For The Arts
11/29 Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre
11/30 New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre Regional Arts Center
12/1 Huntington, NY - The Paramount
12/2 New York, NY - The Beacon Theatre

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Surviving Monkees to Launch First Tour in 15 Years

The Monkees are set to return to the stage this November for a 12-date U.S. tour, marking the first time Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork have played together since 1997. The tour kicks off at Escondido's California Center for the Arts on November 8th and finishes at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on December 2nd.

The trek is also Nesmith's first with the Monkees since a brief U.K. run in 1997; and of course, it's the group's first outing since singer Davy Jones passed away in February. "This seems like a good time to do this – the right time," says Nesmith. "Who knows when we will get another chance?"

The Monkees will perform a selection of their biggest hits and deeper cuts from their first five albums, as well as music from their film Head and their TV series. Accompanying the tunes will be a multimedia show filled with rare films and photographs. 

Jones will be saluted "in the show's multimedia content," according to a statement. 

Full tour dates below: 

11/8 Escondido, CA - California Center for the Arts
11/9 Santa Barbara, CA - The Arlington Theatre
11/10 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre
11/11 Cupertino, CA - Flint Center for the Performing Arts
11/15 Minneapolis, MN - State Theatre
11/16 Chicago, IL - The Chicago Theatre
11/17 Cleveland, OH - Lakewood Civic Auditorium
11/18 Buffalo, NY - The Center For The Arts
11/29 Philadelphia, PA - Keswick Theatre
11/30 New Brunswick, NJ - State Theatre Regional Arts Center
12/1 Huntington, NY - The Paramount
12/2 New York, NY - The Beacon Theatre

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Surviving Monkees Will Not Attend Davy Jones' Funeral

Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones in Manchester

Micky Dolenz and the other surviving members of the Monkees will not attend Davy Jones' funeral out of respect to the singer's family. "My understanding is they want to avoid a media circus and the family wants to keep it very, very low-key and very, very private," Dolenz told Billboard.

"You can imagine as soon as one or two or any of us were to show up, it would very quickly be degraded into something that I don't think his immediate family would want to deal with," he said. "So I'm kind of [respecting] their wishes, whatever their wishes may be."

Instead, Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith are planning to take part in a series of public memorials for Jones in New York and England, though no dates have been set. "It's pretty early days, you know, to be making too many plans," says Dolenz. "I'm still in shock."

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Surviving Monkees Will Not Attend Davy Jones' Funeral

Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones in Manchester

Micky Dolenz and the other surviving members of the Monkees will not attend Davy Jones' funeral out of respect to the singer's family. "My understanding is they want to avoid a media circus and the family wants to keep it very, very low-key and very, very private," Dolenz told Billboard.

"You can imagine as soon as one or two or any of us were to show up, it would very quickly be degraded into something that I don't think his immediate family would want to deal with," he said. "So I'm kind of [respecting] their wishes, whatever their wishes may be."

Instead, Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith are planning to take part in a series of public memorials for Jones in New York and England, though no dates have been set. "It's pretty early days, you know, to be making too many plans," says Dolenz. "I'm still in shock."

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Weekend Rock Question: What Is the Best Monkees Song of All Time?

Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones on the set of the television show 'The Monkees.'Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Monkees singer Davy Jones passed away this week at the age of 66. Jones leaves behind a remarkable catalog that includes some of the best-loved pop tunes of the Sixties. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield has shared his favorite Davy Jones tunes, and now it's your turn. Our question for you this weekend is: What is the best Monkees song of all time?

You can vote here in the comments, on facebook.com/rollingstone or on Twitter using the #weekendrock hashtag.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Weekend Rock Question: What Is the Best Monkees Song of All Time?

Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones on the set of the television show 'The Monkees.'Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Monkees singer Davy Jones passed away this week at the age of 66. Jones leaves behind a remarkable catalog that includes some of the best-loved pop tunes of the Sixties. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield has shared his favorite Davy Jones tunes, and now it's your turn. Our question for you this weekend is: What is the best Monkees song of all time?

You can vote here in the comments, on facebook.com/rollingstone or on Twitter using the #weekendrock hashtag.

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon MP3 Download Center

Read more »

Monkees Singer Davy Jones Dead at 66

Davy Jones on the set of the television show 'The Monkees.'Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Davy Jones of the Monkees has died of an apparent heart attack at age 66. The singer, who had been on a solo tour this month, complained of chest pains last evening and was admitted to a hospital this morning in Stuart, Florida.

Jones was born in Manchester, England and started acting as a child. In 1964 he had the misfortune of appearing in the cast of Oliver! on the same episode of The Ed Sullivan Show where the Beatles made their debut. The next year he was cast in The Monkees, a comedy show/band inspired by the success of the Beatles. They were an instant hit in the ratings and the record shops, scoring massive singles with "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," "Stepping Stone" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Jones – who played tambourine in the band – was the lead vocalist on the classics "Daydream Believer" and "I Wanna Be Free." At the peak of their popularity in 1967 the group sold more albums than the Beatles.

Photos: Davy Jones Through the Years

The Monkees' music was written by some of the best songwriters of the day, including Carole King and Neil Diamond. As the group grew more popular, they insisted on writing their own music and playing their own instruments. Although their later work has attracted a huge cult audience over the years, their mainstream success quickly dwindled and the group split in 1971. Jones went onto a solo career, and he memorably performed his song "Girl" on an episode of The Brady Bunch.

Jones returned to acting in the late 1970s when his solo career failed to take off, but he found it difficult to escape the shadow of the Monkees. By the mid-1980s Monkees mania was reborn when MTV and other stations began regularly airing old episodes of the TV show. The band (minus Mike Nesmith) reunited for a highly successful reunion tour in 1986. They toured off and on through 2001, when infighting led to another split. Last summer they patched things up for a 45th anniversary tour, though it was called short because of what guitarist Peter Tork called a "glitch."

Nesmith posted a tribute to Jones on his Facebook page. "I will miss him, but I won’t abandon him to mortality," he wrote. "I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane. David’s spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us. I have fond memories. I wish him safe travels."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

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Read more »

Monkees Singer Davy Jones Dead at 66

Davy Jones on the set of the television show 'The Monkees.'Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Davy Jones of the Monkees has died of an apparent heart attack at age 66. The singer, who had been on a solo tour this month, complained of chest pains last evening and was admitted to a hospital this morning in Stuart, Florida.

Jones was born in Manchester, England and started acting as a child. In 1964 he had the misfortune of appearing in the cast of Oliver! on the same episode of The Ed Sullivan Show where the Beatles made their debut. The next year he was cast in The Monkees, a comedy show/band inspired by the success of the Beatles. They were an instant hit in the ratings and the record shops, scoring massive singles with "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," "Stepping Stone" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Jones – who played tambourine in the band – was the lead vocalist on the classics "Daydream Believer" and "I Wanna Be Free." At the peak of their popularity in 1967 the group sold more albums than the Beatles.

Photos: Davy Jones Through the Years

The Monkees' music was written by some of the best songwriters of the day, including Carole King and Neil Diamond. As the group grew more popular, they insisted on writing their own music and playing their own instruments. Although their later work has attracted a huge cult audience over the years, their mainstream success quickly dwindled and the group split in 1971. Jones went onto a solo career, and he memorably performed his song "Girl" on an episode of The Brady Bunch.

Jones returned to acting in the late 1970s when his solo career failed to take off, but he found it difficult to escape the shadow of the Monkees. By the mid-1980s Monkees mania was reborn when MTV and other stations began regularly airing old episodes of the TV show. The band (minus Mike Nesmith) reunited for a highly successful reunion tour in 1986. They toured off and on through 2001, when infighting led to another split. Last summer they patched things up for a 45th anniversary tour, though it was called short because of what guitarist Peter Tork called a "glitch."

Nesmith posted a tribute to Jones on his Facebook page. "I will miss him, but I won’t abandon him to mortality," he wrote. "I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane. David’s spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us. I have fond memories. I wish him safe travels."

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

Amazon Music and MP3 Center

Read more »