Issue 81 by The Purple Flower Gang

Monkee Shines

Issue 81 Fall 2012

October 1987 –October 2012 Celebrating 25 years Of Monkee Shines

Micky on tour with The Buckinghams The Grass Roots Gary Puckett & The Turtles

In This Issue: Getting (A) Head Peter News Micky News Mike News David News Happy Together at The Iowa State Fair Happy Together at The Minnesota

State Fair The Rest of the Story The Rest of the Story in Pictures 2013 David T. Jones Memorial Monkees Convention In Memory of the Cute One Greek Theater Concert Review Your thoughts on the 2012 Monkees Concert

Editor: Cindy Bryant With a little help from my friends, The PFG Road Crew, “the crazy lot!” An Official Monkees Fan Club Monkeeing Around Since 1987

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In this issue Letter from the Editor ................. 3 Getting (A) Head........................ 4 Peter News................................. 9 Mike News .............................. 11 David News ............................. 14 Happy Together at The Iowa State Fair .......................................... 15 The Rest of the Story ................ 17 TROTS Part 2 .......................... 21 The David T. Jones Memorial Monkees Convention ....................... 23 Happy Together at The Minnesota State Fair ................................. 26 In Memory of the Cute One ...... 29 Greek Theater Concert review .. 31 Your Thoughts ......................... 34

Membership dues are $15 (Us

and Canada) and $20 (overseas).. Ads are $30 for a full page and $15 for a quarter page. Money orders preferred, cash at own risk. Make all payments payable to Cindy Bryant NOT the PFG. Mail to Cindy Bryant, 903 East 2nd Street 1A, Muscatine, Iowa 52761.

If you find a stamp in this area your membership has expired with this issue. Please renew as soon as possible to assure your next issue. This is the only notice you will get.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who made this newsletter possible: Bonnie Borgh, Colleen Johnson, Dawn Hoffman, Kimberly Wright,, Al Bigley, Becca Nelson, Marie Gibson, Jody Proetta, Jennifer LaMotte, Jeanette Watkins Jergen, Kim Boatman, Heather Seeifert, Jeff Smith, John Worley, Daryl Goldfarb, Janet Litterio, Lisa Graff LaBuda, Erin Jacobs, Caroline Boyce, Noranne Gavin, Hazel and Robert Wilkinson and all of Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing family for their support, and David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith, who remain forever our inspiration.

Visit us at: www.purpleflowergang.com And email us at: pfg@machlink.com & join the Purple Flower Gang Group on Facebook

The Purple Flower Gang 903 E 2nd Street 1A Muscatine, Iowa 52761 Monkee Shines is printed by Mailboxes & Parcel Depot 2

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Dear Gang, I want to thank everyone for being so patient with me as I recuperated from my surgeries this summer. I hope by the next issue of Monkee Shines we will be back on schedule. October marked the 25th Anniversary of the Purple Flower Gang. Hard to believe that 25 years ago 5 crazy teenagers told me, “oh yeah...by the way...we registered the Purple Flower Gang as a fan club and we used your name and address….” I thought well, if we are going to do this we are going to do it right! So I got permission to be a authorized fan club and the rest is history. Had hoped to do something special in this issue to celebrate but there just wasn’t enough room . ( And I always worried we would never find enough to fill the pages of the newsletter. We certainly had some amazing moments and thanks, largely, to David there was always something to write. In future issues we will maybe rerun some of the better stories for those who missed them the first time around. Maybe they will gie you a giggle as they always do us. We want to hear you thoughts on the current tour with Mike. I know there are so many of you who looked forward to seeing Mike

join the others on stage for the first time.. It’s certainly a bittersweet tour. Please let us know what you thought of the shows. Please keep sending us your articles and ideas for the newsletter. To keep costs down I am no longer going to make extra copies of the newsletter so please make sure that you don’t wait until the last minute to renew your membership if you don’t want to miss an issue. Cindy

We will make every effort to publish Monkee Shines on the last week of January, April, July, and October. If for some reason it is going to be delayed I will try to let you know by postcard. As always, if you are unsatisfied with your membership for any reason we will be happy to refund the remainder of your membership dues upon request.

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Getting A Head On Blu-Ray By Al Bigley Just got thru watching the Criterion blu-ray HEAD disk....

Some tidbits: Rafelson: "Maybe it flopped because it was ahead of it's time. Maybe it's just not a very good film..."

All-new commentary with the four Monkees (in separate rooms, but spliced together), and a separate feature with Bob Rafelson discussing the film!

The intense cutting of the video scenes (notably Davy's dancing scene) caused Bob to never want to film like that again, sending him into long takes, and wanting performances over sensation.....Hence, his BBS films in the 70s...

The movie is SO clear, the outdoor scenes look like they're shot on video! And shot this morning! You can see the pores in Peter's hand, in the close-up with the melting ice-cream cone! You can see what LPs are being handed to the guys, as they charge the stage for the CIRCLE SKY sequence!

He and the others were confused as anyone else by the advertising! John Brockman sat him down to shoot HIM as the "head" in the ads, but Bob sat and filmed Brockman to test the idea, and it

All photos in this article were captured off the Bluâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; Ray Head Disc by Al Bigley

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I'D try to kill the beast! 'Get it back in the box before it gets TOO big and kill it!'"

was Brockman who ended up in the ads... Bob and the guys sweated the low interest, even on premiere day! Hence the rabid distributing of stickers, ads, etc..The film opened only a to one obscure theatre, attended only by Bob and some family members...Bob later used the same tactic for his highly-regarded 70s films, but, in those cases, word of mouth got out and the films shot thru the roof!

The war sequences were filmed in Bronson Canyon, where Micky says he did some CIRCU BOY stuff, and many other things, even seeing his dad film there when he was a kid! Davy owns the "Drum" drum head still, and says it will be in his museum....Micky says it was his idea to paint that on the front of the bass drum...

More-

MIke, as usual, swings from praise to impatient confusion about his part in the band, and the band in general. About CIRCLE SKY, he says, "does it belong in the rock and roll pantheon? It's just crash and burn rock and roll..."

Micky still owns his original 1965 MONKEES pilot script! The print is SO clear, you can see stings leading the swimmers during the PORPOISE SONG underwater sequences! New technologies were developed just for the weird color montages...

Wanna really know what the movie is all about? You have to ask, not Burt or Bob, but Jack Nicholson, say all...

MIke describes Burt and Bob's attitude during HEAD: "Hell,

Mike says he was an uned-

Monkee Shines ucated boob then, not even knowing what Bob was trying to get from him as an actor. Bob thought Mike was kidding when he had no idea about his role in the film as a crooked ringside boxing agent..."I'd never heard of Fellini, etc...Why am I telling Davy to 'stay down?'"

best songs, and heaps praise upon him....He also says he desperately wanted to (and still does) be part of the DADDY'S SONG sequence, not Davy! He was willing to train, learn the steps, etc...And had great praise for Nillson... Peer recalls how one of the Spoonful called the actress, "Terri Garr, the Movie Star!"

Mike also says he knew nothing about the "El Zippo" cigarette line, and the guys wanted to call it a "marijuana cigarette" in the film!

MIke said he was so cinematically uneducated, he didn't understand the AS WE GO ALONG interlude, and why the manic film needed a breather like it....

Micky on their guest stars: "Hans Conried hated us, and thought we were such dick-jeads! He was right!"

Inserting to see that Bob pushed for, and got, real acting out of the guys in some scenes..Real drama...

Bob said the casting of such oddballs like Carol Doda and Zappa and such was about "aligning the Monkees with other losers..." He meant in the pop cultural acceptance senseâ&#x20AC;Ś

One of the exteriors, near the set commissary, was where Micky said they all first met in real life, soon after being cast in 1965!

Both Peter and Mike confess to trying to score with the dancers in the CAN YOU DIG IT sequence! Both failed.

Interesting to note the different film stocks used... Davy says Michael Jackson bought his brown velour top

Mike says Peter has the

Monkee Shines seen in the film, at an auction! Mike stumbled in as Burt and Bob were hemming and hawing, too scared to call Victor Mature, so he volunteered to do it on the spot! Mike got thru, Vic knew who he was, but B &B thought Mike was kidding, talking to a dead line..Mike handed the phone over, and, sure enough, it was Vic! Mike was stunned at the re-worked and re-fitted "Monkees pad" for the film... The party scene at the end is about Mike, in real life, hating surprises... The film was made for around $750,000. Mike: "I was familiar with the Dick Lester school of just charging in with a music video, and letting the chips falls where they may at the tend, but he had the Beatles to work with. Bob had us, so his chips fell behind the fridge, under the couch..."

Mike states he was already set to solo by this time. Peter said he had already left the band, actually coming back to see the premier! Davy talks about how Micky could fall asleep anywhere, even at the dinner table! "I was brought up to not put my HANDS on the table, let alone my head!"

Mike gives Nicholson props for doing a great soundtrack LP, and innovations like speeding up DITTY DIEOG and such...

Peter: "Victor Mature was always a pint and a half ahead of the rest of us. Sometimes more.."

The man-on-the-street interviews? Micky says it's Mel Sharpe!

Mike says the film coulda been more biting and savage. "Bob had some sharp knives in his drawer that he shoulda brought out..."

Mike: "I never felt like a victim, as seen in this film. They were victimizing the 'Mike' character, and they owned him, so..."

On the returning VietNam

Monkee Shines scenes at the end...Davy: "Here we go. Let's alienate another thousand fans..."

Mike: "The price I paid is for me acting the fool at the edges of the Monkees project, and it's a price I'm happy to have paid! But I love the Monkees, tho I don't wrap myself in the Monkees flag...There has been no damage to me from this film.."

Mike says he was stunned over the violent war footage, like the execution footage, but Bob saw it like repeating a cuss word endlessly, and the word's edge dulls..

- Al

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By Becca Nelson first people to lay eyes on Peter (except for the doctor, of course). Jack was an economist with the Agricultural Department at the time, and the family lived in a large home on 16th Street N.W. Peter slept in a crib on a glassenclosed, sun-drenched porch.. He slept with his face down, buried into his pillow. The result of that phenomenon was neighbors constantly calling on a house phone or stopping by to tell us that our baby was suffocating. After months of observation, they found him still alive and constantly kicking, and the calls ceased. When Peter was over a year old, the family moved to Detroit. I visited them quite often and have many fond memories of Peter's early childhood, some of which stand out in particular. Even as a baby, Peter was the most friendly of children. Whomever he met, he dragged home (sometimes literally!) He wanted to introduce his friends to the family. Shortly before one Christmas (Peter was about three), we were all in the Post Office, where Ginny was buying stamps. All of a sudden, Peter stood up, pointed at me and shouted at the top of his voice, "There is my 'Grams'! Her name is Cait!" Whereupon a great silence fell over the entire Post Office and all eyes focused on memuch to my embarrassment. Peter took it all in stride- and squealed his delight at the top of his voice. Often, the family would visit me in New York and Peter was

Peter has kept busy doing several shows with his band, Shoe Suede Blues. His shows always get fantastic reviews from fans and while I haven't gotten out to one yet, I certainly wouldn't pass up the chance! If you haven't ever listened to any of his solo material, you should definitely head over to petertork.com and check it out, he's got some great stuff! Here's a fun article I found in an old teen mag written by Peter's Grandmotherâ&#x20AC;Ś Peter Tork- My Grandson- A Monkee by Mrs. Catherine "Grams" McGuire Straus "If Peter Halsten Thorkelson had waited the night he was born- in Doctor's Hospital in Washington, D.C., on February 13, 1942until the witching hour of midnight, he would have been a "Valentine baby." But, alas and alack, an hour too soon (which is about par for Peter, who is the original "go-go boy" of all time), he was born- a wailing, blue-eyed, blue-toed specimen of the human race. That's rightblue-toed. It took two days for his circulation to get going properly. And don't think we all didn't worry a bit about that. But he turned out all pink and lovely- didn't he? My daughter Ginny was an only child. Her father was my late husband, Albert Joseph Straus. So, naturally, she and Peter's dad, Jack, were overjoyed at the birth of their first son. Jack and I were the very

Monkee Shines Peter , at 18 months, with his mother, Ginny, in Washington, DC.

those romps you so often see the boys doing on their television show. Ginny raced off in one direction and I in the other. I had absolutely no luck at all. I searched on the stairs, under the stairs, and in the closetsand finally ended up on the back stoop shouting, "Peter come home! Where are you?" Having no luck, I decided to run around to the front and see what was happening with Ginny. There she stood, hugging a sheepish-looking Peter and looking like she didn't know whether to kiss him or kill him. It seems that young Peter was halfway down the block, standing b y a telephone pole, expectantly waiting for something to happen, as he shivered in the snow which had begun to fall. When we got Peter upstairs and simmered down, Ginny asked him, "Where were you going? What were you doing?" Peter looked her straight in the eye and said, quite simply, "I was going to find Santa Claus. I was waiting for him to come by." Well, we burst out laughing and hugged and kissed our baby. "Don't worry," Ginny said, "I will make sure that Santa Claus doesn't forget you this year- or ever." And you know what? It looks like she has kept that promisedoesn't it?"

completely wild about the doubledecker buses that ran along Fifth Avenue in those days. To Peter, every visit to New York meant a ride in the front seat of the upper deck of the Fifth Avenue bus. He was utterly charming and waved at all the passers-by- most of whom smiled and waved back at him. His favorite people were the policemen who directed traffic. If we slowed down alongside one of these gentlemen, Peter would shout out the window, "My name is Peter! What's yours?" Believe it or not, he usually got a very friendly response. Lost: One Baby Monkee Going back to the aforementioned Christmastime, I will never forget one frightening experience we all had because of Peter. A couple of days before December 25, Peter vanished. The family lived in a three-story apartment house that had front and back entrances. When we realized that Peter was gone, Ginny and I scoured the apartment thoroughly-finding no little Peter Thorkelson. Finally, we turned to each other in panic and Ginny shouted, "You take the back stairs- I'll take the front!" And all of a sudden we looked like a couple of middle-aged females on one of

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By Marie Gibson

beautiful. Took a walk around the University of Glasgow yesterday and saw some of the more outstanding examples of modern architecture I have seen. The countryside is unparalled in its vibrancy due to the frequency of light at this latitude -- and the city is buzzing and busy. Altogether a lovely place. Show should be good --sold out -- Oran Mormore -- in just a few hours. Happy to be out among the crowds. That is all.” As we all also know, Nez will be joining Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork for a 12 date tour starting on November 8 at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido, CA and ending on December 1st at the Paramount in New York.

Hello Papa Nez Fans! As you all might know, our own Papa Nez has just started a small tour in the UK. He started on October 26 in Glasgow, Scotland. His second show was in London, England and will end on October 30 in Manchester. According to reports, his set list for the first show included Papa Gene’s Blues, Joanne, Silver Moon, three songs from “The Prison”, plus a several more. He also reportedly met with fans after the show. He had this to say on his Facebook page afterwards:

Nez recently mused on how he was living alone and so happy to be back on the road, even for a little while. I heard rumors about him doing another small tour on his own after January, but right now, I have nothing to back that up. I will definitely let everyone know in the next issue what I find out. Many blessing to Nez and all of you! Love, Marie

“Glasgow is fantastically

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By Becca Nelson

coming tour, spending lots of time working out the music with Mike who hasn't played with them since 1997. He has stated that the idea for the tour came about at a memorial for David attended by the remaining Monkees and that it is certainly "bittersweet" to be rehearsing again. On October 20, Micky did a show at B.B. King's in New York City. It has received fantastic reviews. The show started out with 'That Was Then, This Is Now' and included 'She', 'Sugar, Sugar', 'Sometime in the Morning', 'Last Train to Clarksville', 'Purple Haze', 'Cryin' In the Rain', 'Oh Darling', and 'Randy Scouse Git'. His sister Coco joined in the show and did 'Different Drum' and 'White Rabbit' and Micky followed with a tribute for David, doing 'Daydream Believer' and 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.' The show was set to be recorded for a new live album to be released later this year so keep your eyes open for that! Micky also took part in a great television special- Eye on LAThe Legends of Laurel Canyon. It was a very interesting program covering the time in the 60's and 70's during which the area of Los Angeles known as Laurel Canyon, was inhabited by some of the greatest musicians of the time including Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, Carole King, and of course Micky Dolenz. He told several stories about his time spent there, Peter's communal

Micky has been very busy this summer, touring and putting out a new album, Remember. He wrapped up the Happy Together Tour with Flo & Eddie, The Grass Roots, Gary Puckett, and The Buckinghams which received great reviews at every stop. He had about a 25-minute set that included 'Steppin' Stone', 'Pleasant Valley Sunday', 'Last Train to Clarksville', 'That Was Then, This Is Now', 'I'm a Believer', and a tribute to Davy with 'Daydream Believer' and 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.' October 2, Micky released his new album titled, Remember. It's a fantastic listen, definitely worth picking up! This album serves as a sort of scrapbook of musical memories for Micky, covering many songs that hold a certain significance in his life, such as 'Good Morning Good Morning' originally sung by The Beatles. Micky was invited to a Beatles recording session back in the 60's where he heard this freshly recorded tune. There is also 'Johnny B. Goode'- Micky's audition song for The Monkees TV show, new covers of 'Sometime in the Morning' and 'Randy Scouse Git', and even 'Sugar, Sugar' which was said to be the next Monkees song before the guys took over musical control. Micky has written out the story behind each of the songs in the album notes which is certainly an interesting read and his voice is as strong as ever. Micky has been rehearsing with Peter and Mike for the up-

Monkee Shines So, all in all, a very busy summer for Mr. Dolenz. Hope some of you were able to make it out to hear him or are looking forward to hearing him soon!

lifestyle, and in a behind the scenes clip even revealed that he has listened to one of The Monkees gold records- and it's not even their record! Apparently records that didn't sell got plated and made into gold records for other groups!

Micky’s CD –REMEMBER– is available on Amazon now!

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The Trees Remember was a rousing success. We had trees planted in California and Florida in David’s name. A certificate was presented to David’ family a long with a list of those who donated. Annabel posted the certificate on David’s facebook page along with a sincere thank you. Thanks to all, especially Anne Pinna! Those in our facebook group are now participating in a great Sentsy project which will run until the end of the month You can purchase your favorite Scentsy products and a portion of your purchase price will go to the Davy Jones Equine Memorial Fund to care for David’s. Jessica has posted this too and has shown her support and thanks already. And we are starting “A Penny For The Guy” fundraiser for David’s MS fund started in honor of his lovely niece Deborah. Anyone who is interested in participating can do so by collecting your pennies every night and putting them in a jar. In May take them to the bank and cash them in and send them to us. We send the collection to the MS fund the first week of June and send David’s family the total and a list of all those who participated.. We hope to continue these little projects for anyone who is interested in helping keep David’s spirit of helping others alive. In the next issue we will have more from Hazel Wilkinson on the Monkees exhibit that honored David at a local museum. 14

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Happy Together Again! Micky Dolenz at the Iowa State Fair By Kimberly Janvrin Wright

August 10th 2012 had FINALLY arrived! I had been patiently waiting for this night for weeks. By patiently of course I mean anxiously and desperately! After 21 years, I would once again see one of my all-time favorite teen idols in his solo show, Micky Dolenz!! Now is a perfect time to point out a very, very important fact within Monkee Trivia. Micky and Davy DO NOT have E’s. The two E’s belong in Monkees. Very easy to remember, Folks. Now, where was I… I had seen him several times over the years with my other two favorite teen idols. I was very excited for this show, yet apprehensive and saddened. Anyone who is reading this does not need an explanation.

We met up at a hunting lodge in Johnston. You know Mumsy and her shotguns and trophies. ;) She’s having her second knee replaced next month and will be much happier once she’s back out there hunting and living off of the land. So we shared our hello’s and hugs and smoochies, got our gift bag for Micky then headed off to Texas Roadhouse for some chow.

So The PFG came in from various areas of our Midwest region. We went hand over hand, foot over foot, to reach the top of the mountain. We walked for ten thousand miles through burning dands and seserts. OK, we didn’t necessarily go hand over hand nor foot over foot. We more like jumped into our vehicles. It wasn’t really a mountain. It was more of a plateau. Davy once said “You could sit on your front porch and watch your dog run away for a week!” It wasn’t quite thousands of miles but I would go The Whole World just to find him! And the dands and seserts were more of an interstate and a midway.

The opening bands were as follows: The Buckinghams, The Grass Roots, Gary Puckett, (Micky) and The Turtles. I think all of the opening acts were great! They were all wonderful performers. I could tell they still enjoy doing it. I almost came full circle. My first Monkees show was in 1986. Herman’s Hermits, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and The Grass Roots opened for them. That night changed my life forever.

We made it to the fairgrounds around 5 or so, I think. On our way to the grandstand we found a mascot for the evening. A precious, purple monkee that I lovingly named D.J. He ended up being my date for the night and I am sorry to say that he was a perfect gentleman. Hmph!

Micky was fantastic! (the stupid spell check on here keeps telling me that Micky is spelled wrong. I told you the E’s belong in MonkEEs!! :P””””) He did the goodies that all of the commercial fans

Monkee Shines love. He did A Little Bit Me and Daydream Believer and dedicated them to Davy. They ran footage of Davy on the big screens and we all sang along. It was a beautiful moment. I waited months for this, then it was over before I knew it!! Zooooom!! Gone. What a great time to be had, tho.

Hugs smoochies to the PFG Road Crew: My Mumsy, Colleen and Bonnie. Thank you sharing another memory. Craig and Hannah for putting up with it. LOL Til Novemberâ&#x20AC;Ś

Micky on stage at the Iowa State Fair

Micky with the Happy Together Tour

Photo by Pam Patrick

Photo by Tammy Lavare

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THE REST OF THE STORY COLUMN By: Jody Proetta With a little help from Bonnie Borgh Here’s a story from a lovely lady whose life was touched (in the nicest possible way) by the INCREDIBLE and so dearly missed David Jones

***** couldn’t help but feel happy and smile as well. He also had a way of making you feel like you were the most important person in his life at that moment. He truly loved people. He was magnetic. I watched the show that evening and was mesmerized by his performance -let’s say everyone was as you could see how impressed the audience was with him. He had a way of anticipating the audience’s needs and could read the audience. At the end of the every show the applause would go on forever and ever. A truly gifted individual at such a young age. I was fortunate to be able to spend some time with him and valued his friendship. We talked a lot about a lot of things -he was a hard worker and started out early in life acting, and I was a pianist since the age of three and worked very hard as well so we had some things in common. My family was in the industry for years. I was shy and serious all the time and he saw that and always tried to make me laugh and lighten up which he accomplished by the end of the summer. I learned how

Here are the things I remember about a very special and talented young man who grew to be a very, very special human being. In everyone’s lifetime there is that special person who comes along and touches your life in a way that you never forget, and can also change it. I met David Jones many, many years ago when he came to America to be in “Oliver!” on Broadway here in NYC. My family worked on Broadway. My aunt and uncle introduced me to him in the Imperial Theatre on 45th (which is still there and a fully functioning theatre to this day but now a historical site as well) which is where “Oliver!” was playing. I never forgot that first meeting because he had his Artful Dodger clothes on, and he was very friendly -stopped what he was doing and came right over -he was so animated and cheery and very friendly and selfassured. His smile lit up his whole face and the whole room. You

Monkee Shines uncle always talked about what a pleasure it was to work with him-and how gifted he was. That was so clear to see. His singing was beautiful, and I had seen the audience on more than one occasion sit there with their mouths open awestruck when he sang one of his songs that’s how talented he was. I believe “Oliver!” was nominated for ten Tony Awards -David was one of the nominees. I don’t remember much as his apartment- he lived with a few families at first, and then was able to live along -we had gone to his place once or twice -it was on 46th Street -I remember a court yard or something because he liked the trees, and he brought me out there to see it. He missed trees. I don’t remember the inside much -I remember tripping on stairs and cutting my knee, and he cleaned the blood off my leg so thoroughly and gently and he borrowed Band-Aids from a neighbor. I remember looking down at his shiny dark brown hair as he was cleaning my knee and putting the Band-Aids on and thinking ’What other young guy would do this for a young girl barely eleven years old?’ I was an old soul for my age -having experienced a lot in my young years -I was aware and I knew that the time I spent with this special person was something I would never forget, and I treasured every minute. I was thrilled when he had nothing to do and would find me and grab my hand and say “Come-on Jode”. (He always left off the ’y’ in my name.) And we had a lot of fun. That was the kind of person he was back then, and the kind of person he grew up to be. A caring, loving, very talented special human being. I wish I had known him as an adult and in his older years. I wish I had the opportunity to tell him in person how he changed my life in the short

to have fun. One of the favorite things we did was at the ivories -I loved the way he sang and he loved the way I played the piano -so he would make up funny songs and sing them. I would play them and we would laugh. We laughed so hard once he fell off the piano bench. I think he did that on purpose because he liked to see his very serious friend laugh. He also loved to tell jokes. I appreciated his British sense of humor because my father is British and I understood it. The more I laughed the more jokes he would tell. Sometimes he was teased about his jokes. When he was free, he would grab me, and we would go out to the streets sometimes for milk shakes or ice cream, and he would always hold my hand because he felt the streets were dangerous for young girls. So chivalrous. I don’t remember what flavor ice cream he would always order -vanilla always comes to mind but I am not sure. He always ended up finishing mine, and I had chocolate. We would talk and he would tell me about his girlfriend or England and his family. He was an interesting person, and I would want to listen to him for hours. He was always very protective -made me wear his sweater when I got cold in the theatre. Something endearing about him was how he always smelled like Ivory soap. I noticed that when he first gave me his sweater. I also remember on occasion wiping a tear or two off his cheek when we would talk because he did miss his family a lot-he always talked about his dad and his sisters and the things they did when he was little. That’s when he would get a little teary. He loved his family a lot and had a lot of respect for his father. His professionalism with his work was impressive -my aunt and

Monkee Shines time I got to spend with him and to thank him -he taught me how to laugh and through our talks he inspired me to always go after my dreams which I did -I always loved medicine and became a nurse and still have my music. I sing and play his songs -he lives in my heart and soul always. When he passed, I was so sad that I did not have a chance to tell him what I had wanted to tell him for many years. So I sent up balloons to the heavens with messages for him on each one -I know he must have received them because I felt his smile.

passed away, and we could not locate anyone connected with this person. He was a director and did not use his real last name so we don’t know his family name. David had some pictures of us that he had wanted when he was going away on tour with “Oliver” when they finished up in NYC. Sitting down and thinking of those days brought a smile to my face. I had been feeling very sad for the last six months and very upset that I did not see him again or tell him how special he was to me all these years. It’s been very painful. A feeling of something not finished. Very hard-and there are lots of us feeling like that.

There were tons of pictures which are sitting around somewhere out in Hollywood, California. My aunt and uncle lived out there, and when they passed away they left all of their professional photographs to a very close friend. Unfortunately, all of their other pictures were with the professional pictures, the “Oliver!” pictures, everything. There were tons of “Oliver!” pictures-almost two years’ worth. I would have cherished them because there were a lot of us together. The friend

Thank you, Girl! You have wonderful memories to cherish forever. We so appreciate you taking the time to share them with us. If anyone else has any Close Encounters of the Jones Kind you wish to share please contact: Bonnie Borgh monkeesfan4ever@gmail.com

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LIFE Page 76 ‘Food, Glorious Food’

“Consider yourself at home. Consider yourself one of the family,” warbles the Artful Dodger (David Jones) as he carries homeless Oliver Twist (Bruce Prochnik) upon his shoulders and welcomes him cordially into the happy student body of Mr. Fagin’s school for rising pickpockets.

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The Rest of the Story Column in Pictures

Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know. Make it part of you to be a part of me. Follow me up and down all the way. Take my hand and say you’ll follow me.

Photos and Memories Courtesy of Jody Proetta Follow Me By: John Denver It’s by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done, To be so in love with you and so alone. Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know. Make it part of you to be a part of me. Follow me up and down all the way and all around, Take my hand and say you’ll follow me. It’s long been on my mind, You know it’s been a long, long time. I’ll try to find the way that I can make you understand. The way I feel about you and just how much I need you to be there where I can talk to you when there’s no else around. Follow me where I go, what I do and who I know. Make it part of you to be a part of me. Follow me up and down all the way and all around. Take my hand and I will follow too. I’d like to share my life with you and show you things I’ve seen. Places that I’m going to, Places where I’ve been. To have you there beside me and never be alone. And all the time that you’re with me, then we will be at home.

The Imperial Theatre where Jody saw David perform in “Oliver!” on Broadway.

Imperial lobby (above) Imperial backstage (below)

Monkee Shines his favorite places to dine at was “Frankie and Johnnie’s” (below).

Jody remembers one of the places David lived in when he was in New York was at the famous Whitby Apartments.

Many of you may recall that David owned a clothing store at 217 Thompson Street in Greenwich Village. The “Z’s” (for Zilch) still remain on the Village Postal Center doors. Jody shopped and purchased items at Zilch a lot! Jody said the current owner of Zilch has lived on Thompson Street all of her life, and she knew David, too.

Whitby lobby (above) Whitby hallway (below)

-----------------------A very special THANK YOU to Jody for taking a trip down Memory Lane and sharing with us all of the great pictures and the Incredible moments she shared with David. As Jody said (at the time), “He had no idea he was destined to make such an impression in the lives of others.”

Jody remembers walking around the streets of New York City with David a lot. Besides eating ice cream frequently, another one of 22

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Happy Together Concert August 27, 2012 Minnesota State Fair-Falcon Heights, MN by Jennifer LaMotte

Photos by Jennifer LaMotte

In 1986 at the height of The Monkees 20th Anniversary reunion tour my neighbor Chris saw Peter, Davy and Micky perform when they came to the Twin Cities. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never forget the day after that concert when Chris stopped by the house sporting her Peter Tork t -shirt and telling us all about the show. I was only 10 years old and in awe of her. Besides the reruns on MTV, Chris had a very important role of sharing her love of The Monkees and it left quite an impression on me. Chris is still quite the concert aficionado and I am still in awe of her to this day, oh the stories she has shared with me about her adventures! Just last fall Chris and her husband George followed heavy metal icons Judas Priest to Illinois and Missouri and they were

able to score front row for both shows! So yes she is very passionate about her favorite music and that is one of the many things I admire about her! Fast forward to March 2012 and having been re-connected on FaceBook, Chris and I decided in March to see the Happy Together Tour together, especially with Micky in the lineup. Although Chris and I ran into each other in 1996 at a Monkees concert and at a Peter Noone show, it really meant a lot that we were actually going to a concert together- the mentor and mentee if you will! According to twincities.com there were 6,604 in attendance for the show and thankfully the weather was gorgeous and not too humid! We were lucky to have 12th row center seats. I was

Monkee Shines surprised though that the crowd was very reserved, not a lot of dancing going on. Chris had turned to the row behind us a few times to encourage people to dance, with such a great line-up how could you not feel compelled to move? The Buckinghamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opened, with a name like that it was assumed back in the day that they were British but they are Chicago Italian guys!

He asked any veteran in the audience to stand up and we all applauded them.

They sang: Don't You Care Hey Baby Mercy, Mercy, Mercy Susan Time Won't Let Me Kind of a Drag Next up was Grass Roots, They sang: Wait a Million Years Sooner or Later Let's Live for Today Temptation Eyes Midnight Confessions

At last Micky! I barely could get a picture of Micky he was moving around so much! He had a ton of energy! His set included:

Gary Puckett was up next.

Gary sang: Lady Willpower Over You Don't Give In to Him This Girl is a Woman Now Woman, Woman Home Young Girl

I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone That Was Then, This Is Now She Last Train to Clarksville Daydream Believer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tribute to Davy with a photo montage playing A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You Pleasant Valley Sunday I'm a Believer

Tribute to Davy Photo by Jennifer LaMotte

Monkee Shines Micky mentioned his new solo album that will drop in late September, no mention of the upcoming tour with Peter or Mike. I did get misty eyed during Daydream Believer but I kept my composure more than I thought I would. And finally, Flo and Eddie from the Turtles! They were hilarious! They came out dressed like Lady Gaga in a meat garb playing one of her songs and then they said “Stop, what happened to our music?” They kept teasing each other about being high in the 60’s and now needing Viagra and Lipitor. They also were randomly pointing to people in the front row saying- “Sorry dude, I still owe you drug money”

Happy Together The Encore was wonderful with all the performers on stage and they all sang a few verses of each song together: Kind of a Drag, Midnight Confessions, Young Girl, Stepping Stone, Happy Together I must say that the backup band was fabulous and it was nice not to have to sit through set changes. I am so grateful that I got to share a wonderful day with someone who was very instrumental in igniting my passion for great music and for showing me the ropes which led to my own concert road adventures- Thanks Chris!

Here is their set: She'd Rather Be with Me You Baby It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob Dylan cover) You Showed Me Elenore

Jennifer and Chris

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In Memory of the Cute One: Davy Jones' Greatest Musical Moments Rob Sheffield / Rolling Stone

Davy Jones was the grooviest of the Monkees, which makes him one of the grooviest pop stars who ever existed. He was the best dancer in the Monkees, the Cute One, the one with the coy English accent, the bowl-cut boy-child who shook those cherry-red maracas and always got the girl. He was also the guy who stole David Bowie's original name. A theater kid from Manchester, England, he was an old-school trouper with the work ethic of the professional hoofer. Just last summer, on the Monkees' great 45th anniversary tour, he busted out his trademark moves with astonishing vigor, doing a world-class boogaloo to "She Hangs Out," despite selfdeprecating banter like, "Hello, I'm Davy's dad." What set Davy apart from the other Monkees was that he loved being a pop singer. He was never squeamish about the heart-throb role, and he didn't pine for hippie credibility the way his dashiki-donning American bandmates did. He was from a different world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; while Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork were lapsed folkies, and Micky Dolenz was a Hollywood kid, Davy was a child of the stage. He was a little out of place in the psychedelic romp Head, later musing that the movie they should have made instead was Ghostbusters. Davy obligingly strapped on an electric guitar for his rock ballad "I Wanna Be Free," but it never really clicked as a Davy Jones song, because he clearly didn't sound comfortable telling some girl to buzz off. He was the Monkee who welcomed

girlie adoration, without rolling his eyes about it like his fellow Monkees. He was the one with stars in his eyes for a different girl every episode, to the point where the show made a running joke out of the other Monkees complaining that all the girls were in love with Davy. There's an episode of The Monkees where the bad guys are spying on the band with a hidden camera. When they watch their footage of Davy Jones, as he's walking down the street, he looks right into their camera and starts doing an impromptu soft-shoe routine to "Way Down Upon The Swanee River." The bad guys ask, "Do you think he knew he was being watched?" For the devoted Monkees fans at home, the joke was that this was Davy exactly how we pictured him: always on, a true showman. In an excellent TV Land documentary from a few years ago, we see Davy at home, semi-retired on his Pennsylvania farm with his prize racehorses. But he sets up a folding chair in the mud by the stables, busts out his acoustic guitar, and sings "Daydream Believer" to one of his horses. Anyone lucky enough to catch the Monkees' 45th Anniversary Tour last summer can tell you: he never lost that spark as a showman, and he never lost a step as a singer, dancer or performer. That's why he'll always be beloved as a great pop star in a great pop band. Jones never became a major part of the Monkees' songwriting, but his boy-

Monkee Shines ish, flirtatious voice was always one of their main attractions. So here's a playlist of Davy's greatest moments.

served to be: Davy and his girl ascend to the heights of endless domestic grooviness, key change after key change. The TV performance, where the other Monkees sing along and look genuinely happy for him, is perhaps the group's sunniest video clip.

"Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (1966). Written by Neil Diamond, this is a typical Davy scenario where he gets torn apart by two different lovesick ladies, as he keeps sighing their names in his heavy breathing style. ("Mary…I love you. Sondra…I love you.")

"Valleri" (1968) Davy's most rocking moment, with some of his fiercest head-bobbing ever, as well as the powder-blue blouse he rocks in the TV version. His "oh yeah – come on" banter is the essence of the Davy Jones worldview.

"Forget That Girl" (1967). An exquisitely mod example of how Davy could sound wistful and moody, without slipping over the line into cloying mush. It should have been a hit, but it was just another great album track on Headquarters, the second-biggest-selling album of 1967. (After Sgt. Pepper.)

"You and I" (1969). From the end of the Monkees, when it was down to a duo of Dolenz and Jones, this was one of their few songs co-written by Jones. It's a surprisingly frank and disenchanted account of the teen-idol grind, with guitar from none other than Neil Young. When Davy sings, "We've got more growing to do / Me and you," it brings his whole Monkees journey full circle.

"She Hangs Out" (1967). Davy crushes out over a sweet young thing who can dance the boogaloo almost as well as he can--he seems to take it as a personal challenge.

Davy Jones performs at Wembley Empire Pool in London, in July, 1967. Michael Putland/Getty Images

"Cuddly Toy" (1967). A retro vaudeville-piano homage written by Harry Nilsson, the perfect vehicle for Davy's voice and sensibility. "Star Collector" (1967). Davy's most psychedelic moment, one of the first pop tunes to feature a Moog synthesizer solo, and a nearperfect groupie-baiting satire from Carole King and Gerry Goffin. This showed off his bitchy side, which he usually kept well hidden – when he sneers, "It's been niiiice knowing youuuuu," it's clear he's been studying his Mick Jagger records "Daydream Believer" (1968). His most famous pop hit, as it de-

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Hollywood Reporter:

The Monkees Remember the Late Davy Jones, Make New Memories at Greek Theatre: Concert Review

out Jones, just as Dolenz, Tork and Jones had staged past tours without Nesmith, including an ill-fated 45th anniversary trek in summer 2011 that was cut short due to "internal group issues and conflicts."

More than 45 years after they formed as a made-for-TV band, The Monkees are still the Rodney Dangerfield of rock -- they get no respect from those who think of them as the Prefab Four, a fake group put together for a sitcom and nothing more. Saturday night at the Greek Theatre, the band continued its long struggle to be taken seriously and had an added challenge this time around: This is the group's first tour since the death of "the cute one," Davy Jones, from a heart attack in February. Should they, could they continue without him?

On the third date of the tour billed as "An Evening With The Monkees," the band offered all the hits you'd expect but also delved into deep album cuts that showed off their trailblazing forays into country rock and psychedelia. The surviving trio - backed by a seven-piece unit that included Dolenz's sister, Coco, on backing vocals and Nesmith's son, Christian, on guitar -- played a nearly two-hour set that pleased the faithful, still mourning the loss of Jones.

The "should" question likely will be debated by Monkee-maniacs for years to come, but Saturday the surviving trio of Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork proved they can get along fine with-

The band wasted little time getting into the hits, opening with their 1966

Monkee Shines chart-topper "Last Train to Clarksville," with Dolenz on lead vocals, backed by Tork and Nesmith on guitars. From there, they seemingly sent a message, playing "Papa Gene's Blues," a track that was also on their multiplatinum selftitled 1966 debut album; but rather than being penned by an outside writer such as Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Gerry Goffin or Carole King, this was a Nesmith composition and the first hint that there was legit musical talent behind the prefab facade.

"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," which Dolenz performed with youthful vigor, was covered by the Sex Pistols in the '70s. In the '80s, hiphop crew Run-DMC reinterpreted "Mary, Mary," a Nesmith-penned tune, sung by Dolenz behind the drum kit. Of course, there was Shrek with "I'm a Believer" in 2001. That same year, "The Porpoise Song" from The Monkees' cult classic film Head, was featured in a key scene in Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky. It received a full psychedelic treatment at the Greek and was one of the night's highlights. And this summer, "Goin' Down," originally the B-side to "Daydream Believer," was controversially featured in a meth-cooking scene on Breaking Bad. In concert, it was delivered with Dolenz scatting vocals, a blazing sax solo and strobe lights.

Throughout the evening, Dolenz, wearing a black fedora and sunglasses, served as the ringmaster, flanked by Nesmith and Tork on either side. But all three took turns singing lead and, at some point, taking a breather backstage. Nesmith, making his first appearance with The Monkees since 1997, barely resembles his younger self. With his trademark green knit hat long gone, he's now gray and balding, and if it weren't for his silver sparkling shoes, he could easily be mistaken for a retired executive. Yet he proved to be still strong in voice and adept on his 12-string Gretsch guitar, the same model he played in the video clip of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" four and a half decades ago.

The missing Jones was honored with a pair of video tributes, including the late singer frolicking on the beach in "I Wanna Be Free." When it came time to play their biggest Jones-sung hit, "Daydream Believer," Dolenz relayed a conversation he and Nesmith had before the start of the tour, where he acknowledged that he or Tork could sing the song, but it now belongs to the audience. So a woman was plucked out of the crowd to sing. It turned out she wasn't much of a singer, but when the crowd joined in, it turned into the night's emotional high point.

Before the band performed another early No. 1 hit, their cover of Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer," Dolenz pointed out to the younger members of the crowd that he had "sung this song long before Shrek." His point was well taken, as the band's impact on pop culture has continued long after they originally disbanded and was evident in their set Saturday night.

The Monkees ended the night with "Pleasant Valley Sunday," an apt choice to cap a pleasant but cool evening outdoors in Griffith Park. Set List: Last Train to Clarksville Papa Gene's Blues

Monkee Shines Your Auntie Grizelda She Sweet Young Thing I'm a Believer (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone I Wanna Be Free (video tribute) You Told Me Sunny Girlfriend You Just May Be the One Mary, Mary The Girl I Knew Somewhere For Pete's Sake Early Morning Blues and Greens Randy Scouse Git Daily Nightly Tapioca Tundra Goin' Down The Porpoise Song As We Go Along Daddy's Song (video tribute)

Can You Dig It? Circle Sky Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again? Daydream Believer What Am I Doing Hangin' Round? Encore: Listen to the Band Pleasant Valley Sunday

Jeanette Watkins Jergens and Rafeef Samo Sing Daydream Believer in tribute to David in Escondito, Ca.

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Your thoughts on the current Monkees tour: John Worley: Minneapolis: After a lifetime of not being able to go, at the age of 49, and the with the tragic loss of Davy, l knew I had to make it to the Monkees concert in Minneapolis, Mn on November 15th...I JUST HAD TO! My wife and I arrived at 4:30 not knowing how long the crowds would be and found we were locked out of the main theatre by just a glass door. All of a sudden I could hear the Monkees warming up AND somebody forgot to close the curtain by 3 feet. We literally had a mini concert of 7 to 9 NESMITH & DOLENZ SONGS. While watching I met a fellow Monkees fan who took me under her wing and helped me have a few special Monkee moments. I said hi to MICKY'S sister and Chistian Nesmith walked right by me. Seeing MICKY speed away in a van was cool too. I will always remember a girl by the name of "Kimi" and her kindness. During the concert I felt like I was 7 again and everthing was soft, warm, and cozy and I felt happy...very blessed to be with my childhood friends. It's true what they say "Love is indeed the ultimate trip!" Wow! What a night! Daryl Gold Farb:: The Greek Theater in LA: The music is so close to my heart, every lyric, beat and nuance, it was initially kinda surreal to see/hear them while also watching the screen....a little bit "out-of-body". Once I settled down and could concentrate, I loved it! Micky's voice never disappoints, Peter and he still had plenty of moves, and Mike was his usual sometimes reserved, sometimes goofy, self. The little impromptu "Zilch" piece was great! Even considering the planning, expense, inconvenience, and lousy seat, the show was so WORTH IT! Laura Deo: Chicago: Last night in Chicago the guys were like it was 1967!!!!! You could never tell they were 67-70yrs old. Mike was the old jokester mike micky dominated the stage peter danced his wiggly butt off. All the smiles between the guys and in response to the love shown by the audience was wonderful to see. Best show ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Janet Litterio: Chicago: The show at the Chicago Theater in Chicago was great. It was nice to hear some of the lesser played songs played that evening live. The audience most certainly enjoyed the show, as we were on our feet nearly the entire time. The tributes to David were quite nice, especially "I Wanna Be Free" and "Daydream Believer." I do wonder however, as did several fans we spoke with after the show, why was David not mentioned at all during the show? A nice time listening to great tunes with even better friends!

Monkee Shines Lisa Graff LaBuda: Chicago: "When Micky, Peter and Mike walked out on stage, it hit me for real that David is really gone. I have come to accept it to a point before, but it got real when I did not see him on that stage. Yet as they performed and David's image was often on the screen behind them, I felt his presence and realized he really was there.Not physically, but his essence is in every song, every joke, every dance ,in the other Monkees hearts and all of us. The 3 tributes they played also made it feel as if he were there . Four Monkees were not physically on that stage, but four Monkees were there in our hearts and souls." Minneapolis Concert Haiku Bittersweet magic Love surrounded the venue Damp tissues as proof Side-notes: Meeting other die-hard fans by the stage door and those seated near us was a blast! Seeing my precious daughter sing along and dance melted my heart Seeing Aviva heading towards the tour bus as we were leaving for our train- I yelled that we love her and she yelled back that she loved us too! Jen LaMotte Hastings, MN Heather Seifert: Chicago : A Evening with The Monkees was just that for me, a evening of memories to last me a lifetime! For me it was special because I never got a chance to see them when Davy was alive! They were just amazing , funny, and full of energy! They did an amazing job with the tribute to Davy Jones , it was definitely a heart filled night and I cried , laughed , cheered them on , sang along (with my daughter ) , and cried again! It was almost as if I was watching them when they were younger! Their magic is still with them:-) I'm just so great full that I could share them with my children, and that they all had a great time! I just didn't want it to end, I wanted to run to them and say hey don't leave please stay and play the rest of the night.. We Love You Micky Dolenz ,Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork.. Thank you for the best night of our lives:-) Love You Always, Heather , Isabella, Gabriel and Joseph Jeff Smith: Chicago: A VERY enjoyable show. Lots of energy from the fellas, especially Micky. Mike seemed to be having fun at times, though he seemed aloof on several tunes. The times he seemed uninterested may have been partly because he didn't really have any guitar parts to play. He also missed a couple of vocal cues on his own songs. However, he smiled and goofed around a

Monkee Shines bit, so he didn't detract from the evening. In fact he got the biggest ovation when the fellas were individually introduced at the beginning of the show. It was fun to hear some Mike tunes from Headquarters. The crowd was the most wildly happy I've ever seen at a Monkees concert, except of course when everyone was watching the video tributes to David. I cried a bit when the crowd sang Daydream Believer. Overall, it was a great experience. I wish I would have had more energy to hang out downtown after the show. There was a lot going on. I was just so tired and stressed after having to travel all day. I DID hang out by the stage door entrance in the alley after the show. The guys came out one by one and went right to the vehicles. A lot of people were out there wanting autographs, but we settled for a brief glimpse of our heroes. By the time the line moved me up to the souvenir stand, they were out of programs and the GOOD t-shirts. I had to settle for a t-shirt that just said Monkees Tour 2012. I wanted one that listed their names and all the cities on the tour. I'm sure if I wanna pay big bucks the program and the good

Kim Boatman: Minneapolis: I was so excited to finally see Mike in concert. However, the show did seem flat without Davys presence. I kept hoping after each song there would be a funny story or joke that only Davy could do. During the concert, the lack of the Moog Synthesizer bit was cute. There were the hit songs, lesser known songs and Nesmith songs. It was also a family affair: Coco Dolenz sang background vocals and Christian Nesmith played background guitar. There was a nice video tribute to Davy. 5 songs from the Head movie soundtrack were played with a long montage from the movie. They had the background images on a screen held over from last years tour. It would show images that were appropriate to the song. Overall, a wonderful night but the absence of Davy was felt. Erin Jacobs : Escondito and the Greek: It feels like second chances do not come often. When a door shuts tightly it means that one cannot go back even halfway to see what may have been missed. Ask any Beatles fan. When John Lennon was killed the Beatles never had a chance to do a live tour to do a final victory lap. Tragedy struck not even two months after I connected on YouTube with an entertainment project that I have almost missed the boat on. So when the Peter, Micky, and Mike decided to go ahead on this tour, it was a bittersweet affair. As a new fan, I saw that there was still some magic in that project. Mike played and offered up his dry sense of humor as if he never had left. Peter continued to show his worth as a versatile and quite exceptionally gifted musician shifting from guitar to bass guitar to keyboards to banjo with seemingly great ease. Micky continually showed his worth as an underrated rock singing virtuoso and comedian. David even was tastefully remembered in bittersweet memories. One of which was at the Greek where the film and his taped track had inexplicably sped up as if David was pranking the crew to say hello. The other was in in the kind spirit of the fans singing his signature song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Daydream Believer.â&#x20AC;? I am profoundly blessed to have had a second chance to see the guys at the California Center of the Arts in Escondido and The Greek in LA. I have a feeling David is smiling down on them all.