Let’s take a trip to a teenage girl’s bedroom. There are posters on the wall, music playing loudly, and there sits on the floor 4 girls gushing over who was their favorite Monkee. Mike, Mickey, Peter and Davy. This could have been any typical teenage room in the 1960s, however, in this room the year was 1993.

The Monkees were not new to us but this was the first time that we, a group of best friends, were getting into them. Nick @ Nite and TVLand were playing reruns of the show and we were hooked! We would record the episodes and watch them after school and during sleepovers. We made posters to decorate our bedrooms. We bought vinyl albums and CDs. We watched their movies. We even did the Monkees Walk down my street.

Mike Nesmith was my favorite out of this group of 4 zany guys. I loved his voice and his green wool hat. He was a good combination of sweet and sensitive. I was even a member of his fan club! Our senior year in high school (1998-1999) we had the opportunity to see 3 of the Monkees in concert but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend. I was devastated to say the least.

A few years later I would get my turn to see them perform live after a Buffalo Bisons baseball game. Again, it was only 3 of them (Mickey, Davy, and Peter) but I didn’t care. I sat there in the stands with Michael and bawled my eyes out as I sang along to every song. It was a dream come true for me.

Years went by… I have watched my boxed set of the tv series countless times. (It’s still my favorite thing to watch when I’m not feeling well.) My vinyl collection has grown. I listen to all their classic albums and have the new ones from the last 5 years. If you ask me what my favorite band is, I will proudly say that it’s The Monkees and I don’t care what response I get from anyone.

We sadly lost Davy in 2012 and right after that Mike finally agreed to tour with the band. They were coming to BUFFALO and it was going to be a rather small, intimate show. Without a doubt, I told Michael that we were going and I didn’t care how much it cost. I ended up also going with two of my very best friends!

We were probably the youngest people there and I know we made those around us mad because we sang along to ever single song. (Even the lesser known tracks!) We truly didn’t care and had a blast that night. Michael was a trooper and just enjoyed the show and knowing that his wife was living her best life right then and there.

This concert was everything that I could have hoped for. Sad that it took losing Davy for Mike to rejoin the band but at least I finally got to see him perform.

Now let’s fast forward a few years… or back a few if that makes any sense. See, Shawn was born on (believe it or not) Mike Nesmith’s birthday (it’s also Davy’s but since Mike is my favorite…). How amazing is that. I had always told him that he was destined to be a Monkees fan (he’s not btw).

So in 2016 I got the bright idea to make a Monkees costume for him and he agreed to wear it for me. We were already growing out his hair in preparation for crazy hair day at school. I already had my green wool hat (made years previous by Michael’s Aunt). I just needed to make his shirt. I thought it turned out really well.

I have dressed this kid up in some of the best costumes out there and this is in my top 3. Many years after this, my friend Erica (pictures above with me and our other friend Sarah) had the opportunity to meet Mike. She lives in Boston, so there was no way I would be able to attend. So she got an autograph for me and also showed the real Mike my picture of Shawn. He thought it was just amazing!

I wish I had time this week to pull out more things for this post. I have art projects I did in high school. I have shirts, trading cards, authentic concert posters, and so much more I could show off.

Last summer the 60s on 6 station on SIRIUSXM was doing “feel good requests”. So I wrote in with a story about my best friends and our love of the Monkees. I had requested Daydream Believer (because why not?). I took an extended lunch break and I sat in my car and waited for it to air so I could record the whole thing. I couldn’t have been happier at that exact moment.

Since Peter Tork had passed away in 2019, Mike and Mickey have continued to tour and they just announced their farewell tour. Unfortunately, they are coming nowhere near us and I won’t be attending. However, I will always remember the concerts that I did attend and I will forever enjoy listening to them at home.

XOXO, Jules