Monkee Memories Part 1

Sometime in the early 80's one of the TV stations out of Boston would air reruns of The Monkees in the afternoons just after I got home from school.  I remember many times being over at my best friend Kara's grandmother's house, laying on the floor watching the ending credits for "Banana Splits" (La la la, la la la la, la la la, la la la la.-try to get that out of your head now), anticipating 30 minutes of music and humor.  Never in my 11-12 year old mind did I ever picture I would get the opportunity to see them perform, let alone meet them one day.

Davy was the first Monkee I ever met.  He had written an autobiography and was doing a book signing in Boston.  I asked my parents if we could go and they drove the distance so I could seek out my first Monkee.  I remember the line was long and my parents went off to do their own thing for a good chunk of the afternoon, occasionally checking in on our progress around the levels of Fanuel Hall.  Finally the much anticipated moment arrived, I remember small talk, (very little as I never seem to have a lot to say when I meet famous people..as I would rather feel stupid for not saying much then look stupid for saying something stupid.)  He signed my book, took a picture with me and then gave my brother Dale who had accompanied me on this adventure a thumbs up before meeting the next person.  My mind raced and my heart was all a-flutter trying to ingrain that moment of time forever in my memory banks.

MTV got a hold of the Monkees in 1986, I watched re-runs upon re-runs as they ran their marathons.  Then a 20th anniversary tour was announced with a show in Portland Maine.  Once again, my parents being the cool parents that they were, upon asking the small request of tickets and a drive to and from Portland..my brother Dale and I found ourselves sitting in seats about halfway up on the left hand side of the stage.  Sitting through Gary Puckett, Herman's Hermits and The Grass Roots was ok, but I was really only there for 1 thing... The Monkees.  When they came onto the stage (minus Mike) it was more than I could have imagined.  The night flew by as we sang along with every song and laughed at their onstage antics.  My parents went to dinner and wandered around town for most of the time we were in the concert, but during the last couple of songs managed to sneak in to see part of the show.  They said security was more concerned about the teenagers and 20 somethings so they slipped right into the venue without even a second look. The Monkees were playing the next night in Bangor so my cousins Dana and Matt would soon get to experience their own Monkees memory.

Yes, when the 4 of us got together we would lip-sync to the monkees and put on an occasional show.  Once I remember, we lip-sync'd to she hangs out, but we put balloon boobs on my cousin dana to completely change the meaning of the song.  It was at least funny to our juvenile minds.  At the end of the song 2 of us took a pin to a balloon and popped it so dana would "hang out" no more.