Davy was my first 'celebrity crush.' It didn't matter that he was 48 years older than me or that The Monkees were a band from before my time. I listened to The Monkees in the car, on the way to school and day camp, and at the swim club in the summertime. Friends in school made fun of me for liking such an "old" band, so I hid my musical taste from people at school. Only my closest friends knew I was a "closeted Monkees fan." When the show started airing on Nick at Nite for Monkee Mondays, I was more than excited. I watched every episode and tapes them on VHS so I could watch them any time. For my birthday, my parents bought me the ever-coveted Monkees VHS box set...every single episode plus the 33 1/3rd Revolutions Per Monkee special! It was the biggest box of VHS tapes I've ever seen. It was a prized item in my collection.
I would listen to Monkees albums constantly, throughout Junior High and the beginning of High School. I pretended to be part of the band, and would sing with them. I knew all the words to Goin' Down and the scripts to every episode. My Monkees obsession culminated in 10th grade when I learned they were playing live in Atlantic City. I bought tickets as soon as possible and went to see my favorite band - my first ever concert. They were incredible to see live, so I bought tickets for one more show a few months later, this time in Holmdel, New Jersey. It was at that show where I met Renee, Davy's soon-to-be-girlfriend. She was sitting next to me at the show and met him that night, beginning their love affair. I kept in touch with Renee for a few years, but I'm sad to say I've lost touch with her now.
The Monkees led me to realize that there actually was music that I could enjoy. Before them, I believed I just wasn't in to music. They made me realize that I may not have liked popular music at the time, but there was such a thing as music that I could enjoy. From The Monkees, I was led to The Beatles...the band that I have identified with the most for the past 10-15 years. The Beatles would be come my new obsession, and lead me in to even more incredible music. But, I'll always have a special place in my heart for The Monkees. I will miss Davy for his wonderful sense of humor....his "I have 4 daughters...all girls" joke, his unique swaying dance (stolen by Alex Rose, as he mentioned often - "Been there, did that, got the tee-shirt" ;) ) and his wonderful songs.
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