Hey Hey, my love for the Monkees continues 25 years later

The year was 1986, twenty years after the Monkees debuted on national TV. MTV was running the Monkees weekend and aired every episode. I sat there and watched every single episode and fell in love with what I saw. The music, the humor, everything. The Monkees that same year released a best of compilation "Then And Now...The Best of The Monkees" with the new single "That Was Then, This Is Now". Now of course the new material did not even come close to the classic material and was just a way to cash in. But this was a new opening to me for pop music pre mebeing born. At that point all I heard was Elvis and whatever my mother played. Which at the time was a lot of oldies radio but never heard the Monkees before.
1987 and the Monkees come to the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford, CT. About a half hour from where I grew up in Woodbridge, CT. "Weird" Al Yankovic is the opening act and the concert is a blast.
Fast forward to 2008 (?) and my wife and I go and see Micky Dolenz at Mohegan Sun Casino. I didn't know what to think about this show but when he hit the stage all thoughts and worries were gone. The 65 year old Dolenz came out and put on one hell of a performance. Playing some great Monkees classics and covers from the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and others. Afterword he came out and signed autographs for everyone and he had to be one of the nicest people I have ever met. Very conversational and picture friendly.

I have had the opportunity to meet Peter Tork as well when I saw him and his band Shoe Suede Blues about a year prior.
He played a small club in Milford, CT called Daniel Street. Now he came out and played a bunch of blues standards, Monkees cuts and cover songs. A great performance and he can really put on a show.

After the show he came out to sign stuff and take photos. I have heard this from other people but he wasn't very pleasent. He signed my picture and handed it back and no conversation. It didn't effect much but I was looking forward to meeting him. I still listen to his music and enjoy it.