The Monkees Live Almanac
  • HOME
  • '60s
    • 1966 PROMOTIONAL TOUR
    • 1966 - 1967 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • 1967 US / BRITISH TOUR
    • "HEAD" (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE) CONCERT
    • AUSTRALIA & JAPAN 1968
    • 1969 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
  • '70s
    • THE MONKEES LIVE IN 1970
    • THE GREAT GOLDEN HITS OF THE MONKEES (Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart)
  • '80s
    • 1986 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1986 '20th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • THE GREEK THEATRE 1986 (all four Monkees reunited)
    • 1987 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1987 NORTH AMERICAN 'HERE WE COME AGAIN' TOUR
    • 1988 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1989 EUROPEAN TOUR
    • 1989 NORTH AMERICAN / JAPANESE TOUR
    • UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATRE 1989 (all four Monkees reunited)
  • '90s
    • 'MICKY AND DAVY: TOGETHER AGAIN'
    • 1996 '30th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • BILLBOARD LIVE 1996
    • 1997 UNITED KINGDOM 'JUSTUS' TOUR
    • 1997 US TOUR
  • '00s
    • 2001 US TOUR
    • 2002 NORTH AMERICAN / UNITED KINGDOM 'MONKEEMANIA' TOUR
  • '10s
    • 2011 '45th ANNIVERSARY' WORLD TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2012 TOUR)
    • A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2013 TOUR)
    • 2014 MONKEES TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (FEATURING MICKY DOLENZ & PETER TORK)
    • GOOD TIMES: THE 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
    • THE PANTAGES THEATRE 2016 (Michael Nesmith's final Monkees concert)
    • THE MONKEES PRESENT: THE MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ SHOW
  • '20s
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES FEATURING MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ
  • GEAR
  • BLOG
  • MISC
    • HEADQUARTERS RADIO PROGRAM
    • PRINT & WEB ARCHIVE
    • LINKS
    • ABOUT

The Monkees unveil 50th Anniversary tour plans and confirm the release of a brand new album, "Good Times!"

2/5/2016

8 Comments

 

34 city tour to begin in May / Good Times! will arrive in June;
​Nesmith not slated to participate in tour
​

Today, Rolling Stone, in an interview with Micky Dolenz, confirmed that The Monkees (without Michael Nesmith) will undertake an extensive tour to celebrate the group's 50th Anniversary, and release a brand new studio album, Good Times!:

This summer marks the 50th anniversary of the Monkees' television series and the release of their debut single "Last Train To Clarksville," and the group will celebrate by releasing their new album Good Times! and embarking on an extensive North American tour. The album is the Monkees' first collection of original material since 1997's JustUs, and it will feature new songs by Noel Gallagher, Rivers Cuomo, Ben Gibbard and many more. Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne serves as producer on the new LP. 

Good Times! also features a handful of songs written for the Monkees back in the 1960s that they never got around to releasing, including Neil Diamond's "Love to Love," Boyce and Hart's "Whatever's Right" and Carole King's "Wasn't Born To Follow." There's also "I Know What I Know," a new song by Mike Nesmith. The title track was written by Harry Nilsson and cut at a 1968 session with Nesmith on guitar, though never finished. The group plans to flesh out the tune, turning it into a virtual duet between Nilsson and Monkees singer Micky Dolenz.

The Monkees returned from a decade-long hiatus in 2011 when the three-man lineup of Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones reunited for a 45th anniversary tour. Jones died of a sudden heart attack early the following year, and months later the group stunned fans by hitting the road with Mike Nesmith, who sat out nearly all Monkees reunion tours since the group split in 1971. The lineup of Nesmith/Tork/Dolenz played a series of American shows through the summer of 2014, though last year Nesmith stepped aside yet again and Dolenz and Tork began gigging without him. "Mike has a lot of other arrows in his quiver," says Dolenz. "For starters, he runs a big business. He's also writing a book, which was the specific reason he gave me for not wanting to leave town again for any particular length of time."

Talk of a 50th anniversary Monkees project began a couple of years ago. The group's trademark is owned by Rhino, and they oversee the release of all Monkees reissues (both the music and TV series) and they license out the name so they can use it on tour. "There have been some recent personnel changes at Rhino and the incoming personnel were very, very pro and positive about the Monkees," says Dolenz."[Rhino executives] John Hughes and Mark Pinkus both said they wanted us to make a new album, and they spelled out the exact kind of album that would go down well with the 50th anniversary and with our fans."

Adam Schlesinger was hired to produce the disc, and songwriters all over the world were approached about submitting tunes for the group to cut. "I'm not a big music listener outside of Frank Sinatra during martini hour," says Dolenz. "But I began doing research and I realized that the whole indie rock scene is all about recapturing that 1960s jangly guitar sound of the Monkees, amongst many other groups, of course. One reason we don't have a final track listing yet is because once we put the word out all these people said they wanted to get involved."

The album has a hard release date of June 10th, though right now Schlesinger is busy creating music for the CW show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and formal recording sessions have yet to begin. "We've been talking a lot back and forth and sharing music via Dropbox," says Dolenz. "It's coming together fast, which isn't a bad thing since it forces you to make decisions. My job is just to come in and sing lead vocals. It's no different than the old days when we had to get everything done in three-hour sessions because that was the limit of the musician's union."

Right now, he's focused on wrapping his head around the new songs. "We all agree that the lyrics in the Rivers Cuomo song needed to be aged up a little but," Dolenz says. "It sounds like it's about a little girl and I'm 70 years old, so Rivers is re-writing the lyrics." Noel Gallagher is still crafting lyrics for his contribution, though Dolenz says that Ben Gibbard's song "Me & Magdalena" and Zach Rogue's tune "Terrifying" are both in and ready to go. "They're all keeping with our sensibility," says Dolenz. "I just keep calling it that jangly guitar pop sound, though I used to call it 'progressive bubblegum.'"

As of now, there's no formal plans for Mike Nesmith to contribute any guitar or vocal parts. "I don't know what's going to happen with that," he says. "Frankly, we don't even have a recording schedule right now!" Peter Tork, however, will definitely be on hand to record vocals and likely play guitar and possibly the banjo on some of the songs. Davy Jones' voice will be heard on Neil Diamond's "Love To Love," which the group cut in the 1960s. "I'm hoping to do harmonies on that," says Dolenz. "But I haven't spoken to Adam about that in any great detail."

The tour kicks off on May 18th in Fort Myers, Florida and runs though October 29th in Shippensburg, PA, though more dates may be added. The group expects to play some new songs, though the show will revolve around their deep catalog of classics. "I've always felt it was important to give the audience what they want," says Dolenz, "which is the hits. Peter and I do a lovely acoustic portion of the show, like we're sitting around a campfire. Our vocal blend has become very, very interesting."

They plan on performing many songs that originally featured Mike Nesmith on lead vocals, though he won't be on the tour. "He's always invited," says Dolenz. "And at times he has blessed us with his presence. I don't see him going on the road, and certainly not for the whole grueling thing. I sure hope he does show up at some point and sing a couple of songs with us."
​
The Monkees' heyday lasted little more than three years, and nobody is more shocked than the members of the band that they're still around for the 50th anniversary. "Here I am, 70 years old," says Dolenz. "How the hell did that happen? But I'm more excited for this album and tour than I've been for anything in a long time."
Rolling Stone: The Monkees Plot 50th Anniversary Tour, New LP 'Good Times!'

Here is the cover art for Good Times!:
Monkees Good Times album cover
8 Comments
JJ Lloyd
2/5/2016 16:20:59

I got an email from Rhino earlier today titled "NEW Monkees Album and 50th Anniversary Tour." The second paragraph reads:

"GOOD TIMES! features all three surviving band members - Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. The unmistakable voice of the late Davy Jones is also included with a vintage vocal featured on one song. To produce the new album, the band found the perfect musical co-conspirator in Grammy and Emmy-winning songwriter Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy). GOOD TIMES! will be available on CD and digitally June 10, with a vinyl version coming out on July 1."

So Rhino is saying that Mike will participate on the album, but I'm also seeing elsewhere that he isn't participating on the album. Anyone know what the real deal is?

Reply
rob
2/5/2016 16:43:44

Hello my friend JJ.. great post I've reread the article in Rolling Stone,.. if I'm not mistaken its the same qoute Micky gave last year re Mike.. The article seems not to delineate 2015 to 2016 tours respectively

Reply
rob
2/5/2016 18:50:23

Well.. Talk about an emotional roller coaster...

Reply
Sunny Nestork
2/6/2016 00:00:15

VERY, VERY SAD...AND HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED that Mike is not participating...in the 50th anniversary tour. Oh well, you cannot make someone do something they don't want to do.

Reply
Sunny Nestork
2/6/2016 12:23:37

Now that I'm over my initial disappointment at Mike's not participating (and really kicking myself for not going when he was with them close to where I live in 2014), THANK YOU, PETER AND MICKY, for carrying on The Monkees' Legacy!

Reply
Frances Cullen
2/14/2016 09:04:07

When are the Monkees coming to Dublin Ireland

Reply
Monkees Live Almanac
2/14/2016 10:07:36

Hi Frances,

The Monkees haven't visited Dublin since Micky and Davy performed there in 2002. Nothing on the current tour schedule for overseas shows, but perhaps a visit to Ireland will come along in the future.

Reply
rob
2/14/2016 11:19:16

Even though it's now just Micky and Peter I would suggest for anyone sitting on the fence as to attending.. Just go!!.. Personally while attending 2011 through 2104 Davy ~ Mike shows and even 2015 tour I met folks who traveled from Canada, England and even Japan and Australia to see the boy's.. you will not be let down

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Postponed

    Picture

    Coming Soon

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Available Now

    Picture
    Picture

    Blog Spotlight

    Picture

    Featured Page

    Picture

    Follow @MonkeesAlmanac
    Tweets by MonkeesAlmanac

    Categories

    All
    16 Magazine
    1966 Promotional Tour
    1967 Monkees Tour
    1967 Wembley
    1968 Australian Tour
    1968 Japanese Tour
    1968 US Concerts
    1969 Monkees Tour
    1970 Monkees Concerts
    1986 Conventions
    1986 Monkees Tour
    1987 Hollywood Convention
    1987 Monkees Tour
    1988 Chicago Convention
    1988 Monkees West Convention
    1989 European Tour
    1989 Us Tour
    1995 Platinum Awards Ceremony
    1996 Monkees Tour
    1997 ABC Special
    1997 United Kingdom Tour
    1997 US Tour
    2001 Monkees Tour
    2011 Monkees Tour
    2012 Monkees Tour
    2013 Monkees Convention
    2013 Monkees Tour
    2014 Monkees Convention
    2014 Monkees Tour
    2015 Concerts
    2016 Pantages Theatre
    2017 Appearances
    2018 Appearances
    2018 Nesmith Dolenz Tour
    2019 Appearances
    2019 Nesmith Dolenz Tour
    2020 Appearances
    2020 Mike & Micky Show
    2021 Appearances
    2021 Mike & Micky Show
    33 13 Revolutions Per Monkee
    50 Summers Of Love
    50th Anniversary
    50th Anniversary Tour
    54 Below
    '67 Concerts Photo Album
    7a Records
    Action Figures
    Adam Schlesinger
    Album Covers
    Andrew Sandoval
    Antenna Tv
    Apps
    Articles Interviews
    Artwork Illustrations
    Backing Band
    Beatle Meets Monkee
    Billboard Live 1996
    Bill Chadwick
    Bill Martin
    Blu Ray
    Bob Rafelson And Bert Schneider
    Books
    Bootlegs
    Boyce Hart
    Cassettes
    CD-ROM
    Cereal Box Singles
    Changes
    Childhood
    Chip Douglas
    Christian Nesmith
    Christmas Party
    Christmas Photos Songs
    Circus Boy
    Coco Dolenz
    Colgems
    Comic Books
    Commercials
    Compact Discs
    Creem Magazine
    Current Tour Dates
    Davy Jones
    Davy Jones Japanese Photo Book
    Davy Jones Memorial
    Davy Jones The Street
    Davy Jones Zilch
    Day By Day Book
    Documentaries
    Dolenz & Daughters Fine Furniture
    Dolenz Jones Boyce Hart
    Dolenz Sings Nesmith
    Don Kirshner
    Donna Quinter Dolenz
    DVD
    Early '80s Japan
    Early Monkees Concerts
    Eddie Hoh
    Elephant Parts
    Emmy Awards
    Fan Club Kit
    Fantasy Alternate Albums
    Film Treatment
    First National Band
    First National Band Redux
    Flip Magazine
    Forum
    Frank Zappa
    Friday Music
    Friends
    Gary Strobl
    Gene Ashman
    Glen Campbell
    Goldmine Magazine
    Good Times!
    Good Times! Artwork
    Good Times! Plus!
    Grammy Awards
    Greatest Hits Collections
    Gretsch
    Guest Authors
    Harold Bronson Book
    Harry Nilsson
    Head
    Head Deluxe Edition
    Headquarters
    Headquarters Radio Program
    Heart And Soul
    Henry Diltz
    Hollywood Squares
    Hollywood Vampires
    Hollywood Walk Of Fame
    Iain Lee
    IFC
    Incredible!
    Infinite Tuesday: An Autobiographical Riff
    Instant Replay Deluxe Edition
    In This Generation Tour
    Jack Nicholson
    James Lee Stanley
    Japanese Photo Books
    Jim Frawley
    Jimi Hendrix
    Joey Bishop Show
    John Brockman
    Johnny Cash
    Justus
    Kelloggs
    Kool Aid
    Lester Sill
    Listen To The Band
    Live Album
    Live Almanac Birthdays
    Live Almanac Youtube Channel
    Lulu
    Lynne Randell
    Me & Magdalena
    Memorabilia
    MeTV
    Michael Nesmith
    Michael Nesmith Solo Albums
    Micky And Davy 1977
    Micky Dolenz
    Micky Dolenz MGM Singles
    Micky Dolenz Remember
    Micky Dolenz Solo
    Mickys Secret Snaps
    Mike & Micky Show Live Album
    Missing Links
    Missteps
    Modern Folk Quartet
    Monkee Business Fanzine
    Monkee Mania Radio
    Monkeemobile
    Monkees In 1970
    Monkees In 1988
    Monkees Live
    Monkees Monthly
    Monkees Pad Podcast
    Monkees Present Deluxe Edition
    Monkees Tv Show
    Monkees West Publication
    Monterey Pop Festival
    More Of The Monkees
    Movies Of The Mind
    Mtv
    Neko Chohlis
    Nesmith Nashville Sessions
    Nesmith Tork Goffin & King Podcast
    New Monkees
    New Monks
    News & Headlines
    Nightclub
    Oliver!
    Pacific Arts
    Peter Tork
    Peter Tork Memorial
    Peter Tork Project
    Photos 1960s
    Photos 1970s
    Photos 1980s
    Photos 1990s
    Photos 2000s
    Photos 2010s
    Photos 2020s
    Photos Instruments
    Phyllis Nesmith
    Pisces Aquarius
    Podcast
    Poll Results
    Pool It
    Posters
    Radio Interview
    Rainbow Room
    Recording Studio
    Record Store Day
    Rhino Records Handmade
    Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
    Rodney Bingenheimer
    Rolling Stone Magazine
    Sam And The Goodtimers
    Samantha Juste
    Saturday Afternoon Repeats
    She Makes Me Laugh
    Shoe Suede Blues
    Singles And Picture Sleeves
    Snuff Garrett
    Social Media
    Song Of The Day
    Stand Ins
    Stephen Stills
    Stranger Things Have Happened
    Stu Phillips
    Submissions
    Tape Vault
    Television Parts
    Texas Prairie Chicken Podcast
    The Birds The Bees The Monkees Deluxe
    The Monkees Super Deluxe Edition
    The Point
    The Tonight Show
    They Made A Monkee Out Of Me
    Tiger Beat Monkee Spectacular
    Toast
    Tour Posters
    Tour Programs
    Trade Ads
    Trading Cards
    Tv Guide
    Updates
    Valerie Kairys
    VHS
    Videoranch
    Ward Sylvester
    Wichita Train Whistle Sings
    Wrecking Crew
    You Bring The Summer
    Youtube
    Zilch Podcast


    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011


    RSS Feed

This website is not affiliated with The Monkees or Rhino Records
  • HOME
  • '60s
    • 1966 PROMOTIONAL TOUR
    • 1966 - 1967 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • 1967 US / BRITISH TOUR
    • "HEAD" (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE) CONCERT
    • AUSTRALIA & JAPAN 1968
    • 1969 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
  • '70s
    • THE MONKEES LIVE IN 1970
    • THE GREAT GOLDEN HITS OF THE MONKEES (Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart)
  • '80s
    • 1986 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1986 '20th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • THE GREEK THEATRE 1986 (all four Monkees reunited)
    • 1987 'SOUND OF THE MONKEES' AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1987 NORTH AMERICAN 'HERE WE COME AGAIN' TOUR
    • 1988 AUSTRALIAN TOUR
    • 1989 EUROPEAN TOUR
    • 1989 NORTH AMERICAN / JAPANESE TOUR
    • UNIVERSAL AMPHITHEATRE 1989 (all four Monkees reunited)
  • '90s
    • 'MICKY AND DAVY: TOGETHER AGAIN'
    • 1996 '30th ANNIVERSARY' NORTH AMERICAN TOUR
    • BILLBOARD LIVE 1996
    • 1997 UNITED KINGDOM 'JUSTUS' TOUR
    • 1997 US TOUR
  • '00s
    • 2001 US TOUR
    • 2002 NORTH AMERICAN / UNITED KINGDOM 'MONKEEMANIA' TOUR
  • '10s
    • 2011 '45th ANNIVERSARY' WORLD TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2012 TOUR)
    • A MIDSUMMER'S NIGHT WITH THE MONKEES (THE 2013 TOUR)
    • 2014 MONKEES TOUR
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES (FEATURING MICKY DOLENZ & PETER TORK)
    • GOOD TIMES: THE 50th ANNIVERSARY TOUR
    • THE PANTAGES THEATRE 2016 (Michael Nesmith's final Monkees concert)
    • THE MONKEES PRESENT: THE MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ SHOW
  • '20s
    • AN EVENING WITH THE MONKEES FEATURING MIKE NESMITH & MICKY DOLENZ
  • GEAR
  • BLOG
  • MISC
    • HEADQUARTERS RADIO PROGRAM
    • PRINT & WEB ARCHIVE
    • LINKS
    • ABOUT