the Monkees and the intoxicating power of nostalgia

Despite this, news that the Monkees — yes, those Monkees — are reuniting for a 45th anniversary tour that touches down next weekend at the Fallsview Casino makes me feel, frankly, like my head might explode.

Forty-five years? Has it really been that long since Davy Jones, 65; Mickey Dolenz, 66; Peter Tork, 69; and Mike Nesmith, 68 (sitting this tour out), cavorted in their wacky, trend-setting sitcom, its theme song boasting the era-defining lyrics, “we’re the young generation, and we’ve got somethin’ to say?”

My issue with the Monkees is different than, say, Bob Dylan or Neil Young, who have maintained viable careers, changed with the times and grown old with some semblance of dignity.

It’s about what they represent — their immutable footprint in time — and the fact their entire image was based on being young, trendy and “of the moment,” part of what Sammy Davis Jr. suavely referred to as “the now generation.”

“Why are you doing this?” I imagine these mod TV archetypes grilling the determined geezers who have now replaced them. “Seriously, have you lost your mind? How is it you’re even still alive?”

But that’s the thing about aging in the public realm: no one ever thinks they’re going to get old, and when they do, the fans from their glory years, who have aged right along with them, refuse to acknowledge it anyway.

How do I know? Because Davy Jones told me so, 19 years ago, in what now seems a remarkably prescient interview before a solo gig at a Kitchener concert club.

“You can’t tell a Fabian fan that Fabian can’t sing,’’ noted the pint-sized philosopher, charmingly uncensored in his insights. “You can’t tell Sinatra to stop singing because he can’t hit the notes anymore. You’ve got to be very diplomatic when it comes to fans. You can’t knock in somebody else’s dream.

“Those people going specifically to see Davy Jones won’t see any faults in Davy Jones. They don’t want to pick holes. They want to listen to the songs they remember he sang.

“And Davy Jones, in the eyes of the people who saw the show 25 year ago, won’t look any different than he did then.’’

It’s an amazing trick, really, and helps explains the reunion of two other past-their-prime icons — the Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block — joining forces for a tour that touches down Wednesday in Toronto and will, I suspect, be repeated at regular intervals until at least 2052.

“You don’t turn your back on success,’’ Jones argued passionately. “That’s a very stupid thing to do. And the Monkees were very, very successful.’’

via TheRecord – Popsmacked! Sinatra, the Monkees and the intoxicating….