Mike, Micky, Peter, and David are four of the most sincere people you’ll ever meet. They can’t believe all the letters you’ve been writing them since our first MONKEES story appeared. They personally want to thank all of you for supporting their records and the NBC-TV show. We agree with the rest of you it’s g-r-r-eat!
This month the boys were busier than ever, but we managed to corner them for a few questions and here are some of their answers:
David Jones Permalink
1. Name three of your fondest wishes.
- To be part of the highest rated show on television… “The Monkees.”
- To be a big record seller.
- To ride a winner at Ascot.
2. What was your greatest thrill?
Opening night in “Oliver” when I played the Artful Dodger.
3. Briefly describe the girl of your dreams.
On [sic], no you don’t. If I do that every girl I haven’t described will start that business about ‘so you like blondes.’ I’ll never tell.
4. Tell us what you think of the other three Monkees.
Mike: He’s really very smart. In fact, he’s almost as smart as he thinks he is. He writes great music and he’s a fine singer.
Mickey [sic]: He sings like he’s got a frog or a screen in his throat and it sounds great.
Peter: He knows a million great songs like those Bessie Smith blues and he’ll sing them for me whenever I ask him to.
5. What bugs you?
People who make ‘short’ jokes who don’t know me well enough to be so funny. Humor depends a lot on whether you like the guy who wises off.
6. What can you do that no one else can do?
I don’t know yet. There are quite a few things I have yet to try… like outer space exploration and a few items like that.
7. What makes you blush?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am blushless.
Peter Tork Permalink
1. Name three of your fondest wishes.
- To see “The Monkees” in the top ten TV shows.
- To have records in the Top ten on the charts.
- To have enough money in the bank that I could do exactly what I want to do, when I want to do it.
2. What was your greatest thrill?
Meeting Pete Seeger.
3. Briefly describe the girl of your dreams.
She’s a cross between Ursula Andress, Joan Baez, and Lucy in the “Peanuts” cartoon strip.
4. Briefly, tell us what you think of the other three Monkees.
Mike: He still remembers the Alamo.
David: He can’t forget Waterloo.
Mickey [sic]: He won’t discuss the Battle of the Big Horn.
5. What bugs you?
Practically everything. Chiefly, man’s inhumanity to man.
6. What can you do that no one else can do?
Convince myself that I’m debonair, witty, urbane, incisive, literate, politically aware, and misunderstood.
7. What makes you blush?
When blood rushes to my face.
Micky Dolenz Permalink
1. Name three of your fondest wishes
- To have “The Monkees” the No. 1 TV show in the country.
- To have “The Monkees” records played on every radio station in the U.S.
- To have a full two-weeks vacation without a work call.
2. What was your greatest thrill?
Seeing the first NBC “promo” telling that “The Monkees” would be on television and seeing myself run across the screen.
3. Name Five Things You Love.
- Tall blonde girls with long eyelashes.
- Tall redheaded girls with long eyelashes.
- Tall brunette girls with long eyelashes.
- Short blonde girls with long eyelashes.
- Bald girls.
4. Describe the girl of your dreams.
She is fantastically wealthy, drives a Mercedes, owns a stable of Derby winners, has permissive parents and loves me to distraction.
5. What do you like about the other three Monkees?
David: He looks like a raccoon and I like raccoons.
Mike: He always knows what’s wrong with the engine in my car.
Peter: He’s always so sure he’s right and he’s impervious to the boos and hisses from the balcony.
6. What bugs you?
Living on as tight a schedule as I’ve been on since last May with sixteen hour days, seven day weeks.
7. What can you do that no one else can do?
I can sleep for sixteen hours at a stretch.
8. What makes you blush?
Watching re-runs of “Circus Boy.” (Micky was a child star on this early series.)
Mike Nesmith Permalink
1. Name three of your fondest wishes.
- To have the “Monkees” well accepted. Having spent this much time working on it, I’d like to see it a good, resounding success.
- To be able to keep my sense of perspective in the midst of a lot of activity I find contrary to my basic philosophy.
- To be ‘my own man’ under all circumstances, not letting money or anything else change me into something other than what I am.
2. What was your greatest thrill?
The day I found out I could play the guitar well enough to please not only myself but other people.
3. Name Five Things You Love.
This comes under the heading of things I’m not about to talk about. It’s much too personal and part of my campaign to keep myself a respectable human being is not to answer questions about my ideal girl or the things I love or a lot of other things. I can play the guitar, I can sing, I’m learning to act and I’m in a show the viewers will like. That’s all I can tell you.
As a group, THE MONKEES are very different from other singing groups of today. They have a new idea about how to sing and how to act and how to live their lives. Mike Nesmith, especially, wants to keep his life private. The other three are more open about themselves and their thoughts. We hope as the months progress and THE MONKEES become more and more popular, they’ll open up more of themselves to all of us who love them.
