THE MONKEES are opening “Monkee Pads” in big cities (maybe some little teeny ones, too) all across America! A Monkee Pad is a cross between a discotheque and an ice cream parlor. It’s like where you can go to meet your friends, eat all your favorite goodies and listen to your top fave live groups and records. Keep your eyes open cos one may be coming your way soon! . . . The above should not be confused with the “Monkee Corner” that you’re going to find in your local J.C. Penney’s very soon. Like this is where guys and girls can buy the kind of clothes the MONKEES wear and dig. They’ll have peak caps, “wool hats,” double-breasted Monkee shirts, western-type Monkee shirts (MIKE NESMITH features these), Monkee vests, belts, supertight slacks, and epauleted mod pea jackets—just to name a few. Some of you girls will find that you fit in the boys’ clothes, but for those of you who don’t, MARY QUANT is designing a line of Monkee “fave-rave” girls’ clothes. The Monkee–Mary Quant (the famous London designer) line will all be coordinated, so that means you can mix up your slacks, jackets, shirts, sweaters, Bermudas and skirts. Man, they’re even going to have Monkee shoes, notebooks, wallets, record-carrying cases and—you name them, they got ’em . . . The MONKEES will star in their first Columbia movie! They will start shooting in March, and it should be released by the end of July . . . Davy Jones flew to Manchester for his sister Beryl’s wedding!
The “electrical banana” DONOVAN refers to in Mellow Yellow is none other than “THE INCREDIBLE BANANA” who plays organ for the YOUNGBLOODS. I spotted him months ago at the Gaslight in the Village and, let me tell you, he is unforgettable! . . . Hope you didn’t miss the BEATLES’ special on ABC-TV early in January, which was the film of their first show at Shea Stadium in New York. It really was a trip! . . . It is possible that there’s an all-star car-stealing ring somewhere out there? F’r instance, SONNY ordered a $17,000 sports car from Europe for CHER for a Christmas present. He arranged to have it secretly shipped to this country. It got as far as New York and disappeared. Meanwhile, back in the Hollywood Hills, MARK LINDSAY ordered a $12,000 Ferrari, which was to be shipped from San Francisco to his home in L.A. For a while it was rumored to have turned up in various towns like Reno, Chicago, and even in New York City. Let’s hope both CHER and MARK have their little “toys” by the time you read this . . . Speaking of MARK LINDSAY, he and PHIL VOLK planned a surprise trip to London for a week in January. Though the RAIDERS are “top drawer” in America, they’re not so well known in England, so I hope the guys had lots of luck and that the British fans are gettin’ “woke” to what the RAIDERS are all about by now.
On a surprise visit to our ed, GLORIA STAVERS, in her Fifth Avenue office, DAVY JONES decided to do this little RAIDER imitation for you! Well, what do you think? . . . DAVY, who happens to be about one of the sweetest people in the world, met LYNNE RANDELL, Australia’s No. 1 pop girl singer, when she was in New York. (More about her next month.) DAVY and DAVID PEARL took LYNNE along with them to PHIL OCHS’ Carnegie Hall concert party—where they all posed prettily along with BARRY and CYNTHIA MANN for 16’s camera . . . The BEACH BOYS, who were a smash in London, nosed out the BEATLES on NME’s annual music poll . . . My favorite girl singer, ARETHA FRANKLIN, has just signed a recording contract with Atlantic . . . THE YARDBIRDS broke up and KEITH RELF will be recording for Epic on his own GeeGee recommended LPs this month include Johnny Rivers’ Changes on Imperial; Beach Boys’ super, outasite Smile on Capitol; the Association’s Renaissance on Valiant; Stones’ Got Live If You Want It! on London; the fabulous Four Tops’ Live! on Motown; Smokey & the Miracles’ Away We A-Go-Go on Talma; jumpin’ Judy Collins’ In My Life on Elektra (my absolute fave on this is Hard Lovin’ Loser, which should be a No. 1 single); and, of course, the Beatles’ A Collection Of Oldies on Capitol.
Groovy GARY LEWIS left for the army, as you know. Write to him in care of Braverman-Mirisch, 9255 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Calif. We’ll give you his service address next month . . . Watch out for the BLUE MAGOOS. They are really gonna turn your head around when they strike . . . Our all-time favorite sweetheart, PAUL PETERSEN, has been named National Chairman for the March of Dimes’ teenage program this year . . . Our other all-time favorite sweetheart—the best thing Britain ever exported—IAN WHITCOMB was a smash on his recent tour with the RAIDERS . . . SONNY and CHER looked supertriplefab in the look-alike custom-made outfits they wore to the Hollywood opening of Is Paris Burning? . . . The BEAU BRUMMELS busted up because DON IRVING and RON MEAGHER got drafted. Lead singer SAL VALENTINO will go out on his own until the group reunites . . . JOHN DAVIDSON, now working on a night club act, will probably have his own TV show next fall.
PAPA DENNY-DOHERTY bought himself that $15,000 fabulous, specially-designed (by Bill Thomas), burgundy-red “Cheetah” car ELVIS used in Spinout. He also bought his mom and dad a brand-new home in Nova Scotia, Canada. Now, that is making the big time . . . MARIANNE FAITHFULL back on the recording scene and soon will be making movies . . . After seething legal difficulties, DONOVAN’s Sunshine Superman was released in England and went straight to the top. All together now: “We love Donovan!” . . . JOHN LEYTON working on the Dundee And Culhane movie with HAYLEY’s dad, JOHN MILLS . . . A few months ago we sneak-previewed the groovy new comic strip, Alias The Owl, for you. Now here’s the first live look at The Owl in action. Watch for him in your local newspapers . . . Speaking of birds—who dat big bird up dere watching over GeeGee City dis month? He’s a wigged-out, super-cool eagle—first name JOHN, the last name rhymes with law.
