The never-before-told stories about your favorites from the gal who PERSONALLY knows them all—ANN MOSES
MONKEE MADNESS: Touring with those lovable MONKEES is an experience that’s indescribably groovy. I met the boys in Dallas and spent two days there and two in Houston during their fantastic tour.
The first two days in Dallas were off for the boys. When they finally got up around two in the afternoon, they scattered in all directions. Later that day they all congregated at the pool and made human pyramids all afternoon.
My first day there PETER asked me along as he made guest appearances at radio station KVIL and also a local TV show. The disc jockeys were amazed at how well PETER worked all the controls. PETE had met the BEATLES in London and the majority of the music he played were cuts from the “Sgt. Pepper” album.
From the radio station we traveled to the TV station, which was a “first” for me, but not for PETER. As we drove up about 500 MONKEE fans were there to greet PETER and it became a little scary as they climbed on the limousine and pounded on the windows.
Somehow, with great police protection, he made it inside, although I got trapped on the outside. I didn’t mind, though, because it was a gas talking to all the Dallas MONKEE fans. MIKE arrived a bit later and made it inside. Then the problem arose for getting them out!
What finally happened was they climbed out on the roof of the TV station, across a half-block-long roof and climbed down an outside ladder, then ran to the limousine as we raced up.
That same evening was a ball because after dinner at the hotel PETER, KIM and BOBBY of the SUNDOWNERS and several friends of the guys and I went to a Dallas rock club where PETER, BOBBY and KIM jammed until three a.m. Besides some great BEATLE and MONKEE songs, PETER brought his banjo and played a favorite of mine, “I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate,” and a great singalong written by his brother NICK who was PETE’S guest on tour.
The stay in Houston was fairly brief, but our dinner on that night was most memorable! DAVY had heard of a British restaurant one block from the hotel, so he gathered everyone up for an authentic English meal. MIKE was the only MONKEE who didn’t come, because he took a group of his relatives to dinner elsewhere.
At the “Red Lion” DAVY suggested everyone order steak, kidney and mushroom pie with Yorkshire pudding. PETER and DAVY carried on for fifteen minutes acting out the various British accents. It was a great meal to top off a great stay with the MONKEES.
I flew to San Jose to catch the brand new RAIDERS show and found the new group to have many funny bits in their act. FREDDY sings a cute country-western song called “Old Sam” and CHARLIE sings his stand-by “Gimme Some Lovin’” for his solo song. The only part of the act which is out of place and unbelievable is when MARK smashes his guitar. THE WHO have been doing that for years and it was amazing to see the RAIDERS copying anyone!
THE LOVIN’ SPOONFUL SIMON AND GARFUNKEL concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July was a beautiful evening of great sounds. SIMON AND GARFUNKEL got a standing ovation at the end of their show which they well deserved. THE SPOONFUL sounded great with their new member JERRY. A highlight of their set was a solo number by JOHN SEBASTIAN with only an accoustical [sic] guitar for accompaniment.
Lil DON GALLUCI and JEFF HAWKS of DON AND THE GOODTIMES were guests of JOHNNY RIVERS at his “Whiskey-a-go-go” engagement this summer. JOHNNY digs the GOODTIMES and vice versa so he wanted to make sure they saw his show.
After JOHNNY’s show they all went next door to the “Galaxy” club where DON and JEFF put on an impromptu comedy show that tore the house down with laughter.
THE GOODTIMES’ show, itself, is getting more outasite every time I see it. When they were at the “Hullabaloo” Club” the audience couldn’t stop laughing over their ad lib humor. Over half the songs in their stage act were their own material, which makes for a fabulous show always.
DO YOU SHARE A BIRTHDAY WITH A STAR? A year older in November are PETER NOONE, the 5th; P.J. PROBY, the 6th; JOHN MAUS, the 12th; DINO MARTIN and CHARLIE COE, the 17th; and ROBERT VAUGHN, the 22nd.
Do groups really care about their fans? JEFFERSON AIRPLANE does and to prove it they staged a free concert for 40,000 people on the steps of Toronto’s City Hall following a week of performances in that city.
MARTY BALIN, the AIRPLANE’s lead singer, said, “We owe our success to people like those in Toronto who buy our records and pay to see us perform. We’ve found that doing the free concerts from time to time is the sincerest way we have of saying ‘Thank You’!”
During his two-week stay in California, GEORGE HARRISON traveled to San Francisco where he visited the Haight-Asbury district. There the limousine driver dropped GEORGE and PATTI off while they walked along the street just grooving with the hippies. Someone handed GEORGE a guitar and soon it was a pied piper scene with all the folk walking along (not bugging) and singing along with GEORGE. When too big a crowd began to gather they left.
Some disc jockeys are a total gas and one I can think of as an example is LARRY KENT at KTSA in San Antonio, Texas. After reading about how the MONKEES originated “Zilch” in my column, LARRY decided it would be interesting to find the real “Mr. Bob Dovalina” and ask the now-famous person how he feels being noted in a song. I think it’s a great idea and I hope the mystery man can be found.
SHORTIES: PETER lost two pair of beads (gifts from fans) while being mobbed in Dallas.
My Mother helped GENIE THE TAILOR sew up the new RAIDER costumes, which I think are the most beautiful yet.
Peace.
