RIP Davy Jones of The Monkees.

I was just seven years old when THE MONKEES debuted on NBC in 1966, but I can remember the impact they had on me and my classmates at Dinsmore Elementary School. For us, they were as big as The Beatles. Though I was not the correct gender or age level, I remember reading about them (plus other idols of the moment like Sajid Khan of the MAYA series) in the magazines 16 and TIGER BEAT. I even had Monkees albums too-- though I lost interest after THR BIRDS, THE BEES AND THE MONKEES and didn't follow their entire original career arc, which ended with a reduced-to-duo status of Davy and Micky. Last May, my wife and I were in London and we didn't take the opportunity to see Davy, Micky and Peter at the Royal Albert Hall (though Micky was on our London to L.A. flight a few days later). Recommending the rental of the recent Criterion DVD of HEAD (also available on the box set THE BBS STORY: AMERICA LOST AND FOUND). Listen to the commentary track with Davy, Micky, Peter and Mike telling stories about HEAD and The Monkees. It's a fitting epitaph.