RIP Davy Jones

Sadly Davy Jones of The Monkees passed away on Leap Day, February 29th 2012, at the age of 66. He suffered a heart attack.

I first learned about his passing away on Twitter and it made me so sad. I’m not old enough to have been born into Monkees-fandom, but I do remember “I’m A Believer” and “Daydream Believer” from my childhood, songs that featured Davy’s characteristic Manchester voice. Growing up in Denmark I didn’t know about The Monkees being a TV show as in this country it has never been aired and we only knew them as a pop group. When in 1986 we were finally able to receive British TV stations via cable, I caught my first glimpse of The Monkees show and I was hooked. The show lead me to become a die-hard fan, even to the extend, that I wrote a biography about The Monkees based on interviews I conducted with Peter Tork back in 1997. The biography ended up with the title “The Monkees – caught in a false image” and it was published in 2001. At that time I had the pleasure of corresponding with one of Davy’s sisters and she told me that Davy liked it.

Davy himself I only came to meet once and that was in connection with The Monkees reunion concert on March 19th 1997 at Wembley Arena in London. Here Dave came out to talk to his fans in the parking lot before the concert and it struck me how kind he was. And how short! He was only 5 ft 3 and I could see straight over the top of his head!

My biography about the Monkees sold well, but ironically I had just pulled it off the market a few weeks prior to Davy’s death as I am in the middle of switching publishers. A second edition was in the pipeline, due to be published as an e-book on September 6th 2012, in connection with The Monkees 46th anniversary, but now I guess I have to alter my schedule. I have to rewrite parts of the book and if possible get it out sooner in memory of Davy.

Over the past 30 years The Monkees – and thereby Davy Jones – have come to mean a lot to me. They have given me so many hours of quality entertainment, not just from their records and TV-show, but also though their magnificent feature film “HEAD”, the quaint TV-special “33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee” and their amazing live performances. Heck, I wouldn’t even have a proof reader today if it wasn’t for The Monkees, as our friendship and collaboration started out because of a common interest in The Monkees! Today my Australian based proof reader is one of my closest friends and to think that I would never have known her hadn’t it been for them. The mere thought makes me shudder!

So, thank you, Davy. Thanks for the many good things you brought into my life with The Monkees. You’ll always be remembered. Rest in peace.