This week is one year since I started Saturday Night Studio, which now has it’s own page. Every studio is listed there with a brief description and a link to the post.

Speaking of firsts and anniversaries, this year is the 50th anniversary of the first band I ever liked – the Monkees. Here’s the very first episode from September 1966 –

The first concert I ever saw was in 1986, and it was, of course, the Monkees on their reunion tour. I later picked up a tape (remember those?) of the tour,-

Apparently their influence reached to areas where one would not expect, judging from the story Davy tells at the start of this video…

“We touched a lot of musicians, you know. I can’t tell you the amount of people that have come up and said, ‘I wouldn’t have been a musician if it hadn’t been for the Monkees.’ It baffles me even now,” Jones says. “I met a guy from Guns N’ Roses, and he was overwhelmed by the meeting, and was just so complimentary.” – Chicago Tribune

So the 80s would have been quite different if not for the Monkees.

Other than influencing metal bands, the 80s also saw the debut of The New Monkees, which I’m sure you all remember fondly. I tried to watch an episode once back around 1988, and didn’t get very far.

I recently discovered that the Monkees released their newest album in 2016. They collaborated with several other songwriters and musicians. I found it on youtube, but sadly I can’t say I was all that impressed with most of it (although “Birth Of An Accidental Hipster” did amuse me a bit). However, one song did stand out, the second version of “Me & Magdalena” –

Really digging that tune.

As a kid, I never, ever, ever expected to be hearing new Monkees music in 20-bloody-16!