Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart

In 1975, five years after the demise of both the Beatles and the Monkees, the world was still hoping that the Beatles would patch up their differences and re-form. But the Monkees? Was the world ready for Monkeemania all over again? Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones had no current commitments, so they decided to give it a shot. Peter Tork had left the music biz and dropped out of sight and Mike Nesmith refused to even TALK about the Monkees, let alone re-form, so Dolenz and Jones turned to Monkees songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and put together a new version of the Monkees. Unable to use the band name due to legal reasons, the four members toured the fair circuit under their own names, performing Monkees songs ("the guys that sang 'em and the guys that wrote 'em" screamed the ads) and various rock & roll oldies. Hoping to capitalize on their popularity, Capitol Records offered the boys a recording contract in 1976 and sent them into the studio to record an album. What they came out with was an updated version of the Monkees sound with a batch of brand new Boyce and Hart tunes, some by Dolenz and Jones, and a few covers. The public was underwhelmed to say the least. Though they continued to tour and appear on all the talk shows (Dinah, Mike Douglas, etc.), the album did not make a dent on the charts. After their touring commitments were finished, the four members went their separate ways. Dolenz and Jones later re-formed the Monkees on and off in the late '80s and early '90s. Tommy Boyce committed suicide in the early '90s. ~ Steve "Spaz" Schnee, All Music Guide