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2019 A Day In A Life With The Monkees! IRISH

3rd,
July By Jonathan Bowen EXAMINER
s you will have read in my
| Aof weeks my trip to
columnoverthelastcouple
EXAMINER Christchurch really did become an |

adventure.
Before I tell you the story
July
IRISH about how I came to meet 3rd,
Mike Nesmith on my recent
trip, I’d like to mention that the
2019
Crusaders will be in the Super
Rugby Final this Saturday.
They will play the Jaguars
from Argentina in the final in
Christchurch. A shout out must
go to Ronan O’Gara and the
Crusaders management team.
If the Crusaders win the final
this weekend it will be their
third title in a row and will be a
fitting send off for Ronan
O’Gara before he starts his new
coaching position back in
France as Head Coach of La
Rochelle.
Good Luck to the
Crusaders.
Now how did I come to a couple of rough weeks prior business class. Well I thought, Zealand from Australia is four for one reason or another I did-
meet Mike Nesmith; the story and thought to myself the Hell all my Christmas’s have come hours; we talked and talked and n’t get to catch up with him
starts like this. with it, I will treat myself, so I at once. talked. He told me stories again but true to his word he
My trip began in a fashion made a low-ball offer for the I arrived at the airport and about what it was like to be made sure there were tickets
that can only be described as upgrade and see what comes of checked in, I saw a lot of trol- part of The Monkees, he told left at the box office for me in
life changing. I have never trav- it. leys around the desk with mul- me about the extraordinary Melbourne. I brought Mike and
eled business class in my life The day before my flight tiple guitars and musical instru- invention that his mother creat- his wife Marie to the gig as well.
and as I was traveling Qantas, I was due to leave, I was in the ments on them. I took a photo ed and how it changed their There is always something
received an email from them car with my dad when I got the of it and thought nothing more lives (Tipex, Liquid Paper). He special about going to see a
offering me the chance to bid email from Qantas confirming of it. I then headed straight to told about the time the band band who had their hits during
on a potential upgrade of my my bid was successful and my the business class lounge. I was gave an up and coming musi- the 60s.
economy class ticket. I had had ticket would be upgraded to a due to meet with legendary cian by the name of Jimi Now, don’t get me wrong
Irish Rugby player Ronan Hendrix the opportunity to Micky and Mike were not the
O’Gara a couple of hours after play support to The Monkees act they use to be, but to see
my arrival in Christchurch, so I back in 1967. them one last time belt out
was dead excited. Mike is an amazing gentle- those old classic Monkees tunes
My flight was called, so I left man to talk to. He has lived an was something special.
the lounge and boarded my extraordinary life and the music The great thing about the
flight. I was seated in the front he wrote and made has stood night was they not only played
row of the plane next a very dis- the test of time. I tried my hard- the classic old Monkees tunes
tinguished looking gentleman. I est to articulate just what an but they also played the songs
didn’t recognize him at first and influence he was on my love of that Mike wrote after the
originally paid little attention to music, and how, in a lot of Monkees such as ‘Rio’ and
him as I was busy preparing for ways, he was the reason I ‘Different Drum’. It was a night
the interview I was going to do. picked up a guitar. to reminisce about a time in
At some point and I am not It is a concept he still strug- music that is long gone and
sure what triggered it I thought gles to comprehend, that some- sadly see that age is no friend of
I should talk to this gentleman. one like him was responsible anyone.
He had a very broad American for so many people falling in One thing that still amazes
accent which intrigued me love with pop music. He is a me about going to see bands
given I have so much family very humble man. like The Monkees, The Rolling
that live in America. So, I intro- When we arrived at Stones and The Who is that
duced myself to him and asked Christchurch airport, I met the grandparents are now bring
what was bringing him to New band and the tour manage- their grandchildren to see these
Zealand? He said that he was an ment. Mike wanted to make bands. Even though these
entertainer and he was in a sure I meet with everyone bands are no longer in their
music group called The before I left the airport. He was prime it is great to see that the
Monkees. It was then without very accommodating like that. generation gap is narrowing as
hesitation I said to him, “you He then arranged for tickets to each generation gets to appreci-
are Mike Nesmith.” He could- be made available to see him- ate (even if in a small way) the
n’t believe someone of my age self and Micky Dolenz preform. music that was produced
would know who he was. I then left Mike and his before them.
The flight across to New entourage at the airport. Sadly, Until next time. C