MICKY DOLENZ 2012 HAPPY TOGETHER TOUR

Micky Dolenz

The other night we were guests at the 2012 HAPPY TOGETHER tour; featuring The Buckinghams; The Grass Roots; Gary Puckett; Micky Dolenz; and, Flo & Eddie akaThe Turtles. 


The Buckinghams (“Kind Of A Drag”)and The Grass Roots didn't disappoint at all as they blazed through their hits, sounding like we just heard them on the radio yesterday. The Roots in particular were spectacular; as their canon of hits “Let’s Live for Today,” “Temptation Eyes” and “I’d Wait A Million years” were huge crowd favorites. Last year, we lost Rob Grill, the main-Root, but you'd never know it listening to them. Gary Puckett, sans his group The Union Gap, looked great and sounded terrific. One of our group said his act these days, owed more to Tom Jones, than anything, but he delighted and the crowd. 


After a short break, where we hung with Dolenz’s pr-man David Salidor and Q104.3’s Jim Kerr trading show biz stories, we were back inside the cavernous Westbury-stage as Dolenz entered the stage and immediately amped up the festivities, as witnessed by the opening lines of their first song “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.” We have seen Micky numerous times, but never felt the energy like it was last night. Dressed in black, topped off with a black trilby, Dolenz put 200% into his performance. His guitarist (and, musical director) Wayne Avers, stood nearby and pumped up the performance remarkably well. The loss a few months back of Dolenz’s Monkee-ally Davy Jones hung heavy in the air and Dolenz addressed it emotionally and terrifically. Saying Jones was the brother he never had, he launched into “Last Train To Clarksville” and “I’m A Believer,” which the sold-out crowd went crazy for.






Throughout the whole show, there were three girls, dressed to the nines, sitting in the first row, and Dolenz addressed them directly, which was a nice touch. (I actually ran into them after the show and although all were in their early-twenties, they said this was the best show they'd ever seen … take that Justin Bieber). 


Dolenz’s forays into the theater-world were evidenced onstage as he was so strong and compelling, you couldn’t take your eyes off him. I know he wants to do more theater and after last night’s stellar performance, I bet he'll have his share of offers come this week. 


Flo & Eddie were just sensational too; performing their array of hits including “Happy Together” and a riveting “Elenore,” and “She’d Rather be With Me.” Though they started off described as a surf band, (Crossfires) Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman have developed into terrific performers. 


With the rendition of “Together,” they were joined by the performers … one by one. A terrific finale for sure. All in all, a most Happy Together evening.
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File Photo By: Walter McBride/Retna

THE TALE OF MICKY DOLENZ & MICKEY MOUSE

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MICKY DOLENZ IN CONCERT

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 Micky Dolenz With Mickey Mouse

MICKY MEETS MICKEY: Micky Dolenz, formerly of The Monkees, poses with Mickey Mouse on Friday at the Epcot in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, before appearing in concert during the final weekend of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

Dolenz and his band will play nine concerts as part of the "Flower Power Concerts Series," today through tomorrow, and pay tribute to his late band mate and good friend, Davy Jones, who had been a long-time "Flower Power Concert Series" fan favorite. Epcot is one of four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort.

According to Dolenz's rep, David Salidor, he is confirmed to play B.B. King's here in NYC, on Friday, October 19.

Photo Courtesy Of: Gene Duncan via David Salidor

MICKY DOLENZ SPEAKS ON DEATH OF A MONKEE

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THE WEB GOSSIP EXTRA!
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Micky Dolenz

DEATH OF A MONKEE - It was quite a week for Monkee-Micky Dolenz as his mate Davy Jones unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday. Per his spokesperson David Salidor, “Micky was in New York to rehearse for a projected new play Garage Band.” Dolenz appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan later that night; and, followed up Thursday morning with Today; Access Hollywood; Good Morning America; and Good Day New York, with Roseanna Scotto and Greg Kelly. Over the weekend he spoke to People; L.A. Times and Gary Graff from The Detroit Free Press. It’s always a delicate maneuver handling the media after such an incident, but from what I witnessed, Dolenz handled it with true class. You want to properly memorialize your friend. I heard him say in one interview that the two had known each other for 47 years. Personally, I liked the interview he did with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos; with his interview being succinct, concise and spot-on perfect. I actually met Jones for the first time last summer when the band performed on The View; during their 45th reunion tour. I found him exceptionally charming and exactly like I had heard he was for years. I tell you one thing; the media coverage was very impressive. No doubt his passing touched the nerves of many. Rest easy Davy.

MICKY DOLENZ SPEAKS ON DAVY JONES DEATH

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MICKY DOLENZ MAKES STATEMENT TO
TIMES SQUARE GOSSIP ON DAVY JONES DEATH
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Micky Dolenz

We reached out to Monkee Micky Dolenz on the death on Davy Jones. Below is what he had to say.


"I am in a state of shock; Davy and I grew up together and shared in the unique success of what became The Monkees phenomena. The time we worked together and had together is something I'll never forget. He was the brother I never had and this leaves a gigantic hole in my heart. The memories have and will last a lifetime. My condolences go out to his family.”

MICKY DOLENZ MADNESS HITS NEW YORK CITY

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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Sarah Gore With Jane Hanson, Micky Dolenz And Jacque Reid

MICKY MADNESS – When Micky Dolenz's able-minded mouthpiece David Salidor (the Pasha)invited us to tag along on several of his press ops this week; little did we realize the imminent whirlwind of non-stop activity that awaited us. We first met up with Dolenz, his wife Donna, radio mega-man Tom Cuddy and his wife Lisa, at the always affable midtown salon Langan's. Now, we well remember this spot as the unofficial hangout of the New York Post back in the paper's legendary hey-days when the likes of Steve Dunleavy and Richard Johnson held court almost daily. Manager Dez O'Brien stills reigns as one of the best ever and was superb ... as always. (Amazingly, the now-retired Dunleavy's photo still adorns all their computers screens!) We had a small bite and then descended down to the street to the Palace Theatre to see Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Ironic too, as that's exactly where Dolenz essayed his terrific role in Aida). Second-row orchestra seats are always a nice touch and we absolutely adored the play. As a tried-and-true fan of the original movie in 1994 (with Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving) I was always surprised and somewhat miffed that several of the team producers had seemed to give the source-movie somewhat short shrift in the many media interviews leading up to the play's opening. Well, I'm happy to report that the play does successfully save the message from the movie about tolerance and how that one thing is always somewhat easier to talk about rather than doing. The cast is just sensational, with Tony Sheldon (as Bernadette) giving one of the best performances I've ever seen on the Great White Way. I'd put it right up there with Frank Langella's performance in Frost/Nixon of several years back. A quick visit backstage with Dolenz and company was also comic gold. Priceless! Tuesday morning began early with an interview with legendary radio-man Jim Kerr at Q104.3 (with Shelli Sonstein and producer Joe Cristiano). I've known Kerr for years and he's the first, or second, most knowledgeable guy for rock 'n roll in the business. Turns out he and Dolenz are old mates and had just a wonderful interview. Kerr was to introduce Dolenz later that day at a memorabilia presentation at Planet Hollywood. Dolenz was donating to the emporium an original Monkees script from 1967 called The Monkees Blow Their Minds; it was originally broadcast on March 11, 1968. For two seasons, The Monkees series appeared on NBC – preceding The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, and Gunsmoke on CBS. The show also featured Frank Zappa and Burgess Meredith in cameos and was directed by David Winters of West Side Story-fame. The show also featured the group's song “Valleri.” From Kerr, we were whisked up to the studios of WPLJ where Scott Shannon did a terrific interview with him as well. Scott also heads up the syndicated True Oldies (http://trueoldieschannel.com/Article.asp?id=1474423) network. Shannon, who has been a force of nature in radio for decades, is just a stone-cold pro and one of the nicest people out there. I've known him for years and he continually delights me with his encyclopedic knowledge of the business and his brilliant observations. If I had to be stranded on a desert island for a week with one other person; he would be my first choice - with Dolenz a close-second. His morning show, with partner Todd Pettengill is priceless; their live in-studio performance by Gavin DeGraw last week ranks among their best. One more radio interview followed (Mike McCann at Premiere Radio), then we found ourselves at Robert Earl's Planet Hollywood, under the watchful direction of the PR-gal Ayana Brown, who was terrifically helpful. Kerr showed up, introduced Dolenz who signed the script on stage. Kerr delivered a spot-on perfect intro and clearly showed his love and respect for the Monkee-man. Three-more print interviews followed with Salidor and aide-Angelina Beilech hovering nearby; every important personality in this business needs capable PR-infrastructure around him; Dolenz has one of the best I've ever seen. Wednesday afternoon found Dolenz up at NBC's NY Live, with the terrific Jane Hanson; Sarah Gore and Jacque Reid, and delivered what may have been the week's best interview. Opening with an amazingly good video-package (thanks to Tara Sherman) he launched into a interview that was so funny and animated, it could have been from one of the original Monkee-shows. We are tremendous fans of Jane Hanson and when she and everyone, broke into "I'm A Believer" ... it was tremendous fun. Jane is, without a doubt, one of the best broadcasters out there. She's been with NBC for 25+ years ... and, they should be glad to have her! Her professionalism and know-how is not to be minimized. Pure-gold. Pop Eater's Rob Shuter, who is so good and so funny, he should be getting his own platform very soon, was also a guest and joined in the fun. From there, we went to Jack Silver, a tuxedo-emporium that can literally fit you for a tux in under 40-minutes. Salidor's used them for years and sure enough, Dolenz exited 40 minutes later with his tux in hand. Their Darrin L. Gordon is amazing! At 7PM, he, Donna and Salidor, showed at Lincoln Center for the world debut of Paul McCartney's new ballet Ocean's Kingdom (in collaboration with Peter Martens). I walked right behind our party as the seas literally parted for the Monkee-man. Inside, we founds ourselves immediately in conversation with Neil Sedaka, Mark Hudson, Chris Meloni, Sarah Jessica Parker; daughter Stella (who did the costumes); Lorne Michaels, Alec Baldwin; Steve Buscemi, Ralph Lauren; Liv Tyler; Abe Laboriel, Jr. (Paul's drummer), and Anjelica Houston. Dolenz was in town not only for the press ops, but for meetings regarding a new Broadway show. It was a view from the inside and loads of fun. Thanks all!


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Jimmy Fallon

EMMY FEVER . OR, NOT? - I watched last week's Emmy presentation that featured Glee's Jane Lynch as host; and, it think she did an OK job. It certainly wasn't a home run out of the park, but, her intelligence showed through over and over. I didn't particularly love the opening number which had her invading the sets of various shows, like Mad Men and The Big Bang Theory. These opening numbers are always dicey as you can't seem to please everyone ... but, for the most part it worked; it certainly wasn't as frenetic as Jimmy Fallon's of last year, but it worked. Oddly enough, her best moments seemed to be when she was making, what appeared to be an off-the-cuff comment about a win or performance. She's a brilliant actress, and as she showed with her work in Best in Show ... intelligent too!


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Ted Danson

NEW BITES -- I've only caught a few on the new shows this season; planning to catch up this weekend as it looks like there just may be a few, good, new nuggets there (although things like Pam Am and The Playboy Club seem a tad silly)I did catch the new re-booted Two And A Half Men ... with Ashton Kutcher in for the departed Charlie Sheen . This has never been what one might call a high brow show, but I think AK nailed it. Everyone said that Sheen is over-and-out, but you know if the rating don't hold ... he'll be back. This opener drew 28 million viewers ... so, a good start indeed. I also caught the re-booted (again!) CSI, now with Ted Danson . I've always liked the actor, thought he was very strong in Saving Private Ryan ... but, I thought his character, DB Russell, was somewhat flat and the interaction, at least for this debut show, didn't fully work with the rest of the cast. It'll get better ... for sure. Interesting how every said Lawrence Fishburne was too dark ... but, this ain't a comedy show ... is it? I kind of missed him. Tonight is my favorite Fringe! Can't wait.


Photos By: RD/Kabik/Kim/Kirkland/Retna

THE FACES OF 9/11 GROUND ZERO EXHIBITION

Danielle

HERE HERE DANIELLE -- Female artists are enjoying a renaissance like never before: Duffy; Adele; Pink; Katy Perry; Rebecca Friday; Pink; Christina Aguilera; Avril Lavigne; Lady Gaga; Amy Macdonald; Nicky Minaj, Beyonce, Natassa Bedingfield, and, of course, the late-Amy Winehouse. Like it or not, it's been a veritable feast of talent. A long time ago (in a place faraway) teen talent - not to mention female talent was in a real decline. In the mid-80's Debbie Gibson and Tiffany more or less re launched the business model of being a teen idol. Tiffany toured malls and really began to break through via that plan;Gibson, on the other hand, wrote her own music which gave her an immediate leg up, but they both scored big worldwide. There's always been one teen idol or another on the scene; The Monkees (all 4 of them!) were certified idols due to their TV show and subsequent albums. It's always amazed me how young the new batch seem to be; or, is it that I'm just getting older? A little bit of both I think. The latest entry on the scene is 14-year old Danielle Dease (Manifest Records), who has just burst onto the music scene with her album entitled Secret Admirer. PR-man David Salidor (who incidentally, was part of Gibson's team back in those hallowed-days) is working with this talented-new 14-year old and says that if the talent is there and real, the sky's the limit these days. “Look at the whole Rebecca Friday-phenomenon. She did the video, it went viral, the song became a hit and she's in the Katy Perry video. True-talent still rises to the top.” Danielle's album evidences a real talent, no question at all. Our favorite track here “Famous” is deliciously good; with exacting lyrics about fame in the fast lane. According to Admirer's producer (and, her manager) John Wynne, “That song was written years ago, but the lyrical content stuck in my head for all this time and when we were selecting songs for Danielle, it just came up as a perfect choice.” We also loved the track “Happily Ever Over You” which bristles at a propulsive pace and shows off her vocal talent. “Get Me To The Weekend” is another favorite. Wynne struck a deal with the national FYE-chain to distribute the album and Danielle is currently on a cross-country, in-store tour to promote it. Amazingly, at such a tender age, she's the real deal. Check her site here....

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FACES OF GROUND ZERO --- As New York gears up for the tenth anniversary of 9/11, I just saw a particularly stunning exhibition called Faces of Ground Zero; a photographic series of persons involved in the events of that day, from photographer Joe McNally ... and, how they look and what they say ten years later. I had mixed feeling of seeing it; would the anguish of that day be immediately brought back, or what? But, I must say I was hooked instantly as what they had to say was terrifically uplifting and positive. It's at the Time Warner Center in NYC and I urge you to take a look. You'll feel spiritually renewed. Check their site right here....





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Micky Dolenz

MICKY DOLENZ AT PLANET HOLLYWOOD -- We've just learned that none other than Monkee-Micky Dolenz will be the subject of a memorabilia presentation at NY's Planet Hollywood on Wednesday, September 21. Over the years, Robert Earl's terrific outpost has hosted everyone from Will Smith to Don Johnson; Bruce Willis and Justin Timberlake, and we know that Dolenz will be a most welcomed addition. Dolenz is continuing his solo tour, in the wake of The Monkees' 45th tour being wrapped up. Plus, we hear he's audition for a big role in one of the Great white Way's biggest hits!





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Julianna Margulies

FALL INFO --- In another two weeks, all the major networks -and, cable nets- will unleash their new fall series. Next week, we'll have in depth look at what could be the next big series. we here are anxiously awaiting the season premieres of CBS' The Good Wife with Julianna Margulies; and FOX's Fringe. The former ended last season with Margulies and Josh Charles alone at last ... and, in a hotel room; while Fringe's season-ender closed with the disappearance (?) of Joshua Jackson's character Peter Bishop ... which could lead to a major game-change in the show. I think his character will return in short-order (I mean, how could he not?) but, with a different agenda. We'll see!





Photos By: RD/Orchon/Derek Storm/Retna

MICKY DOLENZ SPEAKS ON THE MONKEE TOUR

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THE WEB GOSSIP

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Kenny Ortega

WEB GOSSIP --- Random comment: “Approximately one and a half minutes ago people in my office were talking about Footloose and I said, 'Well, at least they'll never be dumb enough to remake Dirty Dancing'.” Director Kenny Ortega has been set to direct Dirty Dancing, a remake of the 1987 Emile Ardolino-helmed film about a pampered young girl who summers with her upscale family at a resort in the Catskills and falls in love with the resident-bad-boy dance instructor. It brings Ortega full circle, since he choreographed and came up with the grinding dirty dancing that made the original sleeper hit one of the most profitable indie films ever. The original, made by Vestron Pictures, cost $6 million, grossed $213.95 million and went on to become a huge video title. Vestron took so long in trying to mount a sequel, that they folded before they could begin the sequel. Lionsgate (who is behind this new project) first got involved when it released Artisan's 2004 sequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, but it didn't feature any of the same cast (or, passion) and it tanked. Ortega, meanwhile went from choreographing to becoming the director of several TV series (he did two episodes of a Dirty Dancing TV series) before helming two hit TV installments of High School Musical, including the third installment, which was done as a feature film. He followed with the hit Michael Jackson tribute documentary This Is It. He was tapped to do the re-boot of Footloose, but dropped out to do a movie-version of the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical In The Heights, only to see that film get shelved. Ortega is something of an irascible personality; sure, he's a pretty good director (Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope, Hull High) but, I've always preferred his creative movie productions more, including Hocus Pocus (1993) and Newsies (1992). His movies are just downright creative; not necessarily box-office gold, but sure worth watching. I defy you to watch Newsies and not get hooked. As the public saw in the Jackson film … he doesn't suffer fools easily, rather, he holds his ground. But, if anyone could mount a DD sequel … he's definitely at the top of the list. Patrick Swayze isn't here any longer, sadly, so Ortega's under the gun to come up with a dynamite replacement; maybe Ryan Gosling (he had Emma Stone do the DD-jump in his wonderful Crazy, Stupid, Love … so, he's about there already!) And, the terrific soundtrack (which sold 42 million copies) to the first film, to my mind, can't be duplicated. Heck, Swayze's own song, She's Like The Wind, was a highlight. The music supervisor on that album was Michael Lloyd ...maybe he should be brought back for this one? The movie was just stunningly excellent, with terrific performances by Jerry Orbach; Jack Weston; Kelly Bishop; 'Cousin Brucie' aka Bruce Morrow; and, Wayne Knight (before Seinfeld), and if you grew up in that summer of 1963, this film hit you hard. The terrific screenplay by Eleanor Bergstein is based on her own growing up; she is the younger daughter of a Jewish-doctor from New York; spent summers with her family in the Catskills; participated in DD-like competitions; and, was herself called 'Baby.' Also, the line uttered by Swayze near the end of the film, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner” resonated far and wide. Face it: the original is a stone cold classic … Ortega's got his work cut out for him!





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Micky Dolenz

MONKEE TOUR HALTED --- This past Monday night wire reports went out that the current 45th Anniversary Tour of The Monkees had come to a sudden and unexpected halt. What the heck had happened? We called the Irving Azoff/Frontline office in L.A. And were abruptly informed that the person handling the tour is no longer employed here. What? We had seen their show here in NYC at the Beacon Theatre and just loved it; a 2 ½ hour-plus show that kept getting better and better. We also caught their free-Coney Island show; which followed an appearance on ABC's The View earlier in the day; again, the show was superb. The three of them seemed fine (particularly Dolenz) .. so, what happened? Here's the response from Dolenz: 'The Monkee Tour has, indeed, been canceled, but for reasons that I cannot discuss at this time. I can say the reasons pertain to business and are internal matters only. Needless to say, I am disappointed but the situation was unavoidable and I want to apologize to all the fans out there who will not be able to experience what was a wonderful show. I also want to add that my solo tour, which started in Long Island on 7/22, continues through the end of the year.' There have been some unfortunate rumors already appearing in one less-than-professional blog ( a very, strange one indeed!), and all I can say is shame on them! Shame on those naysayers! We touched base with Dolenz's pr-man here in NYC David Salidor, and he had this to offer: "It's unfortunate that the tour has ended in this fashion, but to float unsubstantiated rumors and innuendo, that's not really fair. They toured the world for almost three-months and the reviews were exceptional; I think we should collectively all hope that the tour can be resurrected in some fashion." Dolenz appeared last week in Wisconsin (of all places!) and the show was terrifically reviewed. I'd urge all the venues and promoters that have lost out on a Monkees show to book Micky immediately. He's at the top of his game.





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Mick Jagger

JAGGER INDEED --- There's certainly been no more charismatic figure in rock 'n roll than Mick Jagger. Following his exploits for the last 40 or so odd years, you've got to admit: he's been good copy … and, put out some terrific music too. This new group, Super Heavy, that's he's fronting alongside Dave Stewart, Damian Marley, Joss Stone and Slumdog Millionaire-composer A.R. Rahman. is simply terrific. The first track “Miracle Worker” sounds stone-cold great; yes, a bit of the lads for sure, but just great to hear Mick's voice jell with Stone's. She's actually quite stunning. And, there's Maroon 5's Jagger-homage “Moves Like Jagger.” When I first heard this, I just had to laugh … but, the song is terrifically memorable with a whistle (of all things!!!) that's positively electric. Adam Levine is simply sensational; marvelously compelling! I haven't been able to watch NBC's The Voice all the way through … but, his selected contestant to mentor, won. The guy is smart and now, watching the just released video of the song … it solidly completes his hat-trick. The video, directed by Jonas Ackerman (who seems to be the new go-to guy in video) is simply sensational; with clips of the man-himself and a bevy of impersonators … who are all spot-on perfect. This and the recent Katy Perry video (“Last Friday Night”) may well be the start of a return to interesting videos. Face it, they've been kind of sloppy of late ... maybe with MTV's 30th Birthday last week ... we can get the quality back ... maybe ... please!





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SAVAGE BEAUTY SCORES --- The Metropolitan Museum of Art says its recent exhibition of costumes by the late designer Alexander McQueen was among its top 10 most-visited shows. It attracted 661,509 visitors to the museum’s Costume Institute, making it the Met's eighth most popular exhibition in 141 years. It closed this past Sunday after the museum extended the exhibition by one-week. It was positively breathtaking and if you missed it, you missed one must-see presentation. It made all the more sad the passing of one of the most influential designers ever. An amazing show!





Photos By: RD/Orchon/Leon/Kabik/Dziekan/Retna

HEY HEY FOR BROOKLYN AND THE MONKEES

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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James Franco


SUMMER '11 GOES ON -- I should have known when last our last column was headlined Summer's Over, more than a few heated replies would come out way. None more so than from our good friend Anthony Pomes (and, Monkee-source) at Square One publishers in Long Island. He immediately took issue with the fact that we didn't even mention Rise Of The Planet of the Apes; which stands as the second-imagining of the classic Planet of the Apes movie (with Charlton Heston). Director Tim Burton (always a stellar director in my book) took a stab in 2001 with his version with Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Roth. This newest installment look positively chilling; even if James Franco's presence looks a tad unnerving and Andy Serkis , as Caesar, the chosen ape, equally disturbing. Directed by Rupert Wyatt, it looks exactingly engaging. I really enjoyed Burton's take and on the first few viewing's of the trailer, this newest one looks somewhat similar to Burton's tone. Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle, the first movie debuted in 1968 and immediately riveted the public with it's ominous themes of the apes taking the planet. In retrospect, it had a little bit of everything: sci-fi; an against the grain lead character (Franklin) in Heston; and, enough character-actors (Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, and James Whitmore) to keep the tone consistently interesting and the plot moving forward. Face it, with Maurice Evans as the voice-of-reason, ape-wise, (Dr. Zaius) how could it go wrong? For those not-in-the-know, Evans, might best be described as an early-version of Everyman Morgan Freeman. The climatic ending: when Heston's character is finally surrounded and about-to-be-captured, Dr. Zaius relents and lets him go, with the ominous warning of "you might not like what you find" - whichwas positively-jaw dropping. Heston's travels bring him to a beachhead where the head of the Statue of Liberty rests. Heston posits what happened and curses the political and government prowess out loud. An amazing ending if there ever was one ... and, don't forget this was 1968. I remember seeing it at a theater in Baldwin, Long Island, and it left me poaitively stone-cold sober. Chilling! Believe it or not, eight sequels followed; each one a bit sillier than the last, with less and less of the original cast present, but it was one of the biggest series ever and it showed Hollywood doing what they do best. So, to re-capture that lightning in a bottle, has been an ongoing task in Hollywood for quite some time. Anthony Pomes points out a fact that I was not even aware of: This newest film is a prequel to the 1968 original ...which, the more I consider it, is a brilliant move; to show the events leading up to the so-called original. An interesting take for sure. A quick glance at IMDB reveals that actor Tyler Labine plays a character named Franklin; the name of Heston's character. I am even more excited to see it now, as the bravura performance by Heston in that first film made it what it was. I don't know if a less convincing actor would have made the film work; you hate him at times for the decisions he had to make, but feel pity and sorrow too. Genetic testing ... never a good idea! We did manage to reference the second-part of the final Harry Potter movie coming on 7/15; but, we also left out, sadly, the re-booted Captain America: First Avenger movie literally coming in days. Featuring Chris Evans in the titular role (not to mention the outstanding Hugo Weaving as Cap's nemesis The Red Skull) it looks very, very strong. Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell, and the always dependable StanleyTucci, round out the stronger-than-usual cast. As a Marvel-comic book reader growing up, all these comic-con movies have intrigued me to no end, as the public's thirst seems to be stronger than ever. The three Spider Man movies with Toby Maguire literally made billions, and, the current-in-the-works re-boot seem destined for the same financial success. This Captain America movie is interesting already as Evans has already starred in two movies about another Marvel-franchise The Fantastic Four as Johnny Storm, The Human Torch. He rather successfully essayed the character, but when he was chosen to play Cap, there was some question as to whether the comic-book-cognoscenti would already view him as The Torch. Interesting question. I really don't have an answer although every time I've seen the trailer or poster, I have immediately thought of the FF-movies. One other comic thought: The question of just who is the biggest character in the Marvel-Universe has always resonated with me ... and, others. Personally, I've always liked The Avengers (and, their own movie with Cap, Thor, Iron Man, The Black Widow, Hawkeye, and The Hulk will be out next year); Spider Man was pretty revolutionary too ... but, I think in the long run, it's been Captain America. And, I don't think I'm along. That said, there's a lot riding on this one ... and, I think it's going to be good.

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Micky Dolenz

HEY HEY MARTY --- The self-proclaimed Mayor of Brooklyn Marty Markowitz (relax, he's only really the Borough President) rolls out his concert-series next week at Coney Island, starting with Joan Jett on the 14th; the Monkees on 7/21, Mary Wilson on 7/28; Cheap Trick on 8-18. We went out last year to see the Happy Together tour and had a ball; a bit of a lengthy subway ride from NYC, but definitely worth it. Check the site out.


ALSO: While we're in a music-mood: Micky Dolenz starts his solo-concert tour the very next night after Coney Island, 7/22 at Tanner Park in Copiague, Long Island ; and Dayme at Spike Hill in Williamsburg on 7/13.


Photos By: RD/Kirkland/Sharma/Retna

VINCENT D'ONOFRIO'S LAW & ORDER RETURN

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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Vincent D'Onofrio

D'ONOFRIO SCORES --- Credit actor Vincent D'Onofrio for hitting it our of the ballpark again with his return to the rather irascible Detective Robert Goren on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Last week's episode, his first back after skipping a season, produced a 48% increase from the last time the show ran with Jeff Goldblum. If you recall, D'Onofrio along with onscreen partner Kathryn Erbe were unceremoniously dropped, replaced with Goldblum and there became a rather fervent backlash from the viewers; not too mention many media persons who predicted they be back ... very soon. The shows with Goldblum were all pretty good, but what D'Onofrio created was pretty hard to follow. So, they returned last week, with nary a mention of the absence, and together they were as striking as ever. Last night's show, The Consoler, with guest-star Neil McDonough was a great script, great acting and very enjoyable. This season was billed as the last one with a nail-biting 9 episodes promised; however, I wouldn't be surprised if it came back for one more season. Just stellar acting from the two.


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JJ Abrams

FRINGED AGAIN --- Fringe wrapped up a somewhat chaotic and challenging season three last Friday, with a terrific episode called The Day We Died. The show, co-written by the wonderful Akiva Goldsman was sensational; successfully wrapping up all the season's red herrings and unloading even more for their next season. I love the fact that this show does make you consider what if. It's from the terrifically talented JJ Abrams, who we will always love for Alias and Lost. The show's is drenched in mythic sci-fy which already slices off some viewers, but if you want to believe … this show is tailor-made for you Its The X Files and Millennium all rolled into one. This episode even wove in time-travel and the very real possibility that what seems to be … may not be. Terrifically enjoyable. Well done all.


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Micky Dolenz

HEY HEY HEY --- The Monkees 45th anniversary tour starts this Thursday in London; at the Liverpool Echo Arena. After some initial reports, later debunked, that the three members were not getting along and going through a third-party, our source reports that is a go. However, we are getting mixed messages regarding ticket sales. In fact, no one wants to go on the record as to how they're moving … which is never a good sign. As of Friday, their two shows here, at The Beacon and the NYCB Theatre in Westbury, tickets were readily available … and, a wide range of seats as well. Music's legendary mogul Irving Azoff (The Eagles) who is the mastermind behind the tour (along with his aide Andy Gould), was said to have called certain promoters saying that if they ever wanted The Eagles again; they'd better get on the gun with The Monkees. What with the way tours are put together today, the three certainly will have a lucrative payday to look forward to; but, it's ironic that after all these years, maybe their fan base is not what it once was; when you think about it, how could it really be? Interestingly enough, many of the venues that have booked shows are venues the three of them have performed at with their own bands. Not the huge venues the band could have commanded even 5 years ago; and, with many bands re-grouping like never before (Buffalo Springfield; Yes; Styx) I guess you can't go home again! I know for a fact that in January of this year, there were 3 updated books (biographies) on the band ready to go … and, now, not one has made it to print. To tell you the truth, this writer would have thought there would have more of an emphasis on the tour; I hear they've already taped an interview for The Today Show … but, I think it's going to take a lot more.


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Billy Joel

CAN YOU GO HOME AGAIN --- We found ourselves this past weekend in Roslyn, Long Island (26 miles from NYC) and drove by the legendary Bryant Avenue where back in the 70's the legendary My Father's Place venue was located and operated; presided over by one Michael 'Eppy' Epstein. In those days, as the music business was gearing up for untold riches and untold successes, this was the club to play; Aerosmith; Billy Joel; Dave Mason; Hall & Oates; Toots & The Maytals; John MacLaughlin; The Brecker Brothers; Chick Corea; Cindy Lauper; and, even Madonna,on her rise to super stardom, performed there. WLIR radio was the progressive radio station out there and this writer was attending college out there too. In retrospect, I don't think a young man could be in a better spot during those halcyon times. Of course, all that was soon to change, but driving by all these years later was certainly a revelation. 19 Bryant Avenue is now two re-built modern buildings housing a bakery (!) and there seemed to be more restaurants than ever and many new apartment complexes. We also drove down to Summit Avenue where Epstein lived and was the scene of many a raucous night back then … again, all quiet. I remember more than once all those years back of driving around and wondering if the general populace … let alone the world, knew, of the amazing changes that were taking place right there in their own backyard. Epstein released a photo book (last October) detailing some of the events at the much-missed club. I haven't seen it, but would love to. It was a magical emporium of dreams. When you played at My Father's Place; that was a sign you were on your way.


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Prince

WELCOME BACK MR. MUNDI --- When we saw Prince at Madison Square Garden in January, there was no question that we were seeing one of the best shows ever … but, we couldn't help but think of the best moments from the band Kid Creole & The Coconuts; this was the band that was birthed from the ashes of the legendary Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, whose song “Chercehez la femme/C'est si bon" (1976) was a monster international disco hit. The song is a still played today and I challenge you not to stop and tap your foot when you hear it. The band was formed in the Bronx, by August Darnell, Stoney Browder and Coati Mundi and just put out some of the best music ... ever! August and Coati went on to form Kid Creole and enjoyed critical, though middling commercial success. They had a fairly big commercial hit with "Annie (I'm Not Your Daddy"), though never the slam-dunk commercial success they truly deserved. I well recall being on their first major tour, opening for The B-52's, which was just tremendous. A truly great band if there ever was one. In Europe, the group went on to more success and headlined several huge tours. The band was then signed to the fledgling indie-label Z and it was not really until the forged a pact with Seymour Stein's Sire Records, that things began to click. He also worked on many of the Kid Creole offshoot projects, including Gichy Dan & Beachwood #9; Cristina; and, Don Armando's 2nd Avenue Rhumba Band which produced the #1 dance hit "Deputy Of Love." Coati transitioned from the band several years later and has released a number of significant albums and singles, including the terrific "Me No Pop I." Now, he's back on the music scene with his first solo release in over a decade called Dancing for the Cabana Code in the Land of Boo-Hoo (Rong). With a terrific album graphic (by Douglass Lee) that immediately recalls the cover of the long-ago-released Savannah Band album, it's a terrifically inspiring set. We loved "I Love My Dog (Do Do Do)" and "No More Blues." It's terrific to have Coati back on the music scene and I hope his new partnership with Rong will do him well. The album is a collaboration with the British-artist/producer E-Love and it's crystal clear it's a perfect fit. Welcome back Mr. Mundi!

Photos By: RD/Leon/Kim/Orchon/Walter McBride/Retna

MONKEE MICKY DOLENZ SETS RECORD RIGHT

Amy And Micky Dolenz

Micky Dolenz called Times Square Gossip this morning to set the record straight; apparently, with the burst of press this past Tuesday on their U.K. re-union (starting on May 14 in Manchester), one of the articles incorrectly stated that Dolenz didn’t like working with songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.’ The pair wrote “Last Train to Clarksville” and the theme for their TV show.

Here’s the clarification: “I want to make it clear that I DID NOT make the comment that has been reported in some press that I did not like working with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. That comment was made by my friend, Peter Tork, and wrongly attributed to me. Peter is, of course welcome to his opinion but, any of you who know me and my career knows that Tommy and Bobby were two of my best friends and I always enjoyed working and playing with them.”


Rumors abound that the group will soon announce dates for the U.S.

Photo By: RD/Parks/Retna

NO PUBLICITY ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

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THE WEB GOSSIP
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Micky Dolenz

MONKEE MATTERS: After releasing one of the best albums of the year from K-Tel-wannabees Gigatone Records, our fave-Monkee Micky Dolenz has jumped back into another multi-month-run in the U.K. production of Hairspray; now touring Europe (this week in Dublin), where he plays Wilbur Turnblad - famously essayed by the wonderful Christopher Walken in the 2007 Adam Shankman movie; and, in the original 1988-vehicle from John Waters; where none other than Jerry Stiller essayed the role. Dolenz’s album KING FOR A DAY, a tribute to the songs of Carole King (who wrote several hits for The Monkees, including everyone’s favorite “Pleasant Valley Sunday”) was a fantastically conceived album (featuring the likes of Bill Medley; Emily Osment, and Micky’s sister Coco), along with the talents of producer Jeffrey Foskett, but, the day it was released, all the promotional efforts were inexplicably stopped; save for a mini-advert in USA Today. Dolenz’s selection of the literally hundreds of songs to choose from, were truly inspired: From “Crying In The Rain” to “Just Once In My Life” and “Sweet Seasons” are arranged and produced to perfection. In this writer’s opinion … this could have been a huge-multi-format success! The next thing you notice after the perfect song selection is just how Dolenz’s voice has matured, yet still fits just so perfectly in each and every song. It’s been said that Dolenz possesses one of the best voices in rock and roll … so true. If you’re a fan … of King or Dolenz, consider this a must have album.

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Bruce Springsteen

LOST IN THE PAGES: Did you know that last week the Long Island Rock And Roll Hall of Fame held their induction ceremony at Oheka Castle in Long Island? Apparently no one else did either. How in God’s green earth can you have an event … albeit, an important one … and have no one know about it? (Full disclosure: Yes, Long Island’s Newsday assiduously covered the event … but, I believe that was it) Did you know that none other than Lou Reed (from Freeport) was one the inductees? Another inductee was the legendary rock venue in Roslyn, Long Island from the 70s, My Father’s Place. This was the club that ruled the venue-wars in the early 70s … introducing acts like Blondie; Hall And Oates; The Talking Heads; Bruce Springsteen; Dave Mason; and, many, many others, before their rise to superstardom. They also regularly featured jazz acts (or, jazz fusion as they called it at the time) like Chick Corea, The Brecker Brothers, John McLauglin, and Larry Coryell. They also featured regular reggae nights; Toots & The Maytals and Jimmy Cliff were regular performers. It was ruled by one Michael ‘Eppy’ Epstein and not only did he possesses a fine, fully realized sense of what was going to be the next big thing … but, he was a true character in the rather shady music business. I haven’t seen the book; apparently there were no copies available for the media, but from what I’ve been told by an insider; it’s essentially a vanity book with photos … no text at all! The photos are terrific (from the likes of Ebet Roberts and Gary Gershoff) but, what rich, terrific stories could have been told; Eppy was a masterful showman and raconteur. It was a moment in time that would candidly predict what would happen in the upward-spiraling music business of the 70s. I don’t know who coordinated this project, but clearly, a major mistake was made. Here’s the Amazon link for the book....


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Kevin Spacey

CASINO JACK: We caught earlier this week a screening of the new Kevin Spacey movie Casino Jack. It tells the story of Washington-insider Jack Abramoff and his exploits of parlaying his insider-clout to an array of unsuspecting people. Abramoff seemed to have everything; a perfect family; totally aligned religious beliefs; and, one of his crowing goals was to build a school for underprivileged children. Yet, he and his partner Michael Scanlon (wonderfully and aggressively portrayed by Barry Pepper) sought to deceive, it seems, everyone. “Casino Jack is a story of greed and hubris so Gothic that it seems like a crime thriller,” says director George Hickenlooper, who tragically passed away suddenly several weeks back. The script is so tightly written and so well done that you really can’t decide if the character even thought what he was doing was wrong. The script must have been pretty good when Spacey first saw it; but, with Spacey’s brio-inspired participation, it is now one rather terrific movie. This is not a slam-dunk, boffo success, epic … but, rather a deceptively brilliant movie featuring some awesome actors.

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Benjamin Walker

SHORT TAKES: We caught Broadway’s Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and came away feeling that it’s a play that doesn’t know what it wants to be: a Rent-like production; a comedy; or, a serious endeavor? It’s all rather well done, with a terrific dressing of the inside of the theater, but, every time we decided on what manner of play it was … our thoughts were changed. Lead actor Benjamin Walker is superb and I give him props for being able to do everything in every style … but, again, what does it want to be? The book by Alex Timbers and music by Michael Friedman are solid; but, confusing … I’m a Bee Gees fan. God, even Steven Spielberg is developing a movie on them. Our friends at Eagle Rock have just released a new DVD entitled Bee Gees: In Our Own Time, which is a fascinating behind-the-scenes documentary of their startling career. They talk about everything … Andy Gibb; Robert Stigwood; Australia; Saturday Night Fever … I found it scintillating and the wonderful concert footage just exceptional. If you’re a fan, this is for you … Also from Eagle Rock is a wonderful holiday concert featuring Michael McDonald: This Christmas. Shot live in Chicago, this disc captures all the Holiday-song-favorites delivered with McDonald’s unique vocal style. In addition to the usual favorites, he also renders some of his biggest hits, including “What A Fool Believes,” “Takin’ It To The Streets,” “Minute By Minute” and, “I Keep Forgettin’.”Classic McDonald.

Photos By: Walter McBride/James Edstrom/Retna