Micky Dolenz talks Jimi Hendrix, The Fonz, Monkees farewell tour

The Monkees are in the process of saying goodbye to fans around the country.

And now it’s the Northern California’s turn.

The most famous TV band of all time — which originally starred on NBC’s “The Monkees” from 1966 to 1968 but then kept right on creating legions of new fans through decades of reruns — brings its farewell tour to the San Jose Civic on Sept. 15.

The trek features Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz, the two remaining Monkees, following the deaths of fellow original members Davy Jones and Peter Tork in 2012 and 2019, respectively.

Show time is 8 p.m. and tickets are $64.75-$84.75, sanjosetheaters.org.

The band also performs at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento. Show time is 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $79.75-$275, crestsacramento.com.

I recently had the chance to chat with Dolenz about the farewell tour and a variety of other intriguing topics — from Jimi Hendrix to the Fonz.

Q: After all the years, and all the shows, is it hard to wrap your head around the idea of a final tour?

A: Well, not really. It was inevitable.

I’m not going to stop touring solo. I’ll probably still go out — just as Micky Dolenz, lead singer of the Monkees.

This is actually another leg of a tour that we started two years, before the pandemic, called “The Monkees Present the Mike and Micky Show.” At that time, we thought this is probably the last time we would go out under the Monkees banner — especially after Peter passed away.

Q: What were those early tours like when Monkeemania was in full swing? I’m guessing it’s a little bit different now.

A: In some ways, I suppose. More mature — everybody. But the audience notoriously has always been enthusiastic, shall we say. I always liken it to having someone throw you a birthday party every night. And I think that’s just a factor of the whole Monkees spirit. Most people grew up, as children, with the show and the music, so that engenders a passion and appreciation.

In the early days, of course, it was insane, because all of the audiences were mainly 12 and 14-year-old kids — and all the energy that they bring to it.

Q: What was it like touring with Jimi Hendrix?

A: It was great, from my point of view. I was the one who suggested he open for us back in ’67. I saw him at the Monterey Pop Festival.

I thought he would make a great opening act — very colorful, theatrical presentation. And the Monkees were very theatrical.

He was an incredible musician. Really nice guy, too. Very quiet. Very different from his onstage persona. We hung out and went out when we could. It was pretty crazy on the road, so most of the time we just spent in the hotel room jamming.

Q: I would have loved to have seen those shows — and, even more so, those jam sessions. But I’m wondering how the Hendrix sets went over with the 12 and 14-year old Monkees fans in attendance?

A: (Laughs) At the time, he was unknown — he broke his first record on our tour. But he was pretty unknown. Of course, it wasn’t much like Monkee music, which is why I thought it would make a good juxtaposition.

You’ve heard the stories about Guns N’ Roses opening for the Stones and everybody yelling for the Stones. Those kinds of stories are legend. The same kind of thing happened with many of our opening acts. The vast majority are there to see the headlining act.

So, Jimi would be out there doing “Foxy Lady” and the kids are screaming “We want Davy!”

Q: Talk to me about the bond you share with Mike.

A: We’ve always had a bond. All four of us had bonds with each other in different ways and times. But Mike and I always connected in a couple of really significant ways. One was in the comedy that we did on the television show. Mike and I had — and still have — very similar senses of humor. I remember we both liked Monty Python. And we both liked Peter Cook and Dudley Moore.

On the television show, we did a lot of improvisation. We were trained — they had coaches coaching us in improv. Mike was very good at it right from the get go. I wasn’t. But I got better at it and I kind of followed Mike — kind of took his lead in the improv. He took my lead in the stagecraft of doing a television show, because I had done a TV series when I was a kid.

Q: And you two also really connected when it came to music.

A: I think it had a little bit to do with the fact that he was from Texas — from Dallas — and my mom was from Austin. So, Mike obviously grew up with a country and western kind of flavor, and I did too through my mom with the Sons of the Pioneers and Tennessee Ernie Ford and stuff like that. Then I became a huge fan of the Everly Brothers, probably because of that.

When Mike and I started singing together, especially some of the songs he wrote, we would end doing what I call the Everly Monkees.

Q: Let’s turn to your new solo album — “Dolenz Sings Nesmith.” Obviously, you’ve been singing Mike’s music for most of your life. But what particularly drew you to the idea of doing a full album of his songs?

A: Back in the early ‘70s, my best friend was singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. He did an album back then called “Nilsson Sings Newman,” where he sang the songs of Randy Newman. I always thought that it was a cool idea to do something like that.

Fast forward four decades or whatever, after David had passed, ‘Nes, Peter and I got back together to do a tour — sort of a tribute, memorial tour for David — I said to ‘Nes, “I’ve always had this idea of doing this album and I would love to do ‘Dolenz Sings Nesmith.’” And he said, “Well, that’s a good idea, Micky. I like that. I will write some songs for it.”

Then recently, a record company — 7A in the U.K. — said “Would you like to do an album?” I said, “Yeah.” And they said, “Well, do you have an idea?” And I said, “Well, one of the ideas I’ve always had was ‘Dolenz Sings Nesmith.’” And they loved the idea.

It came out really well, I think. I’m very proud of it.

Q: Since you brought up Nilsson, what was it like being part of that legendary, hard-partying Hollywood Vampires crew — with Nilsson, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, Keith Moon, etc. — back in the ‘70s?

A: Well, I’m told I had a great time. That says it all.

Q: What are your thoughts on the Monkees’ counterculture film “Head” now that’s it been more than 50 years since it was released? One fan wanted me to tell you that he really loves the movie.

A: Well, maybe the fan can write back and tell me what it meant. Because I’m not sure. (Laughs)

Q: Is it true that you could have been the Fonz on the old “Happy Days” sitcom?

A: It was down to me and Henry (Winkler). I remember the audition. I don’t remember Henry. He remembers me, because he told me — years later when we kind of became friends — he walked in and saw me (at the audition) and said, “Oh (expletive), I will never get this — Micky Dolenz is here.”

But he was the Fonz. He was the perfect casting for that.