"It's a very extraordinary scene, To those who don't understand"
This song, "Circle Sky" is often about struggle.
Today I am using it to reflect on my tribe and my friends.
Being a Monkees fan, has not always been easy. Often you were mocked or marginalized over something you liked.
(Keep in mind, we could have hid it, we refused).
It is weird, even some of the voices calling for acceptance for all , still crap on all we have done.
I meant to say "we". I never recorded an album under the logo.
But I enjoyed and shared and cared about this band.
No movement, Band, art , Intellectual property is only ever just that one thing.
At some point, we become it. The thing we love. It becomes us as well.
Nez wrote in another song...about a Monkees concert (and oh so much more), "It cannot be a part of me
For now it's a part of you".
"Reasoned verse some prose or rhyme
Lose themselves in other times
And waiting hopes cast silent spells
That speak in clouded clues
It cannot be a part of me
For now it's part of you
Sunshine, rag time, blowing in the breeze
Midnight looks right standing more at ease
Silhouettes and figures stay
Close to what he had to say
And one more time the faded dream
Is saddened by the news
It cannot be a part of me
For now it's a part of you"
That is a concert, an event, a convention.
Monkees fans casts silent spells until we all were together again.
Now, we are not so silent.
We willed the Monkees to return to us, We cast that spell.
In various incarnations with various incantations ,
we showed promoters, demoters and companies that we were out there, and we made them come back to us time after time.
Soon , the physical will move on from us, but it will never leave us.
Purple flowers, love and woolhats, tamborines and ponchos. They will always be part of us,
as we are part of each other.
The Monkees stand, in demand, they tell the stories, they sing the songs and share the smiles that have been our communal fire place.
And we are all brought together again.
The show will go on in some form or another, for some it is a rerun for the very first time.
"Do I have to this all over again?"
No, but I sure want too.
Tonight in St Lou, (which is actually St Charles) The tribe, the friends, The Homecoming meets.
Where I met Andrew , John and Amy, Coco, Rich, Alex, Wayne, Pete, Circe , Christian, Dave, Probin, , John H ,Micky , Mike , Peter and so many of you.
We come from all over, but for those five or six nights for various things over these few years, we were home.
At a place where none can live, but some care for it and the magic it holds.
I will not be at the show tonight, But I am there and I will be in every smile tonight in St Lou, (which is actually St Charles) The tribe, the friends, The Homecoming meets, oh and buttons.
Again..
"It's a very extraordinary scene, To those who don't understand...But what you have seen you must believe...If you can"
I, and my friends, we are Believers.
To all of my friends and makers of magic.
Thank you to those who have understood it with me.
We will be known as we know.
Peace & Love,
Love is Understanding , this is something we all need.
Ken
The Monkees Live
Valley Music Hall / Salt Lake City, Utah
May 17, 1968
Lyrics
Circle sky
Telling lies
Here I stand
At demand
And it looks we've made it once again
And it looks we've made it once again
Color sound
All around
Wing tip smile
Sees for miles
And it looks we've made it once again
And it looks we've made it once again
It's a very extraordinary scene
To those who don't understand
But what you have seen you must believe
If you can
If you can
Hamilton
Smiling down
Telling more
Than before
And it looks we've made it once again
And it looks we've made it once again
Yes it looks like we've made it to the end
Songwriters: Michael Nesmith
Big Sky lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Top 2 Photos by Gemma Dolenz
The Zilch Staff gather at HQ for a good old fashioned Holiday Clip Show! Revisit favorite moments from Holiday Specials Past, and jam out to the best of the Monkees’ solo and group Christmas tunes from Riu Chiu to Unwrap You at Christmas. Grab your Ugly Mr. Schneider Sweater and join the fun! Thank you for listening through out the years, Peace & Love! 
