This Day in 1986: The Monkees Reunite

31 years ago today, The Monkees kicked off their first proper reunion tour since the group’s original dissolution.

Although Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork had made a few appearances here and there in each other’s lives and shows, they hadn’t actually reunited under the name “The Monkees” until they recorded three new tracks – “Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere,” a cover of Paul Revere and The Raiders’ “Kicks,” and a new single, “That Was Then, This Is Now” – for a new best-of collection entitled THEN & NOW… THE BEST OF THE MONKEES. The collection came on the heels of a new wave of Monkeemania that swept America after MTV replayed all of the episodes of the group’s TV series and turned the video generation onto the merits of The Monkees.

In support of THEN & NOW, Micky, Davy, and Peter agreed to get back together and tour. No, Michael Nesmith wasn’t a part of the tour, although he did ultimately pop up to play with his former bandmates, making for an emotional reunion. Actually, we can’t speak for the guys themselves, but it was certainly the case for the crowd, anyway.

If you didn’t happen to catch The Monkees on their ’86 reunion tour, here’s what they were playing in their set at the time:

Last Train to Clarksville
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
Cuddly Toy
Goin’ Down
I Wanna Be Free
Your Auntie Grizelda
She
Cripple Creek
For Pete’s Sake
That Was Then, This Is Now
Shades of Gray
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)
No Time
Daydream Believer
Zilch / Randy Scouse Git
I’ll Love You Forever
MGBGT
Valleri
I’m a Believer
Encore:
Listen to the Band
Pleasant Valley Sunday

["Take a Giant Step," "Star Collector" and "Sometime in the Morning” also found their way into the set originally, but they were phased out.]

Just in case you were wondering, the end of the Monkees’ reunion tour did not – as is so often the case with these sorts of reunions – mark another end for the group: the following year, they released their first new album since CHANGES, a little LP called POOL IT!