1.) What has it been like to work with The Monkees & Davy Jones since the mid-80s?
- It has been a total gas workin' with The Monkees and Davy since 1987. Musically, because of all the different songwriters, it's a very interesting gig to do. We have pop, country, swing, blues, and ballads among other styles. Few gigs have such a wide variety of material. Personally, I've become very close friends with Davy, Micky, and Peter.
2.) Were you a fan of The Monkees before you got involved or were you just looking for a gig?
- I was a definite fan of the Monkees when the show originally aired in the sixties. I used to rush home from school to watch it.
3.) Is the relationship between you & your bandmates personal or strictly professional?
- My relationship is personal as well as professional.
4.) What's more enjoyable, being on tour with The Monkees as a group or Davy Jones solo?
- It's difficult to say which is more fun, touring with The Monkees or with Davy. They are different, yet the same.
5.) Do you like a more hectic & busy tour schedule as opposed to 30 or so scattered dates per year?
- I like a busy schedule. The time goes by quicker and it's less costly for management. The more days off you have, the more expensive it gets. However, playing scattered dates allows more time home with the family and domestic responsibilities. There's good and not so good aspects to both situations.
6.) Has the reaction to the Monkees show from the crowds changed since you first became involved?
- The reaction to the show has been as enthusiastic as ever. The number of people coming to the shows has lessened however since the first reunion tour in '86.
7.) Do you find there to be a significant difference in the show's setup when only 2 Monkees are there as opposed 3 or 4?
- The more Monkees that are involved in the show, the more structured the show has to be. It also means the show will remain the same night after night. When Davy tours solo, it's a lot less structured. He can tell as many jokes as he wants and even though there's a set list, he can call a song "on the fly" if he wants. There's more spontaneity.
8.) Was there any added "Monkee Magic" when Mike Nesmith joined in for the '97 UK tour? What was he like to work with and how severe of a blow was it to the band & other Monkees when he dropped out of the US tour?
- There was definitely a buzz when we did that tour of the UK with Mike in '97. Personally, I didn't get to know him very well, but we hang out socially on occasion. Musically, he's great to work with. He conveys his ideas very clearly. I loved playin' his material because the tunes he chose from his solo career had a Carribbean/island kind of feel, which I don't get the opportunity to play that often. It was fun. We were all disappointed that he declined to tour that following summer in the US, but the 3 remaining Monkees went out nonetheless. I wouldn't call it a severe blow.
9.) What's your favorite song to perform?
- Favorite song? It's hard to limit it to one. "She Hangs Out," "Is You Is (Or Is You Ain't My Baby)", "(I'll) Love You Forever," and "I'm A Believer" are among my faves.
10.) Does it tend to get old playing the same songs every time you go out on stage or is it still fun?
- Playing live is still fun for me even though with The Monkees I've been playing more or less the same tunes for a number of years.
11.) Have you seen the new Monkees "Live Summer Tour" DVD? If so, what are your thoughts on it?
- I have the "Live Summer Tour" DVD and like it very much. I think the audio and video are excellent. We had fun doing it.
- I do know the uncut version is available, but I've never seen it. I would like to however.
13.) When I went to Davy's solo show in Westbury in July, he came out in his pajamas. Did the band & crew know about this beforehand?
- The band did not know that Davy's entrance at Westbury would be in his PJs. Expect the unexpected.
14.) Who came up with the band's introduction routine at the beginning of the show?
- Davy came up with the intro routine at the beginning of the show. The band embellishes it.
15.) Do you see another Monkees reunion happening in the future after the way the 2001 tour ended with Peter?
- With The Monkees anything is possible. A reunion with Davy/Micky is more likely than Davy/Micky/Peter, in my opinion.
Sandy Gennaro first became involved in the Monkees scene in 1987 when he accompanied Micky, Davy, & Peter as the drummer for their concert tour that year. Sandy returned to The Monkees in September 1996 as well as in early 1997 when all four members performed a month long tour of the UK. They continued through the summer in the US without Nesmith. By the time the 2001 Monkees reunion came around, Sandy was back in the mix behind the drum set where he stayed until the end of 2002. Now no stranger to the Monkees community, Sandy is currently on the road with Davy Jones where he has performed for the past few years between Monkees reunions.
In addition to The Monkees & Davy Jones, Sandy has performed or recorded with artists such as Joan Jett, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Bolton, Johnny Winter, The Pat Travers Band, Robin Gibb and has appeared on various TV programs like the Grammy Awards, The Tonight Show, American Bandstand, Entertainment Tonight, and the MTV Video Music Awards.
In early September 2003, Sandy was nice enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer some of Monkeesrule43 Online's questions about his experiences while on tour with The Monkees & Davy Jones over the past 15+ years.
