What happened was, my parents after 'Circus Boy' decided to take me out of show business for two years to go back to normal school. It was the smartest thing they ever did.

There was never any pressure on me to go into the business, but I was always aware of it. I’d go on the set with my father and he and my mother would always be singing.

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had an enormous interest in the sciences – everything from quantum physics to anthropology.

I’ve never been one to chase awards or anything like that, to be honest.

After high school I was going to be an architect. In fact, I was studying to be an architect when the audition for ‘The Monkees’ came along.

The thing is, I’m not a prolific songwriter.

When I do my solo concerts, I’m used to being on the stage for two hours solid, singing 16 songs. And when I did ‘Funny Thing,’ I was on the stage the whole time. This is much more difficult. It’s the difference between racing and sprinting. This is sprinting. And I have to learn to pace myself.

With all due respect to the world’s great drummers – it ain’t brain surgery.

And singing is a physical thing – your vocal cords are these muscles.

Many people have fond memories of ‘The Monkees.’ I fondly remember it, too.