Jump to content


Please note: You can easily log in to MPN using your Facebook account!

Rest In Peace Michael Nesmith


KuruPrionz

Recommended Posts



  • Replies 15
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Michael and Peter Tork were very talented but hugely underrated musicians. I loved watching The Monkees on tv when I was a kid. One interesting bit of trivia that many people don't know is that Stephen Stills auditioned for The Monkees, but didn't get picked. And yes, it is true that when The Monkees went on their first concert tour, some guitarist named Jimi Hendrix opened for them on some of their shows. Anyways, rest in peace, Michael. You and your bandmates were a bigger influence to several generations of music lovers than most people realize.
I rock; therefore, I am.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This one feels different, somehow.

 

I was never a fan, but I can't say that I ever hated The Monkees, either. Their Music wasn't really meant to be taken seriously, which makes it all the more impressive that they had a few genuine hits, and a following that long outlived the tv show. Sure, they had some of the greatest professional songwriters and studio Musicians of the time behind them, but still, it was up to the four guys on the tv screen to carry it off, and they did.

 

It was long said that Mike Nesmith was the only one of them who could really play Music when The Monkees were formed. I'm not sure that's entirely true, but clearly, the others made an effort to learn to play and perform their songs, rather than being content to be the world's biggest-selling live karaoke act. That deserves respect.

 

Rest in peace, sir, and thanks for all the fun . . .

"Monsters are real, and Ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

 

http://www.novparolo.com

 

https://thewinstonpsmithproject.bandcamp.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw The Monkees in reruns as a kid, then rediscovered Mike Nesmith after getting a set of Velvet Hammer pickups for my P Bass. The VH pickups were made by Red Rhodes, who was Mike Nesmith's pedal steel guitar player (and friend) for many years. Lots of great stories online about their long musical relationship, and about Mr Nesmith getting Mr Rhodes high on weed, and the years of amusement that followed.

Mike Nesmith was really quite a songwriter, and a skilled musician as well.Sounds like a fun guy, too.

 

I'm a lot more like I am now than I was when I got here.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

It was long said that Mike Nesmith was the only one of them who could really play Music when The Monkees were formed. I'm not sure that's entirely true, but clearly, the others made an effort to learn to play and perform their songs, rather than being content to be the world's biggest-selling live karaoke act. That deserves respect.

 

 

They were all experienced musicians and singers... but all 4 were guitarists.

 

Davy Jones had been a singing musical theater kid performer and could play acoustic guitar and a bit of piano. Mickey Dolenz (another kid actor) had been gigging as a singer and rhythm guitarist in rock and roll bands since his teens. Peter Tork could play piano and had been playing acoustic guitar and banjo and singing on the folk music coffeehouse scene, and Nesmith was another folkie vet... Nesmith was the only one who was intent on making his mark as a songwriter, though Tork and Dolenz ended up writing some hits eventually, too. Though he'd grown up singing in school choirs, Nesmith only started learning guitar at age 20 when he left the Air Force, so he'd actually been playing musical instruments for a shorter period of time when the show began than the rest of the band.

 

Originally Jones was cast as the drummer and intended to be a Ringo-like character, and Dolenz would be a guitarist and the frontman... but the producers and network decided Dolenz's personality was more like Ringo and moved him to drums. Stories vary as to why he arranged his drums in an unconventional manner, with one explanation being that the drummer hired to give him lessons was left-handed and Dolenz just mirrored his setup before moving some stuff around for convenience and another being that a birth defect that made on of Dolenz's legs shorter than the other meant he had to sit closer to the kick drum. Who knows?

 

When allowed to play their instruments in the studio, Tork ended up being the versatile musical secret weapon. There's live footage of a tour or two when only the 4 performed without additional musicians and Jones does a good job on organ and covering on bass when Tork plays keyboards.

 

Steven Stills did try out and was rejected for looking "too old and tough" for a show aimed at teenaged girls. He did encourage his buddy Peter Tork to try out, though...

 

Sorry... I play in a Monkees cover band and my bandmates are fanatics so I've heard all of this a few times.

 

I think it is interesting that you can see why those 4 were chosen out of all the hopefuls when you watch this:

 

[video:youtube]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

another tidbit... the origin of this clip is that The Who tried to sell the BBC on the idea of them having a weekly TV show like The Monkees...

 

[video:youtube]

 

That's awesome!!! Happy Jack is a masterpiece, it's a pop song but it isn't. Sounds like it was pretty much live in the studio too, maybe just dub in the harmony vocals, maybe...

 

Would have been a good show too.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So sad to hear. It was a fun show with some well-writen humor, and at the time i was into custom cars as well.

iI remember the Monkeemobile-a version of it came to an auto show in Minneapolis. Dean Jeffries, who also designed the 'Black Beauty'

for the Green Hornet TV series is the one who built it.

Thanks so much for the music and helping a generation find its voice Mr. Nesmith.

Same old surprises, brand new cliches-

 

Skipsounds on Soundclick:

www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...