Nez on FB-Hesitation

Another Post from Nez.  He takes a simple moment, places it into the context of his life on tour. And then he goes into marketing mode, talking about distribution and limited release.  No hesitation about going on this tour (as opposed to previous years when he couldn't face a cheering crowd).  Have I bought a ticket yet?

(Honestly, I hesitated)

"I asked the waitress at Over Easy in Scottsdale how the latte was? She hesitated a nanosecond and I said I’ll just have a cup of regular coffee. That was the better decision – the coffee was good and the breakfast was really good. I recommend it but I can’t recommend the latte since I didn't have it.

That little pause speaks volumes and I have learned to listen to it.

There was an entire movie made about it in the 30’s or 40’s but I can’t think of the name of it. She is standing on the street level at the foot of the stairs outside a brownstone in New York looking up at him and she says something like, “Do you love me, Johnny?” and there is that pause. Devastating.

Because it’s a movie the pause is longer than real life for dramatic effect – and in that pause her face falls and her shoulders slump. She knows he doesn't love her regardless of what he might say next. It would be even worse if he said “Sure, kid.” Or some horrible flip reply – like Nicholson’s response to Shirley McClain in Terms of Endearment –“I love you too, babe.” Again, devastating.

Fortunately is was only a latte this morning and not a life changer – but that little hesitation brought back so many moments like that in my life. In the blink of an eye everything is known; one of life’s little features to steer us down the right paths by just listening.

I’m in Scottsdale today to perform the “Movies of the Mind” opening show at the Musical Instrument Museum tonight. It is such a great facility. I am going over early to go through the museum with Chris Scruggs. Chris is on tour with me and Joe and Boh and Paul – and he is a real treasure of information about instruments and the history of music –Nashville music especially -- and he is a gifted player. (I hope you get to hear him in this band.) I think he will love the Museum so I am really looking forward to it.

Since tonight is the first night of the tour everyone’s heart is racing. Like the start of a great marathon or something. So exciting.

It’s sold out and that is always a thrill.

This will also be the first time that the Live album “Movies of the Mind” will go on sale.

Not the album itself but a card for it –like a Starbuck’s card or a Target card -- because I am recording every show for archival purposes and then I will select the best performance of each song and each narrative and create the Live Movies of the Mind album in three packages.

It will be a limited edition so I am going to make a total of a thousand copies.

The first package of 200 will be signed and numbered CD’s and have the complete best of the Movies of the Mind Tour 2013 – songs and narratives -- plus a vinyl LP signed and numbered and some other collectibles in a Super Deluxe Edition. (The first ten of those are reserved so the first one for sale will be number 11)

The second package will be another 200 of the CD’s signed with complete music and narrative and a t-shirt in a Deluxe Edition.

The third package, the Standard Edition -- will be a compilation of the all the music that will fit on one CD – also with a t-shirt.

After I select and edit everything I’ll master and produce and ship sometime in January.

You can find out more about it here: www.videoranch.com

and there will be sales at the merch tables at the shows.

We left Nashville yesterday in 28 degree weather and now we are sitting in the Arizona desert where it is 80. These fall tours leave it so one never knows exactly how to pack. I have gloves, a ski hat, and a bathing suit and flip flops. Austin tomorrow then Dallas – all sold out.

These tours have been great to do. The last Monkees tour was a blast. And now this one – my solo one –is even more fun.

No hesitation about that."

Michael Nesmith, FB post, 10/28/13, 4pm EST