Nez FB Post on "Spiritual Center of a Song"

Again, Mike posts about how he analyzes and views songs, songwritings and songsinging.

Oddly enough, I heard a much longer and more in depth version of the same topic on the radio this morning.  A program called "On Being" in a discussion with the Indigo Girls.  I'd love to hear Nez in a similar setting.

"There are few things in this world you can point to as metaphysical  Music is metaphysical."  I helped produce a benefit performance they did in Provincetown in the summer of 2012.  I was genuinely amazed at how they charged the air.  (Akin to what happens at Monkee concerts, but something deeper and transcendent somehow.  Like appreciating all of your current relationships & your world in the moment.  Monkees create perfect moments of Time Travel)

Here's his post from October 3, 2013, 9:59am.

I had a nice talk with Marc Myers at the Wall Street Journal the other day. He does a column called “Anatomy of a Song” and we were talking about Different Drum.

I tried to explain the idea of the spiritual center of a song, but I don’t know how well I did. 

When I do these live shows like the ones coming up in October/November I introduce the songs by telling a little something about the narrative they are set in. These narratives are the settings for a song -- like a gemstone is set in a ring or set in a bracelet. It’s not what the song is about necessarily but more how the song lives in my mind – like a mind movie.

The spiritual center is what gives the song its luster and color and meaning and informs the setting it is in. These settings vary but they all gather meaning from the songs.

I have written before how “songs sing us” – and that is more than a phrase. This ability to sing us is what makes a song live and breathe. Why we sing in the car and along with the radio and in an audience. A song takes us over in a specific way that causes us to let it sing -- one of the great features of a song, I think.

Mind movies are fun for me, too. They are a wonderful part of the creative process of song writing --bringing an idea into the world -- although creative process doesn’t quite describe the way a song comes to life for me. Creation is not so much a process as it is a discovery of something as it comes into view.

Songs start in mind as sound and rhythm with syllables and bits of words that may change as the song’s spiritual center starts to emerge and assert itself. The spiritual center forms the words that express it and the melody that surrounds it and at last the mind movie that sets it.

I’ve been hard at work writing down the mind movies for this coming tour. I’ll play more songs than last tour and it is great fun for me to watch these new mind movies that have been dormant – just waiting for the chance to come out and play.

I suppose each of us have a spiritual center of our own – what makes us who we are – our ethics and morals and character – our point of view and the settings we create for ourselves – the mind movies that become our experience.

All around me I see systems of ideas, each with their own spiritual center, creating these songs and mind movies -- creating life as we know it.

We start in Phoenix on the 27th. I can hardly wait.

Karaoke Anyone?

How many of you have been to a Karaoke Party?

(I mean, really.  Don't be afraid to raise your hand)

Okay, now how many of you SING ALONG to any and all Monkee songs?

(See, nobody is shy now!)

Frankly, it's not that different.  Especially if you do it with friends.  In costume.

It's like the tv show itself, give into the silliness & just enjoy yourself!

The above picture is of "Sleepy Jean" of Boston, who generally is excellent at rockin' out and hosting this kind of event.  ALL of her Karaoke parties are Epic!  (And seriously FUN)  I want her to visit my NYC "Sushioke" pals (Sushi+Karaoke=Awesome).  

We sang "Steppin Stone" and "Clarkesville", in addition to a wide range of songs from the 60's to the modern age. (That's the beauty, the possibilities are plentiful!)

Your Wacky Author, 

Tamara's Gonna Be Another Day

Licensing VS Love

Lots of fans have incredible artistic streaks, which naturally manifest into some kind of tribute.  A tangible object shares their vision with other fans.  A bracelet, necklace, bumper sticker, tshirt, oil painting, book or event bring us all together.  But where is the line that divides "tribute" from "licensing issue"?

The huge fear of the Licensing Monster rearing its ugly head is legitimate because it seems to strike arbitrarily and without notice.  And I think it STOPS fans from pursuing their ideas and HARMS the relationship they have with "The Monkees" brand/band/people/fans.   People who do this out of love do NOT plan to get rich, but to do channel all their Monkee energy.

Ironically, every fan arrives to the party FULLY aware of Raybert and Don Kirshner.  We all own various images of The Boys: on lunchboxes, in plastic, and in various magazines.  They didn't get any/enough royalties from the music and less from the merchandising royalties. And they get NOTHING from the sales of the memorabilia. With the standard $30 autographs and photos at the convention, they are working at making up the difference.

So what is a loyal fan to do?

The Monkees Convention 2014 was just announced for next March.  So maybe now would be a great time to iron out licensing issues.  At the convention last year, there were several tables selling Original Art (granted, I paint landscapes on the backs of mousetraps).  Some involved sketches of The Boys done on t-shirts or buttons, etc.  The vendors' contract included the phrase  "we suggest that Monkees & 60's merchandise (including British Invasion) dominate (or appear to dominate) your table space.  The only exception to this rule is obvious: absolutely no bootlegs or unauthorized merchandise" Do you have to get authorization for all your merchandise?  How do you even begin to do that?  And why would the lawyers even care about that sketch of Mike you did and put on a button that you are selling for $2?

There is a woman who had created a book about Micky, self-published it online, and later was contacted by Micky's lawyers who demanded it be taken down.  I don't know where this issue is right now, but she has made it public on FB, so I feel comfortable sharing this much.  She had also contacted Henry Diltz to use photos, but his people came back with a huge number for licensing which precludes her from using any of his photos.  I was told later that it was an issue of her using MD's name, rather than any issue involving pictures.  So are we allowed to use "Micky"?  Or "George Michael Dolenz"?  Can she use his name as a "search term" on something like Amazon?

And why is M----- D------ going after her in the first place?

There was a HUGE case involving Shepard Fairey and his portrait of Obama.  In the Monkeeworld, it is not likely that there will be a huge internet meme crossing over into the realm of profitability.  I would love if the rules be made public; what the official "Monkee Lawyers" would go after and why.

What about artists who do pictures of pictures?  Or karaoke?  Or . . .

ESPECIALLY in the internet age, the traditional policy might evolve.  What if a major concession includes the idea of linking back to the "copyright owner's" website?  Aren't we all on the same side?

==

Ongoing questions I'd like you (readers) to chime in on.  Either in the comments below or in person.  It seems like a conversation we should all have publicly.  (Maybe get the lawyers up onstage and answer questions directly)

1) In what context are fans allowed to use the names of The Boys or "The Monkees" or song titles or song lyrics?

2)Is there any kind of blanket agreement/declaration that would allow fans to creatively express their love without calling upon the wrath of The Monster?  A standard percentage?  Contacting someone in particular?  What if you don't expect to make more than $100 in profits, or none at all??

3) What are the basic guidelines that any fan should consider when creating any tribute?

4) How much info needs to be made public, especially in terms of transparency?  Contact info for lawyers? How much of a percentage goes to the charity? (Does the consumer need to know?)

5)What issues have you heard of?  Have you ever bought anything that you felt guilty about?

"Here We Come" Review: Play Monkees, Play!

If fans are going to celebrate the Monkee Legacy into the future, "Here We Come" is the template for the ultimate Monkee party.  And it should be done on a regular basis: gatherings of Monkee-minded souls, watching talented actors reenact our favorite episodes & all of us singing along.  This is what we have been waiting for.

Walking down the stairs into the theater, you have the sense that you are walking into The Cavern, just as it looked to the first audiences of the Beatles in 1963.  The first thing I noticed on the set was the distinctive drum kit on a platform. In an early scene, they turn it around and . . . Behold!!  It is a cutout of the Monkeemobile!!

As with the TV show itself, the plot isn't the point.  In fact, the play incorporates several plotlines extremely well.  The Boys need to make rent, so they decide to drive to NYC for a Band Contest, but run out of gas and are trapped when their car breaks down (first in the Wild West, then in Hillbilly land), and when they make it to their destination, the contest is for "mixed groups only".  A few of the best lines are included, as well as some of the worst, with plenty new ones to make you feel like you are watching a LIVING episode.

Did I mention that an actress pulled me up on stage to dance during "Let's Dance On".  (Can I confess that a deep fantasy was to get pulled into a dance number on that show??) And for everyone else who hates "Audience Participation", the music was loud enough so you could sing along without drawing attention, and in the finale, EVERYONE got to dance onstage.  Lots more took pictures of themselves in the Monkeemobile, as the author did, with another infamous Monkee-friend, Mary Ciuffitelli (aka "Mary Mary").

A lot of the credit should go to Britton Payne, who is a loyal & dedicated fan through and through.  He is billed the "conceiver" of the project, the show that he wanted to do as a kid with all his 9 year old friends.  As a grownup, he impresses both the child & adult in me as an audience member.  He also has an amazing costumer and video geek working for him who pulled off the impressive feat of making the details perfect.

MUSIC!  Did I mention the music?  As any true tribute, the show included 17 songs including TV music cues.  It's all the big ones, with shenanigans added in.  eg "Davy" sings "I Wanna Be Free" when he's tied up by the Banditos.  There was talk of trying to get the Blue Meanies involved, but karaoke made it all that more accessible for everyone.  The front row was asked to hold cue cards for one of the songs . . . you guessed it, "Goin Down".  (I wonder if Micky ever used cue cards?)

Honestly, I believe that shows like this are the wave of the future for Monkee Fan gatherings.  Karaoke, putting on bits of costumes, playing out scenes (or watching professionals do it) are all crucial elements.  As with most Monkee shows, the audience had a nice blend of generations, with this skewing towards a younger demographic.  One actor I talked to said that he had watched "One or two episodes" as a kid, another person said, "I really had no idea these were all Monkee songs!"

"Here We Come" is over, for now.  But Monkee magic lives on.

Monkee Theater: "Here We Come . . ." to an Off Off Broadway theater near you!

HERE THEY COME, to the C.O.W. theater on the Lower East Side of NYC.  (Monkees are coming to a COW?)  Yes, it's true.  A group of actor/fans will be portraying/parodying The Boys in what seems to be a sitcom plot show-within-a-show theme.  And yes, I believe there will be some gender-bending portrayals as well, look carefully!  Deets below:

http://www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/09-2013/hey-hey-monkees-parody-show-here-we-come-is-arrivi_66076.html

Friday and Saturday night performances.  Actually seems like a fabulous topic for a Fringe-type show.  And a great opportunity for audience participation.

No actual Monkees are scheduled to make an appearance.

But nobody said they are NOT coming.

Full reportage after we attend the Saturday Night performance.

PS Graham Nash has been hanging around NYC this week, promoting his autobiography.  Booksigning at our favorite Soho art gallery, owned by Henry Diltz, Morrison Hotel.

Charles Manson as a Songwriter

Okay, granted, this post is going to be creepy.  But I hope to bring in Manson as an example of the dark side of the 1960's.  The instigating event that made everyone put up high fences on their houses in the Canyon.  Also, as a warning to be wary of ANYONE who demands an overly loyal following, has a mental illness which demands murders of innocents (seen nowadays in mass shootings, although we as a society want to be vigilant about preventing the same).

The initial link to the Monkees is the FALSE rumor that Manson had auditioned for the tv show.

There are also influences from the Beatles in Manson's belief system, according to his concept of "Helter Skelter" and interpretations of the White Album.

Here is the link to him singing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhSUrg88ZC0

And another version of the song called, "Never Learn Not To Love", sung by the Beach Boys (!!) on Andy Williams.

Theories state that the murders were revenge on Terry Melcher (Doris Day's son!), a prolific producer who didn't sign Manson after a failed audition. Melcher produced the Byrds'"Ballad of the Easy Rider" (the theme for the movie which was NOT written by Peter Tork, although he has played his version on his most recent solo tour).  Candice Bergen was living with Melcher in the house 10050 Cielo Drive, the site where they met Manson and where the murders later occurred.

From Wiki:"Melcher also worked with Paul Revere & the Raiders, Wayne Newton, Frankie Laine, Jimmy Boyd, Pat Boone,Glen Campbell, Mark Lindsay and The Mamas & the Papas."

This topic came up because of the publication & publicity around a book written by Jeff Guinn.

You can't make this stuff up.

Nez and the upcoming Meet & Greets on the Fall 2013 Tour

Last time, tickets were released in the middle of the night (12am on the West Coast) by email and many fans got upset.  Except the restless sleepers.  25 opportunities for up to 2 people (2 Nez objects and one Monkee for autographing) Tickets will be released September 21, at 9am (probably West Coast Time), check Videoranch here for more info.

 Naked Persimmon on FB posted this policy when it was announced and then did a follow up post about all the Haters who resented being charged.

"We here at NP would just like to take a moment to say that the “fans” commenting on Nez’s FB post about the Conversation Receptios seem to be some of the most ungrateful, entitled, awful excuses for “fans” that we’ve ever seen. *It does not matter* if the other Monkees don’t charge for meet n’ greets. *It does not matter* what other musicians do or do not charge for their meet n’ greets. It’s *Nez’s show,* he doesn’t owe anybody a damn thing, and the money is going to paying the venue, staff, and equipment that is needed for the meet n’ greet, though people clearly do not seem to realize this and instead have decided that Nez is nothing more than a greedy, money-grubbing, Monkees-hating bastard.

Frankly, if we were in Nez’s position, we would consider these people a terrible representation of Nez fans and would go ahead and cancel the Conversation Receptions altogether just to avoid dealing with them. Of course it’s unfair to the good, awesome, lovely fans (like you guys on here), but looking at those comments, it truly does not seem worth the hassle. Ugh…"


This time he's making them available on the Videoranch Website on Saturday.  (Like a normal performer)

Here's his post:

'm glad the Conversations came together. I enjoyed them last time. We cut the number of guests per show down this tour so I can have a little more time with each of you. I enjoy hearing what you are doing and learning about your interests.

These gatherings are better than standing around behind a venue or in a parking lot next to a bus. The environment is nicer -- warmer:) -- and its much more comfortable for all of us.

I am happy to sign any nez solo stuff that you may have, and happy to take pictures with you and yours if you would like that. There will be plenty of staff to help with that kind of thing.

These shows themselves are shaping up very well -- they are different from the Spring tour -- but I am keeping the best of the Spring tour and just adding a little more from some later work.

I am also trying to put together a live recording of this tour. That is an even bigger logistic problem than the Conversations -- but at this point it all looks very promising. The plan right now is to just make a few signed and numbered copies of this live show -- taking the best from each of the 19 dates -- then making a custom CD in a nice presentation case -- like the First Edition Rays -- with special art and an edition of a small and limited number.

It is very odd these days putting together a self-sustaining music effort -- as most of you know. The whole distribution chain has changed dramatically in the last few years and I expect it to change even more. I read with some sorrow and empathy Jonathan Taplin's tribute to Levon Helm after Levon died -- and must say I agree with his analysis of the state of the music "business" -- even thought I don't share his anger.

I think it is actually a good thing that the live performances have become such an important part of a music career -- sitting on a couch collecting royalties was never my idea of a good time. Live performance is such a wonderful experience and I am happy to be back and out among the stars. It is the most fulfilling aspect of a music career to me -- even though it is far and away the most difficult. Touring is almost like running a full marathon four times a week.

Thanks for the support. A few shows have already sold out and I am very happily anticipating seeing you.

It seems he genuinely likes meeting the fans and doing the live performances.  But no mention of attending next August's Monkees Convention.  There are already over 250 people who like "Bring Mike Nesmith to the Monkees Convention" on FB.

Nez and the Space Between The Group Tour & His Solo One (FB)

Nez is fun to read, eloquent, profound and bizarre all at once.  "The songs sing themselves", like he wrote about Linda Ronstadt's recordings.  He feels them as living things, which is fascinating, and a great way to interpret the "gifts" you were given as a young person.

He's not doing an "Oldies" tour; he's always honoring The Songs.

I think about the Monkees tour that has passed and my solo tour that is to come and I am parsing the differences to see which is which.

The Monkees concert was pop songs played well. It was great fun and I loved it.

My solo tour is yet unknown to me.

Nevertheless, as the show is forming, these are the things I am beginning to understand about it --

We teach what we are.

We are not what we teach.

The songs sing themselves.

We hope they sing us well.

When I stand on a concert stage and look out at the faces I am filled with the same surprise and calm as when I see a beautiful sight of nature or an exquisite design of the heart.

There is a resonance of light from the eyes to the stage and back. In that resonance I hear the phantom chords and hidden tones and know the subtle meanings of words.

In that resonance are the thought values.

A friend asked to borrow a couple of ideas and phrases that had bobbed up during our conversations over the last few days – asking me as if they were mine because I had said them.

I said “Of course – they are yours to keep” and I thought “they have been yours all along”.

These things we share are so subtle and quiet yet we think the noise is what originates the ideas that connect us. We laugh and talk and play our instruments and wave our hands -- all to the good -- but it is the quiet voice that is shared among us that gives me the only voice I have.

I am going on this Fall solo tour -- me and a band – knowing -- with my friends and lovers, my brothers and sisters, my fathers and mothers -- that inside -- in the stillness of a song -- we are all singing the same tune, living the same life, patiently waiting, as we all must, for each revealed step to lead us to the next.

I will play from the end of October, starting on the 27th in Phoenix and ending November 24th, in Milwaukee. Those are the bookends – the schedule is still getting filled in but most of it is now up at videoranch.com

Michael Nesmith Status Update, FB, 9/1/2013

Naked Persimmon Waxes Poetic

Their FB post about the 2013 Tour ending last week.

Cause It Looks Like We've Made It Once Again...

//Yes, it looks like we’ve made it to…the end?//

It’s been exactly one week since The Monkees played the last show of their A Midsummer’s Night with the Monkees 2013 tour. The tour provided a sense of magic for so many of us—Monkee Magic, if you will—and reminded us of exactly why we love these boys so much. An event that one year ago seemed so unlikely has now become the highlight of the year for many a Monkees fan.

It was (and arguably still is) believed by some that the death of Davy Jones also meant the death of the Monkees, as any sort of collective touring or performing entity. Much like a phoenix, however, the three remaining Monkees rose from the ashes of Davy’s untimely demise and went out on the road, holding the Monkees banner high and continuing on the legacy that Davy had infused with his unforgettable spirit.

//It cannot be a part of me, for now it’s part of you...//

And when we, the fans, sat in the seats or danced in the aisles at those shows, there was not a single doubt in our minds that Davy Jones was very much on that stage, spiritually if not bodily. We watched Micky, Peter, and Michael play, sing, and laugh together, their camaraderie fully eclipsing any previous Monkee drama and stripping away the pretense to one very simple core principle:

No matter what happens, the Monkees will always be the Monkees.

They will always comfort us in our darkest times, bring smiles to our faces when we need it the most, delight and surprise us when we rediscover them again and again. Because the Monkees are part of our lives, we have been changed for the better, and nothing can undo that.

Seeing the Monkees on stage this summer brought us back to that safe place inside—that childlike state of being where life makes sense and isn’t as hard when you have your friends there with you. And it gave us a glimpse—however brief—into what it would have been like to be in that audience forty-five years ago, heart pounding and pulse racing as four young men with seemingly boundless energy gave us the show of our lives.

Just as they did this summer.

//If this is to be our end, then I would have them make such an end, as to be worthy of remembrance...//

This would be the place where it would be entirely too easy to become maudlin. To ponder, moderately-sized lump in throat, whether or not this was the last Monkees tour. We could speculate, hypothesize, deliberate over the numerous possibilities…but it almost seems a disservice, both to the Monkees and the fans.

There are not enough words for how grateful we are to have been given the gift of this tour. So many things stood to go awry—as we know from Monkees tours past—but whether through design or fate, this tour started and concluded without a hitch. Egos stayed under control, and what was most important was made and stayed important: The music, and the happiness of the fans

If there is one thing we have learned, it is that, when it comes to the Monkees, never say never. Ultimately, the decision to tour again rests solely with three particular men…but it is our feeling that Davy’s passing has made Micky, Peter, and Nez see that life is still there to be lived, and that as long as the spirit is willing and the body is able, there are still places to go and songs to sing. 

And as long as they are singing, we’ll be listening.

Linda Ronstadt: The Songs Now Sing to Her

Linda Ronstadt has Parkinson's.  And cannot sing a note.  It has robbed many people of many things, but this is the ultimate insult.  The world has lost one of the great voices.  But I'll let Nez jump in.

From Nez' FB post today (8/25/2013):

The awful news about Linda losing her voice to Parkinson's is terrible but it can never diminish the legacy she has created for us in the songs she has sung for all of us. 

Because of her these songs will live as long as people listen to songs and these songs will always sing with the same power and beauty that she was and is.

Like all great gifts, these songs now sing to her as they once sang with her.

Listen to them. You will hear what she has done. What she has given us.
Her voice is far from stilled. It lives and sings forever down the halls of time.

Linda did more for Different Drum than I ever did -- or ever could have.

She breathed eternal life into it.

Linda is one of the integral figures who reveals the impact of The Monkees on the larger field of music.  She's the first mainstream Country-Rock act, and began with "Different Drum". Written and performed on The Show by Nez- a wink that goes unexplained on the show, but the airplay of the song made the mystery persist.


Through her voice, I fell in love with the sound of the Great American Songbook ("What's New?") and the sound of Nelson Riddle.  (Check out the last clip there, Keely Smith is incredible!)

Her career spanned pop, musicals ("Pirates of Penzance" at Shakespeare in the park!) and even Mariachi Music.    I could go on and on.

(Update on 8/2/8/13) This NYTimes piece includes references to Michael J.Fox and Michael Pollen (brothers in law??) and a whole list of musical friends she mentions in her memoir, Simple Dreams.

We are incredibly lucky to have the magic of recorded music and to have her songs sing to us for now and ever more.

Monkee Music on the Impressionable Pre-Teen Brain

First Generation vs Staying Power

This review of the Cupertino show reveals a certain prevalent age-bias.  This may be common among any "Golden Oldie" show.

Each generation recognizes its own.  The older demographic might be the largest (estimated 70%-80% at any given show).

"As we sat at a table on the winery grounds awaiting the concert, my sister looked around and said, "I knew everyone here would be our age." We wondered if we might actually know many of them, but not having seen them since high school no longer recognized them.

A few brought kids - or maybe grandkids - and Micky explained to them that before Shrek, it was The Monkees who sang "I'm a Believer." "

The "kids-or maybe grandkids" is hard to figure out.  One argument could be made for people raised on watching the tv show (in any age) can ALMOST claim to be first generation.  Because several that I know do encourage their children-and grandchildren. After almost 50 years, the possible/average generation combinations are too varied to pigeonhole.

"Their non-stop selection - from "Last Train to Clarksville" to "Pleasant Valley Sunday" - had served as the soundtrack of our idyllic summer days of "Dark Shadows," my brother's Little League baseball games, our family vacation to the Northwest, weekend water skiing trips and nightly games of kick the can.The older versions of Micky, Mike and Peter brought them back, but the absence of Davy, who died on Feb. 29, 2012, served as the intrusion of reality on our journey into the past. "

Interesting to note that 50 years of aged Monkees does not intrude on idyllic summer days, but a death does.  As if the group's music & concerts exists primarily (and most importantly) as a Time Machine.   Other acts from the 60's get critiqued for being "too old", or too "unhip".  Springsteen has been touring for years, has lost band members to death, but each show is a unique "happening".  The Rolling Stones are still trying to prove their cool cred, despite being mercenaries (and 70 + to boot). 

"but maybe also for the loss of those long-gone days, of no longer being 9 and 11."  

Note here that there is an inherent sadness, of the contrast of being 9 and 11 and then coming back to the present.  The wisdom hinted at in the song "Shades of Gray", knowing that you are a grownup and that life is more complex that you could have ever understood.

But their best asset is their ability to activate memories which have been dormant for decades.  And somehow this works for every generation.

Batman & Monkees

From an article here on Nerdvana, a rumor has begun that the Monkees exist in the same world as Batman (because the Penguin, Burgess Meredith, made a cameo on their show, #56).  But they also include a visual by artist Alex Ross, who includes some familiar Monkeemen in the background, which means Wonder Woman's World.  And probably Superman and the rest of the DC Comics universe (does that preclude Marvel?  As in the Monkees cannot coexist with Spiderman, if they were to meet at a party?  Like, would they all blow up or something?)

There's a more comprehensive list of Monkee/Batman references here, on Monkeestv dot tripod (which provided orginal trivia info for the DVDs of the show).  Other Bat-related references include Van Johnson, Julie Newmar, Olan Soule (who teamed w/ Casey Kasem-who did Robin - as well as Shaggy on Scooby Doo!!) Frank Gorshin, Donna Loren and Valerie Kairys Venet!!

Robin Thicke and Me!!

Most of the time, this blog is dedicated to the Monkees.

But there is a vague connection to the concept of Music Videos and what is "popular".  The Stephen Colbert Report is pretty popular and has been a legit meme for the past few days.  "The Song of The Summer" episode was much better than scheduled.  It was the show that Daft Punk was NOT on.  There was even a joke about how their manager wanted less exposure, and how the Beatles tanked after being on Ed Sullivan.  And Ringo ended up being a train conductor (true).

I was (randomly) lucky enough to be in the audience when Robin Thicke appeared .   He performed "Blurred Lines" and Spin Magazine called him "dorkily charming when he went out into the crowd".  Especially when he sang directly to That Girl in the Black Dress (i.e. ME!  Below!)

BeatleFest, 2013

Just in case there are Beatle fans out there who imagine that anyone who likes the Monkees is just plain nuts . . . and you know who you are . . . sometimes there is a tremendous amount of crossover.

The same organizer, Charles Rosenay, who brought the 2013 Monkee Convention to fruition, brought 10 tribute acts together to perform a day of Beatles-Covers. The proceeds all went to victims of Sandy Hook, which was close to where the festival took place.  It was held in Danbury, at the Charles Ives Concert Park, named for an incredible American Composer (my personal favorite of his is the Concord Sonata)

Here's a review by Fred Velez, all around Monkee-guy and blogger for Monkees.net.  Pictures of Ringer Star here, there's a reason there is only one "R", Fred.  It's a pun!

PS Here's Fred's description about the notoriously difficult Meet&Greets on Mike's solo(ish) 2013 tour:

In mid-March, there was a message on Nez’s Facebook page regarding the meet & greets. You had to log on to his Video Ranch website store, purchase a free Nesmith song download, and you were put on a list of folks who would get a special email of when to purchase the meet & greet passes, which was at the time limited to 25 people. The day the email message went out, it was at 4 in the morning. The first people to see it and purchase the m&g’s were insomniacs, and I didn’t look at my emails till 8am, by that time they were mostly gone. The week of the show at Rahway, I ran into a friend at Beatlefest in NJ who put me wise that he contacted someone at the Video Ranch store to see if there were any m&g passes left, and was told there was a limited number and he was able to purchase one for Rahway. I started calling and emailing Video Ranch and got with touch with someone at the store about the m&g, and finally was able to purchase a pair for myself and my Lovely Linda for the Town Hall concert in NYC. It took a little persistence, but I made it, Folks!

In On The Joke

One of the best parts, IMHO, of the Monkees TV Show is the fact that they break the fourth wall . . . or as Peter says repeatedly "the third wall". (Obviously, this man has never been on stage)

And if you are an actor/character who happens to share the name of your doppleganger on and off screen, it's hard to tell where the artifice ends and real life begins.

They turn to the camera.  That's it.

Simple, right?  Easiest thing in the world to have an actor/character/actor turn to the camera and make a face or deliver a line.  Talk right to the audience, like someone in vaudeville who leans over the footlights.  Sharing the joke, especially when it is terrible, releases some of the tension.  Especially when the audience is not really laughing with you.

One modern example of a band trying to reveal that they too are "in on the joke" is Mumford & Sons' video, "Hopeless Wanderer".  But they are trying too hard.  And it is painful.  This week is is a meme, in a few months it will mark the death of the band.  Hopefully.  And I say this as someone who LOVEs folk music.  And banjos.  They just happen to be riding a huge wave of popularity in a tiny raft.  They are credited with bringing the mandolin mainstream, but will soon turn their sound into a caricature of itself.  The lyrics and music do not have enough complexity to outlive their publicity.  If you are looking for CLEVER string music, try Natalie MacMaster, the Carolina Chocolate Drops or Allison Krauss!!

Another obvious comparison is the casting of 4 comedians to "play" the roles of the band, as they are randomly playing piano and banjo as if they were in a silent movie or banjo quartet (??).  They embrace "folk" music, the kind which marks its history from the turn of the century (the year 2000) & the premiere of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"  Dirty, bearded wanderers=excellent banjo skills.  Another part of the joke is that they have enough money to HIRE the best comedians out there to take the role of each of the band members, and have them wink at the audience.   The Beatles played at being actors, and the Monkees played at being both musicians and actors, but a band replacing themselves with actors?  The reversals are just bizarre.

Much credit for the M&S analysis comes from this excellent post, "Don't Let Mumford & Sons Trick You Into Liking Them".    Which resembles the flavor of much of the anti-establishment press from the 1966-1970 era against the Monkees, from the musical snobs of the day.  Here, is where I agree with the cynics, M&S have jumped the shark.  Just because the band is in on the joke doesn't make us laugh with them.

John Ware, Drummer of The First National Band reviews the 2013 Tour

The reviews about the 2013 Tour keep pouring in.  Mostly just random fan ravings, excited bubbles about which songs they put in ("Door Into Summer") and which they took out ("Daily Nightly").  The Boys are full of energy and as great as ever, etc, etc...

So when I happen across a genuine and completely unique take on a concert, I pay attention.  And so should you. Not just because it is from a contemporary of The Boys.  Or because he's a musician.  Or even that he's played with Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris and the Hot Band (which included member's of Elvis' band, TCB).  Or even because he's from Nez's First National Band.  Or because he's really interesting, as this rare interview from WheresThatSoundComingFrom .  To help you get situated, there's also connections to Red Rhodes (Nez's Pedal Steel Player) and the Flying Burrito Brothers, who famously scoffed at the former Monkee and his Alt-Country pet-project. Just because you have 2 former Byrds, doesn't mean you should throw stones at glass houses . . . (or whatever metaphor you'd like to use)

Read John Ware's take on things: a positive review for an entirely different set of reasons.  You don't have to be a fanatic from the '60's craze, or just another appreciative musician.  You just have to GET IT.  He got it.

From John Ware's Facebook post, 8/6/13, 5pm Eastern Time:

OK...we all know the truth. It was a goddamn television show. It stole it's look from Richard Lester's HARD DAY'S NIGHT...wholesale. Three of the four principals were actors with modest skills beyond clowning and frowning, and Michael Nesmith didn't get the gig because he could write memorable songs. He got it because he was funny and showed up at auditions wearing a $2 knit watch cap...a gimmick. It "HAPPENED" because the time was right. The POP music business has always been a squirrelly bitch. The public knows what it likes, and it quite often likes garbage. The public especially likes garbage fed to them regularly on a TV screen, and THE MONKEES were a banquet for the masses. I barely knew they existed. I was in college, and television was not my drug. I also didn't listen to much pop music radio. I had my own recorded stash, and I DID inhale. Mainly I blissed on a band from "back home." It was the backing band for a white devil named Ronnie Hawkins. My college classmates HATED the shit I had - not that any of them were glued to pop radio. I discovered Mike Nesmith quite circuitously. I got a job right out of grad school playing drums for the Stone Poneys (a logical progression if ever one were offered), and Mike wrote Linda Ronstadt's hit single, DIFFERENT DRUM. He was "around" the band, because we were working his material. Over a period of months Mike and I became friends, and (this is well documented) we eventually made music TOGETHER. I had nothing to do with the MONKEE-shines. I certainly became aware of his part of the TV boy band, but it wasn't the music THEY promoted. It was the music that HE wrote. I missed what had been produced to capitalize on the synthetic fame of the group, and, by that, I mean I missed the complexity of the songs "they sang." It's easy to dismiss the MONKEES and yet very hard to deny that the records (the radio assault) were exceedingly well crafted fare. That fact was hammered home to me at the Monday night show the "boys" presented at the Paramount Theatre in Denver. It was a sensory BLAST in keeping with the TV heritage. The entire "concert" was accompanied by a non-stop jumbo screen montage (sometimes synched to the show and sometimes NOT), and the 100 running minutes was also non-stop. There was no room for daddy...no coming up for air in the backseat of my Chevy. Those guys WORKED HARD FOR THEIR MONEY, and, whether one likes the tunes or no, it was a recitation of perfectly sculpted POP MATERIAL. I'm here to say there were no ONE/FOUR/FIVE songs on the playlist, and, if you have to look that up, do so now. Onstage the players looked like a gathering at a neighborhood bake sale, including the moms and your strange uncle, Bob. They may have looked bizarre, but the ensemble played a tight, musical, exuberant (bet you're surprised by THAT one), and memorable tunestack that deserves a STANDING O.

"All Roads Lead to The Monkees"; The Economics of Merch

Interesting post about one fan's perspective on the band, on why using their real names started a trend but killed the rest of their careers.  Jerry Seinfeld, case in point.  Glee, America's Got Talent, American Idol, etc.  Larger media viewpoint.  What else does this reveal about their current "value" in the market?

I've been pondering the idea of the "20 Year Silence" the author refers to.  Roughly the time in between 1970 and 1986 (give or take 4 years).  Considered by this culture to be "prime entertainment years", the band became sensations again in their 40's.  And again in 1997, with a tv show and more touring.  And now in their 70's, they are more popular than ever.  Is it because the original marketing in the 1960's was innovative and now the brand is continuing that objective?

Looking at the Current Net Worth of the individuals: MN=$50 Mil, MD= $7 Mil, PT=$4 Mil, DJ=$5 Mil, the enterprising economist in me wonders what the comparison would be to 1960's, 1986's, etc. (Also the idea of "Net Worth" is essentially unrelated to "Personal Value", significance to fans, etc. Just a financial calculation of their holdings, potentials in contract negotiations, etc. Don't be offended!!)

Literally, I have been "coming out" about the Monkees to friends only recently.  Afraid that people who take themselves "too seriously" about music would react negatively, especially in favor of the Beatles or the Stones.  Some people still do that (mostly men older than 50).  But I find that anyone under that, especially women, hold no grudge.  At dinner the other night, I was talking to some friends from MIT about guilty pleasures in music.  The Monkees were assumed to be mainstream.  Which makes me re-evaluate their outsider/underdog status.  With the recent tour, they are getting to be just too popular.  When in doubt, I will always refer back to the original TV show.

Of all things, the TV show is almost an area of ANTI-Merchandising for the modern fan.  Kellogg's, sure.  But Yardley Soap?  And all of the memorabilia is offered only at Yard Sales, Conventions and eBay. There has got to be a peculiar area of Economics that is ripe for dissection about residual loyalties of old television shows.

I find it separately interesting that the "2013 Tour Merch" is so successful and predictably so, for the logo on anything can multiply its inherent value to a fan.  See 2012/2013 Tambourines selling and reselling for $20 to $30 (value without the brand, estimated at $5).  The Tour Book also includes any and all pictures of the current threesome, without any additional manipulations-which may or may not be an artistic decision.  There are pictures of the band walking down hallways, and for whatever reasons, Davy is blocked by another member (mostly because he is so short).  A vendor complained that the publishers did not bother to airbrush out his feet/legs/top of his head and attributed it to a lack of funding in not hiring a graphic artist to re-touch the photos (?).  There are also reports that the DJ Estate was asking too much to license his likeness for ay of the merch.  There is still a "Daddy's Song" tribute during the concert and much mention of honoring his memory, but Davy Jones fans are still bristling at the fact that he is not a bigger presence as part of their experience, i.e. Nothing for them to buy/invest in.

The Davy Jones Equine Foundation, run by his daughters, provides any number of items for purchase, directly or indirectly using Davy's image. The "Keep Calm and Ride On" tshirts were everywhere at the Monkees convention and the concerts I have attended.  Most fans I have run into are active on Facebook (all ages) and would be likely to have seen these shirts.  Notice that there is zero representation of this foundation at the tour merch table.

I would estimate that the average ticket price is around $100, and that the average fan probably spends an additional $40 at the venue for Merch or food/drinks. The current tour Merch Table offerings are here. (And I think my estimations are still conservative)  Other monetary factors include parking fees, time +gas, motels/hotels, multi-stop fans/groupies, and buying tickets for members of your family or friends who would not pay for the show (or attend at all) unless the main fan does all the legwork.

Rick Phillips and An Upcoming Monkees Book & Fanfic

This is yet another reason why Facebook is an excellent way of making friends and contacts and connecting with other Monkee fans.

I had seen a post by Rick L. Phillips, who has written a Monkee-song inspired book called . . . (wait for it) . . . Last Train To Murder !!  He had wanted to create a book of Monkee memories, including short stories about Davy from fans.

I contributed and am excited to share more info when it becomes available.

There is an entire subgenre of Fanfic on The Monkees as well.  A superfan, Claire Walton, has published "From This Day Forward" as well as a book of fan pictures of Micky.

I'm sure there are lots of other people who do this and I'll keep updating my list.  Feel free to add, comment or email me with more info.  This blog is not only about the original phenom, but also about how the fan arena evolves as technology evolves, and as new generations become fans.

We're quite an interesting & diverse bunch, ain't we?? :)

Nez FB Post: From a Deer

The ongoing story of Dale and his adventures.  Less surreal than some of his other works.  It's a simple and ongoing narrative about the dialogue between his dog, Dale and Buck, the deer who hates him.

Nez's published novel is Long Sandy Hair of Neftoon Zemora, which he posted chapter by chapter on the internet, (back in the days when THAT was innovative-serialized like Charles Dickens!).  It is quite a wild ride.

He has it on Videoranch, with lots of blurbs from random people.  Douglas Adams, I'd understand . . . but the playwright Wendy Wasserstein??  If you want to get a taste, he has the beginning of it posted.  Lucky for us, his definition of the beginning, is the first 7 chapters (of 13)!!  Don't bother to attempt to purchase it from his site, the author-signed copies link takes you to a broken link.  Start here and let me know how far you get.  Hint: if you are a fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, or in that kind of mood, you'll love it!

On Facebook, from midnight-ish/early morning of 7/30/13

Dear Dr. Gell-mann;

I’m writing to ask you to please excuse the last post from Dale the idiot dog that lives with nez. I am shocked and embarrassed that she would have addressed you so informally – whether she knows you or not – and to make such a crazy remark as about not using emergence around me. I know what emergence means – I’m a deer not a moron – and I use it all the time. It is a great way to avoid Mountain Lions – which as I can tell you are scary if you don’t know where they might emerge on you and bite you to death and eat you then. Like that.

But Dale is a goof ball – you should see the way she acts around my girls and the way they look at me and point when I stand statue like with my huge rack. I have a magnificent rack of horns that I, like, stand perfectly still and do what we call a “Disney” here in the woods as long as there are no Mountain Lions and even people around us who scare the hell out me rack or no rack.

And Deer One is just as bats as Dale is too because they talk about me all the time like I am some clueless and proud Mountain Lion fearing type that just poses and points out where ivy and berries are.

I’m not. Just so you know. I know you are a Doctor and I have all sorts of respect for you especially if you could cure Mountain Lion bites.

Humbly and sincerely even with a huge rack

Buck
King of all the Forest around nez’s house.

Applause Factor

A FB post from Nez on the road.  I agree with him, and even though I have decades to go, I'm trying to build my life with investments that will pay off exponentially the older I get.  Glad to hear him appreciating all that's coming his way.

Notes from the road -- summer 2013 Monkees tour

Austin 

A friend of mine out here told me a story I found interesting so I thought I would pass it on.

A famous composer and wife -- along in years -- recently applied for life insurance for him. They expected it would be expensive given his age.

The agent asked what he was doing these days and the composer shyly dodged the question, but she spoke up and said they were traveling quite a bit. They were going from city to city by invitation to attend performances of his works and accolades from his fans.

The agent hardly skipped a beat and said "Oh, then we can add ten years to his life expectancy. We call it the "applause" factor".

It made sense to me. Applause is appreciation and appreciation is increase. I think it is one of the reasons gratitude is such a powerful and happy state of mind.

I've certainly been getting my share on this tour. The crowds have been fantastic -- singing along and shouting and clapping. They seem to be having the best time. I see huge smiles everywhere we are playing -- young and old. I'm trying to give back as much as I get but its hard. I don't think I have ever been on the receiving end of so much joy. Appreciation, indeed.

It makes me very happy, too -- and it makes me feel good -- physically feel good. Sometimes I find myself spontaneously laughing with delight in the middle of a song. I look out at the crowds and they are beautiful. I tell them so -- but the comment pales in comparison to what they give to us.

It is a nice touch.

We are in Austin starting the Texas leg of the tour. Lots of friends here and lots to look forward too.

Austin is also the "hump" for us --- the point in the tour when there are fewer dates before you than there are behind you -- the halfway point.

We will celebrate with Aaron Franklin's barbecue and a friendly hang at the Hotel tomorrow -- a traditional "over the hump" road party. Just the band and crew and a few friends.

Another nice touch.

Psycho Jello and the Original Six Degrees Game

For those who may not be familiar, Psycho Jello is a GREAT site/Twitter handle/online presence which fills the niche of those who want way too much info about the boys, including a HUGE photo gallery.  They re-claim the marketing pseudo-babble that has been used to derogatorily describe the 60's in general, and the Monkees in particular.

They are not to be confused with Naked Persimmon, a Fanfic/NSFW/earthy sexual fantasies about a certain favorite group.  They are also extremely intelligent, clever and proud of their approach (as well they should be).  i.e. If you can't handle it, leave!  Because it is all done with tremendous amounts of LOVE.

One teensy sidebar of the Psycho Jello site, which I will admit to having JUST NOW discovered is their take on the Traditional Kevin Bacon Six Degrees Game:

http://www.psycho-jello.com/monkees/6degrees.html

A full listing of celebrities and how many degrees apart they are from the Monkees.  Including Steven Spielberg and Bob Marley.

Excellently done.

I may point out that the original goal here was to do the same, but to limit the outer edges to other musicians/actors of the 60's.  Starting at various points, seeing where it leads, with lots of fun along the way.  (And on that point, we've succeeded).

My personal experience has been less of a parlor game than the idea that one band's work was wide enough to accommodate a wide range of other people and ideas. (Imagine a circle)  These people and ideas are in sympathy with others (a larger circle around the first).  I like tangents, and history, and learning and discovery. And sharing what I've learned.

Perhaps this blog is closer to the theory of mapping out someone's mind and trying to trace all their influences, limited to music, tv, vaudeville and the general history of entertainment up to the present moment.

I may retitle this blog in future, but in the spirit of wanderlust, will keep getting lost on tangents while hitting as many nodes as possible on the cosmic wheel of life.

Social Diary: Touring with the Monkees

An excellent treasure trove of pictures about tagging along with Mike backstage and on the tourbus at Westbury, LI from a self-proclaimed "socialite" friend of his, Jill Krementz, who has met him through her niece Jessica Kent who runs the Gihon Foundation, started by Bette Nesmith.

http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/1909584

Take careful note of the pictures where she indicates Mike playing in front of a younger picture of himself.  (Where is it CLEARLY Peter!)

She also identifies Micky as " 'Micky' Dolenz Jr."  (?)  George Dolenz Jr, maybe . . .

Here Comes The Sun

Last night I attended a marvelous (and recurring) event based upon the life & inspiration of George Harrison, run by Joshua M. Greene and Godfrey Townsend.  Joshua led the storytelling and the chanting, while Godfrey sang and played guitar.  Both of these men are highly accomplished.  For Joshua, in addition to being an accomplished musician, he also has an incredible bio & variety of books!  Godfrey has played and toured with a variety of bands, including the Alan Parsons Project (Zombie Connection!!)

The event itself was marvelous.  And I'm not the type who goes in for any kind of fluffy spiritual philosophy.  But Joshua M. Greene is a sincere practitioner and honors George's own discovery and history and belief in a way that offers an excellent balance to the PR HYpe that surrounds his legacy. Joshua himself played with George in 1970 and has written a George bio (Here Comes The Sun) which includes his own experiences & perspective of events.

They included a slideshow and video clips, which helped to give a strong chronology to the narrative.  The event filled the room, and the crowd was allowed to offer up questions in a low-key format.   There was good coverage of George's entire career, plus a portrayal of his spiritual side-which is difficult to get a handle on from the media reports of the time.

It was at the Open Center, description of event here.  If you are within the NYC area, it's a great idea to get onto their mailing list, just to keep an eye out for the next time they do this.  Apparently this was the 4th or 5th (or more?) time they have done it, and will probably do it again.

Additionally, Godfrey had been to the Monkees concert in Westbury, LI the night before and got into Mike's Dressing Room!  There were even a few Monkee jokes slipped into the act.  "A group of young men had invaded the scene . . . do you have the song cued up? . . . 'Here we come . . . Walkin down the street . . .'"