|
Check out this new interview with Michael Nesmith, appearing in the October issue of Uncut magazine. (Thanks to Psycho Jello for the scans.)   
0 Comments
Here's a small review of Michael Nesmith's recent solo performance in California. "Tapioca Tundra" was included in his set!
Featured on AMC's Breaking Bad yesterday evening, it's the most downloaded Monkees song on iTunes today: Michael Nesmith is performing this evening at the The Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, CA. He wrote the following on his Facebook page yesterday: I have been at the Videoranch studio rehearsing and it sounds good enough to try things out at Vicki Abelson's Women Who Write Salon tomorrow at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. The Henry Miller is a wonderful place (library sends the wrong signal -- this is a great concert stage in a meadow surrounded by giant redwoods right on the Big Sur coast just across from Nepenthe!) The whole place i...s magical and an unequaled part of the great outdoors in the Sur. Henry Miller's words permeate. So -- I will head down there tomorrow with Joe Chemay and Charlie Judge and we will play 3 or 4 songs around 5PM from the new solo show that I'm taking to the UK in October. I think it will be a lot of fun and provide fresh inspiration for me -- and I am loving the way the music is sounding. Each song has a pretty hat with beautiful "woses". Nesmith is also apparently planning on staging some United States concerts at a later time. Speaking of Nez, this photo of The First National Band is making the rounds, and is courtesy of Dana Harris Rhodes. My guess is that it was taken in 1970.  Finally, the Facebook page for the Monkees 2012 Tour is taking setlist suggestions. Check it out here.  The Monkees on the set of 'Head' in 1968  Michael Nesmith  Micky Dolenz  Davy Jones in 1970  Peter Tork in 1967  The Monkees in 1966 It appears that ticket sales have been very strong and almost half the shows are already sold out. The tour's Facebook page has reported that sales have been brisk and suggested to not wait too long to purchase your tickets. Not much else new to relay on the tour. Once rehearsals formally start I'm sure we'll begin to hear some new information. I'm hoping we see a formal publicity photo of Mike, Micky and Peter soon. Check out this photo I found online recently. I'm convinced it was taken in Australia or Japan in 1968 and Peter is just missing from the shot. Though on first glance you would think it's from the 1969 tour without Peter, the stage setup looks similar to what we have seen in pictures from the Australian/Japanese '68 tour - note the flowers on the stage and the second drum kit (behind Nez), which was presumably used by the support acts before The Monkees took the stage. It's a great picture that I have never seen before, but for now I don't think it's from the 1969 tour. One more thing...take a look at Davy's cool 3/4 scale Gretsch bass that was custom made for him. If you have any information on the picture, please contact me.  Here's another picture...Micky and Peter (and an unknown guest) backstage at a Nez solo show in the early 1990s.  And finally, I think this picture comes from the promotional tour in early September 1966 in Del Mar, California during KHJ Radio's "Clarksville for a Day" promotion. Obviously the guys weren't ready for the camera!  Ticket sales have been great for the tour, according to the Hollywood Reporter.  If you are going to the Los Angeles or Cleveland concerts, here's the pre-sale information right from the tour's official Facebook:
Los Angeles/Greek Theater: PSST! Here are the four (count 'em four) passwords for the Monkees' Greek Theatre tickets that go on presale Thursday @10am: RADIO: KEARTH NEDERLANDER: DAYDREAM TICKETMASTER: BELIEVER OTHER: GREEKLA2012 Cleveland/Lakewood: Presale Start: Thursday August 16th @ 10 a.m. Presale End: Thursday August 16th @ 10 p.m. Public On Sale: Friday August 17th @ 10 a.m. NO PASSWORD Check out a brand new website that debuted online last week: MonkeeBootlegs.com. Its webmaster is Iain Lee and the site features detailed reviews and information about all the different Monkees (plus solo) bootlegs that exist. A work in progress, more selections will continue to be added to the site. (The page is also now listed in the LINKS section of this website.)  Michael Nesmith posted this today on Facebook Guitar nerd alert! Read no farther if guitars do not interest -- however, if they do here is some pass along info. Remember the blonde Gretsch 12 string I played on the Monkees? The original was made for me and I left it at Red Rhodes shop to be repaired. One awful night it and a dozen other guitars were stolen. At a recent NAMM show I asked the present Gretsch owners if they would build me another and they graciously consented. It is fashioned from an existing 6 string, this one a Country Classic II, so it is a touch exotic -- and probably a one off. It did not play as well as the first one so I took it over to The Guitar Shop in Santa Cruz, California. Steve Crisp is the owner and master luthier there and he set it up for me and tweaked it to perfection; precise intonation and buttery smooth action. (FYI I tune it down a whole tone). He really has a knack for this -- dedicated mostly to Electrics but I believe he is just as good with Acoustics. So this is my tip to you if you need guitar work done, and thanks to him, for such a great job on this instrument. I have it up and running now, playing it a lot, and am fine tuning it for the Monkees concerts in November. It feels like an old friend and plays like one. Thanks, Steve.  (Screenshot courtesy of Sunshine Factory) Tickets for the 2012 Monkees tour are going fast. The concerts scheduled for The Keswick Theatre (PA), State Theatre (NJ), Beacon Theatre and Paramount Theatre (both in NY) are all sold out.
The band released the following statement on the tour's Facebook page: The Monkees wish to thank every fan who has bought a ticket to their shows. Demand was much greater than we ever anticipated. We are grateful for those who wish to support us in these special concerts and we look forward to playing for you in November. According to the tour's Facebook page, Philadelphia is sold out, and the pre-sales all around were 'brisk.'
Don't wait to get your tickets! Check the tour's Twitter account for updated pre-sale passwords and on-sale dates. This is the best place to get the most accurate, up to date information. Micky has a new album, Remember, coming this fall before the Monkees tour. You can read about it here. 
Please check two blog posts below that have been updated: information on pre-sales and passwords, and links to The Monkees on Twitter (two accounts: one for the tour and the official band account).
(There are two official Monkees Twitter accounts: one for the 2012 tour and a separate one for the band. Changes are reflected below.)
The official Twitter account for the tour is available here. A Tweet today asked fans what songs they want to hear on the upcoming tour. The regular Monkees Twitter is here. A reminder: during the leadup to the 2011 tour, details about rehearsals were shared and a few hints regarding the setlist were given on the tour's Twitter account... Monkees Twitter links have also been added to the LINKS section here on the site. Per The Monkees Tour Facebook page:
So, when can you buy tickets? Pre-sales for all dates except for Escondido, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Chicago, Cleveland & Buffalo begin tomorrow (Thursday, August 9). Tickets for Escondido, Santa Barbara and Buffalo go on sale Friday, August 10. Chicago goes on sale Saturday, August 11, Cleveland on Friday, August 17 and Los Angeles on Saturday, August 18. ---- Yesterday I posted initial pre-sale information. Here are the updated pre-sale codes and information: NOV 8 California Center for the Arts – Escondido CA The pre-sale password is AEG2012 pre-sale starts Aug 10 at 10am NOV 9 Arlington Theatre – Santa Barbara CA no pre-sale password required TICKETS ON SALE Aug 11 at 10am NOV 10 Greek Theatre – Los Angeles CA pre-sale starts Aug 16 at 10am NOV 11 Flint Center for the Performing Arts – Cupertino CA no pre-sale password required pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am NOV 15 State Theatre – Minneapolis MN The pre-sale password is BELIEVER pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am NOV 16 The Chicago Theatre – Chicago IL The pre-sale password is HEYHEY pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am NOV 17 Lakewood Civic Auditorium Cleveland OH pre-sale starts Aug 16 at 10am NOV 18 The Center for the Arts - Buffalo NY no pre-sale password required pre-sale starts Thursday at 10am NOV 29 Keswick Theatre – Philadelphia PA Tickets go on sale Aug 10 Noon at Box Office no pre-sale password required pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am NOV 30 State Theatre Regional Arts Center – New Brunswick NJ pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am pre sale PASSWORD for New Brunswick is ST4U DEC 1 The Paramount – Huntington NY pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am pre-sale PASSWORD for Huntington is HORNS DEC 2 The Beacon Theatre – New York NY pre-sale password is MONKEES pre-sale starts Aug 9 at 10am  Here we go...
Some venues are doing pre-sales or have on-sales approaching as early as this weekend. Check the venue's website or call their box office for more information. I'm going to post a few articles that are making the rounds today. Here's a quick summary. When Davy passed away, it was reported that The Monkees (with Mike) were planning on working together again. This tour seems to be somewhat of an extension of those initial plans. It appears that most of the backing band from the 2011 tour will be returning. They will be joined by one of Mike's sons, Christian, who will be playing guitar in the band. The setlist will span the career of The Monkees. A portion of the show each night will feature just Mike, Micky and Peter, with a focus on the Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. albums. There will be a multimedia presentation much like the 2011 shows, with rare films and photographs that will help pay tribute to Davy Jones. --- Official press release: An Evening With The Monkees - Fall Tour Announced Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, And Peter Tork To Perform Their First Concerts Together In Fifteen Years Twelve Exclusive Dates Announced For U.S Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork return to the concert stage this November for a historic, twelve-date tour of the United States. These performances will mark their first concerts together since 1997. The jaunt kicks off at Escondido’s California Center for the Arts on November 8 and wraps at New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre on December 2. The trio’s shows are set to feature a selection of their classic hits (such as “Last Train To Clarksville,” “I’m A Believer” and “Pleasant Valley Sunday”), deep cuts from their first five platinum albums (including some performed for the first time since the 1960’s) and fan favorites from the soundtrack to their cult film classic Head and their Emmy®-award winning television series. The show will encompass a full multimedia evening of music, rare films, and one-of-a-kind photographs. Since the dates fall forty-five years on from their epic struggle to become legitimate music makers, the concerts will be highlighted by a set performed by just Nesmith, Dolenz and Tork. In 1967, the year the Monkees outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, they issued two #1 albums (Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd) which primarily featured the Monkees as a self-contained, musical unit. Each evening’s trio set will showcase numbers from these albums and present the Monkees’ electric garage band sound that they developed on their mid-1960’s tours. To open and close the show, the Monkees will be augmented by a stellar crew of players to play the hand-picked setlist each evening. These dates comprise the first U.S. Monkees tour to feature Michael Nesmith since 1969. He has reunited with the group over the years; his last stateside concert with the band was a rare private show in support of 1997’s Justus album. These dates also follow the unexpected passing of their musical comrade Davy Jones in February. Plans call for Jones to be saluted in the show’s multimedia content. Although Davy’s absence will undoubtedly be felt by the Monkees and their fans, these concerts will be an opportunity to share their memories amidst the music and the movies that brought them together. Moreover, the band look forward to performing for their many new fans who have discovered their music through repeats of their TV show on Antenna television, classic rock radio, or via social media. One thing is for certain, these concerts will be a once-in-a-lifetime series of shows that are not to be missed. The Monkees 2012 Tour Dates November 8 - California Center for the Arts, Escondido, CA 9 - The Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara, CA 10 - Greek Theatre, Los Angeles, CA 11 - Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Cupertino, CA 15 - State Theatre, Minneapolis, MN 16 - The Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL 17 - Lakewood Civic Auditorium, Cleveland, OH 18 - The Center For The Arts, Buffalo, NY 29 - Keswick Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 30 - State Theatre Regional Arts Center, New Brunswick, NJ December 1 - The Paramount, Huntington, NY 2 - The Beacon Theatre, New York, NY --- Rolling Stone coverage Nez: "This seems like a good time to do this – the right time," says Nesmith. "Who knows when we will get another chance?" Michael Nesmith interviewed in Rolling Stone Nez: "I never really left." Christian Nesmith to support his dad and The Monkees on tour  The Monkees are touring in 2012! Just announced were 12 dates across the United States, featuring Micky, Peter and Mike! Here is the tour's Facebook page, which I also added to the LINKS section here on the website. A 2012 Tour page is already up here at the Live Almanac - keep checking back for updates as they become available! Michael Nesmith posted this late last night on his Facebook:  Davy will be missed.   Click the photo above for The Monkees on Facebook.
|
Bob Rafelson
|
RSS Feed