 Adam Schlesinger, who produced The Monkees' 2016 album Good Times! and Christmas Party (2018), passed away on April 1, 2020 at age 52 from complications of COVID-19. Adam was a songwriter, musician, and record producer who was a member of the bands Fountains of Wayne and Ivy, along with the supergroup Tinted Windows, whose song "This Is The Day" was featured in There's Something About Mary. His notable achievements also included TV and film songwriting, which stretched from That Thing You Do to Music and Lyrics to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Fountains of Wayne was perhaps best known for the early 2000s hit single "Stacy's Mom," which was nominated for a Grammy. Adam will be celebrated by a virtual concert show that will stream live at 8 p.m. ET on May 5, 2021 with all ticket proceeds benefitting MusiCares and The Bowery Electric, the Manhattan venue that recently reopened and where portions of the concert were filmed. Micky Dolenz is one of many special guest performers, which also include Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Sean Ono Lennon, Courtney Love, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), Matthew Caws (Nada Surf), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), Drew Carey, Scott McCaughey (The Minus 5), and Adam's Fountains of Wayne bandmate Jody Porter, who spearheaded this tribute concert. You can purchase your ticket to the virtual show now and read more about this special event below: Rolling Stone: Courtney Love, Sean Ono Lennon, Micky Dolenz to Play Adam Schlesinger Tribute Brooklyn Vegan: Adam Schlesinger virtual tribute ft. Courtney Love, Peter Buck, Sean Lennon & more AP: Tribute planned for Adam Schlesinger, who died of COVID-19 
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 Last month The Monkees Pad video podcast debuted and was a resounding success, welcoming its first-ever guest, Monkees historian and author Andrew Sandoval. Now host Joe Russo has returned in Episode 2, featuring none other than Chip Douglas! Long revered by Monkees fans, Douglas acted as producer of two of the group's most acclaimed albums, Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., along with some of their best single sides, including "Daydream Believer," "Goin' Down," "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "Words," and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere." Joe's brand new interview is all the more special since Chip has granted relatively few interviews in recent years. Highlights include an inside look at the recording sessions for Headquarters, original video, plus an exclusive airing of an unreleased vintage Davy Jones recording, "Bright Sunny Day." Listeners can look forward to a "Part 2" of the interview where Chip discusses his work on the Pisces album and much more. For now, enjoy Joe's conversation with Chip Douglas below, and don't forget to follow The Monkees Pad podcast on Facebook. You can also read more about Chip in the archives of The Monkees Live Almanac. Neko Chohlis first met Micky Dolenz when the two attended college together in Los Angeles in the early 1960s. From that friendship with Micky, Neko became involved in the Monkees project, traveling with the group throughout 1967, and later providing artwork for Monkees albums and picture sleeves (seen below). Today, Neko is known for his work as an abstract artist. Recently Neko was a guest on Plastic EP Live TV where he gave a fascinating interview that included his recollections of meeting Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and Jimi Hendrix while on tour with The Monkees, his dealings with Colgems Records, how Davy Jones befriended Jan Berry (of Jan and Dean fame) after Berry's auto accident, his previously unknown contributions to The Monkees' 1968 single, "D.W. Washburn," and much more!  Ryan Brady, husband of Annabel Jones, Davy's youngest daughter, tragically killed in car accident11/28/2020
The Monkees Live Almanac is saddened by the news of the passing of Ryan Brady. Ryan was a Vice President at Atlantic Records and host of the popular Paul McCartney-themed podcast, Take It Away. He and Annabel Jones were married in 2018. The Live Almanac would like to pass along condolences to Annabel and all those who knew Ryan.
(Photo courtesy of Micky Dolenz on Facebook)
UPDATE 12/8/2020: Annabel Jones has posted tributes on Facebook to her late husband, Ryan Brady, including an announcement of the Ryan Brady Memorial Fund:
Micky Dolenz speaks with Forbes.com about Frank Zappa, playing drums, missing Davy & Peter, and more8/7/2020  (Photo by Sherri Hansen)  Adam Schlesinger backstage with Peter Tork & Micky Dolenz at a January 2016 Dolenz solo show in Hartford, Connecticut Adam Schlesinger, who produced The Monkees' 2016 album Good Times! along with the group's first-ever holiday collection Christmas Party (2018), passed away on April 1, 2020 at age 52 from complications of COVID-19. "As many of you are aware, Adam had been hospitalized with COVID-19 and although he had been making some small improvements over the last few days, Adam's condition was critical and he was ultimately unable to recover from COVID-19 complications," read a statement on April 2 provided to CNN. "He was truly a prolific talent and even more so, a loving and devoted father, son and friend." Adam was a member of the bands Fountains of Wayne and Ivy, along with the supergroup Tinted Windows, whose song "This Is The Day" was featured in There's Something About Mary. His notable achievements also included TV and film songwriting, which stretched from That Thing You Do to Music and Lyrics to Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.  Fountains of Wayne (Photo by Violeta Alvarez) Fountains of Wayne was perhaps best known for the early 2000s hit single "Stacy's Mom," which was nominated for a Grammy. Schlesinger was also an Emmy-winning songwriter for the CW musical comedy series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, a show for which he composed more than 100 songs. He received an Oscar nomination for writing the title song to That Thing You Do, directed by Tom Hanks, as well as two Tony nominations for his work on the musical adaptation of John Waters' film Cry-Baby in 2008. In addition to his songwriting, Schlesinger produced recordings for such musical artists as They Might Be Giants, America, and Robert Plant.  Good Times!, The Monkees' first album of all new material since 1996's Justus, was produced by Schlesinger and included his own composition, "Our Own World," along with a song co-written with Micky Dolenz, a send-up of an oft-used phrase utilized by Dolenz over the years, "I Was There (And I'm Told I Had a Good Time)." The album peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200 in June 2016.
Schlesinger appeared onstage with The Monkees in New York City during the group's 50th Anniversary Tour, performing "I Was There" and "Steppin' Stone."  June 1, 2016 / Town Hall, New York City (Photo by Robb Johnston) Micky Dolenz remembered Adam in an interview with WCBS FM. "He was such a great guy, a gentleman, and funny, and so smart. And obviously an incredible producer, writer, performer. I wrote a song with him on Good Times! I just can't believe it. That's by far the closest person to me that's been affected [by COVID-19] and I think about him all the time. What a loss." Schlesinger was effusive in his praise of Dolenz in a 2016 interview with Fast Company when talking about the recording sessions for Good Times! "Micky was a real workhorse, and I think he did more hours in the studio than all the other guys, in total, because he sang most of the songs. He was a real trooper, and his voice is incredible – in most cases, when you’re working with older singers, you’re having to transpose things lower, and in Micky’s case, we’re actually having to transpose things higher, because he’s got this incredible range." Adam's collaboration with The Monkees on Good Times! was seemingly a high point in his career. "They were all incredibly easy and fun to work with," he told Fast Company. "Everybody has the attitude of 'let us know what we can do to help - here are some ideas, take them or leave them.' They're very collaborative." The Monkees' official website paid tribute to Adam Schlesinger after the announcement of his death, while also highlighting his work on Good Times! "Even the most optimistic Monkees fan couldn’t have guessed just how wonderful an effort Schlesinger would help put together. It wasn't just a comeback album, it was an instant classic that was – without question – the best thing the band had released since the '60s."  Adam Schlesinger in the studio with Michael Nesmith during sessions for "Good Times!" Ben Gibbard, lead vocalist and guitarist of Death Cab For Cutie, whose song "Me & Magdalena" proved to be a highlight from Good Times!, also commemorated Adam. "I never got to meet Adam," Gibbard relayed during an at-home live stream concert after Schlesinger passed. "We had a lot of connective tissue - a lot of friends in common - but we never had a chance to meet. But I owe him a huge debt of gratitude because he was integral in picking 'Me & Magdalena' for The Monkees to record four years ago." "I always thought as one does in life that you have plenty of time to say thank you, or I love you, or to give somebody a compliment or what have you, but that day obviously did not come," said Gibbard. "From the bottom of my heart, I'm so grateful to him for helping me realize a lifelong dream, which was to write a song that would be recorded by The Monkees, a band I grew up listening to." Adam Schlesinger returned to the producer's chair for The Monkees on Christmas Party in 2018. Schlesinger co-wrote one of the standout tracks on the holiday collection, "House of Broken Gingerbread," with novelist Michael Chabon. Adam was survived by his two daughters, Sadie and Claire, his girlfriend Alexis Morley, his parents Barbara and Stephen Schlesinger, and his sister Lauren.
Listen to the latest podcasts from Rhino, NPR's Fresh Air, Zilch, Nesmith, Tork, Goffin & King, and Rolling Stone as they honor the life and accomplishments of Adam Schlesinger.  This past Saturday, Liverpool Tours and Charles Rosenay sponsored "The Peter Tork Memorial Convention" in New Haven, Connecticut to commemorate Peter's birthday month and the one year since his passing. Michael Nesmith remembered Peter in a special video that was screened at the event and published on the Videoranch YouTube channel: An official tribute video was also produced for the convention, featuring appearances by Micky Dolenz, Bobby Hart, Valerie Kairys Venet, Wayne Avers, John Billings, Sandy Gennaro, Fred Velez, Ed Reilly, Rich Dart, and many more:  After a flurry of albums with the First and Second National Bands in the early 1970s, Michael Nesmith began to broaden his artistic scope. In 1972, Nez formed Countryside Records, a subsidiary of Elektra Records, to produce and promote country and western artists including Red Rhodes, Tom Holbrook, Steve Fromholz, and Garland Frady. One of Michael's most noteworthy projects from this era included his collaboration with British musician and singer-songwriter Ian Matthews on the album Valley Hi. Matthews had previously been a member of the folk rock band Fairport Convention, and Nez acted as producer for his 1973 LP on Elektra. Valley Hi is noteworthy for Matthews' version of "Seven Bridges Road," a song later made famous by The Eagles on their 1980 album Eagles Live. Rhino Records highlighted the track earlier this week in an article entitled "5 Things You May Not Have Known About Mike Nesmith" while celebrating Michael's recent birthday: He produced, sang, and played on Ian Matthews’ version of "Seven Bridges Road." Written by Steve Young and arguably made most famous by the Eagles, Nesmith recorded Matthews’ version of the song in 1973 for Matthews’ VALLEY HI album, and if you listen to that version first and then listen to the Eagles’ version, what you will notice is that the tempo and arrangements are pretty much identical. Like, to the degree that Nesmith later said of that similarity, "Son of a gun if Don or somebody in Eagles didn’t lift [our] arrangement absolutely note for note for vocal harmony. If they can’t think it up themselves [and] they’ve got to steal it from somebody else, better they should steal it...from me, I guess." Matthews also covered Nesmith's classic "Propinquity" on Valley Hi. And now, this period of Michael Nesmith's career and his work with Ian Matthews has been examined in much greater depth by Peter Mills, author of The Monkees, Head, and the '60s, in his new blog Pete Sounds. Peter relayed to the Live Almanac that he had to leave an abundance of material for his book on the cutting room floor, but now fans can enjoy his research about this often overlooked period of Nesmith history. Click the image below to visit Peter's blog!  Read about another album Michael produced during this era for Bert Jansch in the archives of The Monkees Live Almanac, along with a detailed history of Countryside Records
On November 12, legendary musicians will gather at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center for "James Burton and Friends," a concert event benefiting the James Burton Foundation. Mr. Burton, who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, is a famed guitarist who has played on numerous recordings, and he also acted as a session musician for The Monkees in the 1960s. The Burton Foundation supports music education for those in need through guitar donations and music instruction to schools, hospitals, and community service organizations.
Micky Dolenz is scheduled to be a part of the benefit concert and will take the stage with Mr. Burton, Sammy Hagar, Brian May (Queen), Joe Walsh (The Eagles), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Paul Shaffer (The Late Show with David Letterman), and many more. Tickets are still available! 
UPDATE 11/14/2019: Footage and more from the Burton benefit concert:
 Rip Taylor and The Monkees in "The Frodis Caper" (Screenshot courtesy of Sunshine Factory) Actor and comedian Rip Taylor, known for his flamboyant personality and showering himself and others with confetti, who made countless appearances on television, film, and in nightclubs, passed away on October 6. Monkees fans will remember Taylor as a multiple episode guest star on The Monkees, appearing prominently in second season highlights "Monkees on the Wheel" (as the distressed casino manager) and "The Frodis Caper" (as the diabolical Wizard Glick).
Taylor was also spotted in The Monkees' 1969 NBC television special, 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee, during the "Listen to the Band" segment.  "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee" (Screenshot courtesy of Sunshine Factory) The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter eulogized Taylor, while also noting his appearances with The Monkees. "In 1967, Taylor showed up as a sobbing casino manager on an episode of The Monkees. 'Oh, officer, thank goodness you're here,' he says to a police detective called to investigate a rigged roulette wheel. 'I just found this wire attached to the wheel. And whenever I'd shift my stick, the house would lose a bet. Could you die?'" -The Hollywood Reporter On March 25, 1968 the last original episode of The Monkees aired on NBC. "The Frodis Caper" was written by Micky Dolenz and Dave Evans, and in his debut behind the camera, directed by Micky. Taylor portrayed Wizard Glick, who was out to control people's minds through a hypnotic eye broadcasted on television sets. "This is my attempt to address the manipulation of the American mind by the media," Dolenz relayed in a 2003 DVD commentary for the episode. "Hooray, The Monkees save the world from the evil machinations of the media . . . I guess it didn’t work, though, did it?" Rip Taylor was 88.  (Photo courtesy of Roger Roland Di Lernia)  (Photo by Paul Zollo) Monkees fans are likely to recall the name Paris Stachtiaris, co-host of Headquarters ("The only radio show in America dedicated to The Monkees") that originally aired on 90.3 WBAU-FM, the radio station of Adelphi University in Long Island, New York, from 1987 to 1990. Cassette tapes of the program, which featured interviews with Monkees luminaries like Chip Douglas, Ward Sylvester, Jim Frawley, Coco Dolenz, Lester Sill, Monte Landis, Gerry Goffin, the individual Monkees themselves, and others, were frequently traded among fans in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And now in 2019 Paris is back, with co-host Ben Brown, producing a special in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Woodstock that will air Labor Day Weekend on HCS internet radio. Paris and Ben's premier guest is the renowned rock photographer Henry Diltz, the official lensman of Woodstock who also has photographed The Monkees extensively since the 1960s. Paris has informed the Live Almanac that he is planning to play Rhino's recently released (and now sold out) 38-disc box set, containing nearly every note played at Woodstock, during the special. The Woodstock Radio Special will air on HCS internet radio beginning Friday, August 30 at 5:00 PM through Monday morning, September 2, and you can preview the interview with Henry from the special right now! And don't miss a selection of Henry's photographs from Woodstock, courtesy of his website. Thanks to Paris for keeping everyone informed about his latest project, and be sure to check out the archives of the Headquarters radio program here at The Monkees Live Almanac!   Peter Fonda and Micky Dolenz on the set of "Head" in 1968 (Photo by Henry Diltz)  Congratulations to Amy and John Billings on the opening of Wine Down Nashville, a new music and event-based establishment in Nashville, Tennessee. John has been The Monkees' bass player since 2012 and also performs with Micky Dolenz. He resides in Nashville with Amy, who has long dreamed of opening a wine restaurant. "Wine Down Nashville is a boutique wine bar created by musicians but made for all," John relayed to the Live Almanac this weekend. "It reflects both of our histories, some of our adventures, and especially our love of wine. We are open for all walks of life, but we're putting an emphasis on local events, corporate meetings, parties, and Amy's favorite pet project: meet and greets by some of our favorite musical artists, creatives of all walks, and a glimpse into Nashville's musical studio and touring force. Stay tuned!"  John and Amy at Wine Down Nashville     John also alerted the Live Almanac that a special treat awaits Monkees fans inside Wine Down Nashville. "I'm displaying and selling some of our favorite behind the scenes photography [of The Monkees] that I've taken over the years. I haven't previously displayed or presented any of it, but with Amy's help, it's going to be part of our boutique wine bar." John shared photos of his work that currently adorns the walls of Wine Down Nashville:  (Photos of Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz)  (Photo of Peter Tork onstage in 2014)  (Photo of Micky's drum kit on the 2014 Monkees tour) Stopping in at Wine Down Nashville to give his seal of approval was Wayne Avers, longtime Monkees guitarist and musical director:   Wayne and Amy Wine Down Nashville is located at 2720 Old Lebanon Road #111 in Nashville, Tennessee. Be sure to like the Facebook page and visit the website. And best of luck to Amy, John, and their staff from The Monkees Live Almanac! UPDATE 10/16/2019:
Monkees archivist and producer Andrew Sandoval remembered his friend Gary on Facebook:
Recorded during The Monkees' 30th Anniversary Tour in the summer of 1996, Two Man Band featured Peter Tork and his longtime friend, singer/songwriter/musician James Lee Stanley, performing selected covers and songs by Tork, Stanley, and The Monkees.
Peter and James first met in 1964 when Peter was a member of the Phoenix Singers during Peter's Greenwich Village days. In 1994, James Lee's Beachwood Records issued Peter's first solo album, Stranger Things Have Happened, and the duo began to perform together in the aftermath of its release. The intimate, acoustic nature of their shows inspired them to replicate that formula inside the recording studio, and Two Man Band was born. In 2001, Peter and James released Once Again, which was followed by Live/Backstage at the Coffee Gallery in 2006. Two Man Band is an excellent album that the Live Almanac highly recommends. Listen to an insightful interview with James Lee Stanley where he talks extensively about the album on the Texas Prairie Chicken Home Companion podcast: 
AllMusic delivered praise for Two Man Band in its review of the album:
"Following the artistic success of his debut solo CD, Stranger Things Have Happened, Peter Tork teamed up with Beachwood labelmate James Lee Stanley. This pairing allowed Tork to further explore his acoustic, blues, and easy listening side. And, as with his first release, this is an excellent album. Both artists compliment each other and the music is very accessible. Tork has a wonderfully pleasing and distinctive voice, and Stanley's voice is a perfect blend. The two alternate lead vocals and composition credits and this, too, works. Stanley contributes more original tunes to the collection, while Tork is content to write a couple and choose suitable covers (such as the brilliant 'Milkshake,' a clear standout of the CD). 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' is outstanding and rivals the Monkees' version. One wonders what direction the Monkees would have taken had Tork had more control. That said, this album is a treasure. A perfect album for late summer nights while relaxing."
Two Man Band can be purchased on compact disc today through Amazon or CD Baby. The album is also available for downloading on iTunes and can be streamed on Spotify.
Thanks very much to Ben Belmares for sharing his scans of Two Man Band with The Monkees Live Almanac!
On Saturday, April 27, Micky Dolenz will join longtime friend (and fellow Hollywood Vampire) Alice Cooper at Cooper’s Annual Rock & Roll Fundraising Bash, benefiting free music, dance, art, recording, and video classes for teenagers at Alice Cooper’s Rock Teen Center. 
Legendary Wrecking Crew member Hal Blaine played drums on a number of Monkees songs in the 1960s, including "Papa Gene's Blues," "Mary, Mary," and "Someday Man." He passed away on Monday at age 90.
Gemma "Coco" Dolenz (Vocals)
Peter Tork, Gemma Dolenz, and Micky Dolenz at the Troubadour in Hollywood, September 1970)
John Billings (Bass Guitar)
"As it always does, news like losing a friend and coworker always hits you from out of nowhere and leaves you stunned. In the end, I remember he and Pam taking me to breakfast in 2013 at the end of a long run on the road, us 3 praying together when the food arrived. I had not seen Peter do that before, so it was a real comfort to me then and it is especially now.
Here's what I like to remember: He loved busting me on my bass parts, but also would take time to listen to my headphones I had nearby, with that iso'd bass track cue'd up. He'd smile and say "Oh yeah, it does go that way." Then he'd walk off and smile at me during the show when that part would pop up live. He was always kind to me. Yeah, all of us on that stage had our moments with each other in this band, but he was a gentleman. Always. Great hugger. Always greeted you with one. In San Francisco, I had had a particular rough morning trying to return a rental car, running uphill to the hotel, pack to leave on the bus...everything conspiring against me to not be on time and feeling not so pleasant. Amy Don Billings was saying good bye to me to return home, it was chaotic and I was throwing suitcases under the bus...not one of my finer moments....Peter grabbed Amy, looked after her and brought her over to me. She still talks about that simple kindness he showed her to this day. He wasn't The Clown, but he loved to clown around. Loved, and I mean LOVED the blues. Great smile. Just real. Always quick to sign things for me whenever I asked. Always. Didn't mind me being a goofy photographer and snapping his picture whenever. Never once said "no". Loved his woman and did not mind PDA. That dude showered Pam Grapes with so much affection. They could be like teenagers. It was sweet. Loved his kids. Treated his step children like his own. That of course spoke volumes to me, made him even more of a good man. Knew more about music theory than I did. I just pretended to know and nod when he'd start lecturing me on the finer points. Goodbye Peter. I hope you see all our friends and family now that you're home." (Courtesy of John Billings on Facebook) Rich Dart (Drums)Christian Nesmith (Guitar)Circe Link (Vocals)Sandy Gennaro (Drums: 1987, 1996-1997, 2001-2002) Peter Tork performs during The Monkees' 50th Anniversary Tour in 2016 (Photo by Sherri Hansen) |
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