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Peter Mills is the author of the exceptional 2016 book, The Monkees, Head, and the '60s, and a friend of the Live Almanac. A while back, Peter relayed that he had to leave an abundance of material for his book on the cutting room floor, including an examination of Michael Nesmith's work with Ian Matthews in the early 1970s. And now, Peter is sharing more of his shelved research, this time focusing on one of The Monkees' most iconic songs, "Goin' Down." Enjoy Peter's essay, linked below:  (Click image above to watch video)
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With the recent release of Dolenz sings Nesmith and the announcement of a Monkees Farewell tour in May, Zilch host extraordinaire Ken Mills welcomes back Andrew Sandoval as he talks about the tour and Micky's new solo album, as well as his upcoming book, The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story, and much, much more. "We have a lot to celebrate right now," Andrew said. Indeed.  Back in 2018, Michael Nesmith's six early 1970s albums for RCA Records appeared on various digital and streaming platforms, and more surprisingly at the time, each album was chock-full of bonus tracks, many of them previously unreleased. Magnetic South (1970), Loose Salute (1970), Nevada Fighter (1971), Tantamount To Treason (1972), And the Hits Just Keep On Comin' (1972), and Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash (1973) have all seen various reissues over the years on both compact disc and vinyl. And since the CD re-releases featured scant bonus tracks, the 2018 digital/streaming versions of those albums marked the first time that the vaults were truly opened to reveal a plethora of previously unheard recordings by Nesmith and the First and Second National Band line-ups (including new versions of Monkees songs like "Circle Sky" and instrumental renditions of both "Magnolia Simms" and "Tapioca Tundra"). Now, courtesy of Real Gone Music, comes Different Drum: The Lost RCA Victor Recordings on compact disc, which collects all of those digital bonus tracks that had never been treated to a proper physical release. The CD has debuted at #98 on Billboard's Current Album Sales chart, and Videoranch recently shared a review of the set courtesy of Shindig:  UPDATE 5/18/2021: Courtesy of Videoranch, here's another review of Different Drum, this time from Record Collector:  The Monkees' kicked off their 1969 concert tour, the first as a trio after Peter Tork left the group in late 1968, at the Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, BC, Canada on March 29, 1969. These photos of Davy, Michael, and Micky are courtesy of Photos by Vlad:    "Monkees Farewell Tour" with Michael Nesmith & Micky Dolenz to celebrate 55 years of Monkeemania5/4/2021  In what surely will be a bittersweet moment for many fans, The Monkees Tour Facebook page has just posted the news that Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz will conduct a "Monkees Farewell Tour" beginning in September 2021, capping a storied career while also marking five and a half decades of Monkeemania. Opening night of Michael and Micky's final curtain call will occur in Spokane on September 10, two days shy of the 55th anniversary of the debut of The Monkees television show on NBC. The tour is currently slated to visit 43 cities and will conclude in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre on November 14, site of several triumphant Monkees concerts since the 1980s. Nesmith and Dolenz last toured in 2019 and were scheduled to return to the road in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in multiple postponements. The list of "Farewell" dates include some of the shows originally planned for that tour. The official press release and a confirmed list of concert dates appear below. Tickets and VIP packages for select stops on "The Monkees Farewell Tour" are currently available, while most others go on sale on Friday, May 7. This is a breaking news story. Stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for further updates! Press Release for "Monkees Farewell Tour" Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz of The Monkees will embark on their farewell tour in September 2021. Commemorating 55 years of Monkeemania, the tour will embrace major markets in North America through the fall, launching on September 10 in Spokane and ending back where it all began in Los Angeles at The Greek Theatre on November 14. Their critically acclaimed concerts feature the voice of Dolenz (who sang The Monkees' biggest hits: "I'm A Believer," "Last Train To Clarksville," "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Steppin' Stone") and the group’s primary songwriter, Nesmith (who wrote such classics as "Mary, Mary," "Papa Gene's Blues," "You Just May Be The One" and "Listen To The Band," to name but a few). Tickets and VIP packages for some dates of "The Monkees Farewell Tour" are on sale now, with more going on sale later this week. Most shows will NOT have VIP Soundchecks, and the presale code is FRODIS. (Update: VIP Soundchecks will be occurring only at the postponed 2020 dates.) "The Monkees Farewell Tour" will feature songs that span the band's entire career – from their 1966 self-titled debut album to 2016's Good Times! Their most recent release, The Monkees – The Mike & Micky Show Live, was issued in April 2020 and became their 17th Billboard charting album release. In addition to their hits, their farewell shows will spotlight songs featured on their Emmy-winning TV series ("The Girl I Knew Somewhere," "You Told Me," "Randy Scouse Git," "Goin' Down" and "For Pete's Sake") as well as music from their feature film Head ("Circle Sky" and "As We Go Along"). Plus some rarely performed deep cuts (such as "Auntie's Municipal Court") and tracks from their most-recent studio album, 2016’s Good Times! ("Me & Magdalena" and "Birth Of An Accidental Hipster"). This farewell tour will mark the end of a unique project that began in 1965 when four young men were cast in a television show about a struggling rock band that was inspired by The Beatles' A Hard Day’s Night. Few could have predicted the impact The Monkees would have on music and pop culture at large, one that still reverberates more than 50 years later. "Monkees Farewell Tour" Concert Dates 9/10: Spokane, WA @ First Interstate Center for the Arts 9/11: Seattle, WA @ Moore Theater 9/12: Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall 9/14: Sacramento, CA @ Crest Theatre 9/15: San Jose, CA @ San Jose Civic 9/17: Riverside, CA @ Fox Performing Arts Center 9/18: El Cajon, CA @ The Magnolia 9/19: Phoenix, Arizona @ Celebrity Theatre 9/23: Austin, TX @ Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater 9/24: Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre 9/25: San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center For The Performing Arts 9/27: Midland, TX @ Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center 9/28: The Woodlands, TX @ Dosey Doe 9/29: The Woodlands, TX @ Dosey Doe 10/1: Memphis, TN @ The Soundstage at Graceland 10/2: Chattanooga, TN @ Tivoli Theatre 10/3: Nashville, TN @ Tennessee Performing Arts Center 10/6: Birmingham, AL @ Iron City 10/7: Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre 10/8: Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall 10/10: Orlando, FL @ Hard Rock Live 10/12: Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Parker Playhouse 10/13: Clearwater, FL @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 10/16: Jacksonville, FL @ Florida Theatre 10/18: Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre 10/19: Red Bank, NJ @ Count Basie Center 10/20: Tarrytown, NY @ Tarrytown Music Hall 10/22: Bethlehem, PA @ The Wind Creek Event Center 10/23: Atlantic City, NJ @ Ocean Casino Resort - Ovation Hall 10/24: New York, New York @ Town Hall 10/26: Burlington, VT @ Flynn Center for the Performing Arts 10/28: Huntington, NY @ The Paramount 10/29: Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena 10/30: Medford, MA @ Chevalier Theatre 11/1: Greensburg, PA @ The Palace Theatre 11/2: Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre 11/3: Northfield, OH @ MGM Northfield Park - Center Stage 11/5: Rosemont, IL @ Rosemont Theatre 11/6: Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theater 11/7: Minneapolis, MN @ State Theatre 11/9: St. Charles, MO @ Family Arena 11/10: Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater 11/11: Salina, KS @ Stiefel Theatre 11/14: Los Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre Tour Press Coverage Monkees.com: The Monkees Announce Farewell Tour Dates Rolling Stone: The Monkees Announce Farewell Tour San Diego Tribune: The Monkees’ 2020 tour, postponed a year by COVID pandemic, has now become the group’s 2021 farewell tour Ultimate Classic Rock: Monkees Announce Fall 2021 Farewell Tour Best Classic Bands: The Monkees’ Dolenz and Nesmith Set Farewell Tour Brooklyn Vegan: The Monkees announce Farewell Tour Rock Cellar: Michael Nesmith & Micky Dolenz Announce The Monkees Farewell Tour Dates Rhino Insider: The Monkees Announce Farewell Tour Dates People: The Monkees Announce 2-Month Long Farewell Tour with Stops Across North America Fox: The Monkees announce farewell tour dates with surviving members Stereoboard: The Monkees Announce Farewell US Tour For Fall Yahoo: The Monkees Announce 2-Month Long Farewell Tour with Stops Across North America  Dolenz sings Nesmith, a brand new album by Micky Dolenz comprised of songs written by Michael Nesmith throughout his career, will be released by 7a Records worldwide on May 21. Listen to a recent interview with Micky conducted by Steven Rainey of BBC Radio Ulster where he talks about the album, working with Christian Nesmith, and more:  The Monkees are photographed below during a break in filming "It's a Nice Place to Visit," which ultimately became the first episode of the second season of their Emmy award-winning television show.  This week, fans will get a preview of Micky Dolenz's forthcoming solo album when "Different Drum"/"Propinquity" debuts as the lead single from Dolenz sings Nesmith, a collection featuring Micky singing the songs of Michael Nesmith. While you wait for this Friday's single release, take a listen to the latest episode of Zilch where Glenn Gretlund of 7a Records is joined by the album's producer, Christian Nesmith, and the two chronicle the project with host Ken Mills, along with exclusive track samples to boot!   (Ad from the November 11, 1967 issue of Billboard / Courtesy of Monkee45s.net) 'Bound Down in a Whirl' - Celebrating the classic Monkees track "The Girl I Knew Somewhere"4/3/2021  "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" has long been considered one of the most significant songs in The Monkees' canon. It was first attempted at RCA Hollywood on January 16, 1967, a significant day in Monkees history as it marked their first true "group" recording session and helped fuel an already bourgeoning internal power struggle between The Monkees and Don Kirshner. Written by Michael Nesmith, and featuring Peter Tork's whimsical harpsichord performance, the song went through different iterations in the recording studio, including lead vocals from both Nesmith and Micky Dolenz. On its own merits, it reached the Billboard Top 40 as the flipside of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" and was featured prominently on The Monkees' television show. Check out this recent piece by Stephen Lewis where he examines what is probably the Live Almanac's favorite Monkees song, and enjoy a few different versions of "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" in the videos below!
(Master backing track)
 7a Records has revealed that a digital single, "Different Drum" / "Propinquity", will be issued on April 23 as a preview of Micky's forthcoming album, Dolenz sings Nesmith, a collection of songs featuring Micky paying tribute to the songbook of Michael Nesmith. The single can now be pre-ordered from Amazon and iTunes in the US (and in the UK, too), with an official release date set for April 23. Check out the YouTube video below for extended snippets of the songs and more! UPDATE 4/23/2021: Listen to Micky's new single below, and don't forget to download or stream it via iTunes, Amazon, or Spotify.
In an intriguing conversation with Andy Greene from Rolling Stone published today on the magazine's website, Andrew Sandoval discusses his upcoming book, The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story, how is understanding of the group, particularly their struggles with Don Kirshner, changed after extensive new research, the likelihood that Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith's fall tour could act as a "farewell," and more:  Cover art and track listing revealed for "Dolenz sings Nesmith" coming this May from 7a Records3/10/2021  (Artwork by Tim Johnson from Silver Parrot Creative Services) 7a Records is pleased to announce the release of Dolenz sings Nesmith – Micky Dolenz's first new solo studio album in nine years. The album is comprised of songs Michael Nesmith wrote throughout his career, all beautifully reimagined. Produced by Nesmith's son, Christian Nesmith, this is the album Monkees fans have waited years to hear. The Album Dolenz got the idea for the album a long time ago. As Micky says "I think I first mentioned it to Nez years ago, I don’t know where the idea came from, maybe from my friend Harry Nilsson and his Nilsson Sings Newman album. I thought to myself, 'Wow, Dolenz sings Nesmith.'" The new album, which was recorded between September 2020 and February 2021, features songs written throughout Nesmith’s long career, including many from the critically acclaimed Michael Nesmith & The First National Band albums, as well as a few Monkees deep cuts. And who better to produce the album than Nesmith's son, Christian Nesmith, who has done an incredible job in coming up with fresh and completely new arrangements for all of the songs. The global release date for Dolenz sings Nesmith is May 21, 2021. (Courtesy of 7a Records) The Track Listing
 (Courtesy of 7a Records) Pre-Order Now!
 Back cover (Courtesy of 7a Records)  Back in 2018, Michael Nesmith's six early 1970s albums for RCA Records appeared suddenly on various digital and streaming platforms, and more surprisingly at the time, each album was chock-full of bonus tracks, many of them previously unreleased. Magnetic South (1970), Loose Salute (1970), Nevada Fighter (1971), Tantamount To Treason (1972), And the Hits Just Keep On Comin' (1972), and Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash (1973) have all seen various reissues over the years on both compact disc and vinyl. And since the CD re-releases featured scant bonus tracks, the 2018 digital/streaming versions of those albums marked the first time that the vaults were truly opened to reveal a plethora of previously unheard recordings by Nesmith and the First and Second National Band line-ups (including new versions of Monkees songs like "Circle Sky," and instrumental renditions of both "Magnolia Simms" and "Tapioca Tundra"). And now, courtesy of the Real Gone Music label, comes Different Drum: The Lost RCA Victor Recordings, which will collect "22 tracks drawn from the RCA Victor vaults, every one of which is previously unreleased in any physical format," according to the description found on the Amazon listing of the compact disc. Though no official track listing is available as of this posting, the disc will seemingly be comprised of the songs that were first revealed via the digital and streaming issues of the albums in 2018. Here is the full description of The Lost RCA Victor Recordings courtesy of Amazon: Michael Nesmith has always travelled to the beat of a 'Different Drum''whether as the writer of that classic hit for Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys, the wool hat-clad member of The Monkees, or one of the earliest progenitors of the country-rock genre. In recent years, Nesmith has penned a critically acclaimed autobiography, reformed the First National Band to sold-out audiences, and both recorded and performed live to fans young and old with The Monkees. Now, Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records are proud to present a major deep dive into the Nez archives. Different Drum: The Lost RCA Victor Recordings features 22 tracks drawn from the RCA Victor vaults, every one of which is previously unreleased in any physical format. Over six RCA albums released between 1970 and 1973, Nesmith blossomed as a singer, songwriter, bandleader, and producer under the aegis of RCA Nashville legends Chet Atkins and Felton Jarvis. With bandmates including legendary pedal steel guitarist O.J. 'Red' Rhodes, John Ware, and John London, Nesmith pioneered country-rock with a spiritual and searching style all his own. Different Drum premieres on CD some of his most remarkable musical explorations from this vivid period including cosmic reimaginings of Monkees-era favorites like 'Tapioca Tundra,' 'Magnolia Simms,' 'Circle Sky,' and 'Listen to the Band;' unheard outtakes like 'American Airman' and 'Six Days on the Road;' vastly different alternate takes of 'Different Drum,' 'Dedicated Friend,' and 'Tengo Amore;' and even an early version of 'Marie's Theme' from his cult classic multimedia project The Prison. The mind-altering music on Different Drum has been mixed from the original multitracks by Andrew Sandoval and mastered by Vic Anesini at Sony's Battery Studios, while Papa Nez himself has contributed insightful new commentary to the liner notes by The Second Disc's Joe Marchese. Rare photos by renowned photographer Henry Diltz and previously unseen images round out this landmark package. Different Drum is a freewheeling, widescreen journey through the world of one of rock's greatest iconoclasts. Don't take our word for it: listen to the band! Different Drum: The Lost RCA Victor Recordings will arrive on April 30, 2021. You can pre-order your copy from Amazon now! And stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for official track listings and more! UPDATE 3/8/2021: Thank you very much to Gordon from Real Gone Music for providing the Live Almanac with the official CD track listing for The Lost RCA Victor Recordings. And here is the official link to pre-order from Real Gone Music. 1. Different Drum (Alternate Version)
2. American Airman 3. Bye, Bye, Bye (Alternate Version) 4. Dedicated Friend (Alternate Version) 5. Tengo Amore (Alternate Instrumental) 6. Texas Morning (Alternate Take) 7. Rene (Uncut Version) 8. Six Days on the Road 9. Circle Sky 10. Listen to the Band (Alternate Version) 11. Some of Shelly’s Blues (Alternate Version) 12. Keep On (Alternate Version) 13. Roll with the Flow (Alternate Version) 14. Marie’s Theme (Alternate Version) 15. Magnolia Simms (Alternate Version) 16. Born to Love You (Instrumental) 17. Hollywood (Alternate Backing Track) 18. Tapioca Tundra (Instrumental) 19. Roses Are Blooming – Come Back to Me Darling (Instrumental) 20. Tan My Hide (Instrumental) 21. You Are My One (Alternate Instrumental) 22. Loose Salute (Radio Spots) March and April Monkees concert dates postponed until fall 2021 due to COVID-19 (Updated 5/4/2021)2/23/2021
UPDATE: On May 4, 2021, it was announced that Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz will embark on a "Monkees Farewell Tour" beginning in September 2021. All of the latest information can be found here, including concert dates, venues, and ticket links.
Original post:
The Monkees, along with most other entertainment acts, continue to be impacted by the unfortunate and tragic circumstances surrounding COVID-19. Today it was announced by The Monkees Tour Facebook page that most of the originally scheduled March and April 2021 concert dates for Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith's current show, "An Evening With The Monkees," have been postponed until September and October 2021 due to the pandemic. However, the Vancouver, British Columbia stop has been canceled and the show scheduled for Austin, Texas is being moved to a new venue.
Below are the original 2021 dates, venues, and cities with updated information. Stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac and stay safe!
CANCELED - March 18: Commodore Ballroom / Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
CANCELED BUT MOVING TO NEW VENUE WITH DETAILS TO FOLLOW - April 2: Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater / Austin, Texas
March 21 to September 10, 2021: Moore Theatre / Seattle, Washington
March 23 to September 14, 2021: The Crest Theatre / Sacramento, California March 24 to September 15, 2021: San Jose Civic / San Jose, California March 26 to September 17, 2021: Fox Performing Arts Center / Riverside, California March 27 to September 18, 2021: The Magnolia / El Cajon, California March 28 to September 19, 2021: Celebrity Theatre / Phoenix, Arizona April 1 to September 25, 2021: Tobin Center For The Performing Arts / San Antonio, Texas April 3 to September 24, 2021: Majestic Theatre / Dallas, Texas April 12 to TBD: Schermerhorn Symphony Center / Nashville, Tennessee April 16 to October 6, 2021: Iron City / Birmingham, Alabama April 23 to October 15, 2021: IP Casino Resort / Biloxi, Mississippi
Here is the post from The Monkees Tour Facebook page referenced above:
Monkees fans, here he comes! Andrew Sandoval, Monkees historian, author, producer, and manager, has officially announced the brand new edition of his classic book, The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story, set for publication in June 2021. Long considered the ultimate resource for the most complete examination of The Monkees' television, recording, theatrical, live concert, and public appearance career, Day-By-Day has not been simply updated, it has been thoroughly rewritten, redesigned, and expanded!  FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RESERVE YOUR COPY BY MARCH 22, 2021: The book flaps (click to enlarge)  Micky Dolenz, likely during recording sessions for The Monkees' fourth album, "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd." (1967)  Peter Tork at RCA Hollywood, July 1968  The Monkees gather at RCA Hollywood for the "Ditty Diego" recording session, July 1968  Davy Jones in the studio for The Monkees' third album, "Headquarters" (1967)  Michael Nesmith in the studio playing his custom Gibson SG guitar (1968) The Monkees completed production for their first and only motion picture, Head, with the filming of the "Circle Sky" concert scene at the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 17, 1968. They performed the Michael Nesmith original (seen below in video, complete with graphic images from the Vietnam War) several times for the cameras and the assembled crowd of four thousand fans.  (Photo by Henry Diltz) Here's a rare Monkees collectible to start off your new year, one that I have never come across previously. A seemingly original 1969 promotional poster for The Monkees' seventh album, Instant Replay, recently sold for $335.99 on eBay!   |
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