Settling in for the summer simmer. No traveling for a bit — except for sight seeing maybe. But there is plenty around here that I would like to do and that needs doing.

I have to make myself stop from time to time and sit back, and like I say — simmer. Nice warm days here, not too hot, but good clear sun, and the sound of song birds.

I will go back out again in September to the UK for a short string of shows. After that, not sure. Some things are in the pipeline, but nothing I am thinking too hard about.

I’ll take the Movies of the Mind tour over to the UK. They haven’t seen it since it was all polished up. They deserve to see it now. When I first went over there it was still so ragged that I scared myself every night we played. Joe Chemay and Charlie Judge and I.

This time it will be Joe on Bass, and Paul Leim drumming, Boh Cooper on Keys, Chris Scruggs on guitars, lap steel, and mandolin, and Christian on guitar.

I decided not to play guitar this upcoming series of shows. It is so much more fun for me when I don’t play, and just direct the band and sing and wave my arms. I feel a bit like an old time band leader — except this band is pretty far from an old time band. Fact is, I don’t how to describe what we do — but it is a lot of fun, and I enjoy standing and singing in front of such players — like driving an F1 car, I imagine.

So you can listen to the band here is a free download for you to have. This is “Listen to the Band” from the Movies of the Mind Show. This whole album is available for download, but it is a copy of the standard CD and ends at Grand Ennui. Listen to the Band was the encore and was not included in that record.

Christian is not playing on this version — but he mixed it. Jonathan and Susan are doing a video for it which I’ll post when its ready — I am hopeful I will get it Monday.

So here it is— for free.

You can really hear the band on this. It was a great way to end the set. Every night, night after night, they hit this altitude and I came off stage happy and singing and sailing on this song and the pure power of their musicianship. What a blast it was...

For those of you in the UK — this is what we will sound like — so watch for us in September. The tour schedule is on the Wylie Music site here.

Enjoy!

Micky attended Michael's Movies of the Mind concert performance on Tuesday evening...

​Michael's "Movies of The Mind" tour resumes this evening as Nez will perform live at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California. 

Over the next couple of weeks, Michael will play seven shows on the West Coast. Shortly thereafter, he will join Micky and Peter for another round of Monkees concerts.

The Live Almanac has previously posted a complete list of dates, venues, and links to purchase tickets to see Movies of the Mind. Going to a show? Be sure to share your pictures and reviews.

Michael played the final day of the three day Stagecoach music festival in California this past Sunday. Unfortunately, Michael's set was marred by low attendance. Yahoo Music reported the following: 

My solo tour kicks off tomorrow at the Stagecoach Festival in Coachella Valley, then up the coast and ending in Portland. 

Something unique and special has happened for this tour that I want to share. I have been thinking about the right way to post this in a public forum because I want to share it with you without divulging anything private about who is involved 

Someone has bought tickets and a conversation reception pass for every single show.

That means they will be at every show, and after every one, will have a short chat with me one-on-one, and I will sign whatever they would like, and we will take pictures together – the usual meet and greet activity.

Astounding. The time and resource put into this amazes me. 

The cost of the tickets. 

The cost of the Conversation Reception pass.

The cost of the travel. 

The cost of the time.

The unqualified support.

I won’t tell you who it is. 

That is very much their own business, and I would never want that made public in any case, but I have to publically acknowledge this level of dedication somehow. 

I am so grateful for it, and genuinely touched by it.

These kinds of tours– the small venues and clubs – for this kind of show, are rare because they are very hard to mount at this level. Getting musicians of this caliber in a small venue is almost impossible. It’s why Symphony orchestras need such support from the communities they serve. 

On a tour like this all the money that comes in goes to the production. I take no money, and in this particular case even the musicians and crew have taken reduced fees to bring this show on the road. 

It is, above all, a labor of love and an encouragement of growth and expansion.

What we love is the performance moment — the live performance where everyone is at the same place at the same time experiencing their own individualized sense of a collective consciousness. 

It is real nourishment for everyone who participates.

That is why the support of someone like our “patron” who gives so completely is very important and worthy of the deepest gratitude. Not just from me and the band and crew but everyone who is benefited by it. 

Just to know that we connect at all is enough to sustain us, but to feel such loyalty brings a feast of gratitude from all of us.

There is much that can be said here, but suffice to say “Thank you” to our hidden benefactor for such a display of affection.

It is a thank you straight from our heart and it needs to be said publicly.

You are one of those extraordinary people out there who support so willingly and never assume anything other than the enjoyment of their own commitment.

You are a lesson to us. You are one of our best reasons to do this.
-Michael Nesmith, April 26, 2014

I am about to do a Movies of the Mind tour that starts with the Stagecoach Festival in Palm Springs on Sunday, April 27th then goes up along the west coast through an archipelago of small clubs. 

I decided to do “meet and greets” after each show, and this time I am going to give an item or two to each meetee/greetee. The first is a nice 8X10 glossy that I will sign right there with you, as you want it signed-and now I am trying to think of something else to include.

My first choice, if it is ready in time, is to give away a free download of the Movies of the Mind CD from videoranch.com. 

If not, then I’m not sure what to.

I learned a lot at the Monkees Con. Not what I expected, but all good.

I have never been to anything like that – never been a fan of anything – as it were, and on balance it seemed as if most fans and attendees were happy and came away satisfied.

One dealer came with 70 albums for me to sign. He had about six or seven Headquarters LP's there with everyone's signature but mine. As I was signing them I asked him what a Headquarters LP would be worth with all four signatures and he said about two thousand dollars.

I asked what the highest valued album was and he said it was a vinyl record of the first Beatles LP with all four signatures that sold for around sixty thousand dollars at auction. I have no idea whether he was right or wrong but he seemed to know.

Before that I had put my signature on someone’s leg – I think her leg was probably worth a lot more to her than my signature. She was going to have it tattooed on there.

My mother was a fan and a collector. She loved Star Trek. She also loved fine art and collected it. I think she might have collected a lot of paintings and sculptures had she lived longer.

After she died the Foundation she started, and of which I was now the Trustee, ended up with all the art she bought. 

I decided I would sell some of that collection and buy even more works, but only by American women artists. I bought famous pieces, and odd ball pieces, and I tried to learn about what was good, and what was valuable in that world, but I didn't have her knack. She could spot fine art “across a crowded room.” 

It was still a pretty good collection even after I bought all the new works -- Grandma Moses, and Louise Nevelson, Mary Cassatt -- pretty things I think my mother would have liked. There was a piece by Helen Frankenthaler I particularly loved.

At that point I didn't quite know what to do with the collection so I started sending it around the country to be displayed in shopping malls in small towns. I figured people who might not ordinarily see these works could get a look at them. 

We called it "Works by Women." 

After a while, the person I hired to help me preserve the works said I couldn't let them travel anymore. She said the paint was falling off the canvas and, "if the pictures keep being moved around there will finally be nothing left of them." So I took them off the road and put them up for sale at auction. 

A lot of collectors bought them and I imagine they have ended up in good hands --like the Monkees collectables and souvenirs.

The buyers at Monkees Con were collectors and dealers and fans of all types, each with their very own sense of what was valuable. I could tell the items I was signing there were important for different reasons to different people. Most said they would keep the items as personal treasure and keep them in a special place.

What I want to do in the meet/greets is provide something of a collectable for those who want it, now that I understand a little something of how important and valuable that is to people who want them. 

I think the autographed picture and free download of the Movies of the Mind CD is the right thing.

Here's the latest from Michael on Facebook, including a mention about more solo dates:

"Papanez calling. Papanez calling. Attention. Attention, Facebook Radio listeners.

More questions answered about the Live Album:

I am well pleased with the final recording. It is the full show, played at our best, and well recorded and mixed. As Live albums go I think it is a superb chronicle and fine record.

The release of that record works like this:

The first edition -- the Super Deluxe -- is a two cd package limited to 200 copies and a very nice surrounding package of goodies including an LP vinyl record of undistributed works in progress. The CDs and package are signed and numbered by me. They are all sold out, so the only way to get one of those packages is to buy it or get it as a gift from one of the original customers. That package will never be made again.

The second edition --the Deluxe -- is also a two cd package limited to 200 and also signed by me, The surrounding package is not quite as lavish -- the recording and a T-Shirt. They are also all sold out. See above details.

The third edition --the Standard -- is an edited version of the show that fits on one CD instead of two and is unsigned but is limited to 600 copies. That package is a T-Shirt and the cd. It is unsigned but all are numbered. There are a little less than 400 left of those and they are available at Videoranch and will be available at MonkeesCon.

The fourth edition is not out yet. That will be the edited show on a single CD in a simple package sold by itself just like a 'regular' CD in the store and at videoranch.com. That edition will be the commercial copy and will be unlimited and available at most places one can buy records. It will be released in a few months.

The fifth edition is the digital edition available as a download from all the usual sites such as ITunes and Amazon and of course my site videoranch.com. It will of course be unsigned  -- and unlimited, and available sometime later in the Summer/Fall.

I am planning on taking the Movies of the Mind show on tour again this year -- a few dates around the US and some dates in UK and Europe and Scandinavia. The first part of that tour will start with the Stagecoach Festival in Palm Springs April 27th. No specific dates or places are ready for announcement yet, but will be soon.

Repeat. To be clear and answer all questions: -- the Live album will be available later this year as a stand alone package in the usual outlets -- but the artist editions will never be made again and the first two of those editions are sold out.

And I will be doing some solo touring.

Here in my tiny cabin high in the remote mountains of the infinite this is all the information I can get out over this olde tyme internet facebook radio thing before it runs out of steam. I must sign off soon. 

I am starting the journey down to the flats in a few weeks, closing the little cabin here, leaving some food for the finches, and will be among society starting with MonkeesCon and the City Winery in NYC where we will dance and have a good time.

Repeat: Dance and have a good time! 

That is all.

This is papanez, over and out."

Visit Videoranch to place your order. To read what Nez has to say about the various editions, click here.

Andrew Sandoval's liner notes:

Courtesy of the Michael Nesmith Fan Page on Facebook, here's a look at the box of the super deluxe edition for Michael's new Movies of the Mind live album.

"Days of MOMLAP. That's the acronym for the Live Album of the Movies of the Mind show. Movies of the Mind Live Album Project. So we don't have to write it all out.

Whew.

It was hard. I hoped to get everything out shortly after the tour finished at the end of November but I ran afoul of Mother Time and her sneaky tricks. I won't bore you with that -- only to say that we just now got the Super Deluxe and the Deluxe versions shipped. There were only 200 each. Only!?

What was I thinking? 

I thought it would be a small batch of CD's I would assemble myself and send out like an artist's edition of a print. Silly me. I had to ask my family to come bail me out -- yet again -- which they did. We all sat on the floor and licked and stamped and taped and wrapped for days until we were worn out.

The Super Deluxes should have started their arrivals to their customers by now -- I saw where Monley posted his box opening -- and the Deluxe should hit by this weekend.

Of course there is still some of the Standard edition. This is the edited show so it will fit on one CD and the final product is the CD with a T-Shirt, not signed or numbered, but limited -- we only made 600. Only!?

It has been a real lesson in manufacturing and production at the artisanal level. I have more of an appreciation for those little cans of olive oil that home gardeners grow and bottle.

Finally, of course, it all reminds me of days of my youth sitting on the kitchen floor and bottling up and boxing Liquid Paper while my mother did the sales and bookeeping.

There is something wonderful about this kind of hands-on experience of making something and selling it. When the packages finally went out the door there was a relief and a bittersweet sense of a complete cycle -- a beginning and an end. The beginning starting out on tour with the show -- and the ending watching the final boxed editions of the recording of that show going out to its patrons. Of being elated and dog tired.

The Super Deluxe and Deluxe sold out in a few hours but we still have a couple of hundred of the Standards left and I expect I will take some those with me to the MonkeeCon in New Jersey.

I am going to play the Movies of the Mind show for the Monkees fans. MOMLAP meets Monkees fans. Full circle."

Thanks to Scott Nelson for submitting the latest email from Videoranch updating everyone on the status of Michael's Movies of the Mind live album.

Movies of the Mind
Live Album Special Edition Update 4

Thank you for your purchase of Michael Nesmith's limited edition "Movies Of The Mind" album project! Here is a production update on the three editions of the live album project. This is update #4:

ALL EDITIONS

We have been assured by our manufacturers that the finished goods for all editions will be in hand by Feb. 14th and we can then hand assemble each order to ship out beginning the week of Feb. 17th. Thank you so much for your patience with this delay.

The Super Deluxe Editions will come with a full color COA (Certificate of Authenticity) personally signed by Nez. Meanwhile, Nez has decided to sign each of the Super and Deluxe edition CDs right on the CD itself. We made a special space for him on the label at his request. If you purchased a Standard Edition, we left the same space on the CD label for a signature. So, if you happen to meet Nez in the future, he can sign your edition too. All three editions will come with a 12 page booklet and CD trifold wallet that is hand numbered.

STANDARD EDITION

Copies are still available for the limited run of single CD's featuring Nez' personal selections from the Deluxe Edition + a T-shirt. The track list was published in our last update and we can now add the detail that each Standard Edition will be hand numbered. 

Click here to pre-order a Movies Of The Mind Standard Edition 1 CD/1 T-Shirt bundle. 

If you have any questions about these or any of our other products, please call us at 831-384-8800 or email us at vrforeman@videoranch.com.

Sincerely,
The Videoranch Foreman