Michael Nesmith (1942–2021)

Ramble on, rambling man. This rambling riff on his life fits the man, the music and the career that I had previously perceived and that comes to life in its pages. Mike has never fit anyone's preconceptions of what a musician, writer, producer ought to be, even his own. It seems like most things that happened to him came as surprises, pleasant and otherwise. And here he lays it all out in a not-quite-chronological order that lets the reader in on the surprise, too. Devoted Monkees fans will likely be disappointed. But readers interested in a true story of semi-success will be fascinated.… (más)

Michael Nesmith has been a part of my life since I was 5 years old and the Monkees showed up on my tv. I spent many hours listening to his solo work beginning in high school. I watched Television Parts and visited Videoranch. Of course, then, I knew all about Nez, right? Not so much. This book, rightly proclaimed an autobiographical riff by the author, was filled with surprises, some delightful and some saddening. This may not be a book for everyone, but it is no typical celebrity tell all. The spiritual is really the main focus, the thing Nesmith really wants the reader to consider. While I don’t agree with him about some things, his journey is fascinating.… (más)

The Monkees– (Theme From) The Monkees 2:21
The Monkees– Last Train To Clarksville 2:46
The Monkees– I Wanna Be Free 2:27
The Monkees– I'm A Believer 2:47
The Monkees– (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (Single Version) 2:23
The Monkees– Mary, Mary 2:17
The Monkees– A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You 2:51
The Monkees– The Girl I Knew Somewhere 2:35
The Monkees– Randy Scouse Git 2:36
The Monkees– Pleasant Valley Sunday (Single Version) 3:11
The Monkees– Words (Single Version) 2:52
The Monkees– Daydream Believer 3:01
The Monkees– Goin' Down 4:25
The Monkees– Valleri 2:21
The Monkees– D.W. Washburn 2:51
The Monkees– It's Nice To Be With You 2:54
The Monkees– Porpoise Song (Theme From "Head") (Single Version) 4:13
The Monkees– Listen To The Band (Single Version) 2:34
Micky Dolenz & Peter Tork– That Was Then, This Is Now 4:04
The Monkees– Heart And Soul 3:44… (más)

This has to be the strangest and most fascinating memoir I’ve ever read. After hearing about Nesmith’s passing, I immediately recommended it to my library’s Overdrive because no one had it, and I’m so glad they bought it. I remember watching some Monkees in syndication as a kid, but really my connection to Nesmith is that he wrote my favorite song, “Different Drum.”

There’s absolutely no real chronology here, and Nesmith very carefully curated his stories; it all surprisingly works. He’s the type that one would say is “very deep”, but you can also tell that some of that comes from just not knowing any better except for wanting to find meaning. So many interesting turns in his life, and he obviously highlighted what was most important to him (FYI the Monkees were not); it’s sad to know that his other stories won’t be told.… (más)