I'm just here for the Nez
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I realized this morning I've been unfair to The Monkees for over 30 years.
Well, maybe not unfair to all of them - I can't speak for Davey, Mickey, and Peter. But I've been a huge fan of Michael Nesmith since Pete introduced me to his 1972 solo album "And The Hits Just Keep on Comin'" ten years ago. It's a masterpiece of country rock, recorded in Nesmith's home studio with only "Red" Rhodes on pedal steel for company. The album includes a cover of "Different Drum." the song Nesmith wrote for Linda Ronstadt's band The Stone Poneys back in '67. At the time, I told Pete this was "my favorite album I've never heard of" and it still occupies a spot in my Desert Island Discs list.
Over the years, I've dug into Nesmith's complete back catalog, from his First National Band albums through his latest experiments. The '70s catalog completely resonates with me - insanely great lyrics, earnest vocals, and a creative/weird country-rock sound.
But I'd always been biased against The Monkees, thinking of them as a Hollywood "product" without substance. So much so that I never bothered to round up their albums for a listen to Nesmith's contributions... until today. Well, I've seen the error of my ways - Nez's tunes, scattered across The Monkees' first eight albums, are nearly all gems - only rarely sinking to Beatles-mimicry. His country-rock approach is right there all along, concurrent with his late '60s L.A. scene peers The Byrds and Gram Parsons - same time, same place, same channel.
Give "What Am I Doin' Hangin' 'Round?" a listen and you'll see what I mean.
Sorry, Nez.
Comments (5)
Actually. there's a lot of good stuff on the Monkees albums - all four were quite talented (Peter was at one time one of the Mugwumps, mentioned in The Mamas & the Papas' Creeque Alley; Davey, aside from being a promising apprentice jockey, had already appeared on Broadway as the Artful Dodger in Oliver!, and Mickey had been in a couple of garage bands.
Plus, the song-writing talent assembled in their support included Neal Diamond and Harry Nilsson, not to mention Boyce and Hart.
And, let us face it, the use of session men in the studio for their albums was not really more egregious than that of various "real" bands who looked down upon the Monkees and never copped to the hired guns on their albums.
That said, my favourite Nez moment from The Monkees is probably Listen to the Band.
[You do know that the title of And the Hits Jusy Keep on Comin' (and the sparse instrumentation) were in reaction to Nez having been called in by the label and informed that his previous albums were off-beat and weren't selling well and that he really needed a hit on the next one, right?]
You know Dave, you're right about predjudices blinding us to beauty. I didn't catch on to the **White Stripes** just because at one time it seemed like everyone was talking about them. The had become "Critic's Darlings", and folks were floppin' all over each other to sing the band's praises. So of course they were to be avoided at all costs.
Man was I a fool.
It happens all the time, to all of us.
Amen.
I know this is slightly offpoint, but I was just listening to one of those Jack Nitzsche compilations yesterday, and the Monkee's "Porpoise Song" came on. And it still sounds pretty fuckin' great, even today....
Nesmith was also influential in the Music Video department - I believe he had a show in which a future MTV used as a template for making their channel.
Also he produced such classics as Repo Man, which if it were for only that, he should recieve a medal. But definitely an under rated talent.