Her Name Was Joanne, And She Lived In A Meadow By A Pond
January 19, 2018 10:49 AM Subscribe
This weekend Michael Nesmith and The First National Band begin a mini-tour of California venues, concentrating on performing their country-rock material from the early 70s. The FNB released three albums (Loose Salute, Magnetic South and Nevada Fighter) between 1970 and 1971.
Rolling Stone once described this period of Nesmith's music as "the greatest music you've never heard." The original band included Nesmith, Red Rhodes (pedal steel), John Ware (drums), and John London (bass).
On Thursday January 25th, the resurrected version of The First National Band plays a sold-out Troubadour in Los Angeles. Nesmith has some history with the club, hosting their weekly "Hoot Night" in a pre-Monkees gig (c. '65) as well as debuting the FNB at a March 1970 show.
In other Monkees news, Rhino has just released a deluxe box of More of The Monkees, the LP that caused Nesmith to put his hand through a wall after blowing up at musical supervisor Don Kirshner. More of The Monkees went on to become their best selling LP.
More by First National Band:
Nine Times Blue/The Crippled Lion
Silver Moon
Rolling Stone once described this period of Nesmith's music as "the greatest music you've never heard." The original band included Nesmith, Red Rhodes (pedal steel), John Ware (drums), and John London (bass).
On Thursday January 25th, the resurrected version of The First National Band plays a sold-out Troubadour in Los Angeles. Nesmith has some history with the club, hosting their weekly "Hoot Night" in a pre-Monkees gig (c. '65) as well as debuting the FNB at a March 1970 show.
In other Monkees news, Rhino has just released a deluxe box of More of The Monkees, the LP that caused Nesmith to put his hand through a wall after blowing up at musical supervisor Don Kirshner. More of The Monkees went on to become their best selling LP.
More by First National Band:
Nine Times Blue/The Crippled Lion
Silver Moon
Thanks for posting this. I love those First National Band albums.
In 2017, Nesmith published his autobiography Infinite Tuesday and accompanying album. To be honest, I found the book a bit of a disappointment. I wanted stories about the music but he was more interesting in writing about his own self-discovery.
posted by maurice at 11:09 AM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
In 2017, Nesmith published his autobiography Infinite Tuesday and accompanying album. To be honest, I found the book a bit of a disappointment. I wanted stories about the music but he was more interesting in writing about his own self-discovery.
posted by maurice at 11:09 AM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
Thanks for the post. Would love to see this live, I'm so sorry to live on the wrong continent.
posted by ouke at 11:55 AM on January 19, 2018
posted by ouke at 11:55 AM on January 19, 2018
My friends and I take the Monkees very seriously. And we are deadly serious about Mike Nesmith. We once had a ridiculously heated debate over whether the Texas songs or the Nashville songs are better. So along those lines, I offer up Naked Persimmon.
posted by Ruki at 12:34 PM on January 19, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Ruki at 12:34 PM on January 19, 2018 [4 favorites]
Wellvis: thanks for the link to the tour dates. There has been only one time in my life that I wish that I lived in San Francisco, and that time is January 30, 2018. Look at this bill:
Tuesday 30 January 2018
Michael Nesmith
with Peter Murphy (yes, thee Peter Murphy...of Bauhaus)
The Chapel, San Francisco, CA, US
posted by NoMich at 12:59 PM on January 19, 2018
Tuesday 30 January 2018
Michael Nesmith
with Peter Murphy (yes, thee Peter Murphy...of Bauhaus)
The Chapel, San Francisco, CA, US
posted by NoMich at 12:59 PM on January 19, 2018
Her name was Lucy, and Ramona, and Sunset Sam.
posted by humboldt32 at 1:12 PM on January 19, 2018 [6 favorites]
posted by humboldt32 at 1:12 PM on January 19, 2018 [6 favorites]
Sunset Sam...not Hulk Hogan!
I've been debating for a week if I want to plunk down for this. My brother and I have been going back and forth about seeing major acts before they go away and I'm thinking this is definitely one of them. Still a steep ticket.
And yeah, the Chapel is or has been hosting a big Peter Murphy stand. Shows for all the individual albums, etc.
posted by rhizome at 1:22 PM on January 19, 2018
I've been debating for a week if I want to plunk down for this. My brother and I have been going back and forth about seeing major acts before they go away and I'm thinking this is definitely one of them. Still a steep ticket.
And yeah, the Chapel is or has been hosting a big Peter Murphy stand. Shows for all the individual albums, etc.
posted by rhizome at 1:22 PM on January 19, 2018
Thanks Wellvis for adding the tour dates - I believe there are still some tickets available, for all but the Troubadour show. I also wanted to add this link for a great playlist that was recently posted on Aquarium Drunkard:
The Grand Ennui: Michael Nesmith 1970-1975
posted by plasticpalacealice at 1:39 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
The Grand Ennui: Michael Nesmith 1970-1975
posted by plasticpalacealice at 1:39 PM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]
i've told this story before here: thirty years ago i was diagnosed with bone lymphoma (yeah, i know, it really is a thing) and spent the last three months of fifth grade at home and in the hospital. to pass the time, we got cable. i started watching nick at nite because i'd be up sick from chemo and fell.in.love. with the monkees. i didn't understand the show was twenty years old.
one day davy jones ended up on the cover of bop or sixteen or tiger beat or whatever magazine it was that wanted to show an aging heartthrob playing soccer, and that was when i learned the tough life lesson that came from falling in love with reruns.
but man, mike nesmith was it for me. Oh man did I love him. I missed him at the Pantages in 2016 and I could easily drive to the SJC show...but I just listened to him live on Tapioca Tundra and You Told Me from the Pantages show and now i'm worried i'll go and have to relive falling in love with the rerun.
posted by ovenmitt at 7:07 PM on January 19, 2018 [7 favorites]
one day davy jones ended up on the cover of bop or sixteen or tiger beat or whatever magazine it was that wanted to show an aging heartthrob playing soccer, and that was when i learned the tough life lesson that came from falling in love with reruns.
but man, mike nesmith was it for me. Oh man did I love him. I missed him at the Pantages in 2016 and I could easily drive to the SJC show...but I just listened to him live on Tapioca Tundra and You Told Me from the Pantages show and now i'm worried i'll go and have to relive falling in love with the rerun.
posted by ovenmitt at 7:07 PM on January 19, 2018 [7 favorites]
Ovenmitt, that's a wonderful story.
I was always team Davy though, ever since the early 70s reruns and syndication. It wasn't until about 20 years ago I really started getting into Mike's stuff and then the past few years I've been delving into the history of country rock and have fallen down the rabbit hole...I can put together a pretty great proto-country rock record just from his Monkees material, it's really quite remarkable.
posted by plasticpalacealice at 9:03 PM on January 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
I was always team Davy though, ever since the early 70s reruns and syndication. It wasn't until about 20 years ago I really started getting into Mike's stuff and then the past few years I've been delving into the history of country rock and have fallen down the rabbit hole...I can put together a pretty great proto-country rock record just from his Monkees material, it's really quite remarkable.
posted by plasticpalacealice at 9:03 PM on January 19, 2018 [3 favorites]
In 2017 Micky Dolenz toured solo (with a backup band) as The Monkeys.
Looking at The First National Band tour schedule, they'll be in Pioneertown, CA on January 21st (and in San Francisco on January 30th).
The Monkeys schedule shows a concert tonight in San Rafael, CA (with Chick Jagger, who's apparently a female Mick Jagger tribute artist, streaming live now).
You gotta wonder if Michael Nesmith will meet up with his old band mate at the San Rafael show.
posted by eye of newt at 9:05 PM on January 19, 2018
Looking at The First National Band tour schedule, they'll be in Pioneertown, CA on January 21st (and in San Francisco on January 30th).
The Monkeys schedule shows a concert tonight in San Rafael, CA (with Chick Jagger, who's apparently a female Mick Jagger tribute artist, streaming live now).
You gotta wonder if Michael Nesmith will meet up with his old band mate at the San Rafael show.
posted by eye of newt at 9:05 PM on January 19, 2018
I really hope he takes this tour to the UK. I fell in love with the Monkees via repeats on the BBC during school holidays in the 80s and love Nesmith’s early solo stuff. I had tickets to see him in Glasgow a few years ago but that whole tour got cancelled.
posted by gnuhavenpier at 4:29 AM on January 20, 2018
posted by gnuhavenpier at 4:29 AM on January 20, 2018
Lucy was from Compton and she met Ramona at the zoo....
posted by KazamaSmokers at 4:14 PM on January 20, 2018
posted by KazamaSmokers at 4:14 PM on January 20, 2018
Got my ticket last night for SF! Now I have to immerse myself in the FNB albums.
posted by rhizome at 11:56 AM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by rhizome at 11:56 AM on January 21, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'm biased because one of my dearest friends is the drummer on this tour — so you should all go and buy all the tickets, naturally.
posted by culfinglin at 3:05 PM on January 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by culfinglin at 3:05 PM on January 22, 2018 [2 favorites]
LA Times review of the show in Pioneertown:
Mike Nesmith revisits influential post-Monkees country-rock with First National Band
Also, the Monkees Tour FB page has some live clips.
posted by plasticpalacealice at 9:04 AM on January 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
Mike Nesmith revisits influential post-Monkees country-rock with First National Band
Also, the Monkees Tour FB page has some live clips.
posted by plasticpalacealice at 9:04 AM on January 23, 2018 [1 favorite]
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posted by wellvis at 10:51 AM on January 19, 2018 [1 favorite]