aramis

this is one of my journals. i did all the writing within, and also deocrated the cover. the main image in the center is mike nesmith, live on tour with the monkees at the pitch of their popularity. also seen are morrissey ( at the top ) liza minnelli, and a cutting of some young miss in a former collage. overall, i was satisfied with it. i don't know what i'll do if they stop making those standard black and white composition books. but i have noticed one thing. and it coincided with the rising price of gasoline. as soon as the cost started going up at 'the pump,' the cardboard covers started getting thinner and flimsier and less rigid. now i'm forced to deal with a supply of damn wibbly books... and they cost almost twice as much! greed sucks.

listen to me kids!

this is what i might classify as a 'shameless post.' i am posting this entry for only one reason: to persuade more people to explore the genius music of michael nesmith; inside and outside of 'the monkees.' he was one of two genuine songwriters and musicians that were hired for the 60's tv show. he fought tirelessly for the right to play their own instruments on the records that were produced during (and indeed after) the show's popular run. i would post a musical example, but the way youtube is these days, its bound to be taken off within days. i love this shot of mike. it shows the underlying ferocity and dedication with which he approached his craft. i put him right up there with joni mitchell, r.e.m., etc. his boundless imagination, sterling voice, and superior musical ear combined to make some of the Best Stuff I've Ever Heard. the double album 'the first national band complete' is truly a 'desert island' selection. his work is varied in style, but consistent in quality. nesmith shoots often, and almost never misses. a National Treasure.

mike is cruisin

i saw the 'cruisin'' video long before i got 'into' the monkees, sometime around summer 1986. i'm sure a lot of people think this song is called 'lucy and ramona and sunset sam.' but its actually 'cruisin.' and mike looks his shaggy best in the video. and the rollerskating sweethearts aren't too shabby, either. so hey, now i think i have to hit that bed... thanks for being patient as i try to learn this new snowleopard machine.

thistle

yes, i christened a new book tonight. and i found i was a little bit hesitant with the picture choice. hey, don't get me wrong, i love the shot. but, i knew other people were going to see it, and i realize a lot of people don't think the monkees are as cool as jean-luc and i think they are. yes, after all these years, i'm still an immense, crazy, non-apologetic, die-hard monkees fan. and mike nesmith is, and always has been, my hands-down fave. (his solo music is incredible... like, 97% of it is stuff i would want on a desert island.) so lets see... what exactly do we have here? yes, we have an amorous second-season michael nesmith attempting to woo the groovy biker chick. (the actress's name in ginny gann.) its from a mostly-great episode called 'the wild monkees,' where the guys have to 'get tough' to impress the all-girl motorcycle gang... only to find out they're 'tired of the open road,' and want to turn over a new leaf and get all feminine. the whole episode is worth a look, even the contrived and goofy bike race musical sequence near the end. i titled it 'thistle' because it sort of felt like the cold thorns of the remaining winter are still upon us... yet, the dainty, fresh flowerings of spring are not far away. and i've always liked that word, too. in the 'medallions' at the bottom of the main picture we have, left to right: the full moon, a beautiful 1970's 'curly hair' variety julie christie, an orange sweet dripping of honey, the closely-shorn harrison ford in 'blade runner,' an orchid, and last but never, never least, my main lady, miss georgina hale. i have to say i'm pleased with it. now i just have to fill it up. wish me luck. oh, and please forgive the imperfect reproduction... i just laid it down on my carpet and took a picture of it while the cat was being weird. (click to enlarge)

michael nesmith : smoke smoke smoke - audio

yes, i just got back in from burning a camel myself. here's mike at his finest, doing a glorious southern-fried version of the merle travis cigarette anthem. enjoy.

fast shot

here's an example of what i call a 'blink-and-miss-it' shot of the very groovy michael nesmith and his amethyst-colored shades. if you watch the 'monkees in paris' episode, you'll see how fast this shot is. he's only on screen for literally a little less than 2 seconds. still, i was able to shoot him. after some mild tricking, he came out nicely. so here's to the complicated mr. robert michael nesmith. god bless him.

treason

here is another groovy slice of notebook art i scanned from one of our notebooks. that's ronan vibert on the left, and a piece of a michael nesmith album on the right. ('tantamount to treason') the song 'bonaparte's retreat' is a dreamy waltz with a comfortable southern accent. (actually, i'm not sure if that track is on that particular album...forgive me for not checking.) i suppose i should mention that his solo stuff, and all the stuff with 'the first national band' is marvelous and well worth checking out. i don't think i remember which movie the ronan vibert shot was taken from. it seems like such a long time ago. in any case, dig it.

circle sky: the monkees - head

ten dollars says she will

...ten dollars, huh? this cherry-ripe collage was pieced together by jean-lucien well over a year ago. i'd sent him most of the orginal shots, but he did all the cutting. sometimes the girl of your dreams just falls right into your arms. and sometimes you make ten bucks, too. hey, some guys have all the luck. i wish i could credit the actress, but i don't feel like digging around for her name right now. the guy is michael nesmith. its so lush and lovely. delicious. ( '...i sometimes used to try to catch her, but never even caught her name.' - r. smith.)

the first national blessing

for all of you who, in folly, mistake the Monkees as musical lightweights, i beg you to turn your scrutiny towards any and all solo Michael Nesmith recordings. (primarily anything from the double CD 'The First National Band Complete.') his genius bled over into several early Monkee offerings such as 'you just may be the one,' 'papa gene's blues,' and 'mary, mary.' he went on to front the criminally overlooked 'Michael Nesmith and the First National Band,' which produced such monumental songs as 'Silver Moon,' 'Grand Ennui,' and 'Beyond the Blue Horizon.' He is a complicated man on a starry-eyed complicated mission; bringing the ear-licking best country-flavored rock to those few of the masses that dare to pay Attention. God Bless Robert Michael Nesmith. Amen. And Listen to the Band.