RIP Michael Nesmith

[John K]

So sad to bring this news. Can't believe someone didn't announce first, but about the oldest guys around here and stuck in nostalgia that most maybe never heard of.

Michael Nesmith. Guitarist for the Monkees. They were a manufactured group for black and white TV back then in the mid 60's. Weekly half hour slot with mostly brainless plots and a song or two.

Understanding at the time was that these guys were a lip sync, clueless group of actors with no musical skills. Studio musicians backed them up as they danced around for the camera.

Weird wakeup moment for me was one episode where they played "Valerie".  For the time, Valerie was a balls to the wall rock n' roll statement incorporating fast Spanish flamenco.

Guitar solo started with a closeup of the hands. Yeah right. But then they zoomed out and it was Nesmith playing all the licks.

Beautiful soul. Passed on at 78 years old, peacefully from heart failure, natural causes surrounded by loved ones.

Sail on brother.

Just for info sake, Mike hit the lifetime expectancy on cue.  78 is the norm of how long a white male can expect to live in America if we haven't abused ourselves too much with alcohol, drugs, bad diet.

Celebration sending this incredible soul into the arms of Infinity.

John

[Doc H]

Peter Tork in 2019 and now Nesmith. 

[DeeringAmps]

Even at the ripe old age of 14 I was aware that The Monkees were a plastic fantastic Hollywood creation. That being said, Nesmith was a legit musician/songwriter; and, as “all groupies must bow down”, indeed I do and mourn his passing. 
He and Mickey had just completed one final tour so hopefully he went out thankful and happy. 
RIP Mike, you walked to the beat of a different drum and we’re all the richer for that. 

t

[Bapu]

He took The Last Train to Clarksville.
 

RIP Michael.

[Shane_B.]

He/They got a bad rap back in the day, but it was all b.s. because almost nobody recorded their own tracks other than vocals back then. They probably got dumped on because they wanted to record their music themselves and stepped on some toes in the process.

One of my favorite lines from the movie Dumb & Dumber. Harry and Lloyd were looking at the juke box at a table in a restaurant and Lloyd says, "Hey, look, the Monkees. They were a huge influence on the Beatles.".

RIP.

[craigb]

The Monkees were big enough that it made David Jones change his name to David Bowie because there was already a David Jones in the Monkees!