Michael Nesmith
b. Robert Michael Nesmith, 30 December 1942, Houston, Texas, USA. Although best-known as a member of the Monkees, Nesmith enjoyed a prolific career in music prior to this group's inception. During the mid-'60s folk boom he performed with bassist John London as Mike and John, but later pursed work as a solo act. Two singles, credited to Michael Blessing, were completed under the aegis of New Christy Minstrels' mastermind Randy Sparks, while Nesmith's compositions, Different Drum and Mary Mary were recorded, respectively, by the Stone Poneys and Paul Butterfield. Such experience gave the artist confidence to demand the right to determine the Monkees' musical policy and his sterling country-rock performances were the highlight of the group's varied catalogue. In 1968 he recorded THE WITCHITA TRAIN WHISTLE SINGS, an instrumental set, but his independent aspirations did not fully flourish until 1970 when he formed the First National Band. Former colleague London joined Orville ‘Red’ Rhodes (pedal steel) and John Ware(drums) in a group completing three exceptional albums which initially combined Nashville-styled country with the leader's acerbic pop, (MAGNETIC SOUTH), but later grew to encompass a grander, even eccentric interpretation of the genre ( NEVADA FIGHTER). The band disintegrated during the latter's recording and a Second National Band, on which Nesmith and Rhodes were accompanied by Johnny Meeks (bass; ex- Gene Vincent and Merle Haggard) and Jack Panelli (drums), completed the less impressive TANTAMOUNT TO TREASON. The group was disbanded entirely for the sarcastically-entitled AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMIN’, a haunting, largely acoustic, set regarded by many as the artist's finest work. In 1972 he founded the Countryside label under the aegis of Elektra Records, but despite critically-acclaimed sets by Iain Matthews, Garland Frady and the ever-present Rhodes, the project was axed in the wake of boardroom politics. The excellent PRETTY MUCH YOUR STANDARD RANCH STASH ended the artist's tenure with RCA, following which he founded a second label, Pacific Arts. THE PRISON, an allegorical narrative which came replete with a book, was highly criticized upon release, although recent opinion has lauded its ambition. Nesmith reasserted his commercial status in 1977 when Rio, culled from FROM A RADIO ENGINE TO THE PHOTON WING, reached the UK Top 30. The attendant video signalled a growing interest in the visual arts which flourished following INFINITE RIDER ON THE BIG DOGMA, his biggest selling US release. In 1982 ELEPHANT PARTS won the first ever Grammy for a video, while considerable acclaim was engendered by a subsequent series, MICHAEL NESMITH IN TELEVISION PARTS, and the film REPO MAN, which the artist financed. Having refused entreaties to join the Monkees’ 20th Anniversary Tour, this articulate entrepreneur continues to pursue his various diverse interests including a highly successful video production company (Pacific Arts), while rumours of new recordings continue to proliferate.