cult film freak: REST IN PEACE MONKEES RENAISSANCE MAN MICHAEL NESMITH

Written by James M. Tate / 12/10/2021 / No comments / counter-culture , cult , davy jones , eighties , memorial , michael nesmith , micky dolenz , music , peter tork , sixties , the monkees

REST IN PEACE MONKEES RENAISSANCE MAN MICHAEL NESMITH

12/10/2021 | No comment

RIP Michael Nesmith here in THE MONKEES montage opening credits

The fact the 1960's counter-culture generation were angry that four comedic actors (who could also sing/play a little music) on an obvious sit-com-parody of The Beatles' eclectic stab at movies is like the cast of FRIENDS being blamed for not hanging around together at a local coffee shop...

And while there are two Beatles left, THE MONKEES are down to one, and sole-surviving Micky Dolenz was currently on a "Farewell Tour" with recently-departed Michael Nesmith, the lanky wool cap-wearing straight man who, with a fortune from his mother's Liquid Paper invention, never financially needed part of various Monkees reunions...

Michael Nesmith in THE MONKEES episode ON THE LINE

Every decade or so, syndicated reruns would emerge, and, because of renewed interest and proving how timeless the show really was, three not four members went on tour; the most popular revival occurred in the 1980's on MTV's Pleasant Valley Sunday Monkees Marathon, after which the band had an actual hit song (with only Tork and Dolenz)...

However, by that time, like fellow wealthy/artistic renaissance man George Harrison, Mike Nesmith produced offbeat movies, backing low-budget cult flicks TIMERIDER and the classic punk-noir REPO MAN...

Michael Nesmith produced REPO MAN directed by Alex Cox

He also had offhand involvement for MTV's origins, ironic since The Monkees were imitating The Beatles' early groundbreaking videos (piecemeal clips from their movies)... And even if The Beatles had starred in their very own sit-com, playing yourself becomes acting once it involves a scripted fictional setting...

But overall, what Nesmith, Jones, Tork and Dolenz (mirroring John, Paul, George and Ringo respectively) were brilliant at was being funny on a show showcasing catchy (often plot-moving) songs that, upon the Oz-like revelation of hidden session players and songwriters, made and broke these poor fellas, who thereafter tried too hard being bonafide musicians when, all along, it was THEIR COMEDIC ACTING that still speaks for... themself.

Michael Nesmith with THE MONKEES in the episode On The Line

The Monkees in THE MONKEES episode ON THE LINE

Mike Nesmith of THE MONKEES and let it be said he resembles Frank Langella

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Tags : counter-culture , cult , davy jones , eighties , memorial , michael nesmith , micky dolenz , music , peter tork , sixties , the monkees

James M. Tate

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