Tue, 01 Nov 1994 18:34:54 alt.music.monkees Thread 14 of 18 Lines 119 Re: Question for Mr. Nesmith Respno 3 of 3 nez@netcom.com michael nesmith at NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 2 Laura Mendyke (mendyke@frodis.eng.pko.dec.com) wrote: : In article <3931va$dde@lastactionhero.rs.itd.umich.edu>, : mey@task.umd.umich.edu (Raenna Peiss) writes: : |> Just out of curiosity, seeing as you sometimes read and post in this : |> newsgroup, I was wondering: When there is a point of contention about : |> the meanings or lyrics to some of your stuff, why you don't step into the : |> bree, er, brea, er, um, forum and set us straight? : : : I apologize if I'm being presumptuous, but I'd like to suggest a possible : answer to Raenna's question. I think it's possible that Nez doesn't jump : in and respond to our lyrics quibbles because a) he has better things : to do, and/or b) he would be setting an unfortunate precedent. Imagine how : many more lyrics queries would be posted or emailed to him if he resolved : one question. : I enjoy reading Nez's posts on this newsgroup, and I'd love it if he : became involved in more discussions here. However, I think Nez is : probably more inclined to spend time working on his current creative : projects than answering trivia questions from well-meaning fans. And : I think this is a good thing. : Let's not take this newsgroup too seriously, kids. I imagine that : Nez gets a chuckle out of it every so often, but if it starts filling : up with arguments over petty details, he might decide that it's more : annoyance than amusement. Sing "the gap that once was wide" if that's : what you hear. It really shouldn't interfere with your enjoyment of the : song. : All of this is just IMHO, of course, in case that wasn't clear. No offense : intended to anyone, but go ahead and flame me if you feel you have to... : Thanks for listening, : Laura Mendyke : mendyke@wrksys.enet.dec.com : : : Hi.....Ok here's the deal. I read the postings infrequently. About once every two weeks...when I'm in LA. More if I'm in New Mexico. I enjoy what you have to say. Much of it is bright and funny and it is genuinely wonderful to have feedback about some of the things I have done. I obviously cannot dive into the discussions because of time...and, curiously enough, you guys may know more about this Monkee busuness than I do. I have read some "what are the lyrics to..." postings and cannot for the life of me remeber half of them. Although the absolute Number one source for Monkess stuff seems to Andy Sandoval at Rhino. Amazing what he knows considering he wasn't even around when the shaow was on...I think he is 23. As for ongoing discussions I much rather listen to you than chime in, but something has come to mind and this might be a good time and place to raise it. Now, I'm not going to participate since I want to know what you think and I want to listen to the way you bring each other along as a thought develops. So....Did any of you see Quiz Show? It was about TV in the fifties and the now infamous game show scandals where the contestants were given the answers before hand. The Federal Government (of all things) actually investigated this and found no wrong doing but people were incensed and many lives were ruined. (don't get too heavy on me here, I'm going somewhere with this) Most of you have heard the indictment that the Monkess were a manufactured group issued as a blanket condemnation....that we couldn't play....that we didn't really play on the show and that the whole thing was a hoax. The weird part in all of this is that The Monkees were most certainly manufactured...comimg to life in the mind of Larry Tucker and Paul Mazurskey and Dee Caruso...it was a TV SHOW for cryin out loud. And no we did NOT play on the show because of many factors not the least of which were technical. It was only after a full confrontation with Don Kirschner that we began to play as a band...clumsily but earnestly. So...and no fan stuff here, just real people to people answers... Were The Monkess a great TV hoax?. Did you ever feel* manipulated* to believe The Monkess were more than a TV show?. DO you think of the Moness as a band or as Davy Mick Peter and I as actors working to provide a good time for their audience and maintain the conceit of the show? Where does reality begin and end in your mind concerning The Monkees? As for me, I had a great time. It was hard work but fun work. I look back on those times like you might look back on your own early years. I liked most of the music. Some of it quite a bit...some of it I disliked quite a bit. It was not much of a creative forum for me as most of you know. especially those who have follwed the work since then, but it was a good forum as an actor. I really liked the shows and the whole idea of the thing. And I really liked the other guys...still do. ( Micky was my favorite). Yes I would like to go out and play in concert with them (like I say I LIKED the music) but that may never happen because of many things...not the least of which is my own schedule and agenda. Not only were the Monkees not a hoax to ME, I thought it was first class landmark Television and I have always been proud of it. I just can't help but be perplexed when some of the flamers come on and talk about how the Monkees weren't a real band. No, and Sally Field wasn't a nun. And she couldn't fly. (OK maybe she could but I never saw her). But, I mean, a real band. It was a real show about a make believe band. At least it was to me. One of the most wonderfull wacky and funny make belive bands ever made up. And when we finally did begin to play I never lost the notion of this great goofy TV show that drove us along. Am I wrong. Did I miss something? Are the flamers right? So come on. Help me out here. And one last thing....the lyrics to Magnolia Simms are "blue, wide, and blonde" It's about a plum in drag. nez