Issue 86 Winter 2013 Editor: Cindy Bryant With a little help from my friends, The PFG Road Crew, “the crazy lot!” An Official Monkees Fan Club Monkeeing Around Since 1987 In this issue: Movies of the Mind and Conversa- tion with Michael Nesmith Wild Child James Frawley Manchester Memorial Peter News Micky News Mike News David News Monkees Convention 2014 Friday Music James Frawley — Wild Child Manchester Memorial Papa Nez proudly showing off a shirt given to him by Brianna Taormina .
Transcript
Monkee Shines
Issue 86 Winter 2013
Editor: Cindy Bryant
With a little help from my friends, The PFG Road Crew, “the crazy lot!”
An Official Monkees Fan Club Monkeeing Around Since 1987
In this issue: Movies of the Mind and Conversa-tion with Michael Nesmith Wild Child James Frawley Manchester Memorial
Peter News Micky News Mike News David News Monkees Convention 2014 Friday Music
James Frawley — Wild Child
Manchester Memorial
Papa Nez proudly showing off a shirt given to him by Brianna Taormina .
Monkee Shines is printed by Mailboxes & Parcel Depot
My thanks to the people who made this issue possible: My wonderful road crew who always make it so much fun—Bonnie Borgh and family, Dawn and Em Hoffman, Colleen John-son and from time to time many others including Janet and Tom Litterio and Jeff Smith, to Tina Howard for the movement to get David his postage stamp, to the cookbook crew—Andrea Gilbey, Ginny Fleming, Jody Proetta, Jerri Keele, Colleen Gruver, and especially Darlene Haines (for the idea) for all they have done, Becca Nelson, Marie Gibson, Cathy De Fini, Hazel and Robert Wilkinson, Lynda Moore, and lastly but not least David Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith for being the genius behind the Monkees and making it fun.
Only 2 paper
issues left un-
til we go com-
pletely online!
In this issue
Letter From The Editor .......... 3 Movies of the Mind and Conver-sation Reception With Michael Nesmith ................................ 4 Manchester remembers ......... 9 Peter News ......................... 20 Micky News......................... 21 Mike News .......................... 22 David News......................... 24 Wild Child— Jim Frawley ..... 25 Monkee Fan Celebration ..... 28 Michael on Being “the Difficult Monkee” ............................. 31 Friday Music ....................... 36
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Dear Gang, It’s been a COLD winter thus far across the whole US. Hope everyone is keeping warm and safe.
At least we have our Monkees to keep us warm and occupied while we are stuck inside in bad weather, I check YouTube at least once a week for new videos. We are blessed to have so much available. And it amazes me to see rare interviews and tv appearances, etc pop-ping up all the time. We’re still looking
for video of David on American Band-stand singing ‘Rainyjane’ I know it is out there somewhere… One of the best things about working on the Written In Our Hearts Cookbook is that I have gotten to connect or reconnect with some great Monkee people—David Pearl, Lawrie Haley, and
Alan Green to name a few; and exchange emails with some great people who worked with David like Karen Valentine, who co-starred with David in an episode of Love American Style. Karen is a love-ly lady with fond memories of working with David. It’s my hope that while this book was created to raise money for Da-
vid’s horses, the book will be a nice collection of memories of the great per-son David was. Have been going through old teen magazines and found a number of
the articles David Pearl wrote about the guys and we hope to share them in future issues of Monkee Shines. Don’t forget that although there are only 2 paper is-
sues left we will go online to read for free after that at : http://issuu.com/purpleflowergang Monkee business continues. Another convention coming up, Mike touring solo as Micky and Peter also
continue to perform, Micky is still build-ing beautiful furniture with his daughters’ help and Daughter Ami is writing chil-dren’s books. Who would have thought that almost 50 years later we would still be celebrating the Monkees!
Cindy PS/I have finally picked up my pencils again after so many years. I have a long way to go and lots of room for improvement but it’s a start and I have all
the time in the world.
Help Us Get Davy Jones His OWN US Postage Stamp Here’s why it ‘s important: Davy was not only a heartthrob to millions of teenage girls in the 1960’s but continued
to entertain us until his death Feb. 29,2012. He was also an advocate for horses and left 14 horse his daughters care for today. The Davy Jones Equine Memorial Fund takes care of the horses he loved so much. Support DJEMF at www.djemf.com
SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION TO GET DAVY JONES HIS OWN POSTAGE
STAMP AT:
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T he Movies of the Mind and Conversation With Michael Nesmith on November 124, 2013 in Elyria, Ohio will be a
Night I will never forget! I Went to See "Movies Of The Mind " Concert With Alexis Rigby and her Brother Jonah and I anxiously awaited my meeting with Meg Richmond .We met up with a few other Monkee friends: Brianna Taormina ,Suzanne Watkinson & Royce McCadular from
The Frodiscapers). The lobby was getting packed with people and we waited till 6 PM to get our “Conversation” reception bracelets and then they opened up the merchandise table's for folk's to buy their treasures of shirts, CD's, hoodies, posters, songbooks, and tote bags. After Alexis, Meg and I purchased our souvenirs, we went to our seats. Alexis and Jonah had front row and Meg and I had fourth row.
Michael Nesmith and Cathy De Fini
Movies of the Mind and Conversation Reception With
Michael Nesmith ~November 14,2013 Elyria ,Ohio
By Cathy De Fini
(All photos in this story and cover photo are courtesy of Cathy De Fini)
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Soon the lights just went dim and the band was already up there. They introduced Nez! He got a standing ovation for a good 5 Minutes ! It was an amazing set. he played, explaining before each song the “movie” or story in his mind about how each song came to be, and by him just telling the stories you could picture yourself there in that place and time, close your eyes and really see it and feel the way the song spoke to you .I been to many concerts in my time and this was by far one of the best ever in my opinion. He had the best back up band: Chris Scruggs, Joe Chemay ,Paul Leim and Boh Cooper; who all have some pretty decent credentials of their own respectively! Nez seemed very humbled by the crowd ,and smiled and laughed a lot ,He was more relaxed tonight as he had a break between this venue and the last one he had come from. He told a few jokes and had the crowd going with interaction. His guitar string broke while telling the story of the next song. They were all playing the Instrumental and he continued to play while stringing a new one. I yelled "Oh No not again!" He heard me and said, “Oh No Not Again !!!” Meg and I laughed so hard that he heard me!!! We along with many other's tried snapping pictures throughout but it was nearly impossible as the staff /ushers were very adamant about not doing so and warning folks of having their camera's confiscated. It was so hard to believe because this was at a college auditorium! A few times during the concert he laid it out and had a Instrumental with Chris Scruggs. He was jumping around and moving a lot with his fancy foot action and his infamous Jimmy Choos. It was very intense for when you think of his age and see that he has never lost the groove or the moves and especially
the notes on all songs! I was very impressed! They did not take a break except for drinking water in between songs. The concert ended after about 90 minutes with "Listen To The Band". They all took a bow together and left the stage ,The lights came on and now was the time for all the "Lucky Conversation Reception Fans" to meet in the outer lobby for the experience of a lifetime to meet the one and only Michael Nesmith! I have to mention one thing before I go on with my story ! I always told myself if I met Michael Nesmith known as "The Untouchable Monkee" I would have him sign my arm and get it tattooed. Although I have met Micky and Peter and got to hold Davy's hand at a concert while he sang to me, this was one thing I needed and so desired as part of my bucket list,! I really never thought it would come true . So back to the details I must go of how it unfolded. Everyone who had a wristband for the “Conversation” reception met in the lobby after the concert was over. The assistant came over and made sure everyone had a wrist band. There were about 22 of us all together, Then she saw Royce McCadular (From The FrodisCapers) a Monkee tribute band here locally and I must say Royce looks like a miniature Michael sideburns and all and she gave him and Eric, his band mate, a free wristband to meet Nez ! So we all walked down the hallway together as a group of anxious and nervous people, and walked into a lobby room of the college and started chatting and talking amongst ourselves. The band was already in there Boh, Joe, Chris, and Paul, Then off the elevator comes the one and only Nez! Everyone applauded and yelled "We Love You" Papa Nez whatever one could think of. It was overwhelming! Nez was filled with love
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and appreciation! Nez asked who wanted to go first and so Royce went first to meet him. We were all kind of lined up behind him. I went fourth in line. The assistant was a lovely girl and she was there taking pictures to capture everyone's moment on their camera so I showed her how to use my camera and told her just keep taking pictures while I am up there ! I started walking up to him and was talking to him the same time I was approaching him and I said just this "I Feel like I should be on my knees crawling to you" He said, “WHY would you want to do that?” I said “Because Your such a legend and a pure genius ." He said. “Thank you!Appreciate that,” and was all smiley and giggly (I Suppose no one ever approached him saying that ). Only Me ! So he asked me what my name was and put out his hand to shake my hand . I shook it back saying, “Cathy,” and he said, “Nice to meet you, Cathy. Thank you so much for coming out
tonight!“ I had already placed the things I brought with me for him to sign on the table and I then asked him My Only Question I wanted to really know ...I Asked him if he knew what his IQ was? He laughed and smiled and looked me in the eyes and said "Well I don't know!" He asked me if I knew what mine was and, baffled, I said the only truth to be known. I said, “Well I kind of feel intimidated talking to you because your so intellectual and I am not”. But, I said it is in a good way Papa! So then I asked him if I could kiss him. He said, “Absolutely,” and so I stood on my tippy toes and he bent way down (He is SO tall and, well, I am so short), Then the assistant said, “Oh wait that one came out blurry,” as she was taking pictures with my camera and I said, “ Can we do it again ? Can I kiss you again ?” He said, “We can do it until it comes out!” I think he was really loving the attention and let me tell you to kiss him twice I was now Nezmerized !!! So then he signed my
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Headquarters album, my Pacific Arts CD Set and The First National Band album I had brought with me. Then I went in for the big one here -My bucket list dream wish ! I had told him I had always said If I ever met him I would have him sign me and get it tattooed and I told him I don't have any tattoos and this was going to be the first and the last and he asked me if I was sure? I said Well YES ! So He asked me what I wanted him to sign and I told him that I always loved "Star Collector" even though he did not sing lead on it or write it but then I also said I love "Sweet Young Thing" and he said, “Are you sure? What do you want? I will sign whatever you like.” He said, “You want me to sign "Nez" ? "Papa" ?"Papa Nez ?” I swear at this moment I felt like Ralphy in Christmas Story except I was not thinking about a football. I said, “ Well your name in full as you go by Michael Nesmith.” and he said, “Okay, that is my name,” We laughed and he went signing up my left arm when he was done he asked me if
that was okay? I exclaimed, “Well Yes!!!” So my time was almost up and I showed him my shoes. I had on my knock off Jimmy Choos and I told him I wished he had not changed as I would have loved to have a picture of our shoes together and that mine were only $100 not $5,000 .So I walked away and sat on the couch right to the left of him waiting and admiring and watching everyone else have their experience with him! Others were meeting him some had gifts they brought for him and he raised his voice for all to hear when he was opening gift bags, “Hey look at this everyone,” and showed everything to everyone. Some gave him coffee mugs, shirts, and someone brought and 8X10 picture from The Fairy Tale Episode of him as Princess Gwen and he held it up and said, “Get off my Mountain!!” Everyone including him was laughing!!! Another woman made him a quilt that was so lovely it had all his solo albums on it and said, “Videoranch” on top! He called for
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another assistant to help him and her hold it up so everyone could take pictures. Another woman made him a light up sign which was pretty cool it said NEZ in big lights. This is were he started really having fun with the few of us who decided to linger and the ones still waiting in line. He told more stories ,jokes, laughed with us Especially when he was holding up the sign in lights with his name on it he said, “This is kind of like "Synesthesia" and I said, ”What is that, like Numerology ?” and he said, “No It is like Nine Times Blue!” We all gasped not knowing all these high tech Nez words that he enchants everyone with from his intellect and he told us what it (Nine Times Blue ) meant. He said it is When the hearing of a sound produces the Visualization of a Color! At this time everything was coming to an end. He was thanking everyone for coming out to see him and everyone was yelling, “We love you Papa!” He said it back a few
times , “I love you all too.” That is when I went in for one more last ditch pitch ! I asked the assistant if we (Meg, Brianna, Suzanne, and I) could get a few more pictures as a group shot) and she said , We really have to go the bus is ready.” I looked at him and said, “"Oh please Papa Nez?” and he said, “Okay just a few more!” So one was taken on my camera and one on Brianna's and then he started walking away and he blew kisses at us and waved and got on the elevator.. That was the night ! So as the few of us could not still believe what had just happened, a once in a lifetime meeting with The Once Untouchable Monkee, we would forever be Nezmerized!!!
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I t was an early start to catch the 10 am train from Euston to Manchester, it was a dull but fine day, although rain was
threatening. I arrived at the hotel to meet and greet a few familiar faces straight away, including the two Beverleys, Mrs Parker and Mrs Barber, set up my Personal Penguins on the stall, and headed upstairs to drop my case. Coming back down in the lift who should I bump into but Jess and Annabel, and I got the biggest hug from Annabel. Next in the hug line was our Mickie Jones, followed shortly by Kyoko Hokosawa and her
lovely family, over from Japan, then I met up with more PFG members, Donna Griffin and Patricia Walsh from America. We chatted in the bar reception area until the merchandise stalls opened, ably manned (or womaned!) by Sheena Pilkington, Carol Avins and Jean Mary Bowler, then we all dived in to buy souvenirs. Davy’s sister Hazel caught up with me at the stalls and told me about taking her Personal Penguin into schools to help with reading lessons. I delivered a hug from all the Purple Flower Gang! The main event began in a function room with a screen,
By Andrea Gilbey
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staring with a solemn moment as the family lit candles for Davy, then we were shown lovely videos, made by our own Jerri Keele and Suzanne Gee, covering Davy’s life and career, and the story of the DJEMF, interspersed with speeches from Iain Lee and the actor Tom Owen, (viewers of the TV show” Last of the Summer Wine” will know him as Compo’s son), and question and answer sessions and funny stories from Davy’s family. After a short break while we changed into our posh togs, we came back down to a dining room beautifully decorated by Davy’s talented niece, Beverley Barber, for a delicious meal. The meal was followed by the fun, fund raising, part – an auction! The bidding was fast and
furious, and very competitive! All in a good cause! Family and friends had donated items for the auction, including a sweatshirt worn by Davy, a drawing by our dear talented Akiko Ikeda, drumsticks donated by Micky Dolenz, and the prize I won; a necklace of Native American beads, given by Davy to his brother in law Ken, and donated by Hazel. I will treasure them forever. We were all delighted to see Annabel and Jess win some very personal items in the auction, including the Clumber Road street sign, and Davy’s own personal tea mug. After the auction, the raffle! I didn’t win anything, but Annabel sweetly gave me a Disney backstage pass she won, as she
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already had one exactly the same. The entertainment was provided by the Shorty Blackwells, and the dance floor was filled with people of all ages, from Beverley B’s small daughter Thalia, to Hazel, who boogied on down with the best of them. Annabel very wisely wore sensible flat boots under her gorgeous evening dress, but most of us were limping in our stockinged feet by the end of the night, we danced so much!! The next morning those of us staying on for the Manchester tour piled on to a coach and off we went, through a rainy Sunday morning, to tour special sites from Davy’s childhood, including the site of the Jones family home, the house he bought for his father, and his school. Our tour guides for this part of the event were Davy’s
sisters Hazel and Beryl, niece Beverley, and the photographer Mike Bush, who all entertained us with stories of living and touring
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with Davy. We were privileged to be allowed to stand on the stage where he first acted, at the church he attended as a child. The vicar told us tales of his time as a somewhat unreliable, but funny, talented and loveable member of the church theatre productions. As appropriate in a church, there was a solemn moment of prayer, and a candle was dedicated in Davy’s name by his sisters Beryl and Hazel. The whole event was a fantastic experience, friendships were made and reinforced, and
over $6000 dollars were raised for the herd. All photos in this article are courtesy of Andrea Gilbey.
Annabel , Andrea Gilbey, and Jessica at the Manchester Memorial
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Hazel’s program
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Photos on this page are courtesy of Hazel Wilkinson This is t entrance to the church hall where they had the family service
This is the NEW Varna Community Prinary School which is located on the land where the Jones house once stood.
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By Becca Nelson
P eter’s facebook page has really taken off! It’s just re-cently celebrated over 45,000 likes! It seems like
just the other day, we were celebrat-ing getting 5,000! Way to go Mon-kees fans! If you haven’t gotten a chance to visit the page- The REAL Pe-ter Tork (Official)- or it’s just been awhile, make sure you hop on over and peruse all the great tidbits of fact and fun! His team that keeps the page run-ning- the ptfb team- are really wonderful, never met them and don’t even know who they are, but they’ve gotta be some of the nicest people! They keep the page rolling with news, music, and fun facts to get you through the dull spots in your day. As of the writing of this article, Peter is not scheduled to be at the Monkees Convention due to a personal scheduling conflict. The ptfb team promises updates if any-thing changes and thanks the fans for understand-ing. So far there are no new concert dates for Peter with Shoe Suede Blues, but keep checking back to try to catch a show! In the meantime, head over to iTunes and
check out some great Shoe Suede Blues tunes! Their newest album, Step by Step, is full of great music including a really great take on Early Morning Blues and Greens and She Hangs Out!
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By Becca Nelson
W ell it’s a new year and Micky’s started filling up his schedule - and ours! The big news is that
Micky will be appearing at the Monkees Convention this March 14-16 in New Jersey! He will be joined by all three of his lovely and talented daughters- Ami, Georgia, and Emily! Ami is not only an actress but also recently published a children’s book called ‘Harold and Agatha: The Mysterious Jewel.’Georgia keeps busy helping her dad run their furniture business- Dolenz & Daughters Fine Furniture. And Emily is a talented artist and photographer. She has been putting together some great Monkee themed pieces in her etsy store. Tickets for the weekend are going fast
and everyone is very excited to see what the weekend has to offer. Micky will be going back to B.B. King’s in New York City to perform July 30. The show last year was recorded and made into a live album full of fantastic songs and I’m sure this show will be just as amazing! If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the B.B. King’s Live album, make sure to check it out on iTunes on pick up a copy signed to you at Micky’s ebay store- it’s definitely a winner! Micky performed along with many other celebrities at an event called ‘One Starry Night’ that benefited The ALS Association on January 13 at the Pasadena Playhouse.
CNN Beatles special: CNN has announced it will air a special on the Beatles 50th anniversary called “The Sixties – The British Invasion” at 9 p.m. Jan. 30. The program is taken from a 10-part series, “The Sixties,” which will air beginning in May. “The British Invasion,” co-produced by Tom Hanks, Gary Goetzman and Mark Herzog, will feature interviews with Smokey Robinson, Micky Dolenz of the Monkees, Graham Nash of Crosby, Stills & Nash, journalist
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By Marie Gibson
A s many of you may know (and if you didn’t, you will now) that Papa Nez will be appearing in an episode of
the new season of “Portlandia.” I have tried to find the exact airdate of the episode, but the only thing I have found is that the new season is set to air on February 27, 2014 on the IFC (Independent Film Channel). I’m unsure of the time (I’ve looked, but I’m unfamiliar with the show and the network it appears on, as I do not subscribe to cable television at this time). So, set your DVR’s, he’ll pop up sooner or later! Nez has just recently announced on his Facebook page that he will be attending the Monkees Convention in New Jersey this coming March. This is what he had to say on the subject: “I have never like the idea of being approached in public. It causes a disturbance and it seems a little rude -- although I understand why someone would do it. Especially a
collector. Someone who has a treasured old album and wants me to sign it is not asking for too much in my opinion, but doing the signing in a hotel lobby or at a restaurant seemed invasive to other people’s privacy. I usually say no, sorry, not right now. Sometimes people offer money or to make an appointment for later, but in the crush of the moment it
never works. I say no, then walk away, and everyone, especially me, feels a little let down. I I started doing some after-concert meetings so people could come and get things signed or have a word or two. But that only accommodated a few people since it was after a show with limited space and we didn't have much time before the venue needed to close. The people over at the Monkees convention kept asking me to come over the years and I never saw the point until I started touring again. And then it started to make sense. This is a gathering over a whole weekend of die hard Monkees fans with memorabilia from their childhood, or die hard Monkees collectors with memorabilia they want to sell on EBay -- all of which seems fair to me. These types of gatherings are fairly new. I think they are the offspring of markets like EBay and the Internet in general. Everybody has
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access and there is space and time to talk to other fans, swap stories and memories, trade, and get things autographed. So, this year when they asked I said yes. I agreed to come and sign and talk -- and to play a solo show with my Movies of the Mind band.” So there you have it Nez Fans, if you really wanted to see him at the convention, and you happen to be going you’re in luck! He also announced that he would be playing a show in New York City, at a supper club called “The City Winery.” He didn’t provide any other details, but I’m assuming that it will be the day before or the day after his appearance at the Convention.
His live album of “Movies of the Mind” will be out around the same time. “My Movies of the Mind live album will be ready then as well. The limited numbered and signed editions won’t be available at the Convention -- they are sold out -- but the general release Live Album will be. It is an edited version in a simple CD package made just for people like me who don’t collect things.” Looks like Nez is going to have a very busy, and very exciting Spring this year! I hope you are too. I hope you had a lovely holiday season and will have a very busy, exciting 2014! Marie
There is a push started to get Michael to host Saturday Night Live. A facebook page has been created to promote the idea. Look for the page
“Let’s get Michael Nesmith to Host SNL” and like it to keep p on their endeavors.
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D avid
may
be
gone
from this earth but he has been
far from forgot-
ten.
Work
continues on the
cookbook. It is
now in the editing phase. The most
recent celebrity submission was from
Karen Valentine, who emailed me a
couple of weeks ago and asked if it
was too late to send a recipe. What a
sweet lady. First generation fans will remember that she starred in a “Love
American Style” with David and said
that working with David had been a
pleasure.
We are also working on hav-
ing a tree planted in Central Park in
honor of David. Jody Proetta has
been doing the leg work on this and
Central Park people have already
picked out a spot near the Imagine
Mosaic and there will be quite a cere-mony when it is actually dedicated,
with food and music and sing-alongs.
All we have to do is raise the
money. Several raffles are planned
within the PFG facebook group and
Jody has suggested maybe selling tee
shirts for the event to raise the mon-
ey. You can keep up with the plans
on our facebook page. With luck this
will happen late spring. Thanks to
Jody for all of her hard work for this.
We also raised another $120
for DJEMF and the herd with another
Scentsy fundraiser and in honor of
David and Michael’s birthday we di random acts of kindness in their
names. I think both of our guys would
like that.
By Cindy Bryant
David on a trip to Japan Photo Courtesy oof Hazel Wilkinson
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L egendary film and television director Jim Frawley says the secret to The Monkees’ great success was free-form
improvisational jazz. When one thinks of The Monkees, jazz chops do not come to mind. Mike Nesmith’s mutton chop sideburns, maybe. But jazz? “It was the most permissive environment,” says Frawley, who won an Emmy for his direction of the first episode of The Monkees, one of 32 he directed. “No rules, so your mind’s open to everything. Back then I had the producers behind me, saying, ‘Go baby go.’ It was like jazz.” Frawley, who says “Go baby go” with great zeal, turned 77 in September. He has lived in Indian Wells for the past four years, after two decades as a regular visitor to the Palm Springs area. “My wife Cynthia and I have always loved it here,” he says. “There is no other place we want to be. To wake up and see the dawn coming
over the mountains; and at night, to see the moon and the stars — this is the place.” Frawley directed dozens of television shows and movies (Columbo, Smallville, and Private Practice, to name a few) in a five-decade career that also includes acting and producing. “The Monkees was my first directing job,” Frawley says of the series premiere that aired Sept. 12, 1966, and captured the 1967 Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. “I didn’t know anything about directing, really. So we would just improvise. I was so cocky, and I had the producers behind me. Such a free reign!” Immensely proud of his work on The Monkees, Frawley credits his producers with freeing him to be as wild and free as the madcap scripts and the Frawley-inspired improv that defined the show. Frawley and the made-for-TV prefab four once famously took their jazz to the beach
More fun than a barrel full of monkees, “retired” director Jim Frawley still projects passion for free-spirited TV and film By Jude Camillone Palm Spring Life
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to shoot some of the most memorable moments of the show’s opening. Everyone remembers the enduring image of The Monkees walking in sync on the sand, arm in arm. That was one of many moments and moods Frawley conjured on the spot. Spontaneous delirium. Four parts Monkees, one part Frawley. “We would just improvise,” he says. “I would tell them, ‘Slide down the sand … now act like a bear.’ Then we would go and form it into something.” A Houston native, Frawley worked for many years as a young actor in New York. The Monkees early producers Bert Schneider and Bob Rafelson had seen Frawley onstage, and were so impressed that they asked him to make his directorial debut with the fledgling show. Frawley — who had worked in New York with the legendary Sir Laurence Olivier and stalwarts like George Segal and Buck Henry — suddenly found himself in Los Angeles, working alongside Peter Tork. He says Tork, Nesmith, Davy Jones, and Micky Dolenz responded quickly and joyously to his teaching methods. “The producers asked me to get together with the Monkees, and we did theater games and got to know each other’s rhythm,” Frawley says. “All that improvisation was what made them feel secure enough to do those things in front of the camera. So when we were on the beach, and I said you can do a funny walk, they trusted me.” Frawley was still exploring similar freedoms almost three decades later, when he directed the pilot of the equally quirky, often outlandish, and sometimes-surreal Ally McBeal. “Producer David Kelly was, likewise, very permissive when I directed his show,” Frawley says. “He also was ‘Go baby go,’ and he made it very enjoyable.”
Frawley said he retired when the executives and their rules began to infringe on his world, when the corporate boardrooms replaced the beaches upon which Monkees and their free-spirited director once roamed free. “Yes, part of the reason I retired was there was far less joy and permissiveness in the last 10 years I worked,” he says. “The restrictions, so many restrictions, made it very difficult. You begin as a filmmaker, and then in the eyes of some producers you become just a functionary.” Frawley, a visionary, left long before he could ever be remembered as a “functionary.” “I was lucky to have many great years of great work allowing me to be who I am, to express myself,” he beams. Frawley’s journey of self-expression, and self-knowledge, is a lifelong pursuit. He is a lifetime admirer and student of the teachings of spiritual teacher/guru/author Ram Dass. “It did start for me in the 1960s when I imbibed in some spiritual medicine and, shall we say, opened my mind to possibilities,” Frawley says of his early awareness of the teachings of Ram Dass. The inimitable Ram Dass first opened minds when he was known as Dr. Richard Alpert, and teamed with fellow Harvard outlaw genius Dr. Timothy Leary. Frawley says he finds his deepest peace when he takes long walks near his home. Something about this desert resonates with Frawley, who says his lifetime of spiritual seeking parallels that of Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan. “Look, I am by no means saying I am some sort of a holy man,” Frawley says, laughing. “There is a part of me that always uses that part of my mind — to go inside, for knowledge
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and strength and wisdom and peace. And the desert is the perfect place for that. I am not the first person who has come to the desert for that. Don Juan comes to mind ... you remember him?” As you follow Frawley’s sharp mind along its wondrously free-form, synaptic path — from Monkeeing around on the beach to traveling to deep inner space with Ram Dass and Castenada — you realize why the man became a director revered for his improvisational style. Frawley pauses to consider if all his work, all his choices, share a common creative thread. “I would say what ties them all together is they all have an askew point of view,” Frawley says. “Askew? Askance? (It is askew; askance means something different ... survey says ...). All are quirky; all have humor. Look at my work in TV; if you go from The Monkees to Ally McBeal, you see they both have groundbreaking material with a really quirky viewpoint. “That said, I am by no means a ‘genre’ director. I’ve done comedies, I’ve done Westerns.” One of the films for which Frawley is most proud is the obscure Western Kid Blue, starring Dennis Hopper and featuring Peter Boyle. He says Kid Blue and The Muppet Movie are the films that most exhibit his artistic expression. He recently screened and discussed Kid Blue at Rancho Mirage Public Library. “We had 500 people,” he says of the event. “It was a film I made in the ’70s, and I was very happy when I made it. But at that time the studio did not promote the film. [Studio executive] didn’t like that Dennis Hopper had a beard, and was a radical. So for a long time I felt like [the film] was overlooked.” Frawley appreciated the
response the film garnered in Rancho Mirage. “It got an amazing reaction from the crowd here,” he says. “At the end, Hopper escapes in a plane, and when it ended this audience of people who live out here in the desert, they all broke into spontaneous applause. They loved it. And hearing all that applause, it kind of renewed me. I was kind of reborn in my eyes.” The audience reaction came as a surprise to Frawley. “But,” he says, “there is something about this desert that is just always full of surprises. This place never stops surprising me — its beauty, and everything is very mellow here. And most of the time, living here in the desert, I am anonymous.” Not too anonymous. Frawley remains busy and hardly feels retired. “I am retired,” he says, “but I do screen my films at the library. Next year we are going to be screening The Muppet Movie. And I am always busy at the Desert Film Society. So I feel very alive and very active and a big part of the Indian Wells
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Guests include: Micky Dolenz Mike Nesmith Bobby Hart Andrew Sandoval Ami Dolenz Georgia and Emily Dolenz Jonathan, Jessica, and Christian Nesmith Circe Link Valerie Kairys Venet Here We Come - Monkees Parody Show Shannon Monkeephiles Blue Meanies The Characters Buddy Blanc’s Romeo Delight With Special Guest Micky Dolenz Gary DeCarlo Rachel Lichtman Geri Reichel The Frodis Capers Butch Patrick Donna Loren Mary Pang Coco Dolenz Dave Alexander Eric Lefcowitz Rich Dart
Billy J Kramer Larry Storch The Monkee Mobile Schedule: This is just a preliminary agenda of the weekend of the convention. This does NOT include all the Q and A's or the bands. This is an idea of when the big things are happening. Please note that we are starting the shows earlier due to the amount of entertainment lined up. PLEASE understand performances can change but not altered to a different day. Friday March 14, 2014: Registration will start at 1 pm Vendor Room will Open at 3 pm for VIP 4 pm for General Admission. Ballroom will open at 4 pm with entertainment. 6 pm Introduction 6:15 Nez Q and A 7:45 Buddy Blanc and Romeo Delight with Special Guest Micky
Dolenz will perform. 9:15 Circe Link and Christian Nesmith along with their band take the stage for a full concert. Saturday March 15, 2014 For those who hold the VIP Brunch ticket, that will be 10:00 to 11:30am. Registration 10am Vendor Room will open at 10am for VIP and 11am for General Admission. Ballroom will open at 12 12:15 Ceremony for the Induction to the American Pop Music Hall of Fame Things on Saturday to look forward to.... Micky Dolenz Q & A , Dolenz Daughters Q & A, performances by Jonathan Nesmithperforming songs from Mother of Winter and The Outer Spaces along with his band and Jessica Nesmith. Coco Dolenz will perform and in the evening Movies of Mind at 9:30. Sunday March 16, 2014 You can expect Q & A's from the Nesmith family, Circe and Christian will perform, Here we Come stage show, Tribute to Davy, Rare never seen before videos, and special surprises. All guests WILL be signing autographs all three days. Professional photo ops will be available as well. There will be performances and Q & A's with the special celebrities throughout the weekend. We hope this will help in deciding which if not all the days you would
like to attend the convention. VIP is only available on line while limited supplies last. Movies of the Mind is selling out quickly as this holds only 1000 people total. There will be sign ups for autographs and photos to avoid lines over the next few weeks. To ensure you have tickets, please order at the official website monkeesconvention2014.com Next week, even more surprises await all of you. Be apart of the Monkumental weekend, one that you will NEVER forget. Hotel and Ticket info: Hilton Meadowlands (Formerly the Sheraton) same as last year. 2 Meadowlands Plaza East Rutherford, New Jersey 07023 USA Phone: (201) 896-0500 Fax: (201) 896-9696 Just a HUGE FYI!!!! The Meadowlands Sheraton is now the HILTON! Yes they changed names. The reservations ARE OPEN NOW! You can call (201) 896-0500. Rooms with a King or double bed are just $149. Make sure you say Monkees for the rate. Here is the link
http://www.hilton.com/en/hi/groups/personalized/E/EWRSMHF-MOC13B-20140313/index.jhtml?WT.mc_id=POG Ticket Prices and Packages Tickets at the door will be $10.00 more then the price listed! NO VIP will be available at the door. Friday Admission - $55 Saturday Admission - $55 Sunday Admission - $55 Weekend pass - $160 (This includes all three days ( seating in the ballroom is on a first come first serve basis ) Weekend VIP Pass $260.00 (This includes all three days, early admission and reserved seating in rows 3-20) VIP Package $500.00(This includes all three days, early admission, reserved seating the first 2 rows, convention banner and a Saturday champagne brunch with some of our celebrity guests) *This is a limited engagement and tickets will NOT
be sold at the door. Kids are HALF price. Link to purchase tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/event/3683318906/?ref=esfb Movies of the Mind Saturday Night March 15, 2014 9pm to 11pm Main Ballroom at the Hilton Meadowlands. Non Refundable General Admisson. You MUST have a convention ticket to order tickets to this show. No person without a Saturday pass will be admitted to the show. This is a SEPARATE TICKET FROM THE REGULAR PASS. ALL SEATS ARE GENERAL ADMISSION. If you hold a VIP pass your seats will be the same for the show if you purchase. If you do not chose to purchase there will be other events during this time. To purchase your ticket to this event you must order from the link.
Q&A: Michael Nesmith on being the 'difficult Monkee'
'He's a poet,' says Micky Dolenz at tour stop.
Steve Appleford, Rolling Stone 12:39 p.m. EDT April 2, 2013 Michael Nesmith just launched his first U.S. solo tour in 20 years, with a set list emphasizing his post-Monkees career through elegantly performed pop, cosmic cowboy blues and storytelling. At his recent show at the Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, Calif., Nesmith stood with a 12-string guitar and his four-piece band to link the songs of his four-decade career, both emotionally and thematically. "It's not really that long for me," Nesmith told Rolling Stone backstage of his long absence from the stage as a solo artist. "I just don't go out in public, but I play with these guys." During his nearly two-hour set, Nesmith said the songs "play out like little movies in my head," opening with Papa Gene's Blues, from The Monkees' 1966 debut. He followed with early country-folk solo hits and later conceptual works (including 1974's The Prison) before signing off with a one-song encore of Thanx for the Ride, which included a sample of an eerie but exciting pedal steel solo by his late collaborator O.J. "Red" Rhodes. Also backstage afterward was fellow Monkee Micky Dolenz,
smiling beneath a black cowboy hat. "I love his stuff. It's just so beautiful — he's a poet," Dolenz told Rolling Stone. "I think my next CD is going to be Dolenz Does Nesmith." We caught up again with Nesmith, 70, by e-mail to talk about the tour, his long career in music and film, and his ongoing role as a Monkee. Q. This is your first U.S. solo tour since 1992. Why did you stay away from touring as a solo artist for so long? A. For me, touring takes a mind-set that I wasn't in for many years. A couple of years ago I had an idea that I could see was only realizable on stage in a live performance. And with that thought came the idea that I would like to be out and performing again. So both of those roads led to where I am now. Q. You seemed to be enjoying yourself onstage. A. I am particularly happy with this tour. The technology and tools make this show special and allow me to do things I have never done, so it is more fun by an order of magnitude than the shows that went before. Q. Though you haven't toured in many years, you said after your Agoura performance that you actually work with these musicians all the time. What have you been
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working on? A. I have been writing songs mostly and we have been acquainting ourselves with the tech of the times. There are more ways to make music now than ever and sounds and ideas that can be realized that were out of reach. So I have been marching up that learning curve — and writing to the new forms. Q. You opened your show with a Monkees song, Papa Gene's Blues. A. It was one of the first songs I ever wrote and it has an idea at its core and a structure to the chords that spontaneously assembled in my mind. I also like the idea that it was acceptable to the producers of The Monkees show who were mainly interested in commercial hits. It was all a learning experience that taught me lessons I still use. On Rolling Stone: Q&A: Michael Nesmith on solo tour and being the 'difficult Monkee' Exclusive: Michael Nesmith remembers Davy Jones Micky Dolenz on The Monkees' reunion with Michael Nesmith Monkees delight believers in reunion tour kickoff Micky Dolenz 'torn' over Monkees song in 'Breaking Bad' Q. Storytelling was an important part of your performance. What inspired that? A. Storytelling is an important idea for me and it is not limited to a narrative — for me a story only needs a point of view, and perhaps a point, in order to unfold the deeper meanings of events. Stories are expanded metaphors in
a certain sense. I have never shared that sense of a story with an audience before. I was scared away from it because I didn't think people would be interested. Q. Joanne and Silver Moon got a particularly warm response from the crowd. What do those early solo songs mean to you now? A. They are from a simpler time and have a primitive look and feel to me. I love them both and try to express them in larger and more expansive ways. They are complementary to each other so that is why I put them together side by side in the show and in the introductory vignette. Q. When you brought steel guitar and other country elements into your rock sound after the Monkees, did you feel like you were blazing a trail? A. Very far from it. Those sounds were natural elements of music for me and did not belong to a genre — I was just writing songs that had good use of those elements, and Red was a gifted player who made the pedal steel fit right in to the songs I wrote. It never occurred to me that it was all that different. I still work with a steel player and am delighted at how well the instrument fits with the songs I write. Q. Your group then, the First National Band, is now recalled very fondly. What was the reaction like at the time? A. The reaction at the time was awful. We were ridiculed and mocked — some of that may have been Monkees backlash from people who despised The Monkees and at that time — and
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maybe still — were in a majority. But I think there is something associated with the blues when it works its way into a more complex song that triggers a response more like confusion than a warm reception. Whatever it was, the rejection was hard to take, and it ultimately brought FNB to a halt. The records were not successful and the live shows were not subscribed so it became impossible to proceed. The songs, of course, live on and I was and am happy with them and satisfied with them. Q. Have perceptions of that music changed? A. I am not sure that music is even around anymore. There is folk music and so forth and country has morphed into a kind of power pop — but the new music — the new sonics and the way music is incorporated into our lives is profoundly different. The music that finds its way forward always needs a solid spiritual foundation to be relevant, and in that way the presentations can conform to the songs and the songs to the presentations. In the end, music is a voice unique to the time and place and individual, so the perceptions of the past must change to accommodate it. Q. You closed your set with a sample from Red Rhodes, which brought an additional cosmic element to the night. What inspired you to bring him into your set? A. That was a product of the technology — a "because we can" moment. Q. When you released Elephant
Parts in 1981, you were a real pioneer by creating an album in a video format. What led you to match music and images so strongly? A. It was natural, like food and fire. Songs play in my mind as do scenes and pictures and they have a natural and easy synchronicity. The points I watch to see connect are spiritual — the thought value of a word and the thought value of a picture — when they match, it is harmonious and unavoidable. Q. In an interview a few years ago, you jokingly called yourself "the difficult Monkee who won't talk about his Monkee past." How do you really feel about your years as a Monkee in the context of your overall career? A. I don't know whether I called myself that or was pointing out that others called me that, but my sense of The Monkees has stayed fairly consistent over the years. The Monkees belong to the people and the fans and not to me — and I don't think they ever can be a part of me in that way. I am forever grateful and happy for the association and feel it is positive and beneficial in my life. In the context of my overall career The Monkees experience is a substantial and welcome part of the puzzle. Q. Your songwriting and music career began before you became a part of The Monkees, and some of those songs were recorded successfully by others, including Different Drum by Linda Ronstadt. Where would your career have gone if you hadn't been a
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Monkee? A. I don't think it could have gone any other way — at some point all of this is a question mark. Q. Did your experience in The Monkees have any creative impact on what you later did as a solo artist? A. It had a great effect on my understanding of craft and the availability of tools. It also gave me a good look at talented people I would never have known otherwise. Q. How was your experience returning to The Monkees for a full tour last year? A. It was a blast — really fun, a lot of hard work — but the connection with the Monkees fans was salutary and happy. Q. What were your feelings on the road last year with the absence of Davy Jones? (Jones died in February 2012.) A. It was different but not morbidly sad. We all know that these are the turns life takes and are the roads everyone walks at some point. Q. Micky Dolenz was backstage at your show. Will more Monkees tours or music be coming? A. We are lifelong friends and our paths regularly cross — I am happy to perform again with M&P (Dolenz and Peter Tork). Q. This month, a film adaptation of Veronica Mars raised $4 million from fans through Kickstarter. If you'd had that option during your days as an independent producer of films like RepoMan and Tapeheads, would you have been tempted to use it? A. Yes — Kickstarter is a
wonderful idea and a near-perfect center of the new economics IMO. Q. How do you think crowdsource funding will change the future of indie film? A. I am not a fan of UGC (user-generated content) — there is a level of craft that must be learned and a type of dedication to an art that takes a focus and sacrifice of other aims. UGC gives the impression that anyone can be Mozart, but this is obviously not true, so the question becomes "Will crowdsourcing bring Mozart forward?" I don't have an answer for that. My intuition tells me no. The Mozarts among us create their own paths. Q. What are your plans after this tour is over? A. Many roads are converging and new ones are appearing — stimulating new projects and ideas — songs, music videos, movies all fit. I see this new landscape as virtual and Net delivered revealing a new topography of thought. I will need to get some better shoes. Remaining tour dates: April 3, Boulder Theater, Boulder, Colo. April 5, Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul April 6, Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago April 7, The Magic Bag, Ferndale, Mich. April 9, Carnegie Music Hall of Holmstead, Munhall, Pa. April 11, Iron Horse, Northampton, Mass. April 12, Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway, N.J. April 13, Somerville Theater, Somerville, Mass. April 15, World Café Live,
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The Monkees in 1967, Peter Tork, left, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones and Micky
Dolenz.(Photo: Ray Howard, AP)
Philadelphia April 16, Town Hall, New York April 17, Birchmere, Washington, D.C.
This report originally appeared at rollingstone.com.
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