October 20, 2013
October 12, 2013
October 11, 2013
September 22, 2013
Here’s a photo of Mike Nesmith and Felton Jarvis, the man who signed Michael to RCA and is credited as producer for several recording dates with The First National Band. Although he played a significant role in kicking off Michael’s solo career, the producer credit was more of a courtesy. “Felton came out to L.A. once during the sessions, on his way to Las Vegas with Elvis. He stayed for about an hour and did not provide any production work. I saw him as more of a liaison with RCA, I talked to him about money and such. I liked him quite a bit, but he didn’t ‘produce’ Magnetic South.” Michael Nesmith
“Mike Nesmith never even made a reference to his former role as a Monkee. For me and the predominantly under-25 audience, the 35 minute act was far too short. Everyone appeared to be spellbound by Mike’s creative country sound with The First National Band. Mike opened with ‘Listen to the Band’ followed by ‘Little Red Rider’ and then Red Rhodes performed his first solo, ‘Rose City Chimes.’ Next Mike, in a very Jim Reeves type of manner, worked his way through ‘One Rose.’ He continued with his recent U.S. chart success, ‘Joanne,’ and this was followed by another instrumental spot featuring Red Rhodes - ‘Steel Guitar Rag.’ Then to conclude the act the pace dramatically increased for the only rock number included in the set, Chuck Berry’s ‘Nadine.’” Ray Nortrop / NME Magazine Review / Sheffield’s Baily Club 10.10.1970
August 2, 2013
August 1, 2013
July 31, 2013
The First National Band’s debut single was released in May of 1970- “Little Red Rider”, a song Michael had been re-recording for The Monkees. This version is different from the previous ones, dropping the horn section, more stripped down and raw. It features some impressive steel guitar work from Red Rhodes, whose sound is processed through a Leslie rotating speaker cabinet.
“Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis and Jimmie Rodgers are to me something of a musical triumvirate. Somehow I always get back to them. They, like Dylan, Presley, Cash and The Beatles, had, and have, a clearly defined musical position - A pure approach to what they have sung and written - free from euphemisms and alive with their own emotions.” Michael Nesmith 1970
July 20, 2013
July 17, 2013
July 12, 2013
July 4, 2013
July 2, 2013
June 26, 2013
June 23, 2013
June 19, 2013
June 16, 2013
UK Compilation from 1975 entitled "Silver Moon"
"Silver Moon" was the third FNB single. The song reached #42 on the U.S. charts and #13 in Canada. The quadraphonic 8-track tape release of "Loose Salute" features the full, extended version.
June 12, 2013
June 9, 2013
“What made Red truly great was just his touch, the subtlety of it. He understood you didn’t need to do much to make the instrument sing. Even with a flurry of strings, or those magical converging chords, he really didn’t work at it too hard, the instrument did a lot of the work. He just barely moved, but the sound was magical. The effort was like the effort of a hummingbird to fly.”
Michael Nesmith