On April 18, Crown Archetype will release Infinite Tuesday: An Autobiographical Riff, the long-awaited memoir by Michael Nesmith. The book chronicles Papa Nez's life from his childhood days in Dallas, Texas through his success with The Monkees, groundbreaking work in music video and virtual reality, and beyond. Four days before the book's release, however, Rhino Records will issue a companion CD tracing Nesmith's musical evolution. The April 14 release of Infinite Tuesday: Autobiographical Riffs - The Music features 14 tracks from Nesmith with The Monkees and The First National Band, and as a solo artist.
The collection kicks off with the 1965 Colpix single by "Michael Blessing," "The New Recruit," before taking in "Papa Gene's Blues" from The Monkees' 1966 debut record. Infinite Tuesday also features the first recorded version of the group's "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" in stereo, as well as the single version of "Listen to the Band" off 1970's The Monkees Present - Nesmith's final album with the band for over two decades. Other early favorites include Nesmith's own rendition of "Different Drum" (famously popularized by Linda Ronstadt and The Stone Poneys), "Silver Moon" and the top 40 hit "Joanne" from his pioneering country-rock outfit The First National Band, and "Some of Shelly's Blues," originally mooted as a Monkees track but released by Nesmith on 1973's Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash.
Other albums represented here include 1975's The Prison, the debut record on Nesmith's Pacific Arts label, From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing (1977), Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma (1979), ...Tropical Campfires... (1992) and Rays (1995). Mike Nesmith has always beat to his own "different drum." Infinite Tuesday looks to offer a fine overview of his own singular musical oeuvre. You can peruse the track listing and pre-order links below. This autobiographical companion is due from Rhino on April 14!
Michael Nesmith, Infinite Tuesday: Autobiographical Riffs - The Music (Rhino, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Infinite Tuesday: An Autobiographical Riff (Book): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
- The New Recruit - Michael Blessing
- Papa Gene's Blues - The Monkees
- Different Drum
- The Girl I Knew Somewhere (First Recorded Version/Stereo Remix) - The Monkees
- Listen to the Band - The Monkees
- Joanne - Michael Nesmith and the First National Band
- Silver Moon - Michael Nesmith and the First National Band
- Some of Shelly's Blues
- Opening Theme - Life, The Unsuspecting Captive
- Rio
- Cruisin'
- Light
- Laugh Kills Lonesome
- Rays
Track 1 from Colpix single CP 787, 1965
Track 2 from The Monkees, Colgems LP COS-101, 1966
Track 3 possibly from And the Hits Just Keep On Comin', RCA Victor LSP-4695, 1972
Track 4 from Headquarters: Deluxe Edition, Rhino R2 77760, 2007
Track 5 from Colgems single 5004, 1969
Track 6 from Magnetic South, RCA Victor LSP-4371, 1970
Track 7 from Loose Salute, RCA Victor LSP-4415, 1970
Track 8 from Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash, RCA Victor APL1-0164, 1973
Track 9 from The Prison, Pacific Arts PAC-101, 1975
Track 10 from From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing, Pacific Arts PAC7-107, 1977
Tracks 11-12 from Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma, Pacific Arts PAC7-130, 1979
Track 13 from ...Tropical Campfires..., Pacific Arts PAAD-5000, 1992
Track 14 from Rays, Pacific Arts 100-057, 2005
John Tree says
"Laugh Kills Lonesome" is how they represent Tropical Campfires? At least they didn't pick "I Am Not That"
John Tree says
I shouldn't be critical without offering up a better suggestion: The opener "Yellow Butterfly", or "Moon Over the Rio Grande" , "Juliana" or "Twilight on the Trail" would all be better entryways to Tropical Campfires.... such a good album.
Galley says
Juliana is the best song he has released during his solo career.
Shaun says
Hmm... All good songs, but nothing terribly obscure or unexpected. Well, looking forward to the book at least!
Shaun says
Not to say the Blessing track isn't obscure. It is, just nothing else here that makes this collection a "must have." Maybe a nice intro for Nez newbie though?
Emma says
I've never heard of anyone releasing so much musical material along with a book. Is he worried book won't sell well?
Shaun says
Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen released soundtracks for their recent books too. More songs on those than on this Nez collection.
Fletch says
I have to say, that cover REALLY sucks. Looks like someone did it in Word.