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http://tinyurl.com/infinitetuesday

This will be a good companion for those reading Infinite Tuesday but unfamiliar with Nez’s work! Even though one of the standout qualities of his writing in IT is his ability to describe music – I had heard all of Nez’s music before reading but I hadn’t heard other artists he writes about – but I knew what they sounded like from his description, far from an easy accomplishment for a writer. Not saying curious, unfamiliar readers shouldn’t get the “soundtrack” as some publications are calling it (I don’t like this word associated with a book here because it summons a different art form as a Nezhead – I think it is better labelled a “companion”)… only that Nez’s writing doesn’t make it a necessity. However, I suspect reading about his art will inspire new listeners – just like IT intrigued me to listen to artists (and watch films) he described. ☺️

The track list is put together well and features tracks I didn’t expect, but make sense in relation to theme rather than content… which is another theme of the book!

My only concerns/complaint – I hope they include the original mix of Life, The Unsuspecting Captive because it is the most relevant as a companion. Also, it would be more relevant to the text and probably encourage buyers who already have Nez’s discography to include a Nashville mix of Listen to the Band (if one still exists). Nez added the horns when he got back to LA. I’d be interested to hear what it sounded like before he did this… what they all heard in Nashville. It would have offered something new here.

#Infinite Tuesday

Happy February! There’s a new post up on Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care) on Infinite Nesmith. I’ll be doing a series on my favorite Nez love songs this month for Valentine’s Day.

And speaking of Valentines – have you ordered yours yet?

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith

The first OverView Magazine piece to kick off the year-long 30th Anniversary celebration is up now on Infinite Nesmith!

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #OverView

legrandennui

OverView Magazine turns 30 this year! Its only issue was published in January 1987. Here is a playlist of all the OverView clips I’ve found on YouTube.

OverView was a magazine about home video released on VHS. The idea was that watching video clips was more helpful than reading about videos in a magazine. Nez was the publisher. It was sold at video stores and cost the same as a blank tape so consumers could reuse the tape afterwards – both economical and environmental! The numbers in the top corner of the screen are minutes, which were used like page numbers in a print magazine. As Nez explains, this is a magazine. You don’t need to watch it in order and you don’t need to watch it all at once – look at the table of contents on your video case and fast forward to what you’re most interested in. Nez presents the letter from the publisher and other small pieces that would normally be written by a publisher or editor. Critics, etc., star in the feature pieces – again – just like in a print publication.

For more information about OverView including transcripts of articles, please check out my OverView tag!

#OverView

Pesky Canadians

Big 2017 Mood

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #Television Parts

Infinite Nesmith

I'm collecting all my writing, research, and other projects on Nez into a blog. You can find it here -- I've named it Infinite Nesmith... a name I chose when Infinite Tuesday was still being called Listen to the Band, so Nez's title change was a happy coincidence!

I'd started designing a website for Infinite Nesmith a few weeks before I got hired by Nez. The organization of the blog roughly follows my original concept in that the top menu allows you to browse by specific artwork or project, but the blog will be more analysis-based than research-based -- thanks to the confidence Nez has given me in that respect. I used to shy away from posting serious critical analysis of his work because the idea of being wrong terrified me. After the disaster of misinterpretation (and overinterpretation!) that was Pay Me Monday, I learned a valuable lesson -- it doesn't matter if you're wrong or right as long as you find meaning. Nez loved my analysis, even though he did think I was joking, haha. He is truly my #1 fan; it is impossible to express how much his enthusiastic approval of my writing means to me.

Please go check out Infinite Nesmith, subscribe, etc... My goal is to post new critical analysis content weekly while consistently adding re-posts from previous projects. For the time being, discussions will be put on hold while I focus my attention on Infinite Nesmith, Science & Health, and my Infinite Tuesday review and essays.

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #Infinite Nesmith

Nez got a well-deserved star from Kirkus Reviews for Infinite Tuesday!

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #Infinite Tuesday

Here's a screenshot of our new discussion platform! All our regulars loved it on its first spin last week. Join by clicking here.

It is a chat, and when you join, past discussion is visible -- so you can catch up if you want! Showing up late to a discussion no longer limits your participation or makes you out of the loop.

On the left, we're able to provide each discussion its own channel. When you sign on, you'll see notifications for which channels have new content! So if a week or two later you find/realize something relevant to a discussion from a few weeks ago, you can contribute that thought and everyone will see it when they next sign on. This also means that if you can’t join us live, you can catch up later and add your thoughts! It's sort of like a forum meets instant messaging.

The chat is also cool because we can share images, links, videos... and emojis!

There is a voice chat feature but we haven't explored that yet. I might see if I can somehow use it to play music during discussions.

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith

Tomorrow – Wednesday, January 23, at 6pm PST / 9pm EST – we’ll be meeting on discord to have our first discussion of The Garden, Nez’s second book with a soundtrack.

You can join our discussions on discord by clicking here. It’s free, takes less then 60 seconds to sign up, and you don’t need to download anything! You can also sign on anytime to read previous discussions – and feel free to add your own thoughts or research to those threads. The discussions are separated by channel.

The Garden is available to download from Videoranch here for $9.99. It includes a digital booklet.

Nez released his followup to The Prison twenty years later in 1994. It was recorded between October 1991 and September 1993. The album features three of his children: Christian played 6-string acoustic guitar; Christian, Jessica, and Jason all sang background vocals. (I thought I had seen pictures of Jonathan singing in sessions I assumed were for The Garden, but he isn’t listed in the CD booklet.) Nez dedicated The Garden to Christian, Jason, Jessica, and Jonathan.

The book picks up with The Prison’s protagonist, Jason, after Tom and Janey leave him to live alone at the cabin. The Prison was initially created as a standalone work with no intention for a sequel or the creation of a trilogy. If you’ve come across a (serious) explanation from Nez as to why he decided to continue Jason’s story, please get in touch.

In his introduction, Nez writes, “The Garden is not a sequel in the strict sense of the word and there is no critical continuity of narrative you will need to know. However some familiarity with The Prison is helpful to fully understand the development of ideas which have their roots there.” We suggest having listen/read The Prison but it’s not a must to participate in the discussion or enjoy the work.

Because this is our first discussion of this book with a soundtrack, it will be more generic -- feeling the work out and sharing our first impressions. We will explore specific themes and ideas at later discussions.

What surprised you about The Garden as a work?

What major themes do you spot?

What do you think Nez’s purpose is to creating The Garden? What is he trying to communicate here? How does the form enhance and aid his message?

What do you think of Jason’s character development? How is he different at the end of The Garden?

The prose of The Garden is elaborate and sense-heavy, whereas The Prison is more stripped-down. How do you see this in connection to the growth of Nez’s artistic style?

The Garden’s soundtrack is largely instrumental, a major departure from The Prison. Why do you think Nez made this choice?

What is the most striking difference to you between The Prison and The Garden?

How would you compare your experience listen/reading The Garden to The Prison?

Purely opinion -- Do you prefer The Prison or The Garden? Why?

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #The Garden #book with a soundtrack

legrandennui

“Romance that soars to the skies on the wings of song!”

I’m hearing the light from the window, I’m seeing the sound of the sea, My feet have come loose from their moorings, I’m feeling quite wonderfully free. And I think I will travel to Rio Using the music for flight, There’s nothing I know of in Rio, But it’s something to do with the night. It’s only a whimsical notion To fly down to Rio tonight, And I probably won’t fly down to Rio, But then again, I just might. There’s wings to the thought behind fancy, There’s wings to the thought behind play And dancing to rhythms of laughter Makes laughter the rhythm of rain. And I think I will travel to Rio Using the music for flight, There’s nothing I know of in Rio, But it’s something to do with the night. It’s only a whimsical notion To fly down to Rio tonight, And I probably won’t fly down to Rio, But then again, I just might. I feel such a sense of well-being, The problems have come to be solved, And what I thought was proper for battle I see now is proper for love. And I think I will travel to Rio Using the music for flight, There’s nothing I know of in Rio, But it’s something to do with the night. It’s only a whimsical notion To fly down to Rio tonight, And I probably won’t fly down to Rio, But then again, I just might. Reno? Why Reno? Not Reno, dummy. Rio, Rio de Janeiro.

#Flying Down To Rio #Fred Astaire #Ginger Rogers #F&G #Rio

discussnez

Who’s ready to get metaphysical? Nez Discussions are back! We’ll be meeting this Wednesday, January 18 at 6pm PST / 9pm EST to discuss the universal infinite’s influence on From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing on Discord!

Click here to join our channel on discordapp.com! It’s free and takes literally a minute to sign up. It runs in your browser so no need to download a program.

Nez has called From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing “the breakthrough music and album for me.” How so? “It was the first music I wrote based on a universal infinite.” He further hinted that while evil is addressed in The Prison, it is explained in Photon Wing.

Nez has said about Fred Astaire’s dancing: “…humans – whom mortals wrap themselves around – follow along until the higher thought becomes receptive to the divine idea – and the human lets the mortal sense go. The dancing of Astaire is the human letting the mortal go. The moment was right at the edge of chaos – I found all this fascinating – and instructive.” I see this as directly relating to Casablanca Moonlight: “Movies of Havana are all that I can see / Still enchantment wakes me / Enchantment takes me to the promise of perfection outside the dream.” Great art lifts us to the higher plane – into the infinite. What do you think this says about the goal of the album as a whole? What was Nez trying to achieve? Do you think he did?

How do you see a progression in Nez’s metaphysics from The Prison?

How do you see the infinite reflected in the music itself?

Where do you see theodicy in the album?

What do you think of the use of Navajo Trail? How do you think it is related to the infinite? (Please note: It is the only cover on the album.)

Much of the album deals with a state of dreaming vs being awake. What do you make of this?

What do you think of the track order? Especially significant seems the album opening with a diptych addressing the importance of art’s path to the Infinite.

Do you think Love’s First Kiss is about romantic love or something else? Is it connected to the kiss in We Are Awake?

What do you think the album title means? Nez has said it is an expression of the “breakthrough” he had.

Do you feel the infinite in the music video to Rio? How and where?

If you’re interested in doing further reading, Melodie’s Forum posts are a good place to start:

Michael Nesmith’s emergence into the Infinite

Fred Astaire in the Casablanca Moonlight

The infinite and the invention of music video

discussnez

TONIGHT

legrandennui

Proper analysis/criticism I’ve written about Michael Nesmith masterpost

Official Videoranch pieces:

Iteration Memes: The New Replicators May – I Know What I Know July – Life Is Long More on memes Rays Michael Nesmith’s emergence into the infinite Fred Astaire in the Casablanca Moonlight The infinite and the invention of music video Playlist to get through 2017 It’s my jam: How First National Band helped me finally define the essential qualities of my ideal music

#Forum

Click here to join our channel on discordapp.com! It’s free and takes literally a minute to sign up. It runs in your browser so no need to download a program.

Nez has said about Fred Astaire’s dancing: “...humans -- whom mortals wrap themselves around -- follow along until the higher thought becomes receptive to the divine idea -- and the human lets the mortal sense go. The dancing of Astaire is the human letting the mortal go. The moment was right at the edge of chaos -- I found all this fascinating -- and instructive.” I see this as directly relating to Casablanca Moonlight: “Movies of Havana are all that I can see / Still enchantment wakes me / Enchantment takes me to the promise of perfection outside the dream.” Great art lifts us to the higher plane -- into the infinite. What do you think this says about the goal of the album as a whole? What was Nez trying to achieve? Do you think he did?

How do you see a progression in Nez’s metaphysics from The Prison?

How do you see the infinite reflected in the music itself?

Where do you see theodicy in the album?

What do you think of the use of Navajo Trail? How do you think it is related to the infinite? (Please note: It is the only cover on the album.)

Much of the album deals with a state of dreaming vs being awake. What do you make of this?

What do you think of the track order? Especially significant seems the album opening with a diptych addressing the importance of art’s path to the Infinite.

Do you think Love’s First Kiss is about romantic love or something else? Is it connected to the kiss in We Are Awake?

What do you think the album title means? Nez has said it is an expression of the "breakthrough" he had.

Do you feel the infinite in the music video to Rio? How and where?

If you’re interested in doing further reading, Melodie’s Forum posts are a good place to start:

Michael Nesmith’s emergence into the Infinite

Fred Astaire in the Casablanca Moonlight

The infinite and the invention of music video

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing #Rio

legrandennui

The Forum is going to continue to exist without moderation. it’s not attracting enough attention to warrant having a Cruise Director at this time.

Hannah and I are going to restart our discussions as they were before… but now we’ll have the added benefit of my contact with Nez! I can ask him the hard questions that always come up. His insight has opened up so many of his works for me over the past few months. We’ll probably start with Photon Wing because I have so much I wanna talk about with you guys! And then we’ll go to The Garden.

I’m sad the Forum didn’t work out but I know this is only the beginning. I look forward to what’s to come – especially Infinite Tuesday!

I cannot express my gratitude to Nez enough for giving me this opportunity.

On Friday the 13th at 6pm PST / 9pm EST the Videoranch Forum will be meeting at Piet’s Hut on VR3D to discuss punk! What is it? How do you define it? It seems to infect far more than just bands labelled as punk bands. John Ware from First National Band defined it as, “doing the best with what you’ve got.” Come by to hear more definitions and contribute your own!

#Forum #Videoranch #punk #First National Band #Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith

jam: music with a perfect sound that precisely fits the listener’s preferences

Please read Melodie’s latest piece up on The Forum here.

#Michael Nesmith #Mike Nesmith #First National Band #Arctic Monkeys #Joy Division #The Futureheads #Forum #Videoranch

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