I'm starting off 2025 by interrupting the chronological flow of this series, but it's well worth it. This is an interview I conducted in 2022 with bassist David MacKay, whose playing, in my opinion, is as responsible for the sound of late 70's Nez as Red Rhodes' steel was to early 70's Nez. Why did I wait three years to publish this? A timeline might be in order:
--Spring 2019-No longer with Videoranch but still on good terms with the boss, I interview Nez about The Prison and spend the next months researching and writing about said album, without a specific goal in mind.
--Fall 2019-Major life change for me, wind goes out of my creative sails. Meanwhile, I start tuning out of all things Nez due to the infighting among his most devoted fans regarding his odd new public persona.
--Winter 2019/20-I produce and publish the Prison interview as a podcast and begin an almost two year Nez-fast. In the past, his words and music were a salve in painful times, but things felt too weird now.
--2020/21 - I publish a three part podcast miniseries on The Beach Boys/Grateful Dead 1971 appearance at the Fillmore East and explore other connections between the two biggest California bands. I have a question that I can’t seem to find the answer to and I'm given Dead author/scholar/radio host/mensch David Gans' email and ask him. David Gans replies in a friendly, helpful manner.
--Nov 2021-I witness Nez's final perfomance/public appearance.
--Dec 2021-RIP, Nez. I’m still not feeling much like listening to his music but feeling a renewed duty to somehow honor his musical legacy. The Prison feels too depressing so I decide to expand my subject to what happened after The Prison's disappointing failure.
--Spring 2022- I contact David Gans again to see if he could put me in touch with David MacKay, Nez's wonderful bassist on his stellar 1977-79 work, and husband (of 45 years!) to the Grateful Dead's Donna Godchaux. Gans digs my idea, the connection is made, and after some back and forth, MacKay and I settle on a day in May.
--May 2022- Zoom Interview conducted with David MacKay, but I have no idea what to do with it and tuck it away.
--Fall 2023-Andrew Sandoval gets in touch and, unbeknownst to him, our exchange inspires me to start a podcast dedicated to Nez's music.
--December 2024- after doing one season of Questions But No Answers and feeling pretty good about it, I finally go back and listen to my interview with MacKay and love it! I remembered so little about it that it was like listening to someone else conducting the interview. I decide to turn it into the first episode of 2025. And here we are. Enjoy!

Happy 2025 to all! Especially to those of you who have been digging QBNA and telling your Nezhead or Nezcurious friends. Who doesn't love an unplanned quickie? Here's a five minute rundown of what I've got planned for 2025. Enjoy. HOWEVER... shortly after recording this I listened to an amazing, eye-opening, heartwarming interview that I conducted in 2022 with a very important, yet seldom mentioned player in the Nez story, particularly in the latter half of the 1970's. Why I've been sitting on this jewel for two and a half years can be explained, but I'll save the story for that episode. Let's just say that after listening to it I decided that I don't wanna wait until I'm covering that era to let y'all hear it. It's too good and I need to get it out there ASAP. So, while the stuff I say in this preview is still what I plan for QBNA in 2025, add to the list a wonderful, special, insightful interview about which I can say no more. See you soon!

Nesmith sneaks a Byrds-y country rocker about better living through chemistry onto an album marketed to 11 year olds. He also borrows the intro to a Stones song. With Nesmith on 12-string rhythm guitar, Tork on 6-string lead guitar and John London on bass (and Dolenz on drums) I kinda wish this was the touring lineup. Woulda been a more versatile, impressive sounding band with a fuller sound. I meant to riff on this thought but forgot, so I'm leaving it here,

I'm back! Is anyone still here? Sorry about the longer-than-intended break. Life happens. Also, excuse the fact that I introduce this as Episode 9, disregarding the summer reruns. I'll be taking those down so it's not so confusing. This episode traces the life of one of the best, most concise pop songs Nesmith ever wrote and I think the only song in the Monkees catalog that was released in a session musician version as well as full band version ("Words" and "She Hangs Out" don't count as Micky's not on drums). We'll also hear a great acoustic cover version by a guy one might normally associate with experimental noise rock. And listen at the end for a couple newsy items, like how I'll be playing a gig of Nez covers with the great Mick Lawless (of Monkees Mania Radio) and his band Loose Salute on December 7 in Worcester, MA. I believe it's their farewell show and I'm honored to be the drummer. I finished this episode just as election results were coming in. Sigh. While he was never a political activist, one can do the research and and surmise that Michael Nesmith believed in gender and racial equality and that "we're all brothers under the skin" as he said in his 1968 interview with John Gilliand. He was raised by a poor, single mother who started her own billion dollar company and Nez spent a good bit of his resources championing woman artists and entrepreneurs, keeping his mother's Gihon Foundation alive. Good luck out there. Be nice to each other.

I decided to sneak one more in before my summer break! It's short, like the episodes were supposed to be when I started this series.....What a perfect little power folk pop song this is, and the first song on the legendary Headquarters album (Nez thought up that title, ya know). The four Monkees, plus Chip Douglas, jangleburst their way through the door into real band-ness, saying "here we come, but FOR REAL this time!!". More Beatles talk on this episode, and if you know this song, you might be able to guess why. Plus I'll play and discuss the wacky Wichita Train verson and live versions recorded four decades apart.
Unless I get inspired to to a summer episode or two (you never know with me), see you this fall!

A song described as “A Breezy Little Pop Tune” by its author, Michael Nesmith, “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” was too poppy for Jon Herald, too sloppy for Don Kirshner, but just exactly perfect to be the world’s first taste of The Monkees performing as a real band when it was released on March 8, 1967, as the B-side to “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”. The A-side represented the past, the B-side, the future (at least the very near future). Did it change all the haters’ and skeptics’ opinions? I mean, shoot, this is a well written song, super catchy, with some literate lyrics and clever changes and played real well by Mike, Peter, Micky and Davy (with Nez pal John London on bass). That’s the proverbial real deal right there. How’s about some respect? Well, maybe your average critic or hippie turned their nose up, but some key members of rock royalty knew a good song when they heard it. In the second half of this lengthy episode I talk about all sorts of stuff with the super cool host of the super cool podcast, RANKING THE BEATLES, Mr. Jonathan Pretus. Our conversation goes to some wild places so hold on to your wool hats, cats and kitties (to quote Ben Fong Torres). Also, this might be the start of a summer hiatus, but I’m not positive. I might need to focus on some other stuff for a bit. But you’ll be hearing from me one way or another and in the meantime I’ll be scripting out the next few episodes.

Where is Mary going to? Is she safe from the persistent creepo who won't leave her alone? Is this the same Mary as in "Walkin' the Dog"? Was Michael Blessing much more of a manufactured image than Monkee Mike? Is Bloomfield's guitar solo the best part of the Butterfield version? Why isn't Micky ready? How great of a live band were The Monkees on the 1968 fall tour? When is the only time that Nez seriously pissed off your host, Brian? Did Nez try to make "Mary, Mary>Circle Sky", The Monkees' version of "China Cat Sunflower>I Know You Rider"? And finally, WHY YA BUGGIN'????

Q: What happens when the most stubbornly independent Monkee is forced by a man he dislikes to do something he dislikes, such as co-write a song with strangers who happen to be one of the most successful songwriting teams of the century? A: We get a great song with a lot of versions to hear and discuss. What we don't get is a lot of facts, so this episode, while guest-free, does have some voice-acting and creative nonfiction. I try, semi seriously, to suss out who wrote what in the song. This episode also features lots of good music and two eye-opening interview clips. I hope you dig.