The Metaphysics of Mike Nesmith
The artist’s view of non-linear reality
In 2017, I reviewed Michael Nesmith’s (1942–2021) memoir Infinite Tuesday for the Washington Post. I was pleased to recently discover that Nez wrote this on Facebook, April 15, 2018: “Here is a review from Mitch Horowitz of the Washington Post of Infinite Tuesday when it came out in hardcover last year at this time. I post it here because I was very happy with the review and Mitch’s apparent understanding of what I was swinging at.” I am reposting the piece.
Okay, for anyone who didn’t grow up with the on-screen high jinks and infectious pop-rock of the Monkees, let me clarify: Davy was the “cute” one; Micky was the “funny” one; Peter was the “weird” one; and Mike — well, Mike was the “smart” one.
Although the Monkees’ stars dimmed as their musical output shifted from packaged pop and their show got canceled in 1968, critics slowly acknowledged that what began as a made-for-TV band grew into an ensemble of surprisingly capable musicians and songwriters. The Monkees became bigger artists than their mold.
Behind this gestation — and much else in the pop culture world — was guitarist, songwriter, producer and video artist Michael Nesmith, author of this penetrating memoir, “Infinite Tuesday.” And, yes, his mother did invent Liquid Paper, the fact most…
