Micky and Michael Nesmith were scheduled to play at The Paramount in Huntington last weekend, but that show got postponed for a later date due to the illness of Nesmith. “This would have been the first time that Mike and I would have done a show as a duo. Mike didn’t intend to tour much over the years,” Dolenz said.
Dolenz desccribed his duo with Nesmith as “The Everly Monkees,” due to that vibe and blend on those early records. “This was the first time that we really capitalized on that, and takes advantage of it. It’s a very orchestral show and all about the music,” he said. “The audience has been tremendous,” he added.
On his plans for the rest of 2018, “I go out with my solo band, and it is just Micky Dolenz. I am pretty busy for the rest of the year running around. Michael and I have been talking about firing it up again at some point because we are having such a great time. The audience reaction and the reviews have been so great. I would not be surprised if we go ahead, and decide to do it again.”
Regarding the key to longevity in the music business, Dolenz said, “It is a combination of things. The first and foremost would be the quality of the material, but that applies to any part of the business. We had some of the greatest songwriters ever writing our material. Then you add the producers, singers and musicians and the whole becomes better than its parts.”
For aspiring musicians, Dolenz encouraged them to “get a good lawyer. Dolenz credits Chuck Berry, The Animals, and Little Richard as his greatest musical influences.
Dolenz shared that they perform their popular hit “Daydream Believer” in their set every night, along with “I’m a Believer,” where he complimented its original songwriter Neil Diamond, for the latter tune.
In his spare time, Dolenz has a woodworking business with one of his daughters. “We make fine furniture. It is Dolenz & Daughters Handmade Furniture Company,” he said. “I have a big shop, and we stay busy with woodworking furniture,” he said.
Digital transformation of music industry
Regarding the impact of technology on the music business, Dolenz said, “Technology has changed the music business enormously. There is some upside of course, but the downside far outweighs the upside, with Napster and all of these platforms. Napster just stole the music frankly. On the plus side, you can get some distribution, some Internet clicks, and some visibility, but there is no longer that nurturing sort of A&R and record company investment in the acts. Nobody is going to support you. It’s a little bit like anarchy. I would hate to be an upcoming band or singer, and try to get noticed.”
On their use of technology in their music routine, Dolenz acknowledged that his record company distributes everything and is very social media savvy. “The record company just does what it has to do, to get to product listened to and distributed,” he said.
Dolenz noted that they released Good Times on vinyl. “You can actually have some artwork on your album cover,” he said, with a sweet laugh.
The deluxe edition of their Good Times album is available on iTunes.
To learn more about veteran band member Micky Dolenz, check out his official website.
For more information on the iconic pop and rock group The Monkees, visit their official homepage.
