Circle Sky
"Circle Sky" is a song written by Michael Nesmith which appeared on The Monkees' sixth album, the Head (The Monkees album), ''Head'' soundtrack, and also in the film ''Head (film), Head'' as a live concert performance. Background and inspiration The song is written and performed in style reminiscent to the work of musician Bo Diddley, staying mostly on a single chord (A Major), while strumming barre chords (from B Major to E Major) down the guitar neck for the intro, outro, and breaks, and from B minor to D minor for the bridge. The lyrics are impressions of sights and sounds on a Monkees tour, while "Hamilton's smiling down" refers to a Hamilton Stands, Hamilton music stand, used for rehearsals and recording. Release While the movie included the song performed live by the Monkees in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 17, 1968 during a free show at the Valley Auditorium, the original soundtrack album instead substituted a studio recording, made by Nesmith and session musicians (an unex ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Monkees
The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conceived in 1965 by television producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the situation comedy series of the same name. Music credited to the band was released on LP, as well as being included in the show, which aired from 1966 to 1968. While the sitcom was a mostly straightforward affair, the music production generated tension and controversy almost from the beginning. Music supervisor Don Kirshner was dissatisfied with the quartet's musical abilities, and he limited their involvement during the recording process, relying instead on professional songwriters and studio musicians. This arrangement yielded multiple hit albums and singles, but it did not sit well with the band members, who were facing a public backlash for not playing on the ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Head (The Monkees Album)
''Head'' is the sixth studio album by the Monkees, and the soundtrack to Head (film), the film of the same name. Released in 1968, the album primarily consists of musique concrète pieces assembled from the film's dialogue. The six new songs showcase the songwriting skills of the band members, encompassing genres such as psychedelic music, lo-fi music, lo-fi, acid rock and Broadway theatre. Composition After the TV series ''The Monkees (TV series), The Monkees'' was cancelled in Spring of 1968, the band regrouped and wrote the film ''Head (film), Head'' with screenwriter Jack Nicholson, who later coordinated the soundtrack album, editing dialogue excerpts from the film into the album's composition. The album approximates the flow of the movie and includes large portions of the dialogue. ''CriterionCast'' has suggested that the album's composition was influenced by Frank Zappa's ''Lumpy Gravy'' album. Peter Tork said regarding the album's composition, "[Nicholson] made it different ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rock Music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States and United Kingdom.W. E. Studwell and D. F. Lonergan, ''The Classic Rock and Roll Reader: Rock Music from its Beginnings to the mid-1970s'' (Abingdon: Routledge, 1999), p.xi It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, a style that drew directly from the blues and rhythm and blues genres of African-American music and from country music. Rock also drew strongly from a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk, and incorporated influences from jazz, classical, and other musical styles. For instrumentation, rock has centered on the electric guitar, usually as part of a rock group with electric bass guitar, drums, and one or more singers. Usually, rock is song-based music with a time signature using a verse–chorus form, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith or Mike Nesmith, (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series ''The Monkees'' (1966–1968). His songwriting credits include "Different Drum," which became a hit for Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys. After the break-up of the Monkees, Nesmith continued his successful songwriting and performing career, first with the seminal country rock group the First National Band, with whom he had a top-40 hit, " Joanne", and then as a solo artist. He often played a custom-built Gretsch 12-string electric with the Monkees and afterwards. Nesmith founded Pacific Arts, a multimedia production and distribution company, in 1974, through which he helped pioneer the music video format. He created one of the first American television programs dedicated to music videos, ''PopClips'', which aired on Nickelodeon in 1980. He was asked to he ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Head (film)
''Head'' is a 1968 American satirical musical adventure film written and produced by Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson, directed by Rafelson, starring television rock group the Monkees ( Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith) and distributed by Columbia Pictures. During production, one of the working titles for the film was ''Changes'', which was later the name of an album by the Monkees. Another working title was ''Untitled''. A rough cut of the film was previewed for audiences in Los Angeles in the summer of 1968 under the title ''Movee Untitled''. The film featured Victor Mature as "The Big Victor" and cameo appearances by Nicholson, Teri Garr, Carol Doda, Annette Funicello, Frank Zappa, Sonny Liston, Timothy Carey, Percy Helton and Ray Nitschke. Also appearing on screen in brief non-speaking parts are Dennis Hopper and film choreographer Toni Basil. Plot ''Head'' begins at the dedication of the Gerald Desmond Bridge in Long Beach, California. As a local pol ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bo Diddley
Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, George Thorogood, and The Clash. His use of African rhythms and a signature beat, a simple five- accent hambone rhythm, is a cornerstone of hip hop, rock, and pop music. In recognition of his achievements, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2003, and the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2017. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Diddley is also recognized for his technical innovations, including his use of tremolo and reverb effects to enhance the sound of his distinctive rectangular-shaped guitars. Early life ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Barre Chords
In music, a barre chord (also spelled bar chord) is a type of chord on a guitar or other stringed instrument played by using one finger to press down multiple strings across a single fret of the fingerboard (like a bar pressing down the strings). Players often use this chording technique to play a chord that is not restricted by the tones of the guitar's open strings. For instance, if a guitar is tuned to regular concert pitch, with the open strings being E, A, D, G, B, E (from low to high), open chords must be based on one or more of these notes. To play an F chord the guitarist may barre strings so that the chord root is F. Most barre chords are "moveable" chords, as the player can move the whole chord shape up and down the neck. Commonly used in both popular and classical music, barre chords are frequently used in combination with "open" chords, where the guitar's open (unfretted) strings construct the chord. Playing a chord with the barre technique slightly affects tone ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Hamilton Stands
Hamilton Stands Inc. is a musical instrument accessories manufacturing company founded in 1883 and based in Middletown, Ohio. The company is currently owned by St. Louis Music. Hamilton is most famous for their wide variety of music stands (from light, fold-up types to rugged, near-permanent ones), used by musicians and music students around the world. Other Hamilton accessories include capos for stringed instruments, and instrument stands. Musician Bob Dylan frequently used a Hamilton capo on his guitars, and studio and concert photos reveal their distinct look. Michael Nesmith of the Monkees referenced a Hamilton stand in his song "Circle Sky "Circle Sky" is a song written by Michael Nesmith which appeared on The Monkees' sixth album, the Head (The Monkees album), ''Head'' soundtrack, and also in the film ''Head (film), Head'' as a live concert performance. Background and inspiration ...", in the line "Hamilton's smiling down". References External linksHamilton Stands Hom ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The north was supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist states, while the south was United States in the Vietnam War, supported by the United States and other anti-communism, anti-communist Free World Military Forces, allies. The war is widely considered to be a Cold War-era proxy war. It lasted almost 20 years, with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973. The conflict also spilled over into neighboring states, exacerbating the Laotian Civil War and the Cambodian Civil War, which ended with all three countries becoming communist states by 1975. After the French 1954 Geneva Conference, military withdrawal from Indochina in 1954 – following their defeat in the First Indochina War – the Viet Minh to ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits)
''Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits)'' is a Monkees compilation released in Australia in 1979. It contains 40 of the Monkees' songs, including hit singles, B-sides, album tracks and three previously unreleased tracks: "Love to Love," "Steam Engine" and a live version of "Circle Sky." Due to the unavailability of the Monkees' master tapes in Australia at this time, "needledrop" vinyl recordings of songs had to be used, resulting in various sound quality issues. The photo of the band used on the cover is a reversed image from the original. Track listing ;LP 1 #"(Theme from) The Monkees" ( Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) – 2:17 #"Last Train to Clarksville" (Boyce, Hart) – 2:48 #"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (Boyce, Hart) – 2:21 #"I'm a Believer" ( Neil Diamond) – 2:42 #" A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" (Diamond) – 2:49 #"Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (Diamond) – 2:12 #"She" (Boyce, Hart) – 2:37 #"Words" (Boyce, Hart) – 2:46 #"Saturday's Child" (David Gates) - 2:40 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Monkee Flips (album)
''Monkee Flips'' is a compilation album of songs by the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1984. Labeled as the "Best of the Monkees, Volume Four" (as it followed the two Arista Records compilations ''Greatest Hits'' (1976) and ''More Greatest Hits'' (1982) and the Rhino Records picture disc '' Monkee Business'' (1982), the album featured an all-stereo selection of single sides and album tracks, including several songs featured in the ''Monkees'' TV series. It was available on both LP record and cassette formats. "Tear Drop City", "Good Clean Fun" and "Oh My My", all of which charted in the Billboard Top 100, make their American "greatest hits" debut with this package (the latter two had previously appeared on the 1979 Australian compilation ''Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits)''). Seven of the 14 tracks — "You Told Me", "I Love You Better", "Forget That Girl", "No Time", "Dream World", "Little Girl" and "Daily Nightly" — all make their first appearance on any Monkees "greatest h ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Missing Links Volume Two
''Missing Links Volume Two'' is a compilation album of rare and previously unreleased songs by the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1990. It is the second volume of a three-volume set, preceded by '' Missing Links'' in 1987 and followed by ''Missing Links Volume Three'' in 1996. While several of the tracks had been featured in the Monkees' television series, only one of the tracks had ever been issued commercially: the live version of "Circle Sky" had appeared in the Monkees' feature film '' Head'' and was previously released on the Australian compilation ''Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits)'' in 1979.'' This compilation contains one mislabeled track, as "Down the Highway" is mistitled "Michigan Blackhawk." As this compilation was released on both cassette and CD, tracks 7, 11, 14 and 15 do not appear on the original cassette version. A vinyl version was released in 2021 from Friday Music for Record Store Day. Track listing Session information "All the King's Horses" *Writte ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |