factoids for nerds only

Tony, since I may not finish the Monkees book before you move to the country, I'll spoil some revelations I've learned--things that disprove previous liner notes and other crazy things:

--The song that is called "Michigan Blackhawk" and credited to Nesmith on Missing Links 2? It's actually called "Down the Highway" and was written by Carole King/Gerry Goffin. There IS a Nez song called "Michigan Blackhawk" recorded around the same time but the reel of tape no longer exists.

--the long instrumental part in "Writing Wrongs": piano, organ and guitar all played by Nesmith.

--Peter Tork once undertook a recording session all by himself while tripping on acid. Not surprisingly, no good takes were recorded and the engineer vowed never to work with Tork again.

--David Crosby demoed a song for Monkees' consideration called "Games". Because of copyright complications, they weren't allowed to use it. He later released it in 1972 on a Crosby/Nash album.

--Neil Young played guitar in an instrumental version of Nesmith's "Carlisle Wheeling" which was going to be used as incidental music for the movie "Head".

--Dr. John and Lowell George (separately) both were session guys on unreleased tracks.

--Crosby, Stills and Nash first sang together informally at a party at Peter Tork's house.

--Tork, though he had the thinnest output of songs, involved the "heaviest" session guys including Buddy Miles, Steve Stills, Dewy Martin, and a guy from Big Brother and the Holding Co.

--Nesmith recorded about 25 songs that are totally lost to history. But he almost always had Hal Blaine or Earl Palmer on drums.