Rob Conroy

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Member Since: 1/22/2001
Total Mixes: 629
Total Feedback: 9267

Sunshine ragtime blowing in the breeze

Artist Song
Michael Nesmith  Propinquity (I've Just Begun to Care) [demo] 
The Monkees  Papa Gene's Blues [mono] 
The Monkees  Mary, Mary [mono] 
The Monkees  The Girl I Knew Somewhere [first recorded version/alternate mono mix] 
The Monkees  Sunny Girlfriend [mono] 
Michael Nesmith  Nine Times Blue [demo] 
The Monkees  You Told Me [mono] 
The Monkees  You Just May Be the One 
The Monkees  Daily Nightly [mono] 
The Monkees  What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? [mono] 
The Monkees  Tapioca Tundra 
The Monkees  St. Matthew 
The Monkees  Circle Sky 
The Monkees  Listen to the Band 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Joanne 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Calico Girlfriend 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Mama Nantucket 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  The Keys to the Car 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Thanx for the Ride 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Dedicated Friend 
Michael Nesmith & the First National Band  Conversations 
Michael Nesmith  Roll with the Flow 
Michael Nesmith  Keep On 
Michael Nesmith  Two Different Roads 
Michael Nesmith  Different Drum 
Michael Nesmith  Harmony Constant 
Michael Nesmith  Some of Shelly's Blues 

Comment:

My first single-artist mix of 2008 is dedicated to one of the most criminally underrated artists that I can think of. Papa Nes was a tremendous pop songwriter with a genuinely unique lyrical style and a knack for genius hooks who, with his first six solo albums (all but one of which--his fourth, Tantamount to Treason, doesn't do much for me--are represented here), really pioneered the edgier side of country-rock... and did all of this so consistently that it was *very* difficult to narrow this mix to a single-disc compilation. Like Sean Lally before me (whose 2005 mix "The evolution of the thinking man's Monkee" is also a fine primer), I opted to include a healthy dollop of my favorite Mike-related Monkees tracks; unlike Sean, I included two tracks (3 and 9) that were Nes-penned but sung by Mickey Dolenz and also included one of my favorite Mike-sung Monkee moments (track 10) that was not written by a member of the band. Last tracks cut: "Auntie's Municipal Court," "Nevada Fighter," "Continuing," "Sweet Young Thing," "Hollywood," "Salesman," "Love is Only Sleeping," and "Tomorrow & Me." [Note: If anyone out there has copies of his "Michael Blessing" singles from the mid-'60s--particularly "Until It's Time for Me to Go"--and/or a pre-Monkees or Monkees-era version/demo of "Different Drum," please get in touch with me.]

Feedback:

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doowad
Date: 1/6/2008
Agreed, but it is easy to understand how he is overlooked and underappreciated by being the "John" of the pre-Fab Four. I would have liked to have seen some of the shows they did with Hendrix.I can see why Marcia preferred Davey though...
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hemizen
Date: 1/6/2008
The Girl I Knew Somewhere, Sunny Girlfriend, You Told Me, You Just May Be the One, Daily Nightly, What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?, Tapioca Tundra and Different Drum are all hall-of-fame songs.
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SwankQueen
Date: 1/6/2008
I'm truly looking forward to my copy of this. A worthwhile undertaking!
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anthony lombardi
Date: 1/6/2008
i used to listen to the monkees quite a bit when i was a little tike, but have admittedly had little use for them recently - was always really interesting in giving them a revision though, so maybe this will kickstart me into it. anyhow, i trust ya... ;)
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sammyg123
Date: 1/6/2008
Rob, I eagerly await a link to pretty much every mix you post. But I await the link to this so eagerly, I feel like I felt as a 12 year old, about to go on my first date with Joanne Moyes ( aged 13 ).. Anticipation, Butterflies etc etc....
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blasikin
Date: 1/6/2008
I'm scratching my armpits and jumping up and down with Sam going ooh ooh ooh too! (and send me your mailing address, if you don't mind...)
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Sean Lally
Date: 1/7/2008
Great picks, great artist, great job! Wish I had those early tracks, too.
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Pop Kulcher
Date: 1/7/2008
Quite cool, and you've hit pretty much every Monkees-era Nesmith track that comes immediately to mind. Not as familiar with his solo work, so eagerly looking forward to a link...
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KathrynandRupert
Date: 1/7/2008
The Monkees kept me laughing and singing when I was a kid watching their TV series. Many years have passed, well a few anyway, and I still love them. A really fine selection. Listen To The Band is one of my favourites.
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Salman1
Date: 1/7/2008
Never really gave this band a chance, probably because of the TV series theme song, but I'll check them out... I've been intrigued....
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jonpoi
Date: 1/8/2008
This is one of those single artists things that is really really nice and deserved. Did you use any Liquid Paper in your editing?I think Sweet Young Thing deserved an inclusion but well done. Very well done.
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Pop Kulcher
Date: 1/8/2008
Actually, to modify my earlier comment about including every essential Nesmith-penned Monkees track... I do have to call you out for skipping "Writing Wrongs," one of the finest psyche-pop tracks of the 60's. Painfully dated (as is most of the genre), but, still...
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Barrydali
Date: 1/8/2008
So much I need to hear and so much I love dearly.
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Mark Petruccelli
Date: 1/10/2008
Need to check this out, always been a fan, not nearly enough exposure.
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sport !
Date: 1/12/2008
I agree with Mark exactly. Can't wait for the link!
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blasikin
Date: 2/11/2008
This is a real treasure, Rob. Thanks so much. I love the country! What a class act. You and Mr. Nesmith.
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This is fabulous. I've been trying to put together a Monkee Mike comp for years now but I can never whittle it down. And I don't have any of his solo stuff. I just zipped you an email so hopefully we can do a trade or something.