Multiple BSBdG's to send out today. First, in what has to have been an amazing coincidence for well nigh 30 plus years now, Monkees Davy Jones (what an odd name), 58, and Michael Nesmith, 61. Anyone who's seen Head knows how Mike feels about birthday celebrations, so I won't drag this out, but I sure have loved me a lot of Monkees music, much of it sung very nicely by our Davy, over the last 37 or so years. Fave Davy moment, besides seeing my name on the TV screen during the closing credits: his song and dance routine with Toni Basil for the tune "Daddy's Song" in Head. I'm an even bigger fan of Mike's solo albums, of which the best is probably the first proper: Magnetic South, but my personal fave is 1973's Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash.
Also, two artists who are from totally different worlds, stylistically: Jeff Lynne, 56, and Patti Smith, 57. I've written many times about how much I love the Move and early ELO, of which Lynne was the main playa, and even have come to admire such later ELO efforts as Out of the Blue and Discovery. After ELO kinda petered out, he reinvented himself as George Martin via such vehicles as the Traveling Wilburys and the Surviving Beatles' reunion singles in 1996. While nowhere near as gifted as fellow Move and ELO co-founder Roy Wood or Tom Petty, or those Liverpool fellows he keeps hanging out with, he's still developed into an entertaining and often brilliant songwriter and producer, and I never have a problem when I see his name in the credits. Underrated Lynne project: 1990's solo Armchair Theatre, a solid set of songs that don't overstay their welcome. Smith, on the other hand, has never really grabbed me much (you remember...I didn't really get into Punk or New Wave) but a lot of people whose opinions I respect think she's wonderful, so happy happy to ya, Ms. Smith!
