Episode 15: Ep. 11 Happy Nez Year and Preview of 2025

Explicit content warning

12/30/24 • 5 min

Where's That Sound Coming From Presents: Questions But No Answers with Brian Marchese

Happy 2025 to all! Especially to those of you who have been digging QBNA and telling your Nezhead or Nezcurious friends. Who doesn't love an unplanned quickie? Here's a five minute rundown of what I've got planned for 2025. Enjoy. HOWEVER... shortly after recording this I listened to an amazing, eye-opening, heartwarming interview that I conducted in 2022 with a very important, yet seldom mentioned player in the Nez story, particularly in the latter half of the 1970's. Why I've been sitting on this jewel for two and a half years can be explained, but I'll save the story for that episode. Let's just say that after listening to it I decided that I don't wanna wait until I'm covering that era to let y'all hear it. It's too good and I need to get it out there ASAP. So, while the stuff I say in this preview is still what I plan for QBNA in 2025, add to the list a wonderful, special, insightful interview about which I can say no more. See you soon!

Previous Episode

Episode 14: Ep. 10 Sunny Girlfriend

Nesmith sneaks a Byrds-y country rocker about better living through chemistry onto an album marketed to 11 year olds. He also borrows the intro to a Stones song. With Nesmith on 12-string rhythm guitar, Tork on 6-string lead guitar and John London on bass (and Dolenz on drums) I kinda wish this was the touring lineup. Woulda been a more versatile, impressive sounding band with a fuller sound. I meant to riff on this thought but forgot, so I'm leaving it here,

Next Episode

Episode 16: Ep. 12 David MacKay Interview

I'm starting off 2025 by interrupting the chronological flow of this series, but it's well worth it. This is an interview I conducted in 2022 with bassist David MacKay, whose playing, in my opinion, is as responsible for the sound of late 70's Nez as Red Rhodes' steel was to early 70's Nez. Why did I wait three years to publish this? A timeline might be in order:
--Spring 2019-No longer with Videoranch but still on good terms with the boss, I interview Nez about The Prison and spend the next months researching and writing about said album, without a specific goal in mind.
--Fall 2019-Major life change for me, wind goes out of my creative sails. Meanwhile, I start tuning out of all things Nez due to the infighting among his most devoted fans regarding his odd new public persona.
--Winter 2019/20-I produce and publish the Prison interview as a podcast and begin an almost two year Nez-fast. In the past, his words and music were a salve in painful times, but things felt too weird now.
--2020/21 - I publish a three part podcast miniseries on The Beach Boys/Grateful Dead 1971 appearance at the Fillmore East and explore other connections between the two biggest California bands. I have a question that I can’t seem to find the answer to and I'm given Dead author/scholar/radio host/mensch David Gans' email and ask him. David Gans replies in a friendly, helpful manner.
--Nov 2021-I witness Nez's final perfomance/public appearance.
--Dec 2021-RIP, Nez. I’m still not feeling much like listening to his music but feeling a renewed duty to somehow honor his musical legacy. The Prison feels too depressing so I decide to expand my subject to what happened after The Prison's disappointing failure.
--Spring 2022- I contact David Gans again to see if he could put me in touch with David MacKay, Nez's wonderful bassist on his stellar 1977-79 work, and husband (of 45 years!) to the Grateful Dead's Donna Godchaux. Gans digs my idea, the connection is made, and after some back and forth, MacKay and I settle on a day in May.
--May 2022- Zoom Interview conducted with David MacKay, but I have no idea what to do with it and tuck it away.
--Fall 2023-Andrew Sandoval gets in touch and, unbeknownst to him, our exchange inspires me to start a podcast dedicated to Nez's music.
--December 2024- after doing one season of Questions But No Answers and feeling pretty good about it, I finally go back and listen to my interview with MacKay and love it! I remembered so little about it that it was like listening to someone else conducting the interview. I decide to turn it into the first episode of 2025. And here we are. Enjoy!