Loose Salute

For the British band founded by Mojave 3 drummer Ian McCutcheon, see The Loose Salute.

Loose Salute
File:Nesmith Loose Salute.jpg
Studio album by Michael Nesmith & The First National Band
Released	1970
Recorded	April–October 1970
Genre	Country rock
Length	30:31
Label	RCA
Producer	Michael Nesmith
Michael Nesmith & The First National Band chronology
Magnetic South (1970)Magnetic South1970 Loose Salute (1970) Nevada Fighter (1971)Nevada Fighter1971

Loose Salute is the second solo album by American singer-songwriter Michael Nesmith during his post-Monkees career. Released by RCA Records in 1970 and dedicated to Tony Richland, it peaked at No. 159 on the Billboard Pop Albums charts.

History

The version of "Listen To The Band" featured on the album is the song's third version; previous versions appeared on 33​¹⁄₃ Revolutions Per Monkee (featuring The Monkees' final performance of the 1960s with Peter Tork) and as a late-1969 single by The Monkees. Nesmith also re-recorded his (then) unreleased Monkees song, Carlise Wheeling. However, for Loose Salute, he changed the name of the song to Conversations.

The album featured a quasi-instrumental number, "First National Dance," which was recorded for the album but replaced at the last minute by "Silver Moon". A cover of Jerry Reed's song "Guitar Man" was recorded but not issued on the album. When the album was reissued with Magnetic South on CD by BMG International in 2000, the above-mentioned "First National Dance" is included on this release.

The track "Bye, Bye, Bye" went through eleven recording and mixing sessions before Nesmith deemed it ready for release; this delayed release of the album.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Robert Christgau	B

Allmusic stated in their review "Loose Salute doesn't cohere quite as well as Magnetic South, but the material is strong, the band sounds great, and Michael Nesmith offered even more surprises than he had in his first turn at bat; it's one of the strongest records in his catalog as a solo artist."

Track listing

All songs by Michael Nesmith except where noted.

1. "Silver Moon" – 3:15
2. "I Fall to Pieces" (Harlan Howard, Hank Cochran) – 2:56
3. "Thanx for the Ride" – 2:48
4. "Dedicated Friend" – 2:27
5. "Conversations" – 3:27
6. "Tengo Amore" – 3:00
7. "Listen to the Band" – 2:35
8. "Bye, Bye, Bye" – 3:17
9. "Lady of the Valley" – 2:57
10. "Hello Lady" – 3:49

Personnel

• Michael Nesmith – vocals & rhythm guitar
• John London – bass
• John Ware – drums
• O.J. "Red" Rhodes – pedal steel guitar
• Nelson Stump - Cowbell
• Glen D. Hardin – piano