DISC ONE
1. SHE’S SO FAR OUT, SHE’S IN
Tracking Session Takes 1 & 2
Here we have THE MONKEES first professionally recorded attempt at group making music. Written by Thomas Baker Knight, who also penned the Ricky Nelson classic “Lonesome Town”, this song was performed at several of THE MONKEES’ concerts during December 1966 and January 1967. One would imagine that, as on stage, Mike would have taken the lead vocal had a recorded version progressed further. Incidentally, teen sensations DINO, DESO & BILLY also cut this song, and those interested in learning the lyrics are encouraged to seek out their take of “She’s So Far Out, She’s In”. Also of note, although logged as being recorded at RCA Studios, it is possible that this historic recording session actually took place at the famous Gold Star studios, where Phil Spector created so many of his famous ‘Wall of Sound’ recordings (amongst other things).
2. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(First Version) Tracking Session Composite Takes 1 To 16
This segment should give the listener a good insight to how producer Chip Douglas and THE MONKEES arrived at and arranged (by trial and error) their ‘Headquarters’ era productions. Starting with take one, he hear the group wind through a series of false starts and chatter before settling into an outstanding complete alternate take. One of only four complete takes made at this session, this take (number sixteen) features a unique ending with a double time speed up on the drums from Micky. Playing bass on all three of the songs from this January 16, 1967 session is longtime Michael Nesmith cohort John London. London (whose real name was John Kuehne) began playing with Nesmith in San Antonio, Texas during the early ‘60s. When Nesmith landed a part with THE MONKEES, London became Nesmith’s stand in on the television set. Musically, London remained active within THE MONKEES camp throughout the late ‘60s. He also was a part of fellow Colgems act the LEWIS AND CLARKE EXPEDITION and Nesmith’s post-MONKEES outfit, the FIRST NATIONAL BAND. Sadly, John passed away in February 2000 while residing in his home state of Texas.
3. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(First Version) Master Backing Track Take 22
After another run of false starts, THE MONKEES completed this, Take 22, which was used as the basis for the final master of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. This particular mix represents the track prior to it being reduced down to one track of a four track tape to make room for vocals and therefore allows the listener to hear certain elements that were buried in the final mix. As it turned out, all this work originally went unused when it was decided to scrap this version of the song and re-record it on 23 February 1967 (see Disc One Tracks 7 to 9). The final mono master of the song with Mike’s lead vocal can be found on Disc Three.
4. ALL OF YOUR TOYS
Rehearsal
This rehearsal snippet features Chip Douglas showing the band “All Of Your Toys”. It is obvious from the chat that Peter has some concerns over Douglas’ complex arrangement, while Chip feels that the bridge of the song is weak. It is unknown when and where this little segment was taped, as it was found at the end of a reel that was mostly recorded over with a later session for the album.
5. ALL OF YOUR TOYS
Tracking Session Composite Takes 1 To 10
These tracking session highlights show the group to be a great deal more confident with this song than the previous two. Here we feature the excellent complete alternate Take Number 1, as well as some of the other enlightening false starts and chatter that followed. Written by Bill Martin, “All Of Your Toys” was considered by Chip Douglas to be the A-side pick from this session. However it was not to be. When Screen Gems found they could not purchase the publishing copyright in full from Martin’s publishers (the former managers of THE BYRDS, Jim Dickson and Ed Tickner), they insisted that the song remain in the vault.
6. ALL OF YOUR TOYS
Master Backing Track Take 20
This is the final master backing track for “All Of Your Toys”. As a consequence of the fact that several later overdubs were made directly onto the final multi-track, such as tack piano and volume pedal guitar, we are only able to present this song in its reduced mono stage. Also note that the volume pedal guitar overdub was only used in certain mixdowns of the song, but is included here for the sake of completeness. The original mono mix of the song, sans this guitar part, can be found on Disc Three.
7. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(Second Version) Tracking Session Composite Featuring Take 15
At Lester Sill’s suggestion, Chip Douglas returned to the studio to re-record “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. The main difference between this and the earlier version, besides improved musicianship and engineering, would be the addition of Micky Dolenz’s lead vocal in place of Mike’s. This tracking session sequence features the complete Take 15, which was actually the tale after the one considered the master for this session. With a great driving quality, this alternate take may be superior, or at least faster, in some ways to the released one we all know and love.
8. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(Second Version) Tracking Overdub Session Takes
Another view of the recording process is exhibited here with this track, the overdub, or as RCA called it the “sel-synch”. Because multi-track recording was limited to four tracks at RCA Studios in 1967 (other studios such as Atlantic had eight track facilities as early as 1958), it was necessary to reduce or “bounce down” recordings to secondary machines in order to make space for additional instruments and voices. In this case engineer Hank Cicalo is trying to save a few tape generations worth of noise by simultaneously recording Mike’s guitar, Peter’s harpsichord and John London’s tambourine by “bouncing down” the results of the tracking session to another machine. As can be heard, this process could be a little haphazard, especially when the musicians performed out of synch with the playback. Regardless of the shaky instrumental work, this particular run through features a very different harpsichord solo to the final mix.
9. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(Second Version) Master Backing Track Take 13A
Here are the final results of the above overdub session, in synch, reduced down and sonically equalized. The main addition here is an added harpsichord solo from Peter, which was placed on a separate track (actually the same one used for Micky’s lead vocal) of the four track master.
10. SEEGER’S THEME
Demo
This Peter Tork acoustic piece was, judging by master number allocation, probably recorded during January or February 1967. Penned by Tork’s banjo playing hero, Pete Seeger, this tune was later revisited during ‘Birds, Bees & Monkees’/’Head’ sessions in a more electric form (see ‘Missing Links, Volume Two’ for an example).
11. CAN YOU DIG IT
Demo
This acoustic instrumental version of the ‘Head’ soundtrack song was found on a reel alongside “Seeger’s Theme”. Called “Tentatively” on the box, it is very possible that this song was still a lyricless work-in-progress when Tork laid this track down.
12. NINE TIMES BLUE
Demo
This track was found with the above Tork songs, so one imagines that it was also recorded in early 1967. Nesmith, of course, returned to this song more than once in his MONKEES and FIRST NATIONAL BAND days. This particular version previously appeared as a bonus cut on the ‘Headquarters’ compact disc.
13. UNTIL IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO GO
Demo
Nesmith released a fully orchestrated version of this Buffy Ste. Marie song as his last pre-MONKEES Colpix single on 10 November 1965. Issued under the adopted moniker MICHAEL BLESSING, Nesmith made the rounds promoting the single on such programs as the syndicated Lloyd Thaxton teen dance show. Perhaps this is what Chip Douglas is recalling as he introduces this off the cuff acoustic performance. Nesmith, for his part, of course thank Lloyd, Clyde and Dick Clark.
14. SHE’LL BE THERE
Demo
Master numbers hint that this number was recorded in February 1967 around the time of “Mr. Webster”. Featuring Micky and his sister Coco Dolenz, this track, which Dolenz is hard pressed to remember the author of, gives a fine example of Micky and Coco’s pre-MONKEES brother and sister act. Coincidentally, the last two years have seen the Dolenz’s reactivate their joint activities with a variety of live shows including a special program geared towards children.
15. MIDNIGHT TRAIN
Demo
Another acoustic track pulled from the same session, this take of Micky’s “Midnight Train” was logged under the name “Angry Man”. Dolenz, of course, recorded a full band version of this track, without Coco, which turned up on THE MONKEES final “original” long player ‘Changes’. Both “Midnight Train” and “She’ll Be There” previously appeared on the rarities collection ‘Missing Links, Volume Three’.
16. SUNNY GIRLFRIEND
Acoustic Remix Of Master
This ‘acoustic remix’ of the “Sunny Girlfriend” master is definitely not what was originally intended by the group but provides us with the perfect transition out of the “unplugged” world and back into the album’s electric sessions. What’s more, Mike and Micky’s terrific harmonies are more apparent in this sparse mix and point towards the group’s deep folk/country roots.
17. SUNNY GIRLFRIEND
Tracking Session Take 7
Here are THE MONKEES live in the studio tracking “Sunny Girlfriend”. Although incomplete, the very rough lead vocal from Mike features a few different lyrics. It is truly a pity that more of the session tapes for this song don’t exist, as the band sounds great and are clearly having a ball with the song.
18. MR. WEBSTER
Tracking Session Take 28
“Mr. Webster” was written by Boyce and Hart during 1966 and originally recorded at the end of their stint as producers of the group. For ‘Headquarters’ the group revisited the song, simplifying the arrangement and bringing the whole production back down to earth. This mix of the unadorned master backing track represents the multi-track tape before it was reduced down another generation. Therefore, many elements of the quaint arrangement are audible for the first time.
19. BAND 6
Stereo Master
A wayward attempt to perform the Warner Bros. ‘Looney Tunes’ theme “The Merry Go Round Broke Down”, this is one of several examples of the group turning an accident into art. This particular mix is only slightly different from the final album cut, with an extra crash of Micky’s cymbal being the main attraction.
20. SETTING UP THE STUDIO FOR RANDY SCOUSE GIT
Boring as it may seem, this is an audio example of the process taken with most modern recording sessions. Hours and often days are spent searching for that elusive “killer kick drum sound” and even then it’s usually deemed “not so hot” and replaced by triggered samples. As Mike explains to Micky, “the only thing that can happen is that now they save it in the mastering”. Are you listening, Bill?
21. RANDY SCOUSE GIT
Tracking Session Composite
In contrast to the previous track, this has to stand as one of the most creative and interesting MONKEES sessions ever taped. Excerpted are most of takes 1 through 7 of “Randy Scouse Git” which give an amazing insight into how Micky’s best-known song was recorded. Ultimately it would take as many as thirty takes to get it down on tape, but as one can hear, every performance seemingly brought a new refinement to the song.
22. RANDY SCOUSE GIT
Alternate Version Take 18
An amazing revelation, this is an almost complete alternate take of “Randy Scouse Git”. It is unknown how long or even if this primitive version was considered the master, nevertheless, it contains a startlingly number of differences from the final take.
23. YOU TOLD ME
Master Backing Track
This is the final backing track for Michael Nesmith’s album opener “You8 Told Me”. The song mimics the first track of THE BEATLES’ ‘Revolver’ track “Taxman” in both its crazy count of and the Chip Douglas bass riff.
24. MONKEE CHAT
As best can be determined this dialogue took place sometime in March 1967 during a vocal overdub session for “You Told Me”. Here THE MONKEES capture their divergent musical tastes, review the new BOBBY DARIN album and expound on the merits of Chip Douglas’ band THE MODERN FOLK QUARTET. Although Davy wonders how anything MFQ band member Jerry Yester could say will be funny, Yester will join the ‘Headquarters’ sessions in a matter of days as bassist on several tracks. The Tad Diltz they talk about is of course famed photographer Henry Diltz. Meanwhile, it is important to note that Micky still performs “Bye Bye Blackbird” in his concert appearances.
