DISC THREE
1. I CAN’T GET HER OFF MY MIND
Master Backing Track
Prior to the pro-inspired “jamathon” of “No Time”, the group – aided by Jerry Yester – cut this HERMAN’S HERMITS like ditty on 17 March 1967. “I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind” was actually written and recorded by Boyce and Hart in 1966 at the session for “Last Train To Clarksville”, but passed over for release by Don Kirshner. THE MONKEES obviously dug the song, performing it live at their early concerts in December 1966 and re-recording it here.
2. BANJO JAM
Excerpt
More inspired than the last two tracks of Disc Two, we return to the afternoon session for “No Time”. The pros were still picking away when Peter Tork led everyone through this banjo-laden groove. Unfortunately, this “mountain music raga” never progressed past the main riff. Space constraints again required that we edit this version a bit, but you can hear the unedited original, about a minute longer, on The Rhino Handmade website.
3. CRIPPLE CREEK
Directly after the “Banjo Jam”, Peter Tork plucked out his favorite “Cripple Creek”. One of two banjo songs Peter could always be counted on to perform at the time, the other being “I Was Born In East Virginia”, this piece has remained a mainstay of Peter’s concert performances for the last thirty years. Nevertheless, this is the only known Tork studio version of the song. A solo live version can be found on Rhino’s ‘Live 1967’ release.
4. SIX-STRING IMPROVISATION
This brief Nesmith led piece is reminiscent of such songs as “While I Cried” and “Until It’s Time For You To Go”. Still, it is quite possibly another unfinished gem from his wealth of compositions.
5. THE STORY OF ROCK AND ROLL
(First Version) Tracking Session Take 23
After the all star session cleared out on Friday night, singer songwriter Harry Nilsson dropped into RCA to demo a load of brilliant songs specifically for THE MONKEES. Of these, producer Chip Douglas immediately selected “The Story Of Rock And Roll” and began recording it with the group the next afternoon. However, the song’s driving tempo proved a challenge, particularly for Micky. This is the final take taped at this session.
6. EARLY MORNING BLUES AND GREENS
Master Backing Track
After toiling with the “Story Of Rock And Roll”, the group turned to a song by Jack Keller and co-writer Diane Hildebrand, “Early Morning Blues And Greens”. Jack Keller had co-produced some early sessions for the group and written THE MONKEES standard “Your Auntie Grizelda”. Meanwhile, Diane Hildebrand would later date Peter Tork and co-compose his “Merry Go Round” song, as well as collaborate with the group on their “Goin’ Down”. Unfortunately, a Tork/Jones sung duet version of “Early Morning Blues And Greens” was sadly erased and could not be included here. The song is nevertheless represented on this set by a brief warm up and the full instrumental backing track.
7. TWO-PART INVENTION IN F MAJOR
Like “Cripple Creek”, this classical piano piece is a mainstay of the Peter Tork repertoire. The version taped here was actually meant to be sped up to give the effect of a harpsichord or celeste-like sound. Historically, Tork’s most famous rendition of this Bach composition occurred during 1968’s 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee television special. Only moments after Tork completed his recital, the group gave their last ever performance as a foursome in the ‘60s.
8. THE STORY OF ROCK AND ROLL
(Second Version) Tracking Session Take 5A
Unhappy with their first attempts at cutting “The Story Of Rock And Roll”, Douglas and THE MONKEES returned to the studio the following afternoon to try it one more time. Unfortunately, the band’s grasp of the song only improved incrementally overnight. Included here is take number 5 from this day’s session. While work remained incomplete on the song, this would not be the last time THE MONKEES tried the song. More sessions for “The Story Of Rock And Roll” were held in late April 1967 after production on ‘Headquarters’ was wrapped. Although all THE MONKEES’ attempts at the song would remain incomplete, Chip Douglas never gave up on this track. A year later he recorded an almost identical arrangement of the song with his former band the TURTLES, scoring a minor hit single (the disc reached #48 in mid-1968).
9. DON’T BE CRUEL
Perhaps getting themselves in a “rock ‘n’ roll” mood, Peter and Micky briefly jammed this Elvis classic at the second “Story Of Rock And Roll” session.
10. FOR PETE’S SAKE
Master Backing Track
One of the last songs introduced during the ‘Headquarters’ sessions, “For Pete’s Sake” became Peter Tork’s first ever released composition. The song is also notable for being used as the end title theme on the second season of The Monkees television program. This mix of the instrumental master backing track is culled from the original session tape and reveals more of Mike’s organ playing than the finished master.
11. NO TIME
(Second Version) Tracking Session Composite
In stark contrast to the earlier take of “No Time”, this tracking session sequence features some real spirited music making by just THE MONKEES. Beginning with Davy’s count off for Take 1, the group is ready and rearing to go. The complete alternate pass included here is the energetic Take Number 5A, which boasts a unique great piano solo from Peter. Funnily enough, at the beginning of this session excerpt, Hank Cicalo asks Chip Douglas what song this is. Cicalo would soon be very familiar with the track when THE MONKEES bequeathed to him the writer’s credit, and all the publishing money, as payback for his hard work on ‘Headquarters’.
12. NO TIME
(Second Version) Master Backing Track Take 7A
This is the master backing track for “No Time”. It was lucky Take Number 7A, just like “Daydream Believer”. Note the additional overdubbed electric guitar, which fattens up this rollicking track.
13. JUST A GAME
Demo Takes 1 To 3
Here Micky introduces a brand new song, which was, incidentally, titled as “There’s A Way” on the original tape box, just a little too late into the sessions to be properly recorded fort ‘Headquarters’. As he explains to Chip Douglas, he can’t “take a vocal” (in other words, record one) because he doesn’t have enough words yet. Dolenz did eventually finish this beautiful song and a fully orchestrated version turned up on 1969’s ‘Instant Replay’ album.
14. FEVER
It is unclear exactly when this bit was taped. It was found on a reel with other ‘Headquarters’ and ‘Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.’ outtakes. The main key to placing this with the ‘Headquarters’ sessions is the fact that Micky is on drums. After sessions were completed for ‘Headquarters’, Micky seldom played the drums in a studio again. In fact it would almost be thirty years before Micky plucked up the courage to record his playing on 1997’s ‘Justus’.
15. SUNNY GIRLFRIEND
Master Backing Track
Here is the master backing track for “Sunny Girlfriend”. The reason it is sequenced here in the set is that, long after sessions closed down for ‘Headquarters’ in April 1967, Chip Douglas returned to the studio to briefly tinker with this track. Nonetheless, it is very probable that no additional work was actually done to the song. Taking Douglas’ lead, we wanted to make absolutely sure it was perfect hence its chronologically correct position.
16. NO TIME
(Second Version) Master Take 7A With Backing Vocals
Here is the ultimate karaoke version on “No Time” with the backing vocals way to the fore. This mix highlights some of the unnamed studio guests who contributed to the song’s raucous choruses.
17. ALL OF YOUR TOYS
Mono Master
18. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(First Version) Mono Master
These are the final mono mixdown masters as originally intended for single release. Obviously this release was doomed when a Don Kirshner power play forced out “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” and “She Hangs Out” on an unsuspecting Canada. The power struggles between Kirshner are well detailed elsewhere in this package. Needless to say, these two tracks are an example of what might have been.
19. FOR PETE’S SAKE
Mono Master
20. I’LL SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU
Mono Master
21. FORGET THAT GIRL
Mono Master
22. YOU JUST MAY BE THE ONE
Mono Master
23. SHADES OF GRAY
Mono Master
24. BAND 6
Mono Master
25. SUNNY GIRLFRIEND
Mono Master
26. MR. WEBSTER
Mono Master
27. YOU TOLD ME
Mono Master
28. THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE
(Second Version) Mono Master
29. ZILCH
Mono Master
30. EARLY MORNING BLUES AND GREENS
Mono Master
31. RANDY SCOUSE GIT
Mono Master
32. I CAN’T GET HER OFF MY MIND
Mono Master
33. NO TIME
Mono Master
This is the original track line up for ‘Headquarters’ as taken from an early mono protection master. In addition to the strikingly different sequence, a number of other anomalies are present on this historic tape. “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” was not included on the final released version of the album and appears here in a previously unissued mix. Also, at this early stage “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” was supposed to be a part of the track line-up. However, the master for the song never arrived in time from New York to be inserted into this tape. If it had arrived, it was supposed to have been placed between “Shades Of Gray” and “Band 6”. By the time the tape made it to Los Angeles, this version of the album was scrapped and reassembled without either side of the single #1004. In fact, no single was ever issued off of the ‘Headquarters’ album in the United States, though a single of “Randy Scouse Git” and “Forget That Girl” was a huge hit in many foreign territories. Lastly, the songs “I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind” and “No Time” are present at the end of the reel, but the tape box notes that they were to have been omitted from the release of the original record. But that was then, and this is now. So we are pleased to include them for your consideration.
We now turn ‘Headquarters Sessions’ over to you, the educated listener, to spot any other inconsistencies.
Andrew Sandoval
June 2000
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She’s So Far Out, She’s In Written By Knight; The Girl I Knew Somewhere/Nine Times Blue/Sunny Girlfriend/You Told Me/Where Has It All Gone/You Just May Be The One Written By Nesmith; All Of Your Toys Written By Martin; Seeger’s Theme Written By Seeger; Can You Dig It Written By Tork; Until It’s Time For You To Go Written By Ste. Marie; Midnight Train/Randy Scouse Git/Just A Game Written By Dolenz; Mr. Webster/I’ll Spend My Life With You/I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind Written By Boyce/Hart; Band 6/Zilch/Twelve-String Improvisation/Blues/Banjo Jam/Six-String Improvisation/Fever Written By Jones/Nesmith/Tork/ Dolenz; Forget That Girl Written By Hatlelid; Memphis Tennessee Written By Berry; Peter Gunn’s Gun Written By Mancini; Pillow Time Written By Scott/Willis; Shades Of Gray Written By Mann/Weil; No Time Written By Cicalo; The Story Of Rock And Roll Written By Nilsson; Early Morning Blues And Greens Written By Hildebrand/Keller; Two-Part Invention In F Major Written By Bach; Don’t Be Cruel Written By Blackwell/Presley; For Pete’s Sake Written By Tork/Richards; She’ll Be There/Masking Tape Written By Unknown; Jericho/I Was Born In East Virginia/Cripple Creek Are Traditional.
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Original Album Credits:
MIKE: pedal steel guitar, 6-string, organ
DAVY: tambourine, jawbone, maracas, etc.
MICKY: drums, guitar
PETER: keyboards, 12-string, bass, 5-string banjo
French horn: Vince DaRosa
Cello: Frederick Seykora
Occasional bass: Chip Douglas
Produced by Douglas Farthing Hatlelid
Recorded in RCA Victor’s Music Center Of The World, Hollywood California
Recording Engineer: Hank Cicalo
For More Information About The Works Of The Monkees You May Also, As Of June 2000, Visit
http://www.flexquarters.com/monkees.htm
http://www.mickydolenz.com/
http://www.davyjones.net/
http://www.videoranch.com/
http://www.petertork.com/
http://www.rhino.com/monkees/
Compilation Produced by ROLAND WORTHINGTON HAND
Curator, The Rhino Handmade Institute Of Petromusicology
Project Producer: ANDREW SANDOVAL
Assistant To The Curator: RECTANGLE VAN ELK
Deputy Chief Archivist: DK BAKER
Archival Assistance: MR ROBERT DOBALENA
Disc One/Disc Two/Disc Three Tracks 1 To 16 Mixed by ANDREW SANDOVAL May 2000 at Rotund Rascal Studios
Assisted by DAVE PEARLMAN
Disc Three Tracks 17 To 33 Mixed by DOUGLAS FARTHING HATLELID and HANK CICALO
Edited and Assembled by DAN HERSCH June 2000 at DigiPrep
Remastering: DAN HERSCH and BILL INGLOT
Art Direction and Design: BRYAN LASLEY with PATRICK PENDING
Institute Artists and Repertoire: MICHAEL JOHNSON
Photographs Courtesy MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVE/Venice, CA
Certain Archival Materials From The Collection Of Mr Sandoval
Special Thanks to ANDREW SANDOVAL, BILL INGLOT and HAROLD BRONSON
Rhone Handmade Website Magicians:
ANALISE HAIRABEDIAN and BEN TRASK
