‘Headquarters’
Daily/Nightly
This Diary And Information Is Excerpted
From Andrew Sandoval’s Forthcoming Book
Daily Nightly, A Definitive Chronology Of Monkees History.
January and February, 1967
MONDAY
16 JANUARY 1967
Fresh from a weekend of concerts, The Monkees hold their first recording session as a fully functioning, self-contained band. While the newly hired Chip Douglas essentially produces the session, Screen Gems’ west coast president Lester Sill attends the first half of the date to ensure that the combined efforts of Douglas and The Monkees are productive.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEERS: Dick Bogert & Rich Schmidt
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00PM & 2:00PM - 6:00PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking
“She’s So Far Out, She’s In”
(Thomas Baker Knight)
[Takes 1 & 2]
Master #UPA3-8184
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – electric 12-string guitar
Peter Tork – bass
Micky Dolenz – drums
David Jones – maracas
The session gets off to a bumpy start with Thomas Baker Knight’s “She’s So Far Out, She’s In”. While the group has performed “She’s So Far Out, She’s In” on stage at all of their concerts to date, it is obvious that they have not really settled on an arrangement for this recording, or even what instruments to play. First off, Peter asks to play bass in place of Nesmith’s friend John London and then comments that Davy’s instrument is maracas. After several untaped rehearsals, take one of the song is a false start and take two is barely complete. During take two, the tone and volume of Mike’s guitar changes drastically from the intro to the body of the performance. Producer Chip Douglas comments that Peter’s bass isn’t cutting through. Seemingly, no satisfactory takes are ever made of this song and no vocal overdubs are attempted (though it is assumed that, as onstage, Mike will sing the lead vocal).
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere”
(Michael Nesmith)
Version One
[Takes 1-25]
Master #UPA3-8185
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – electric 12-string guitar
Peter Tork – acoustic guitar
Micky Dolenz – drums
David Jones – tambourine
John London – bass
For “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” Peter switches to acoustic guitar, Davy to the tambourine and John London settles in on bass. The group loosens up considerably for this song and by take 16 they are, in Chip Douglas’ words, cookin’. In all, 25 takes are made, though only take numbers 10, 16, 22 and 25 are complete passes. Take 22 is considered the best and is used as the basis for the final master.
“All Of Your Toys”
(Bill Martin)
[Takes 1-20]
Master #UPA3-8186
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – electric 12-string guitar
Peter Tork – harpsichord
Micky Dolenz – drums
David Jones – tambourine
John London – bass
Bill Martin’s “All Of Your Toys” is the last song attempted at this session and the recorded results are perhaps the best of the three songs. From take one on, the band sound well rehearsed, playing with a beautiful relaxed feel. A total of 20 takes are made in all, with take numbers 1, 3, 11, 17, 19 and 20 being complete takes of the song. Take 20 is considered the best and is edited together with portions of takes 11, 15 and 17 to create the final master backing track.
THURSDAY
19 JANUARY 1967
Production is completed on episode #27 of The Monkees, “Monkee Mother”. Meanwhile at RCA Studios, further work continues on The Monkees’ new “group” recordings.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Hank Cicalo
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: Unknown
PROCEDURE: Remixes & Reductions
“All Of Your Toys”
(Bill Martin)
Master #UZB3-8186
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (First Version)
(Michael Nesmith)
Master #UZB3-8185
Chip Douglas, along with engineer Hank Cicalo, prepare “All Of Your Toys” and “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” for overdubs and completion. Because they are recording to four track tape it is necessary to combine the multi-track performances of the band (which have the instrumentation spread across 3 or 4 individual tracks) onto a second tape, therefore making room to add vocals and additional instrumentation. First off, the basic track for “All Of Your Toys” is reduced down to one track of a four track tape. Concurrent to this reduction, equalization and compression are added. A total of five attempts are made of this process with the fifth being deemed best (this will be used to create the final multi-track master). Identical treatment is given to “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”, again with the fifth reduction being deemed best and called the multi-track master. It is unknown whether any other overdubs by the band are attempted on this date or if they are even present in the studio.
SATURDAY
21 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Jeff Barry
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: 11:00AM - 2:30PM & 3:00PM - 7:00PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking
“A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”
(Neil Diamond)
[Takes 1-4]
Master #UZB1-4406
“Love To Love”
(Neil Diamond)
[Takes 1-14]
Master #UZB1-4403
“You Can’t Tie A Mustang Down”
(Jeff Barry)
[Takes 1-5]
Master #UZB1-4401
“Gotta Give It Time”
(Jeff Barry/Joe Levine)
[Takes 1-3]
Master #UZB1-4405
“99 Pounds”
(Jeff Barry)
[Takes 1-3]
Master #UZB1-4402
“She Hangs Out”
(Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
[Takes 1 & 2]
Master #UZB1-4406
Personnel: Al Gorgoni, Don Thomas & Hugh McCracken – guitars
Louis Mauro & James Tyrell – bass
Artie Butler – organ
Stan Free – piano
Herb Lovelle – drums
Thomas Cerone – tambourine
Almost two months after his last session for ‘More Of The Monkees’, producer Jeff Barry returns to the studio to create backing tracks for the group’s next potential single. Under normal circumstances, the resulting tracks from this session would be shipped to Los Angeles (along with Barry) for The Monkees to overdub their vocals and for final studio “sweetening”. However, due to a breakdown in communications between Don Kirshner, The Monkees and Raybert Productions (the creators of The Monkees project), this procedure will not take place as planned.
Two Neil Diamond songs are tracked. “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” is captured in four takes. Coincidentally, Neil Diamond is present for the recording of his second song during this session: “Love To Love”. Takes 1 through 5 are performed in the key of B flat, while the remaining takes (6 through 14) are performed in C. Ostensibly this would be to give whoever sings to the track a choice of which one is better suited to their vocal range. Nevertheless, Take 14 is considered the master backing track before any vocal work is attempted.
The other four songs recorded are all Jeff Barry compositions, or co-writes. “You Can’t Tie A Mustang Down” is captured in five takes. The never released (and never completed) “Gotta Give It Time” is tracked in three takes. “99 Pounds” (originally logged by RCA as “99 Pounds Of Dynamite”) is also given three takes. Finally, “She Hangs Out” is nailed in only two performances.
Also at this session, rough mixes with guide vocals from Neil Diamond, Jeff Barry and Denny Randell are made of all the songs. Presumably these will be dubbed to acetate for review by Don Kirshner, as well as distribution to The Monkees, who must now learn these songs for a future overdub date.
SUNDAY
22 JANUARY 1967
The group performs in concert at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California, for an audience of 17,000. The show is sponsored by radio station KFRC. Davy is made an honorary fire chief for the day by the Daly City Fire Department. Meanwhile, another recording session is held in New York City.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Denny Randell
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: 1:00PM - 7:30PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking & Overdubs
“I Wanna Be Your Puppy Dog”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Takes 1-10]
Master #UZB1-4415
“Love Is On The Way”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Takes 1-7]
Master #UZB1-4413
“I Didn’t Know You Had It In You Sally, You’re A Real Ball Of Fire”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Takes 1-4]
Master #UZB1-4414
“Sugar Man”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Takes 1-6]
Master #UZB1-4416
Personnel: Al Gorgoni, Ralph Casale & Bob Rand – guitars
Charles Macy – guitar & banjo
Joseph Macho, Jr. – electric bass
Dominic Cortese – accordion
Don Butterfield – tuba
Arthur Kaplan – soprano sax
Joseph Grimaldi & Seldon Powell – sax
Stan Free – piano, percussion & mallets
Buddy Saltzman – drums
Artie Butler – drums & percussion
Screen Gems songwriter Denny Randell takes a turn in the producers chair for this session. While the previous New York recording session was designated by RCA for single releases, it is quite possible that today’s activities are aimed towards generating album tracks. Additional proof of this being Kirshner’s statement that, based on the popularity of “I’m A Believer”, he had already promised Jeff Barry and Neil Diamond the “follow up” single release. This would mean no other producer’s or writer’s records were under consideration.
“I Wanna Be Your Puppy Dog” was completed in ten takes, the last being considered best. Seven takes of “Love Is On The Way” were made, again with the last, take 7, considered the master. Of the six takes of “Sugar Man” take 6 was labeled the master take. Rounding out the session, Take 4 of the “Winchester Cathedral” rip-off “I Didn’t Know You Had It In You Sally, You’re A Real Ball Of Fire” was labeled as the master. Surprisingly, more than two years after this session took place (on September 15, 1969) Micky Dolenz actually overdubbed a lead vocal onto this backing track, though this recording has yet to see a release.
MONDAY
23 JANUARY 1967
Back from their concert in San Francisco, The Monkees set about competing their “group” recordings.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Unknown
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00PM, 2:00PM - 7:00PM & 8:30PM - 12:00AM
PROCEDURE: Overdubs & Reductions
Though no tapes exist from this session, it is believed that on this date The Monkees would have begun the process of overdubbing their vocals and additional instruments onto “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. Based on Musician’s Union documents, it is also known that John London was present at this session from 1:00PM to 3:00PM and may have participated musically in the overdubs.
TUESDAY
24 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Unknown
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 1:00PM - 9:00PM
Very few details exist for this session. However, it is believed that this eight hour session was a continuation of the work begun the previous day for “All Of Your Toys” and the first version of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”.
Meanwhile in New York, engineer Ray Hall made more rough mixes of the new Jeff Barry and Denny Randell produced tracks. The songs “Mustang”, “Gotta Give It Time”, “99 Pounds”, “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” (without handclaps), “Love To Love” and “She Hangs Out” were all dubbed down without lead vocals. Presumably these were the Kirshner approved selections from the sessions and another round of acetate test discs will be cut from these for The Monkees to learn and rehearse.
THURSDAY
26 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Jeff Barry
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: 11:00AM - 2:00PM & 3:00PM - 6:30PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking & Overdubs
“Poor Little Me”
(Jeff Barry/Andy Kim)
[Takes 1-14]
Master #UZB1-4408
“If I Learned To Play The Violin”
(Artie Resnick/Joe Levine)
[Takes 1-5]
Master #UZB1-4409
“Black And Blue”
(Neil Diamond/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
[Takes 1-6]
Master #UZB1-4411
“Eve Of My Sorrow”
Jeff Barry/Joe Levine/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
[Takes 1-7]
Master #UZB1-4410
“The Love You Got Inside”
(Jeff Barry/Andy Kim/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
[Takes 1-9]
Master #UZB1-4412
Personnel: Sal Ditroia, Don Thomas & Hugh McCracken – guitars
James Tyrell – bass
Artie Butler – piano, organ & mallets
Stan Free – piano
Herb Lovelle – drums
Thomas Cerone – percussion
Jeff Barry returns to the studio to produce five more backing tracks. Just from the three New York sessions held this month in 1967 there is enough material to fill an album. Famed tunesmiths Leiber and Stoller contribute to three of the songs cut this day. “Black And Blue” (a co-write with Neil Diamond) is recorded in six takes with the last being labeled master. “Eve Of My Sorrow” (a collaboration with Barry and Joey Levine) is captured in seven takes with Take 7 called the master. A Jeff Barry/Andy Kim alliance creates “The Love You’ve Got Inside”, which is recorded in nine passes (Take 9 is the master).
The two remaining songs are the Barry/Kim creation “Poor Little Me” (recorded in fourteen takes, Take 14 is the master) and Artie Resnick and Joey Levine’s “If I Learned To Play The Violin”. This song (recorded in five takes) is the only one of the bunch that will ultimately be given a lead vocal overdub. Davy will do the honors on take 5 during February 1987.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles…
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Unknown
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 8:00PM - 11:00PM
Few details exist for this session, which is most likely held to further refine the tracks “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”.
FRIDAY
27 JANUARY 1967
The first of a planned thirty-five “Monkee Clubs” is opened in West Caldwell, New Jersey. Its purpose is to showcase new talent in a theater environment where teenagers are easily admitted (i.e.; no alcoholic beverages are to be sold). The venture is ultimately a failure. Production is completed on episode #29 of The Monkees, “Monkees Get Out More Dirt”, and at RCA Studio B in New York another session takes place.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Denny Randell
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: 11:00AM - 2:00PM & 3:00PM - 7:00PM
PROCEDURE: Overdubs “Sweetening”
“I Wanna Be Your Puppy Dog”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
Unissued/Master #UZB1-4415
“Love Is On The Way”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
Unissued/Master #UZB1-4413
“Sugar Man”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
Unissued/Master #UZB1-4416
Personnel: Don Thomas, Ralph Casale & Al Gorgoni – guitars
Stan Free – percussion
James Wisner & Arthur Kaplan – unknown
Denny Randell works on three of his tracks from the January 22, 1967 recording session. Based on the personnel listed, his goal is to embellish the backing tracks.
SATURDAY
28 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Denny Randell
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: 4:30PM - 7:30PM
PROCEDURE: Lead Guitar Overdubs
“Love Is On The Way”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Take 7Q & 7R]
Master #UZB1-4413
“Sugar Man”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Take 6D-6H]
Master #UZB1-4416
“I Didn’t Know You Had It In You Sally, You’re A Real Ball Of Fire”
(Denny Randell/Sandy Linzer)
[Takes 4A-4E]
Master #UZB1-4414
Personnel: Don Thomas – guitar
A final Denny Randell session to add lead guitar to the three songs he “sweetened” at the previous session.
Back in Los Angeles…
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Unknown
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 2:00PM - 6:00PM
PROCEDURE: Reductions
This four hour session would appear to be a set up for final overdubs on “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. All other elements recorded during the past month are combined on two tracks of another four track tape, leaving the remaining two tracks open for lead and background vocals.
MONDAY
30 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Unknown
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 10:00AM - 1:00PM, 2:00PM - 6:00PM & 7:00PM - 12:00AM
PROCEDURE: Overdubs & Reductions
“All Of Your Toys”
(Bill Martin)
Master #UZB3-8186
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (First Version)
(Michael Nesmith)
Master #UZB3-8185
Presumably more studio work (including vocals) is executed today on “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”. Musician’s Union documents indicate that in addition to producer Chip Douglas, Michael Nesmith and John London are definitely present at this day’s session until at least 7:00PM.
TUESDAY
31 JANUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Hank Cicalo
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 2:00PM - 6:00PM & 7:00PM - 12:00AM
PROCEDURE: Overdubs & Mixdowns
“All Of Your Toys”
(Bill Martin)
Master #UZB3-8186
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (First Version)
(Michael Nesmith)
Master #UZB3-8185
Masters for The Monkees “group” recordings are finalized at this session. In addition to producer Chip Douglas, Musician’s Union records indicate that Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and John London were present at this session between the hours of 3:00PM and 6:00PM.
THURSDAY
2 FEBRUARY 1967
Production is wrapped on The Monkees’ first season with the completion of what will become episode #28 of the series, “Monkees On The Line”. Also, production is finalized on the masters of “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEER: Hank Cicalo
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 8:00PM - 10:00PM
PROCEDURE: Mixdown
A brief two hour session most likely to make final mono mixes of “All Of Your Toys” and version one of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”.
SATURDAY
4 FEBRUARY 1967
With television and recording activities wrapped for the time being, the band members take well deserved vacations. Michael and his wife Phyllis, along with Micky, fly to New York for the weekend. They are both due in England for a promotional visit at the beginning of next week. During the evening Micky visits the Night Owl for a performance by the Flying Machine (where he meets up with Davy who is also in New York) and Ondine’s to see the group the Daily Flash. Davy has apparently flown to New York in advance of Mike and Micky, for it is during this day that he overdubs his voice onto the recent Jeff Barry recordings.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Jeff Barry
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: Unknown
PROCEDURE: Reductions & Vocal Overdubs
“A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”
(Neil Diamond)
Master #UZB1-4406
“You Can’t Tie A Mustang Down”
(Jeff Barry)
Master #UZB1-4401
“If I Learned To Play The Violin”
(Artie Resnick/Joe Levine)
Master #UZB1-4409
“Love To Love”
(Neil Diamond)
Master #UZB1-4403
“She Hangs Out”
(Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
Master #UZB1-4406
“99 Pounds”
(Jeff Barry)
Master #UZB1-4402
This session represents the last stand of Don Kirshner as The Monkees’ Music Coordinator. Under the guidance of producer Jeff Barry, Davy Jones overdubs his voice onto this recent round of non-group sanctioned material. It is unknown whether Michael and Micky are aware of Davy’s activities. It is known that Davy was reluctant to break ties with Kirshner and that his support for “The Man With The Golden Ear” never wavered.
SUNDAY
5 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky departs New York for London at 7:45PM. Davy flies to Nassau Beach in the Bahamas.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Jeff Barry
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: Unknown
PROCEDURE: Reductions & Vocal Overdubs
“Love To Love”
(Neil Diamond)
[Take of B flat + Take 1 of Cmin]
‘Missing Links’ 3/Master #UZB1-4403
“She Hangs Out”
(Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
[Takes 1 & 2]
‘Missing Links’ 3/Master #UZB1-4406
“99 Pounds”
(Jeff Barry)
[Takes 1-3]
‘Changes’/Master #UZB1-4402
“If I Learned To Play The Violin”
(Artie Resnick/Joe Levine)
[Take 1]
‘Hey Hey We’re The Monkees’/Master #UZB1-4409
Jeff Barry, with engineer Ray Hall, makes reductions of the backing tracks only for the above four songs onto another four track tape. This tape will then have the Davy Jones’ lead vocal overdubs from the previous session manually synched to the tracks, thus leaving a track or two open for final augmentation.
MONDAY
6 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky arrives in London for an eventful day. First a reported crowd of 300 fans mob him at the airport. Breaking free, Dolenz handles a throng of reporters eager to interview him. Later in the evening, he meets Paul McCartney at a London disco and is invited to McCartney’s house in St. John’s Wood. McCartney (who is enjoying a day off from filming promo clips for The Beatles forthcoming single) plays Dolenz a preview of “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields Forever”, as well as a third unidentified song. This landmark single will not be issued to the public for a further eleven days. Towards the early hours of the morning McCartney entertains Dolenz by playing some more music on a special left handed sitar.
Also on this day, Michael and Phyllis Nesmith depart from New York for London. Another celebrity present on their flight is Cass Elliott of the Mamas & Papas. Discussion of Mike’s interaction with Cass on this flight crops up during a Monkees overdub session on March 9, 1967 (see “Monkee Chat”). In New York, further “sweetening” is done on the Jeff Barry sessions.
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Jeff Barry
ENGINEER: Ray Hall
LOCATION: Studio B, RCA Recording Studios, New York City
TIME: Unknown
PROCEDURE: Overdubs & Reductions
“If I Learned To Play The Violin”
(Artie Resnick/Joe Levine)
Master #UZB1-4409
“A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”
(Neil Diamond)
Master #UZB1-4406
“She Hangs Out”
(Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich)
Master #UZB1-4406
“99 Pounds”
(Jeff Barry)
Master #UZB1-4402
With the Sunday’s session making room for track augmentation, handclapping overdubs and possibly backing vocals are added on this date to the above songs.
TUESDAY
7 FEBRUARY 1967
Michael and Phyllis Nesmith arrive in London. Micky goes on a Carnaby Street shopping trip, and later appears briefly on two BBC programs, Pop Inn and 24 Hours. He also stops by Disc and Music Echo magazine’s “Valentine’s Day Awards” where he meets the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. In the late evening Dolenz attends a show by his current favorite band the Spencer Davis Group at London’s Marquee Club.
WEDNESDAY
8 FEBRUARY 1967
During the morning hours the BBC films Micky at Regents Park Zoo. It is possible that Michael and Phyllis Nesmith attend a recording session by the Kinks at Pye Recording Studios in ATV House, London. In the evening, Michael and Phyllis meet up with Micky and Paul McCartney at Bag O’ Nails club. Davy Jones travels to Kingston, Jamaica from the Bahamas.
THURSDAY
9 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky and Michael appear on the BBC’s Top Of The Pops television program to accept a British silver disc award for outstanding sales of the “I’m A Believer” single. Micky reconnects with model/personality Samantha Juste, whom he had met earlier in the week. Juste, who is a regularly featured personality on Top Of The Pops, is actually only part of the studio audience for this particular broadcast.
FRIDAY
10 FEBRUARY 1967
Michael and Phyllis Nesmith attend a five-hour evening recording session for The Beatles song “A Day In The Life” which takes place at Abbey Road’s Studio 1 in London (they arrive two hours into the proceedings at approximately 10:30PM). The Beatles work on this day centers around recording a forty piece orchestra for eventual overdub onto the song’s climactic finale. In addition to audio recording, the session is filmed by seven hand held cameras (two manned by professional operators, the other five operated by Ringo Starr and such guests as Keith Richards, Mick Jagger and Klaus Voorman). A brief clip of Nesmith sitting with John Lennon is later included in a promo clip for “A Day In The Life”. However, because the BBC bans it prior to release, the song is not issued as a single and the accompanying clip is not widely shown. Mike also reportedly participated in an unused recording of several people singing the notes A and E. After the session most of the participants continue to party at such clubs as the Bag O’ Nails and the Scotch of St. James.
Also on this date Micky Dolenz is due to fly to Berlin, Germany but cancels his plans in order to stay in London with Samantha Juste for a few more days.
SATURDAY
11 FEBRUARY 1967
Michael and Phyllis Nesmith stay at John and Cynthia Lennon’s house in Weybridge, Surrey. John Lennon plays the Nesmiths unfinished tracks from the forthcoming ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album. It is also reported by Flip magazine that Nesmith was invited to contribute to some musical experiments that Lennon was generating on his Mellotron MK2 keyboard.
SUNDAY
12 FEBRUARY 1967
Davy flies from Jamaica in the West Indies back to New York City. He will eventually fly to London, England.
MONDAY
13 FEBRUARY 1967
Peter Tork receives and eleven-foot home made card from a fan marking his 25th birthday. Also on this date, Davy Jones arrives in London from New York and Mike and Phyllis Nesmith return to the U.S. from Britain, Micky attends the Pop Disc Awards.
TUESDAY
14 FEBRUARY 1967
Peter Tork returns to Los Angeles from an East Coast vacation. It is unknown what his actual departure date was, or what occurred during this trip.
WEDNESDAY
15 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky flies to Copenhagen, Denmark. A press conference is held for him at a discotheque called The Club 6.
THURSDAY
16 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky appears on Jorgen Mylius’ radio show in Denmark.
FRIDAY
17 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky departs Copenhagen for Stockholm where he appears at a press conference at the Apollonia Hotel and takes part in a photo session. Dolenz later travels 20 miles north of Stockholm to an island called Svavelso so that he can appear in a film clip for the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (used as an insert on the show Drop-In). Meanwhile Davy does an interview with former Coronation Street co-star Violet Carson for Granada TV.
SATURDAY
18 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky flies back to London. Davy makes an appearance on television’s Rolf Harris Show in London and tapes an interview for a pirate radio station.
Tickets for The Monkees’ April 2, 1967 appearance at Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens are put on sale. All 17,000 seats are sold within four hours to fans who line up in zero degree weather. Sales exceed $91,000, setting a new “one night” record for a Monkees concert gross.
SUNDAY
19 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky makes an unpublicized arrival at London’s Heathrow Airport. Dolenz will spend the remainder of his London jaunt at the apartment of Screen Gems’ London chief Jack Magraw, sharing his time with Samantha Juste.
TUESDAY
21 FEBRUARY 1967
On this evening, Micky attends a Beatles overdub and mixing session for the song “Fixing A Hole” at EMI’s Abbey Road Studio 2.
WEDNESDAY
22 FEBRUARY 1967
Micky returns to the United States.
THURSDAY
23 FEBRUARY 1967
NBC renews The Monkees for a second season (to debut September 11, 1967).
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEERS: Hank Cicalo
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 2:00PM - 5:30PM & 6:00PM - 10:00PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking, Reduction & Overdubs
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (Second Version)
(Michael Nesmith)
[Takes 1-15 + 3 Takes of a remix + Takes 1a-14a]
Master #UZB3-8185
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – electric 12-string guitar
Micky Dolenz – drums
John London – bass
Overdubs: Michael Nesmith – acoustic 12-string guitar
John London – tambourine
Peter Tork – harpsichord
Having found that the publishing for Bill Martin’s “All Of Your Toys” cannot be purchased by Screen Gems, The Monkees return to the studio to remake “The Girl I Knew Somewhere”, which the band now feel is their best chance at a “group” single. The main hang up with the previous version was that, while Michael Nesmith was deemed acceptable as an album track vocalist by Don Kirshner, in order to get a single release either Micky or Davy had to be the lead vocalist. In this case Micky was chosen, and, judging by the impromptu singing that opens take one, he was well prepared for the job. This remake is a big improvement (especially the drumming) over the previous version. Fifteen takes are made of the song, with take 14 considered the master. Take 14 is then reduced to two tracks while simultaneous overdubs are made of 12-string acoustic guitar (Michael Nesmith), tambourine (John London – who is substituting for a still vacationing Davy Jones) and harpsichord (Peter Tork). The best elements of these overdubs (including a doubled harpsichord solo piece from Tork) are edited together to create the master take labeled 13A.
“Sunny Girlfriend”
(Michael Nesmith)
[Takes Unknown]
Master #UZB3-8373
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – electric 12-string guitar
Peter Tork – electric guitar
Micky Dolenz – drums
John London – bass
Later at this session a new Michael Nesmith song, “Sunny Girlfriend,” is tracked. While no session tapes exist for this song, a rough version of the master (take 7) exhibits that the group tracking live with Michael Nesmith singing a rough “guide” vocal to the different takes. Also particularly notable is Peter Tork’s electric six string guitar, which is essentially the lead instrument at this early stage of the recording.
FRIDAY
24 FEBRUARY 1967
RECORDING SESSION
FORMAT: 1/2” Four Track
PRODUCER: Chip Douglas
ENGINEERS: Hank Cicalo
LOCATION: Studio A, RCA Recording Studios, 6363 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, CA
TIME: 1:00PM - 6:00PM & 6:30PM - 7:30PM
PROCEDURE: Tracking
“Mr. Webster”
(Tommy Boyce/Bobby Hart)
[Takes Unknown]
Master #UZB3-8185
Personnel: Michael Nesmith – steel guitar
Peter Tork – piano
David Jones – tambourine
John London – bass
Micky Dolenz – drums
A session is held today to remake a previously rejected Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart song, “Mr. Webster”. No session tapes exist for this date, however it is known that take 28 is considered the master version. This session also marks the return of Davy Jones to the fold.
MONDAY
27 FEBRUARY 1967
After releasing a single in Canada of “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” backed with “She Hangs Out”, Don Kirshner is officially dismissed as The Monkees’ Music Coordinator (and head of Colgems Records). Kirshner had made his move against strong requests from Monkees project creators Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider to include the new version of “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” on the flipside of this single (in the place of “She Hangs Out”). When Kirshner disregarded the producers wishes, Schneider used his considerable pull within Columbia Pictures and Screen Gems (his father Abe Schneider is the president) to see that Kirshner is given a decisive punishment. Lester Sill now replaces Kirshner as Music Coordinator for The Monkees and as head of the Colgems label.
