The Monkees Headquarters (Translucent)

Release date:
March 8, 2024
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In 1967 after two number one albums, a plethora of hit singles and a smash television show, The Monkees were on top and knew they each had true musical talents not championed by their label executives.

Michael Nesmith spearheaded a change in direction before sessions began on their legendary "Headquarters" album. This action resulted in the much covered dissolution with music mogul Don Kirshner, and Chip Douglas (The Turtles) was now recruited by Nesmith to work with the band.

In rapid succession, things began to fall into place in February 1967. With initial tracks like country rocker "Sunny Girlfriend" and the acid rock imagery of "Mr. Webster, the band set the stage for what would become one of the most loved works in their catalog and one of the finest rock albums of a generation.

A definite album opener, "You Told Me" begins their masterpiece "Headquarters." The track features a brilliant 12 string guitar and the rockin’ vocals of Nesmith, as Tork’s incredible banjo fills the track alongside Dolenz’s driving drum work. With Jones’ percussion and all three fine-tuning their background vocals with Nesmith, it became the very first song that many of us remember as we opened up our sealed copies back in the summer of ’67.

Not straying too far from previous success, the band scored a few more of Boyce and Hart compositions like Micky Dolenz’s folk rock ballad "I’ll Spend My Life With You." The solid steel guitar work of Mike Nesmith would go on to become a precursor to his groundbreaking Nashville sessions in the late sixties and early seventies.

Davy Jones has several watershed moments here with both "Forget That Girl" and "Early Morning Blues and Greens." "Forget That Girl" employs a unique English northern soul vibe, while the latter shares a wonderful Peter Tork background vocal and keyboard making it one of the more psychedelic infused and standout tracks on the LP.

FEATURES:

CELEBRATE 5 DECADES OF THE MONKEES MASTERWORK "HEADQUARTERS" IN MONOPHONIC SOUND!!! LIMITED EDITION TRANSLUCENT RED VINYL PRODUCED BY CHIP DOUGLAS & THE MONKEES MASTERED IMPECCABLY BY JOE REAGOSO (THE MONKEES) FROM THE ORIGINAL COLGEMS RECORDS MONOPHONIC TAPES THE 1967 #1 ALBUM THAT OPENED THE DOORS INTO THE SUMMER OF LOVE! FACT- 1 of 4 #1 MONKEES ALBUMS IN 1967 FEATURES CLASSIC MONKEES HITS: "YOU MAY JUST BE THE ONE" "SHADES OF GREY" "FOR PETE'S SAKE" "YOU TOLD ME" "EARLY MORNING BLUES & GREENS" & "FORGET THAT GIRL" THE MONKEES: MICKY DOLENZ, DAVY JONES, MICHAEL NESMITH & PETER TORK.

MONKEES / HEADQUARTERS

Tracklist:
  • 1. You Told Me
  • 2. I'll Spend My Life with You
  • 3. Forget That Girl
  • 4. Band 6
  • 5. You Just May Be the One
  • 6. Shades of Gray
  • 7. I Can't Get Her Off My Mind
  • 8. For Pete's Sake
  • 9. Mr. Webster
  • 10. Sunny Girlfriend
  • 11. Zilch
  • 12. No Time
  • 13. Early Morning Blues and Greens
  • 14. Randy Scouse Git