Big Barrel Full of Monkees Thread (part 2)

Man, you know I am.

I was just blasting this disc here at work, and when "Any Old Iron" came on, everyone asked me to turn it up. The whole department got up and danced, it was a blast. Then this one dude asked me to put on "Put Me Amongst The Girls" because he knows all the words and wants to impress the women in the office.

(Actually, I haven't had a chance to listen yet....will report back if it's mono or stereo).

 

Mad Magazine 121 (Sep. 1968)

I was going through some old issues of Mad (via the "Totally Mad" CD rom set from 1999), and read issue 121 tonight. (With the Beatles, the Maharishi, and some crazy Eastern deity on the cover.)

The back cover is a parody of 16 Magazine, which skewers "The Fantabulous Chimps"...

Thought this might be fun to post here.

 

...win a few of their used band-aids?

Darryl

 

Wow, is that RFK pictured on the cover of "Sik Teen"? If this MAD issue was dated Sept. '68, he'd likely have already been killed by the time this issue hit the stands.

 

I think that issue of MAD came out during the summer of 1968 - probably June or July? Maybe June - I remember seeing it at my cousin's. In any case, it was surely at the printers' before RFK got shot.
(awesome late 60's issue, BTW - I think it also has 'The Flying Nun' parody with another Monkees reference in there.)

 

Gave the David Jones CD a quick listen last night, and it seems to be mono. There's no indication either way on the packaging -- and I just realized that the same is true for my LP copy. But listening to the CD, it didn't seem to have any stereo separation.

 

That's a relief as Davy was present at the Mono mixing sessions and is a true reflection of his artistic vision. The Stereo was a rush job done as an afterthought. I believe the Stereo mix was supervised by Al Capps. :thumbsdn:

 

Have you guys seen this cover art?

 

I've seen it before. That's the album where Davy replaced Jim in the Doors, correct? It has a 20 minute version of 'The Good Earth.'

 

Pity. I guess this one comes off my shopping list. I will always prefer stereo to mono; artistic integrity, etc. doesn't matter to me--I just hate mono. We've already had a Japan CD release of the mono version, questionable authenticity or not. Yes, it was probably a needle-drop, but as this release apparently is too how much better could it be?

If this was truly a "Deluxe Edition" then both mixes would be present.

 

True! Two of their best LP's are "Strange Dave" AND "LA Woman-izer." Not many people realize that David died in Paris in 1971.
He was found in a bath tub full of beer and choked on his own foot which was in his mouth.

 

You will probably want to wait for the "Immersion" boxed set.

 

I've got a stock copy of "I'll Believe In You" and it looks to be unplayed...well, I just played it. I did notice some crackling at the beginning, is yours like that? I wonder if thats just bad vinyl.

For an LP that didn't really sell that well, amazing to have 4 singles from those sessions in the USA and ultimatedly 11 out of 14 songs are featured on a 7 inch record somewhere in the world. New Zealand released Pretty Little Girl/Look At Me and Japan Road To Love/Say It Again.

 

It was always shamefull how Electra put Jim's head on Davy's body.

 

Problem #1- Pressed on polystyrene. Several of the copies I had looked stone mint, but polystyrene is the worst sounding thing to make a record out of. Don't try to make one out of bacon either. It sizzles just as much as polystyrene.

Crazy huh? It charted respectable- in the 30's, that's not terrible. Better chart showing than Head, Present & Changes. About the same chart position as Replay. Bell must have actually put some money behind the LP. You'd have thought that Head, Present or Changes would have done bett'uh because you get an extra Monkee (or 2) for the same spending dollar. I've always liked that album quite a bit, while others think it's a stinker.

 

Davy's Bell LP didn't chart in the US...

 

Been revisiting Davy's Bell album lately on vinyl and I must say it's quite enjoyable. Some of the writing is similar to bad Patridge Family filler, saved only by the fact that I love Davy's voice but the high points are sweet. Nilsson's "Look At Me" is a haunting track, "I Really Love You" should have been a hit AM ballad and "Rainy Jane" is the Monkees hit single that never was. I really hope they release it on CD soon, even if it's a needle-drop.

 

I try not to make stuff up. Where'd I read that? Not Billboard or Cashbox?
One of those tidbits that's been stashed in my noggin for 25+ years so I can't recall how I knew that.

 

I must have had too many "lemonades" as Davy says. The track "Look At Me" was written by David Gates of Bread and "Saturday's Child" fame, not Harry Nilsson. Sorry guys.

 

Yup. Brain fart. Was thinking Rainy Jane. Sorry my bad.

 

Well, it's been known for years that master tapes for that album no longer exist. A vinyl transfer, then, doesn't shock me. But what does grab my attention is that while the Friday release uses a mono LP as its source, the new (download-only) version on Davy Jones' site uses a STEREO copy!!! At any rate, at least it's out there in some official capacity, right? (And for what it's worth, the mono version is a genuine mix, NOT a fold-down of the stereo version. There only seems to be one official mix for the two non-LP B-sides.)

 

Can we get a link to that stereo download/purchase?

 

http://davyjones.bandcamp.com/releases

From the Davy Jones Bandcamp.com page:

Digital Album
Reissue of DAVID JONES (Colpix), the 1965 stereo LP, remastered by Akira Suzuki. This special download edition contains bonus material: Interview segments 1965-67, more Colpix sessions, the 1965 Shindig appearance, and rarely heard demos and acetates (1964-5) that appeared on JUST FOR THE RECORD VOL. 1 (now out of print).

Original 1965 liner notes:

It took top executives of Colpix Records exactly five minutes to decide they had to get David Jones to sign his name on a contract--the five minutes they spent watching and listening to him sing on stage in OLIVER, the smash-hit musical David Merrick brought to the United States from England.

Anyone who hears David Jones' voice recognizes, as one critic put it, "The sparkle of youthful enthusiasm and brightness of style that makes you want to hear more and more from this talented newcomer."

After OLIVER completed its smash Broadway run with David getting standing ovations each evening for his role as "The Artful Dodger," he went into another London show, PICKWICK, which was to prove an even bigger feather in David's theatrical cap. Once again David Merrick brought the London production to the United States, and once again critics hailed David Jones as "the best performer in the show" and "the brightest young talent in the industry."

While PICKWICK was in its roadshow run at the elegant new Los Angeles Music Center, David recorded his first record album. Packed solid with simple, catchy tunes and bright, unusual sounds offset by tender ballads admirably performed by the talented young singer, the completed album captures all the charm and personality that has endeared David to thousands of theatre fans.

Already an established television, stage, and singing star in his native England, David Jones goes on to win new laurels as a recording star with "What Are We Going to Do?" As a young fellow whose chosen ambition was originally to become a top race jockey, David was side-tracked by a spectacular career in the field of entertainment purely as the result of a part-time radio job. Old goals aside, David has set his sights on becoming a top international star of records, stage, television, and films. When you listen to this exciting new album there will be no doubt in your mind that David is well on his way to reaching that goal...and soon! ... more

1. What Are We Going to Do? 02:36 download
2. Maybe It's Because I'm a Londoner 02:10 download
3. Put Me Amongst the Girls 03:32 download
4. Any Old Iron 02:05 download
5. Theme for a New Love 02:23 download
6. It Ain't Me Babe (free) 02:39 download
7. Face Up to It 02:27 download
8. Dream Girl 02:20 download
9. Baby It's Me 01:59 download
10. My Dad 02:42 download
11. This Bouquet of Flowers 02:13 download
12. Introduction by Mr. Harry Jones 00:26 download
13. Take me to Paradise (remastered acetate) 02:47 download
14. Girl From Chelsea (remastered single) 02:41 download
15. Oliver Medley (Ed Sullivan Show 2/9/64) (free) 03:05 download
16. Donna (rough demo) (free) 01:58 download
17. I've Gotta Lotta Livin' to Do (rough demo) (free) 01:39 download
18. Be My Girl (acetate demo, remastered) 02:21 download
19. Face Up to It (original demo, remastered) 02:16 download
20. Interview 1965 + More (rough demo) 02:36 download
21. Interview 1965 + Bandit of My Dreams (live) 02:12 download
22. Interview 1965 + Misty (rough demo) (free) 02:59 download
23. Interview 1965 + Kiss & Hug (acetate demo) 03:08 download
24. Interview 1965 + Be My Friend (rough demo) 03:42 download
25. Interview 1965 + Let it Happen (rough demo) 02:07 download
26. Interview 1965 + Never Will I Ever (acetate demo) 02:13 download
27. Interviews 1965-66 + Boy Can't Win (acetate demo) 05:09 download
28. Interview 1967 + I Want to Love You (acetate demo) 03:58 download
29. Interview 1967 + Since I Fell in Love With You (acetate demo) 02:26 download
30. Interview 1965 + Summertime is Fun Time (acetate demo) 05:13 download
31. Interview 1965 + I Love You Anyway (acetate demo) 02:17 download
32. Interviews 1965 & 1968 + Face Up to It (acetate demo) 05:59 download
33. Interview 1965 + Dream Girl (acetate demo) 03:35 download
34. Assorted Interview Segments 1965-67 07:40 download
35. What Are We Going to Do? (live Shindig 11/13/65) 01:45 download
36. Closing by Mr. Harry Jones 00:10 download

A special download reissue of the sought-after 1965 Colpix album with bonus tracks: the 1965 Shindig appearance, more Colpix demos and alternate takes, and interview segments 1965-68.

 

I don't know if I'd use the word remastered on this, it sounds almost like straight dubs from vinyl, with nothing used to clean up the noise. I like the demos though - a lot of those songs are much better than what's on the album!