Monkees Remixes: The Best Remixes of 60s material?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Gill-man, Jan 14, 2018.

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  1. Gill-man

    Gill-man Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Compared to many other remixes as a whole, The Monkees’ remixes seem to be consistently praised highly. Many are compared favorably to the original 60s mixes, something not done with other remixes where the original mixes are usually seen as an untouchable holy grail. How are the Monkees remixes exempt from that? Are the Monkees remixes the best remixes of 60s material? I don’t see any other remixes of 60s material viewed as positively.
     
  2. Daniel Plainview

    Daniel Plainview God's Lonely Man

    And can we form a consensus as far as WHICH remixes are the best, in regard to the tracks that have been remixed multiple times over the years? How does a 1986 or 1991 remix stack up to 2006 or 2017?
     
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  3. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    It depends on what approach was used. In the 80's and 90's, Bill Inglot mixed exclusively from the original 4-track masters. Since then, Andrew has been synchronizing various stages of tape to create deluxe remixes, which aren't particularly suitable to some of the material...makes it sound more "modern". I prefer the earlier approach, but Andrew still uses it when he doesn't have earlier stages (and on the most recent set, sometimes for fun).
     
  4. Gill-man

    Gill-man Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Which remixes does this describe and therefore you don’t like?
     
  5. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    Earlier material like "Papa Genes Blues", "All Of Your Toys"....the 3rd Kirshner album material. It sounds more early 70's than 1966!

    I think a mix more in the style of the first 4 albums would have been more enjoyable for me. Backing track L/R, and vocals center.

    I also admit that I prefer that style because it sits better amongst the other material from that era than can't be mixed that way.
     
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  6. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    The 1991 mixes are all better than the earlier attempts, IMO. I think Bill had more time to perfect the mixes.

    Also keep in mind that some of the "1991 mixes" are just the earlier remixes, but with longer fades. Not always a new mix.

    The 2001-2017 mixes are a mixed bag. Quite a few mixes on the new MOTM box are better than any earlier attempts, IMO.
     
  7. Gill-man

    Gill-man Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    There are also mid-late 90s remixes as well that appeared as bonus tracks on the 90s Rhino CDs.

    Like:

    The Monkees - 1994 Rhino



    I Can't Get Her Off My Mind / v1 · 1994 stereo mix
    I Don't Think You Know Me / v1 · 1994 stereo mix / Micky vocal

    More of the Monkees - 1994 Rhino

    Don't Listen To Linda / v1 · 1994 stereo mix
    Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) · 1994 stereo mix
    I'm A Believer · 1994 stereo mix / alternate vocals

    Headquarters - 1995 Rhino

    Peter Gunn's Gun · 1994 stereo mix
    Pillow Time / acoustic demo · 1994 stereo mix

    Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, LTD - 1995 CD

    Love Is Only Sleeping · 1994 stereo mix

    The Birds, The Bees, & The Monkees - 1994 CD

    Alvin · 1994 stereo mix / alternate take
    I'm Gonna Try · 1994 stereo mix

    The Girl I Left Behind Me / v2 · 1994 stereo mix

    Instant Replay 1994 CD

    Smile · 1994 stereo mix

    The Monkees Present - 1994 CD

    Calico Girlfriend Samba · 1994 stereo mix
    The Good Earth · 1994 stereo mix

    Changes - 1994 CD

    Time And Time Again · 1994 stereo mix

    Daydream Believer and Other Hits - 1998 CD


    You Can't Tie A Mustang Down · 1997 mono mix

     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2018
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  8. mrbiggs

    mrbiggs Empires and Pants

    Is it perhaps because the original 60s mixes were sometimes just pretty bad, or obviously quite rushed and unpolished?

    "Porpoise Song" is one that springs to mind. Either through limitations of time or equipment, the original mix is quite muddy and has some clicks & overt tape hiss. The 1991 remix really cleans up the muck but otherwise lives the song intact. It's my favourite mix of my favourite Monkees song.
     
  9. davenav

    davenav High Plains Grifter

    Location:
    Louisville, KY USA
    Can folks name the album, rather than just the year? It would be quite helpful. Thx!!
     
  10. Gill-man

    Gill-man Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    I edited my post for you.
     
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  11. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    I don't like the "PS" remix because the vocal balance is off. Davy is mixed too loud, and he was already too loud in the original mix IMO! Makes it harder to listen to. But it's a nice sounding mix.

    I really like the remix of the "TV Version" of "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" on the old 2-CD MOTM release. It's the best of a gaggle of different remixes. Really cleans up a lot of the slugde and still manages to sound vintage.
     
  12. davenav

    davenav High Plains Grifter

    Location:
    Louisville, KY USA
    Thanx!!

    Does that mean you don’t like any of the LTTB, DE, ML, or Music Box remixes?
     
  13. aoxomoxoa

    aoxomoxoa I'm an ear sitting in the sky

    Location:
    USA
    I have some boots where the vocals are all mixed to the left channel.
    Anyone know what the history of the “unsurpassed masters” are?
     
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  14. Gill-man

    Gill-man Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    Oh it’s nothing like that at all! I was just posting a list of remixes between the LTTB and Music Box releases. I completely forgot about the Missing Links Vol. 3 remixes:


    Music Bridge · take 18 / 1996 stereo mix
    Through The Looking Glass / v1 · 1996 stereo mix
    Penny Music · 1996 stereo mix
    Little Red Rider · 1996 stereo mix
    You're So Good · 1996 stereo mix
    Look Down · 1996 stereo mix
    Midnight Train / acoustic demo · 1996 stereo mix
    Shake 'Em Up And Let 'Em Roll · 1996 stereo mix
    Love To Love · 1996 stereo mix
    She'll Be There / acoustic demo · 1996 stereo mix
    How Insensitive · 1996 stereo mix
    Music Bridge · take 12 / 1996 stereo mix
     
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  15. Keith V

    Keith V Forum Resident

    Location:
    Secaucus, NJ
    Yes. I’d like to know about these too.
     
  16. BobT

    BobT Resident Monkeeman

    Fan made set. Good for it's time.
     
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  17. AlmanacZinger

    AlmanacZinger Zingin'

    Location:
    The Land of Zaat
    The Papa Gene's Blues remix sounds like a bonafide "Monkees" song (1966 s/t)

    As We Go Along I can actually hear Dolenz's great vocal performance (I still think the original vocals buried in the mix ideas were lame). (1968 Head)

    Prior to the release of the mono mixes the LTTB remixes were my go to-s. Tapioca Tundra was much closer to its superior mono mix. (1968 The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees)

    Does Mike's vocal version of Auntie's Municipal Court count as a remix? It's pretty great and the mastering of it is the great woe in my entire music collection. So damn bright at the top. (1968 The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees)

    The Love-to-Love remix on the HQ deluxe set gave it some nice thump. (1967 Unreleased in the 60s)

    I never cared for the Of You remix though. Too much organ I think. (1966 Unreleased in the 60s)

    Haven't heard the I'm A Believer 2017 remix. No vinyl set up. (1967 More of The Monkees)
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2018
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  18. AlienRendel

    AlienRendel Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, il
    When the Byrds albums were re-released on CD in the mid-90s, many of them (or many of the tracks on them) were remixed and that project was very well done, on the whole.
     
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  19. AlmanacZinger

    AlmanacZinger Zingin'

    Location:
    The Land of Zaat
    As what Tork himself said, the original mixes were too tinny.
     
  20. readr

    readr Forum Resident

    I'm a big fan of the remixes. I do like when the tracks that were never available in stereo before get a new stereo mix....like All Of Your Toys. I would like Andrew to do a stereo mix of All Of Your Toys, not as a fun stereo remix with sonic improvements galore, but one that mimics the stereo mixes from Headquarters.....cause I need one. Same with A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.
     
  21. AlmanacZinger

    AlmanacZinger Zingin'

    Location:
    The Land of Zaat
    Still not as good as the mono mixes. Thank goodness I could track down the Japanese Blue spec CDs. If the '97 stereo mixes were thought of as good, I'd hate to hear the original stereo mixes. Hillman and Clarke are almost completely absent in the '97 mixes.
     
  22. AlienRendel

    AlienRendel Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, il
    My understanding is that the stereo masters were not in great shape, so the remixes were essentially made to mirror the originals.
     
  23. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    "Unsurpassed Masters" is a collection of outtakes & rare mixes in poor quality.

    "Kirshner's Revenge" is a bunch of bad digital extractions mastered in MP3.

    There are other boots/youtube videos similar to "Kirshner's Revenge", such as the mixes you mention with the vocals to the left. It's all completely phony garbage.

    The only good sounding/well compiled Monkees boot is "Monkee Madness", a relatively new attempt with a bunch of hard to find mixes (official and unreleased).
     
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  24. WonkyWilly

    WonkyWilly Forum Resident

    Location:
    Paradise, PA
    I agree completely. That's what I was trying to say. Gimme the vintage style!
     
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  25. Guy Smiley

    Guy Smiley America’s Favorite Game Show Host

    Location:
    Sesame Street
    Ugh, yes! Those two “pops” or dropouts or whatever they are drive me nuts! Such a beautiful song, and those pops really stand out in a bad way.

    The remix from the Listen to the Band box set fixed that, so now that’s my “go-to” version except when listening to the Head soundtrack itself since that’s never been fixed there. I wish Sandoval or someone would. The LTTB verison should be the standard mix now.

    Likewise the stereo “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” (The one without the handclaps) is my preferred version, but it too suffers from a glaring pop/dropout. Again, as far as I can tell, it’s never been fixed either.
     
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