Monkees HEAD from Rhino Handmade (Part two)

I just got the set and listened to the live tracks first, several times.

I have to agree with an earlier comment, they sound ok on Circle Sky, but the rust definitely shows on the other songs across the board. They played better / more together on the 67 tour and on the show from Japan later that year.

I can kind of understand now why Andrew Sandoval said he only included them for historical purposes now. The recordings are indeed poorly engineered and while the Monkees energy is definitely good, they unfortunately sound under-rehearsed and make noticeable mistakes on the Headquarters songs.

Maybe the engineering problems are because they had to change plans at the last minute from their original location and they had to rush and all.

 

Spent a few hours listening to the HEAD box set on Monday night! Listening to the different mixes of the songs gave me a much greater appreciation of the material. In particular, "Daddy's Song" which is a great song to begin with now takes on an even more emotional meaning for me. That alternate stereo mix with the double-tracked Davy vocals is magic, as are the surprise Nez scatting bits before the slow part comes in! The other "Wow!" moments for me involved "Circle Sky." Simply one of the most rockin' songs any group or artist from the 60s ever made! The mono mixes will knock your socks off.

Kudos and thanks once again to Andrew Sandoval and his team for hitting another one out of the park! Looking forward to what's next on the Rhino Handmade Monkees horizon.

 

I got that! I gave it away -- the only time I ever gave a Monkees CD away (to my niece....who was four at the time.....they said she loved it, especially Gonna Buy Me A Dog).

I just absolutely love these Handmade boxes. I said, when they were releasing the Deluxe editions of the first 2 albums (long ago) that I was surprised they were not on Handmade. I think that Rhino had a tough decision to make, at the time, and thought The Monkees early catalogue was better suited for direct retail. Seeing the response to the last two Handmade titles, and hindsight being 20/20, they probably would agree the first 4 albums would have been better suited for Handmade.

Here's what I would propose:
The Monkees (debut) in a three disc Handmade box -- very similiar to the BB&M box. I'm sure there are enough outtakes and interesting bits that hit the cutting room floor when compiling the Deluxe collection (like backing tracks such as Whatever's Right). I love to hear backing tracks of any available material, released and otherwise. This also opens the door, on a third disc, for alternate versions/vocal takes of unreleased tracks.
More Of The Monkees in a three disc Handmade box -- again, similiar to the BB&M box. However, I would add the early 1967 New York, Kirshner third single, sessions here. You'll see why soon. Also, a chance to add those multiple versions/vocal takes of released and otherwise and instrumental backing tracks (several of those from the forementioned 1967 sessions -- which I think we all would be interested in hearing). These really have a chance to be a great companion to Andrew's terrific book.
Headquarters Sessions in a 4 disc Handmade box -- reworked so that discs one and two open with the stereo and mono records, respectively. Or leave it the way it was. This solves two issues. One, the demand to have the Headquarters Sessions reissued, and two, to keep the integrity of the Handmade box campaign. Everybody wins. Also, I might throw in the audio recording of the Phoenix show as a fifth (no extra cost) bonus disc -- to entice those who already own the original collection .I don't think many will complain about the absence of the couple remixed version of The Girl I Knew Somewhere off the Deluxe version -- pretty much everyone who buys the new box already bought the Deluxe, anyway.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, LTD. in a three disc Handmade box. This might be slightly different then the first 2 albums box versions. I keep hearing there isn't much leftover from the Deluxe, or the sessions, to have made a Pisces Sessions-type collection. But, after reading Andrew's book, I think in this Handmade box format there are several alternate mixes, early version (before the switch to 8-track), and backing tracks, released and otherwise, that could be included (like Peter's attempt at Man Without A Dream and Chip's full out remake of The Door Into Summer). And, don't forget the Chip Douglas reel made at the end of the sessions and the Pomp Room tape -- that would play out like the Ditty Diego session from the Head box. Obviously, there would bonus 45's from each collection (maybe an opportunity to put that The Girl I Knew Somewhere remix on the b-side of the All Of Your Toys remix, both from the original Headquarters Deluxe CD).

I'd pay 50+ each for that!

 

I'd just like Rhino to make boxes that I can slip the digipaks of the first four albums into. So my shelf is all neat and such.

 

I'm listening to the Ditty Diego long track right now. This track alone is worth the price of the set for me. I loooove the fly on the wall stuff. Psycho jello, man!

FWIW, my set is in perfect condition so I'm glad I didn't get my knickers in a twist over the packing envelope thing. My sympathies with those who ended up with damaged product.

Oh, and add me to the "bought Barrelful of Monkees" list. The cassette hasn't been updated to CD. It won't be either unless it's free with something else. Do you think they'll throw in a free CD when purchasing that groovy martini shaker thing? I haven't even bothered to look at that page. I buy anything and everything I can afford that's Monkees-related, but even I draw the line at something like this.

 

Thank you. Can't wait for mine to show up.

 

Hey man... whatchoo gots in that crate below the ceedee setz?

 

Well I finally got mine. It was eight days late but I am so happy to have it. I took cd 2(the outtakes cd) with me in my car on my way to work and listened to most of it. It is a great listen. As other have said, bring on Instant Replay and Present(and Headquarters Sessions, etc etc). I will continue to support Rhino Handmade with these wonderful Monkees sets.

 

I can see the top of the Monkees first album in front.

 

+1 and hopefully some stuff from "Changes" as well!

 

+1
By that time I hope all the correct track info will be uploaded to CDDB

Darryl

 

Michelle can design the box.

Darryl

 

She already has...




http://www.stevehoffman.tv/forums/showpost.php?p=5819238&postcount=400

 

GV, was wondering if your Blue Meanies group may one day do another Monkees tribute show where you reproduce the entire 'Head' soundtrack live on stage? If the Fab Faux can do the Beatles 'White Album' live (including 'Revolution 9'), I think you guys can pull it off.

P.S.: I think my 'Head' set is waiting for me at the post office today. More details later.

 

I'm starting to think this set will arrive before my copy of the HEAD box...

($35+ dollars for shipping and I imagine it will come in one of those padded mailers and be totally trashed. If it is, I feel sorry for the person at Rhino customer service "lucky" enough to answer the phone when I call....)

 

Sure enough, my HEAD box arrived with smashed-in corners because Rhino shipped it in a padded envelope. What idiots. Unacceptable at $59.99. I already have a free replacement on the way ... in a box this time, as I requested. Who knows when it'll finally get here. I've learned one thing about Rhino returns/replacements: After I've checked UPS' Web site to confirm they've received the damaged goods, it's very important to call them on the phone and prompt a person to instigate a re-shipment or it will never happen. Trust me on this. Still ... damn them.

 

Mine arrived yesterday in the paded envelope but was in perfect condition. The 45 was inside the box and was in great shaep as well. I LOVE this set! the Salt Lake City tracks are great - I really wish their was a complete live set from 1968 as I think they sound really powerful here.

I also am really loving the mono mixes on disc two - also very powerful and punchy.

GREAT SET!!!

 

Just picked up my copy of the 'Head' set at the post office this morning. It came in the padded envelope, and was in great shape. Listening the to bonus cuts first. The packaging of the box is a beautiful reproduction of the original mylar 'Head' cover, also reproduced on the CD mini-cover. The booklet looks great and I can't wait to read the liner notes. My set came with the bonus 45 which I'll listen to later. Love that there is a nice repro of the 'Head' movie poster with the Monkees on the inner cover of the box, as well as the John Brockman 'Head' poster on the inner back of the box. The 'Head' button is cool too.

Rhino and Andrew did a great job of putting this set together. It's really a shame that the DVD of the movie wasn't included as part of the package. I think folks who weren't going to get the Bob Rafelson box set to get the movie would have preferred that. Hopefully 'Head' will be released on DVD and BluRay separately from the Rafelson set later next year.

Depending on what's left in the vaults that's releasable, my fingers are crossed that Andrew and Rhino will do just as good a job for the remaining albums. And Michelle's idea wouldn't be a bad one, either.

 

I've been thinking about Rhino and the padded mailers they are using to ship the HEAD sets.

The mailers obviously cost less than small boxes and bubble wrap/foam peanuts. But with all of the returns due to damage - not to mention the anger of customers forced to go through the hassle of requesting a replacement - wouldn't it be more cost-effective to send them more securely in the first place?

I just don't understand how big business works in this regard.

Save a few pennies now, but spend a lot more when the consequences of your thriftiness come to fruition.

Here's another example: earlier this year I bought a 4-volume book set from Amazon in the USA. The set arrived in a huge box, but with no protection inside the box. The set had spilled its contents inside the box and everything was free to smash around - which it did.

I wrote to Amazon and they said another set would be dispatched. (They also said the high cost of returning the first set meant I could just keep it.)

Anyway, the second set arrived - with no protection in a slightly smaller box - and it too was no longer in new condition.

So, a phone call to Amazon resulted in me getting a refund, and I could keep the two damaged book sets.

These sets were $100 each. Both were damaged because Amazon didn't want to spend the extra few pennies it would cost to properly package them for shipping. Even after the first mishap, they didn't learn their lesson.

Color me .

 

D.I.Y. "Disc 3" for "The Monkees (Deluxe)"

A collector could easily(?) make their own "third disc" for each of the previous four deluxe editions, based on earlier released mixes (of the same material that appears on the 2-CD sets). For example, here's what a completist's third disc for the first Monkees album would look like:


Saturday's Child - TV mix
I Wanna Be Free - Arista mix
I Wanna Be Free - Listen To The Band mix
I Wanna Be Free - instrumental
Papa Gene's Blues - Arista mix
Papa Gene's Blues - Listen To The Band mix
Take a Giant Step - TV mix
This Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day - Arista mix
I'll Be True To You - Arista mix
Sweet Young Thing - Arista mix
Sweet Young Thing - Listen To The Band mix
Theme From The Monkees - version 2, instrumental
I Don't Think You Know Me (Micky version) - 1994 mix
So Goes Love - Missing Links mix
I Can't Get Her Off My Mind (version 1) - 1994 mix
All The King's Horses - TV mix
All The King's Horses - Missing Links 2 mix
All The King's Horses - Listen to the Band mix
All The King's Horses - Music Box mix
You Just May Be the One (version 1) - TV mix
You Just May Be the One (version 1) - Missing Links 2 mix
I Wanna Be Free (fast version) - TV mix
I Wanna Be Free (fast version) - Missing Links 2 mix
I Wanna Be Free (fast version) - Music Box mix
I Don't Think You Know Me (Mike version) - Missing Links mix
I Don't Think You Know Me (Mike version) - Music Box mix
Theme From The Monkees - version 3, instrumental

Pretty repetitious, but you get an idea of what's out there....

 

Fascinating notion but not probable. We should be doing the 50 song tribute in 2011 once again. Stand by for details!

 

Sorry if this has been answered before but - how's the sound quality on this? Is it bright? Compressed? Please evaluate!

 

Looking forward to it. If I may make a suggestion, how about in the tribute show just doing a middle set of just the 'Head' songs in their album sequence? That would be a nice compromise.

 

OK, just what the heck does "bright" mean? It seems that is something was bright it would be good, as in "bright and cheerful".

Yet, I keep seeing this term on these boards and it seems to be a bad word.

 

Bright means that the high-end is boosted.