The Next Monkees Box Set - A Proposal

Off the top of my head it was an R&B I'm A Believer and Someday Man.

Ben

 

There is a lot of material that could be included in a Monkees Present box set. Most has already been mentioned in this thread. There is also a possibility that something new could be found that was not mentioned in Andrew's book (Acetates, songs found mis-filed in another artist's tape box, maybe something from Mike or Davy's archives). Based on what I've read in Andrew's book, I think there is enough material to fill out 3 discs. Remember that most of the album's tracks were featured on the Saturday morning TV reruns, so most songs have a mono mix. Lot's of Nesmith instrumentals/ unfinished backing tracks and session backing tracks for the songs and bonus songs still unreleased on the deluxe sets. More than enough I think.

 

You are correct. Plenty to work with. Would be very cool if Sandoval and Co. found those two lost tracks from "Changes": "Which Way Do You Want It" and "Ride Baby Ride". The former was slated to be included on the LP until the last minute so where could that tape have gone?

 

I'd be very surprised if Rhino develops a MONKEES PRESENT boxed set.

Of course, I'd pre-order it if they did!

 

I would be surprised if they didn't. I believe as always that if they profit enough from Instant Replay that a Present Deluxe will follow, probably late in 2012. I wish but doubt that the first four albums will be revisited and given the 3cd deluxe treatment. Yet the same argument can be made for those also. If Rhino Handmade is making money off of these deluxe editions then they may go back and do them. I would buy them for sure. I missed out on the Headquarters Sessions way back then and I really want that one. Maybe combine the first two album outtakes into a Monkees 66 box set, then have a revised Headquarters box set and than have a Pisces set.

 

I hope it's much earlier than late 2012.

 

I agree. The sooner, the better.

 

I hope this doesn't come across as a thread crap, but if they do a Present set, I'd hope they change the packaging more than anything. While the outer boxes of the last three were gorgeous, every single one of my disks were scratched up - a couple very noticeably, due to that to-big-for-the-CD cardboard sleeve they stick 'em in. I actually requested a replacement for one and it came in an unpadded manilla folder - also scratched up. I'd rather see them forgo the fancy-shmancy packaging altogether and just issue the set as a digipack if they can't find a way to protect the disks otherwise. These things costs too much to be handled so carelessly.

 

Mine are all OK... Of course, they were played exactly once (for ripping and backing up) and then placed back in their sleeves forever.

 

Speaking of Present and it's tracks, I was able to locate the origins of The Good Earth and it's composer. Not sure if this is common knowledge yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUMdoXeZaAA

 

Thanks! I always wonderd where that came from. I know a lot of people don't like that track but I've always had a warm place for it and the message it gave.

 

I knew it couldn't have been Davy's, so I Googled the line "why can't we be good on the good earth" and this single came up from a blog. Then I Googled the name (which was Dave Allen) and The Good Earth and it had a Youtube video.......and there it was. The reason I went digging is because (unknown) bothers me when putting in my discography, or creating playlists. I was doing a mock Present deluxe.

 

Nice!!!! Wonder if Jones was going to add the music behind his version?

 

My guess would be most likely. He had some of the best at his disposal. Maybe we'll get the stereo and mono mix on the next box

 

The idea of combing in Present with Changes is my worst nightmare. All along it's been the Instant Replay and Present deluxe reissues I've really wanted but the whole series has been great. I'm hoping that we'll finally going to get to hear Empire, along with the following:

13 is not our lucky number
lynn harper
thank you my friend
suzanna sometime
omega
good afternoon
london bridge
the bus that never comes
‘till then
tommy blue


Either way, I have Changes on CD and original vinyl and that is more than enough.

 

I forget, and don't have Andrew's book handy. How many of these tracks have vocals?

 

Ditto, but I think that the answer is "none", sadly.

Still, I'd love to hear them....

 

I'd buy a changes box if it was offered.
Yes, I know I need

Darryl

 

And Michigan Blackhawk (not Down The Highway). Bring on Love Bandit.

 

I like CHANGES too, though I doubt there's enough extra material available to make it even a two-disc set.

 

I've recently read Andrew's book from Present until the end (in the past I'd open it and start reading in random spots). There definitely looks to be enough for a Present box set. I'd be okay without a Changes box, as long as they did use songs like "Time and Time Again" and all those considered for Changes in a Present box and leave the Barry behind. After all, most of those songs had been leftovers already.

What'd I really like to see though is Andrew being able to get into the First National Band sessions and putting out a release of those in a nice box. I'm not sure who owns those masters and it seems a lot is missing from any session tapes Andrew was able to locate during the time of writing his book.

 

Not me. I would have absolutely no problem with a "Present / Changes" combo box. That is, as long as everything was kept separate and we're not deprived of any outtakes whatsoever. That doinky album is very much a part of the Monkees history and to leave it hanging would keep everything from the superior 1966-1970 era at a loose end. Besides, save for "99 Pounds", "I Never Thought It Peculiar" and "All Alone In The Dark", I like "Changes" and love the front cover. I want to know more about it and I'll listen to that before I play the very sloppy and severely played out "More Of The Monkees". It's nowhere near their best but it is a fascinating album nonetheless. It's the one I never knew existed until I saw it in a record shop in 1986 and thought "What the hell is this?! A Monkees album with only two of them?!".


So, to add it as a 4th extra CD in a "Present" box? Yeah. Count me in.

 

If anything needs serious remixing it's the First National Band material. Michael Nesmith told me that all the multi-tracks for his RCA albums were lost in a flood at RCA in the 1970's. I find that rather hard to fathom as tracks like "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke", "1st National Dance", "Cantata & Fugue (In C&W)" and "Rose City Chimes" (the latter of which suddenly showed up sounding phenomenal and in true stereo to boot) were all eventually released as bonus tracks on the 2-fer editions of his albums. They all sound a million times better than the albums themselves which may suggest that remixing was done. Does this mean that these are the only multis that exist? Could be but I think Nez may have his facts a bit confused.

 

Really hoping that a Monkees Present Deluxe Edition actually materializes this year. Would love to hear all those Nesmith tracks. I've sent messages to Rhino. Perhaps if enough of us do they will be nudged enough to release it. Can't imagine how'd they spiff up the cover for the deluxe treatment though.

 

Yeah, I hate that nothing has materialized. I'm fond of the album and the surrounding music.