Records, CDs and Music:

Well it’s taken me a long time but today I’m finally going to give my thoughts on the new John Lennon “Mind Games” reissue that came out in the middle of this month.

Usually it doesn’t take me this long but I’m getting older and it’s getting harder to squeeze in music listening time!

In my last post I took a look at the lovely CD sampler of the large “Mind Games” box set that was recently released by Uncut Magazine which I enjoyed very much. That review came out about ten days before the large box set and 2 CD version and I was bound and determined to only buy the 2 CD set on release day.

Well, as is usually the case, I half-way caved. I did indeed buy the 2 CD version of the “Mind Games” reissue (as pictured on this page) BUT I did happen to also get my hands on the full audio (minus the hidden tracks unfortunately) from the larger 6 CD/2 Blu-Ray set.

And the unusual part, for me anyway, was that I purchased the entire “Mind Games” box set audio in Mp3 format from Amazon.

Yikes, I know – digital only!

This blog celebrates physical media and I almost always buy the physical version but as the large box set was over $150 I thought I’d get the audio at a fraction of the cost (under $40) and if someday I run into a used set under $100 I might well get it but for now this solution works just fine for me.

Now what made me go this unusual route?

I ended up sampling more of the Evolution mixes online and REALLY enjoyed them. I have the main remix and the out-takes on the 2 CD set (plus a sampling of other mixes on the Uncut CD) so why not at least have all the audio and take my time to see how all these new mixes sound?

Here are my thoughts below:

The 2 CD set:

I must say I really enjoy the remix of the “Mind Games” album and while it still is a bit too loud it’s much better than previous John Lennon remixes and really enhances the songs on this album.

There is a lot of bass and at times it does tend to muddy up the sound a bit but I found that I actually enjoyed this remix a lot and can say that it’s my favorite of the Lennon remixes so far.

I also think that the out-takes are wonderful too and I love having an alternate version of the album to listen to as it gives these songs a fresh new light as I think that some of the production of the original mix may have gotten in the way of some really good songs that now shine a bit more.

The audio from the 6 CD/Blu-Ray set:

Game changer; these discs really enhance the album in a way I wasn’t expecting.

Now here’s the really strange thing, I really didn’t think that all these new remixes and stripped-down versions would be worth my time, I truly didn’t.

The surprising thing to me is that I’ve actually found that the new Evolution and Raw mixes in this set are some of the best things that have come out of the Lennon archive ever! Trust me I was pleasantly surprised. The more I dove into the larger audio pool the more I was enthralled.

The Raw mixes especially took me by surprise as I love the sound of these songs in a more stripped-down form. Songs like “One Day (At a Time)”, “Out the Blue”, “Aisumasen (I’m Sorry)” and “I Know (I Know)”, all of which I took years to warm to, take on new life with these raw mixes.

I’ve read other people online say the same thing but it’s true that while I respect John Lennon’s original mix and it does hold a special place in my heart, the “Mind Games” album in this raw form is a MUCH better listen and these songs sound far superior in this form and mostly better than the original album.

(Note: I do prefer the original “Mind Games”, the song, mix as it just shines. So that song still works best for me in its 1973 form)

The Evolution disc is also superb as well. I LOVE hearing the various stages of the songs from demos to later studio takes and the studio chatter is what I really look forward to in a box set like this.

Other people have said it more eloquently but I have to agree that this new “Mind Games” reissue is well worth your time if your any kind of fan of John Lennon’s work. And while I as a super Beatles fan didn’t buy the large physical set trust me it’s well worth looking for online and streaming at least the raw studio mixes of this album to hear what a good set of songs this collection truly is.

In fact, until a few years ago I really stepped over this album as most of the songs seemed light and kind of forgettable. It was only after hearing “You Are Here” by itself one day and really loving it that I decided I needed to take this album off the shelf again and give it another try.

This new reissue set has really bumped up my love of this album to another level and I now think it and the “Walls and Bridges” album are my two favorite Lennon solo albums by far.

Conclusion:

I have to say that while I still prefer the physical versions of owning my favorite music, having the download of the audio from the larger set on a usb stick playing in my car has allowed me to really get myself deeper into these new mixes in small chunks and let them do their magic.

While I didn’t particularly find the Elements and Elemental mixes that enticing on the Uncut sampler CD they were kind of intoxicating to listen to on my 25-minute drive to and from work. Now that I’ve experienced them this way I have to say they are a lot of fun and I am so glad that Sean Lennon, who put this set together, really took the time to show these songs in a different light.

I’m not usually so stubborn to give mixes a chance so I’m glad I bit the bullet and have these lovely new mixes to add to my appreciation of the “Mind Games” album.

Of course I could have just streamed this set online only but the physical nerd in me just had to own something so download it is!

Well, there you have it. Just my two cents on this really fine new collection of remixes of John Lennon’s “Mind Games” album.

As usual take a gander at the photos of the 2 CD set and until next time be well and see you soon and more to come!

For those Beatles fans in the know, next Friday, July 12th, brings the release of a brand new John Lennon six disc CD/Blu-Ray set called “John Lennon – Mind Games – The Ultimate Collection”.

Not only will there be this lovely six disc Deluxe edition but there will be an Uber Deluxe Edition that also contains several vinyl albums plus a hardback book as well as various other goodies (and an uber price) but there will also be a two CD set and a two Lp vinyl set available for the budget-minded collector.

Normally I’m all over the Deluxe editions of Beatles and solo Beatles sets like this but this time I’m going the budget collector route and have pre-ordered the two CD set.

The two CD set will contain a newly remixed Ultimate mix of Lennon’s 1973 album “Mind Games” on disc one but will also contain a second disc full of out-takes for the album featuring basically a complete alternate version of the album.

Honestly the six disc set looks wonderful. It will contain a lovely hardback book as well as four CDs and two Blu-Ray discs, which will I’m sure be a welcome addition to any Beatles/Lennon collection, but this time out the price is just a bit too much for me at the moment.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the “Mind Games” album and may change my mind in the future if I find a good deal on the six disc set it’s just that the Deluxe version contains various mixes and stages of mixes of the same twelve songs which to me might be a bit of overkill.

I think Sean Lennon, John Lennon’s son with Yoko Ono, has done a great job putting this set together but for now I am going to enjoy the two CD version and wait to see if I need the Deluxe set.

Yesterday I received the August issue of a UK magazine called “Uncut”in the mail which fortunately has come to my rescue as to whether or not to buy the six disc version of the new “Mind Games” reissue.

Not only does this issue featuring a great article dedicated to John Lennon’s new “Mind Games” album it also contains a small booklet that contains a nice overview of all of Lennon’s solo albums AND it also contains a nine song CD sampler from the Deluxe “John Lennon – Mind Games – The Ultimate Collection” set!

Now I’m guessing Sean Lennon is really proud of this new set as Lennon’s estate (which Sean now runs) has never before issued a CD sampler like this that gives such a nice taste of the various mixes on the new Deluxe box set not to mention before the set is even officially released.

To say I’m pleased is an understatement. I get to sample some of the various element/elemental/raw studio and ultimate mixes ten days before the CD set is even issued plus get a terrific magazine and booklet is such a great way to celebrate the reissue of Lennon’s “Mind Games” album.

Now I have seen plenty of online vloggers who have received early issues of the Deluxe set and heard and seen their responses. It is very tempting I must say to want to buy the set after seeing the Deluxe sets contents but I think for now I am sticking with the two CD version and this lovely sampler which makes a great three CD overview of the “Mind Games” album and sessions.

Here are my thoughts on the tracks on the sampler CD and why I feel this sampler is a superb addition to the two CD set.

My track-by-track impressions:

Mind Games (Evolution Documentary) – from demo through studio sessions. I love this mix, especially the early studio takes. The sound is nice and clean and full. I didn’t know Yoko was at the sessions for this song so it was interesting to hear her comments from the recording booth. I like having the evolution mix of this song in particular (one of Lennon’s finest solo songs) but for me the two evolution mixes on this CD may be enough. A Nice sampling and a great listen.

I’m the Greatest (Ultimate Mix) – same as the recent Record Day EP. Nice to have on CD. Love this Lennon-sung version. Sounds a bit cleaner than the vinyl version. Not as pumped up as the mixes on the earlier hits set Sean  Lennon has done so that’s relief. Nice, very nice indeed.

Aisumasen (I’m Sorry) (Ultimate Mix) – very enjoyable mix, love this one!!! One of the better remixes and certainly cleaner than the original, less congested and love Lennon’s voice up front in the mix. Also love the clarity of the lead guitar near the end of the song. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the remixes of the entire album that comes out next week!

You Are Here (Out-Take, Take 5) – also on the Record Store day EP, what a fantastic out-take, superb! Again I like the sound here a bit better than the vinyl. The bass is nice and clean and not pumped up. Sublime song that I’ve grown to really love in the last decade or so. In fact this album has gone from two stars to four stars in the last few years for me. I first heard this album in 1979 when it was given to me for my 13th birthday and for about 10 or 11 years I just thought it was very workmanlike and kind of bland but in the last 10 years or so I’ve really grown to love it, especially the song.

Tight A$ (Raw Studio Mix) – this raw mix sounds more fifties influenced and country to me than the regular studio mix on the album. Nice to hear. Not overwhelmingly different but interesting. Again cleaner and less muddy than the original mix.

Bring on the Lucie (Freda People) (Elemental Mix) – interesting but not my favorite. This one seems too much like playing with the mix; much like a rough mix or monitor mix. Okay but not something I’d return to much. This is why I’d probably not buy the six CD set, a bit of overkill.

You Are Here (Elements Mix) – I enjoyed this a bit better than the last elemental mix but again it’s a bit of overkill for me. It’s actually nice sounding and pleasant but not something I’d return to much but it does give you a nice feeling of what it’s like recording an album and the different parts that go into a mix.

Out The Blue (Elemental Mix) – this is my favorite of the elements/elemental mixes on this set. This mix is an improvement over the original mix I like it a lot. For some reason this sounded to me like it popped right off the White Album, nice – a winner. To me the simpler approach works wonders for the song and the piano sounds fantastic, very Elton John like near the end.

Meat City (Evolution Documentary) – I must say this is another great mix and I love these Evolution mixes. If I ever buy the big set this would be my favorite disc in it because I love to hear the works in progress. My favorite part is working out the background vocals that’s really fun to listen to and I’ll listen to this more than once.

I didn’t find any hidden bonus tracks like I’ve seen are on the Deluxe version of this set. If there is a hidden track on this sampler disc I can’t access it. Franky the hidden track thing is interesting only once so hopefully it won’t show up on any future Lennon releases.

I’m so happy that Sean Lennon decided to release this sampler CD with the Uncut magazine. This is good value for your money and I will include it with the two CD version that comes out next week so I will now have a nice three CD set which is really terrific.

I’m guessing Sean Lennon is really proud of the work he did on this as he should be. At least the sound of the sampler is not pumped up and is really clean and clear and crisp. I can’t wait to hear what the rest of the two CD set sounds like next week.

Well that’s all for now. Just a quick overview of this new CD sampler. Next week I will follow-up with my thoughts on the new two CD version of the “Mind Games” reissue.

As usual there are plenty of photos above and below of the “Uncut” magazine and CD sampler.

Until next time I hope you are happy and well and for those of you reading this in the States Happy 4th of July in a couple of days.

See you soon!

Let me take you back to the dark ages.  An age before cell phones, the Internet, Google and most especially an age before social media.

I know it may be hard to imagine now but once upon a time we old folks had to rely on the post office and physical media such as mail to get news of well practically anything. 

In my last post I took a brief look at The Monkees comeback in 1986 and inferred that it was a much different time to be a Monkees fan before 1986. The years from 1976 to 1986 specifically were what I would now call the dark ages in comparison to the instant world of communication we have in the modern world.

After my last blog post I stumbled upon a box of old fan club letters from the late 1970s/early ’80s and thought it might be fun to see what it was like to be a Monkees fan back then and how hard it was to get information about the group and its members without the media exposure after the 1986 Monkees resurgence.

During those Monkees desert years, as I like to call them, I was a member of three Monkees or Monkees related fan clubs:

The David Jones Fan Club

The Monkee, Boyce & Hart Action Club

The Monkees Unofficial Fan Club

When I first started writing to these clubs I was ten years old and I was a member of them probably until I was in early high school. Not only did you get the most current news on the by then solo Monkees activities but one also got to order older memorabilia cheaply as well as various photos, books and any other current solo group material.

I remember ordering Davy Jones 1978 UK single on Warner Bros. Records called “(Hey Ra Ra Ra) Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse”, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz “The Point” MCA UK album also from 1978 (see both below) as well as Micky Dolenz’ 1979 UK single “Love Light/Alicia” on Chrysalis Records.

(Note: the “Love Light/Alicia” came cracked in half so I never actually heard these songs until the 7a Records CD issue of Micky Dolenz’ “The MGM Singles Collection”)

I even managed to get some audience live recordings on cassette from a complete Davy Jones and Mickey Dolenz appearance at Rum Point from July 1977. While very lo-fi I have transferred this show to CD and it sounds pretty decent actually. Micky Dolenz sister Coco also appears with them and it’s a fun listen.

(Note 2: see my earlier blog post called “Monkees in the ‘7o’s – Solo Monkees/Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart – Artifacts, Music ands Rarities” for photos I purchased from these fan clubs)

At that time is was also pretty difficult to track down Monkees records as well as they were out of print by then (barring the 1976 release of “The Monkees Greatest Hits” on Arista Records) and used copies were hard to locate as I didn’t drive at that time and my local record stores didn’t have much Monkees recordings to chose from as well.

The main thing I remember about these fan club newsletters is that they did a very nice job of keeping you up on Monkees activities new and old and I absolutely loved getting them. Back then there was really no other outlet for Monkees news as the teen magazines had long past left The Monkees behind and Rolling Stone type magazines ignored the group as they were seen as completely uncool.

It’s amazing to me how much the Monkee revival of 1986 changed not only The Monkees media profile but it cemented their stature in pop culture. They were no longer seen as untalented has-beens but a very talented group of performers who produced some of the best pop music of the 1960s.

Anyway, this blog was just a brief reminder of how much the Internet has changed the way people find information and how much of a lifeline these fan clubs were to Monkees fans of the late 1970s/early ’80s.

Take a look at the photos above and below to see some of the newsletters as well as some of the vinyl I got that was advertised for sale in these letters.

That’s all for now. 

I hope your happy, well and healthy. See you soon and I hope you’re enjoying the pre-summer sun!

Some years are much more memorable than others; for various reasons. Sometimes you hit a certain age or celebrate a special event or sometimes even a special anniversary makes that particular year special.

Take 1986 for example.

The year 1986 in my mind is most memorable for the return of The Monkees. It was then, and still is now, hard to fathom the return of a group who at the time was considered a relic of the 1960s. The critical view of The Monkees as 1986 dawned was that a TV show that featured a fake group of mediocre talent that featured bubblegum music for preteens.

That of course was not my opinion but my peers at the time did not have much of a favorable opinion of the group or the show and didn’t even give them a second thought.

In fact, my first year of college started in the Fall of 1985 and as I put up some Monkees album covers on the wall of my dorm I can still see the look of bemusement and ridicule as my then unknown roommate scoffed out of our room and mumbled something about Led Zeppelin.

I however didn’t give two cents about anyone’s opinion, then or now (pardon the pun), and carried with me a love of all things Monkee and ‘60s pop music in general. I happily studied under the glow of the covers of the first five Monkees albums covers on my dorm room wall that entire semester.

As it turned out I only spent just the one semester on campus and returned to a local branch of that college in my hometown. This was the spring semester of 1986.

I had no idea that the mercurial winds of pop culture would conjure up a full-blown revival of The Monkees and their TV show that would forever cement the group as a true pop culture phenomenon that touched several generations.

It all began innocently enough with a marathon of Monkees TV episodes running on MTV in February of 1986 called “Pleasant Valley Sunday”.  I of course was thrilled as I hadn’t seen the series in many years as it hadn’t run on any of my local television stations.

I had no idea that a reunion tour featuring Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork had already been booked before this marathon so I was just basking in the glow of freshly recorded (on VHS tape of course) episodes of The Monkees series as well as reissue program of their albums on Rhino Records that had begun in 1985.

No one including The Monkees themselves could have anticipated the overwhelmingly positive response to the MTV airings which gave The Monkees 1986 reunion tour a boost that it never would have had if not for the MTV exposure.

MTV to those who weren’t there was THE place to see and hear music circa 1986. Starting in 1981, MTV became the major way to expose music and at that time it held a hugely powerful gripe on making and breaking musical acts of the time.

Little did the network know but their reruns of The Monkees television series would ignite a frenzy much similar to the group’s hottest year of 1967 in which millions of tickets and albums by The Monkees were sold and their concerts were filled with screaming fans.

I remember seeing in amazement the documentaries about The Monkees on MTV throughout the marathon and seeing the interviews with Dolenz in particular sitting in front of a set of drums talking about their upcoming reunion tour.

I was beside myself with the thought of The Monkees actually touring again after all these years; a twenty-year anniversary in 1986 seems so tame now that that is now well over thirty-five years ago.

What else could possibly make this Monkees renaissance better I remember thinking at time.

The answer to that question came in June of 1986 with the release of not only one brand new Monkees song (and single) called “That Was Then, This is Now” but two more new songs (“Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere” and “Kicks”) that were included on a new compilation album of Monkees hits called “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees”.

Now to say I was thrilled to hear new Monkees music after nearly sixteen years would be a major understatement but the with that the single “That Was Then, This is Now” hitting the Top Twenty and the “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” album selling over a million copies I was over the Monkees moon to say the least.

Well 1986 was a long time ago but the fire created that year around The Monkees both as TV show and group still burns to this day as The Monkees are now considered in a much more favorable light then they ever were before 1986.

So today I thought I’d share some of my “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” vinyl and CD copies to highlight the 1986 reunion madness.

I recall that the vinyl release of “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” came months before the expanded CD issue. I bought the vinyl the second it was issued and remember being so happy that the three new songs were solid and good and loved hearing “That Was Then, This is Now” on the radio.

As The Monkees reunion tour progressed and became bigger and bigger the need for a second single grew larger as another new song would be the perfect way to keep up the momentum that had been generated so far by the MTV exposure.

Much to my surprise instead of the logical choice of “Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere” as a follow-up single a newly remixed and drum enhanced mess of a mix of “Daydream Believer” was issued instead.

Although unknown to me at the time apparently there was a lot of behind the scenes drama with Davy Jones as he refused to participate in the reunion recordings (a beef with Arista Records and its president Clive Davis) and didn’t want a second new song issued.

Of course while the new remix of “Daydream Believer” did get a lot of screen time on MTV and its sister station VH1 it failed to chart anywhere near the Top Twenty and did in fact dull some of the momentum of this magnificent Monkees come-back.

My two vinyl pressings of the “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” (below) show the two different variations of the vinyl album that were released. The vinyl in the below photos shows the version with the original stereo mix of “Daydream Believer” including its iconic “7a” intro while the one shown above is a later issue that substitutes the new remix sans the “7a” dialog.

I have included the matrix of each and the one with the RE-1 etched in the wax on Side 2 is the remix version and ones without the RE-1 contain the original mix. Interestingly the one above is actually a further variation as it has the RE listed on the Side 2 label but not in the matrix number and still contains the original mix.

The first issue of the album doesn’t contain the RE on either the label or matrix number.

I’m not sure that the “RE-1” pressing of “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” which I just recently located is from a record club version as it has no record club markings that I can see. I read that only record club issues of this on vinyl contain the remix so either this is a record club pressing or a further variation. Interesting either way and still a fun collectible.

I have also included pictures of the longbox from the first issue CD as well and photos of a Japanese issue on CD that mirrors the track listing of the original US vinyl issue with the same tracks that are on the vinyl version.

I also threw in a picture of a groovy ad for the album from Billboard magazine which is fun to see.

Well, that’s all for now. Just a quick overview of 1986 in Monkeedom and the release of the terrific “Then and Now … The Best of The Monkees” album.

As usual enjoy the photos and of course take care and be well.

Until next time I hope you have a great week and hopefully have some sunshine which has been sorely lacking in these parts lately.

See you soon!

Fifty-six is such an odd number for an anniversary. Fifty and fifty-five I get but fifty-six is sort of awkward.

What am I babbling about? Well fifty-six years ago today The Monkees fifth consecutive (and last) Top Ten album was released on Colgems Records called “The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees”.

Since it’s such an odd anniversary I’m really going to call this blog a celebration of the album rather than just another anniversary post.

By early 1968 The Monkees were at the apex of their recording career. Their first four albums (“The Monkees”, “More of the Monkees”,”Headquarters” and “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.”) all hit the top of the Billboard 200 charts with each one selling well over a million copies.

In fact The Monkees were so hot that their first two albums sold over five million copies each while their third and fourth albums sold well over two million copies a piece. That’s A LOT of records to be sold and in such a short space of time between late 1966 through early 1968. It’s kind of mind boggling actually.

I won’t go into The Monkees complete history here, you can read several of my previous blog posts for more Monkees info, but needless to say their fifth album had some large shoes to fill.

By the time the group released “The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees” they had gone from doing mainly vocals only on the first two albums which were helmed by music supervisor Don Kirshner featuring the top studio musicians of the time to being a full-flegged recording and touring self-contained group.

(Note: To be fair, The Monkees were the cast of a TV show called “The Monkees” and were not actually a “group” at the outset of the project thus while they did indeed become a recording and performing group, at the beginning they were simply required to provide vocals for songs to be featured on their television show)

For their third record “Headquarters” things were switched up as the group were not only featured as vocalists but they managed to gain the right to provide their own instrumental work as well as and write a good portion of the songs on the album to boot.

Their fourth album “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.”, some say the group’s pinnacle as a recording act, was a mixed-mode album as group member Peter Tork liked to call it where they played some of the instruments while some were provided by the studio pros of the era though the group had more control of the material recorded.

Both of their third and fourth albums were produced by ex-Turtle member Chip Douglas and are now seen as two of the best albums the group ever created.

Their fifth album though saw the group sort of return to the Kirshner era in the sense that they used a lot of studio pros for the instrumental work but had more input in the material they recorded. The main thing that had changed since their last two albums is that while they had become a bona fide group on their last two albums they were basically solo acts within the structure of The Monkees by 1968.

(Note 2: Weirdly enough “The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees” is the only original studio album by The Monkees to feature two Top Ten hits – “Daydream Believer” from late 1967 and “Valleri”)

The main thing that hindered the success of the group’s fifth record is that their television show “The Monkees” was cancelled shortly after the album came out and most of the songs from the album were not featured on the show thus the exposure of the material was limited in comparison to their first four albums.

Though “The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees” did manage to eventually sell a million copies it only managed to climb to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and was seen as a step down from their previous work both commercially and artistically at the time of its release.

Another thing that may have hindered the albums success, relative to their previous albums, is that the group’s main audience liked the more pop oriented Monkees sound while by early 1968 the group wanted to record material more in line with the times.

Songs like “Writing Wrongs”, “Auntie’s Municipal Court” and “Magnolia Sims” for example, all Nesmith tunes, had a much more psychedelic sound and were far less accessible to a younger audience which may have alienated some of their fanbase at the time.

In hindsight it can be said that the album may have been too much of mixed bag for the younger crowd that bought Monkees records but over the years it has grown somewhat in esteem especially with the release of the Rhino box set a few years ago which featured some truly terrific outtakes recorded at the same time as the album material.

Personally I really love the quirkiness of the album and while not their best it’s still one heck of a good album and a fun time capsule of some classic mid-‘60s pop.

I remember first hearing my brother’s copy of the album from 1968 – at the tender age of two I might add – but I got my own copy of the album in 1971 when my mother bought me one that was in the discount bins at Kmart. Of course it was an original Colgems stereo copy which has now unfortunately seen better days.

Above and below I am sharing my current original copies – a first press stereo in the shrink, an original stereo UK pressing as well as a U.S. stereo promo copy.

Oddly enough though the Colgems copy in the shrink is near mint and never played until I opened it, it still has some distortion especially on “Daydream Believer” which is disappointing though it mainly sounds very good.

Surprisingly the UK stereo copy sounds very nice and maybe a tad better than the Colgems copy as it had no distortion at all throughout. My promo copy has the same issues that the other Colgems stereo copy has so to me the UK one is a winner sound wise.

Of course I’d love to have a Colgems mono copy but I have never seen one other than expensive copies on eBay. The mono mix has a lot more punch than the stereo and I consider it a must listen if you like this album.

Some of my favorites on the album include Davy Jone’s “Dream World”, “Daydream Believer” (a classic pop tune) and “The Poster” as well as the Dolenz sung “I’ll Be Back Upon My Feet” (pop perfection), “P. O. Box 9847”, “Zor and Zam” and “Auntie’s Municipal Court” (my favorite song on the album) plus Nesmith’s epic and utterly spooky “Writing Wrongs”.

“The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees” holds a strange place in the Monkees canon as it’s not quite the album that preceded it but I love it in its own right and after all this time it has become one of my favorite Monkees albums. 

If you really want a better handle of where The Monkees were at in 1968 the epic 3 CD box set of this album from Rhino Records from 2010 truly shows the great material the group were recoding at the time but was unfortunately passed over and remained unreleased for decades. If you can find one it’s well worth your time discovering the gems that lay hidden throughout that terrific set.

So today let’s celebrate the release of this quirky yet loveable album from fifty-six years ago. If you’ve never heard it then now’s the perfect time to discover it.

That’s all for now. Until next time be well and healthy and see you soon!

Let’s cast our minds back (those of us who can anyway) to the heady days of 1971. For me, my memories of 1971 are a bit hazy not only because 1971 was over fifty-three years ago but also because I was only five years old at the time.

Even as a five-year-old I was already a huge Monkees fan (you can read several of my previous blog posts on that subject) and oddly enough I remember a few vinyl albums that came out that year especially one called “Davy Jones” that was released on Bell Records.

Bell Records in 1971 was also the home of one of my other favorite music groups of the era, The Partridge Family, so I was well primed for an album sung by one of The Monkees that had a distinct Partridge Family feel.

At the time I had no idea of the connection between Davy Jones and The Partridge Family and Bell Records all I knew is that I loved this album and truly adored the first single from the album “Rainy Jane”.

In fact my mother bought me the 45 of “Rainy Jane” way before I received the album. I think because of the fact that I played the single so much that my older sister threatened to take it and break in into tiny pieces may have influenced my mother to buy the entire album for me a few months later for my sixth birthday in January of 1972.

(Note: Bell Records was owned by Columbia Pictures who had made both “The Monkees” and “The Partridge Family” TV shows. Bell Records owned their catalogs and released both The Monkees and The Partridge Family recordings thus the connection between the two.

The reason that the “Davy Jones” album sounded more like The Partridge Family then The Monkees was that in 1971 The Partridge Family and David Cassidy, the show’s main draw, were big business and selling records at a phenomenal pace.

The producer of the “Davy Jones” album (Jackie Mills) also produced records by Bobby Sherman who was also a teen idol and huge at that time – thus the Partridge/teen idol sound of the “Davy Jones” lp, much to Davy Jones displeasure.)

So what do I remember of the “Davy Jones” album?

Well I remember that I thought at the time that it was good, very good in fact. I loved side one of the record but even at that age I thought it was a slight step down from The Monkees albums; very good but not great.

For some reason to this day I remember every note from side one of the album but I must have played side two a lot less as those songs don’t stick in my memory as much. 

In fact the highlights of the album, for me, are all on side one with “Road to Love”, “Rainy Jane” and “Look at Me” being the standouts. “Look at Me” in particular is a haunting song that grows even more poignant with age. Written by Bread’s David Gates, who also wrote “Saturday’s Child” for The Monkees first album, this song is one of my all-time favorite songs from that era by anyone.

Also after hearing the opening track “Road to Love” I have an overwhelming feeling of hope; the remembrance of the hope of a child listening to this song for the first time. The sound of this track on this CD is worth the price of admission for sure.

Also, I do remember that the song “Say it Again” was featured in an episode of The Partridge Family but sung by then teens Andy and David Williams in a dreadful performance which makes Davy Jones version stand out even more.

Now, finally, here’s where 7a Records comes in.

This week I received their loving reissue of the “Davy Jones” album and I have to say as usual 7a Records has hit it out of the park. This CD sounds and looks great and contains some truly terrific liner notes.

The liner notes from this reissue give you a good feel of where Davy Jones was at in 1971 musically and his frustration with being saddled with what he considered weaker material and the teen idol type production of the times.

(Note 2: Two songs Davy Jones recorded as demos for Bell Records, “Man We Was Lonely” and “King Lonely the Blue”, were included on a previous 7a Records release called “Manchester Boy – Personal File”. These two songs which contained a much grittier, more adult pop/rock sound is the approach that Jones wanted to go with this Bell Records album before it was taken over by the Jackie Mills production. 

There’s also a demo version of “Rainy Jane” for Bell Records produced in the same adult vein that smokes the Bell version but I still really love the Bell version as well. It’s too bad Davy Jones wasn’t allowed to take his music to a wider audience but this album still has its charms.)

I’ve reviewed a previous CD reissue of the “Davy Jones” album on this blog, a Blu-Spec issue from Japan, which was itself preceded by a wonderful CD release of this album on the Friday Music label. That first CD issue happened to have been put out with the co-operation of Davy Jones himself before he passed and has the same bonus tracks that are featured on this new 7a release.

Seeing as how the master tapes of the “Davy Jones” album are supposedly missing I don’t think the true US masters have ever been used to reissue this album. It sounds like the Friday Music CD was mastered from a vinyl source, though I don’t know for sure, and possibly the Blu-Spec CD from Japan on Arista came from a Japanese master for the album from the ’70s from Sony in Japan.

I think I read that this new 7a Records version comes from the Japanese master of “Davy Jones” so that would account for its lovely sound. I’d say that of the three CD versions of this album released that this one sounds the best. A slight improvement over the Japanese Blu-Spec CD with a bit fuller sound and a lovely bass sound on most tracks.

(Note 3: in my review of the Blu-Spec CD I wrote of the superior sound of the Arista Japanese CD as compared to the Friday Music version. I don’t know if it’s a case of the same source with better mastering or if it indeed came from a submaster from Japan but the Blu-Spec was crisper and sharper and this new 7a Records sounds much like that Arista blu-spec CD.)

I don’t know the source of the bonus tracks but they too sound great on all issues of this material so they may come from master tapes sources from Sony but I’m not sure.

All I can say is that this new CD version by 7a Records gets my vote for sound and packaging and is a great way to discover or rediscover this album.

Here’s the track list below and note that this reissue includes the classic song “Girl” which most boomers or fans of The Brady Bunch will remember from that classic Brady Bunch episode where Marcia gets Davy to go the prom with her.

Here’s the track list of the new 7a Records release:

1. Road To Love
2. How About Me
3. Singin’ To The Music
4. Rainy Jane
5. Look At Me
6. Say It Again
7. I Really Love You
8. Love Me For A Day
9. Sitting In The Apple Tree
10. Take My Love
11. Pretty Little Girl
12. Welcome To My Love

Bonus Tracks:

13. Girl (Mono)
14. I’ll Believe In You (Mono)
15. Take My Love (Mono)
16. Road To Love (Mono)
17. How About Me (Mono)
18. I Really Love You (Mono)

I don’t have the groovy colored vinyl version of this album that 7a Records has issued (yet) but I’m sure it’s just as good as the CD version and well worth adding to your collection if your a Davy Jones/Monkees fan or a fan of early ’70s pop.

Well, that’s all for now.

As usual take a look above at photos of this new 7a Records reissue. I can’t say anything more positive than listening to this CD put a smile on my face and you can’t put a price on that especially in the times we are living in now.

Be well and healthy and until next time, see you soon.

Hello dear friends on this bright sunny afternoon, at least in my neck of the woods.

Today I thought I’d share with you some groovy new CDs that managed to find their way to my mailbox just this very week. These aren’t you’re standard CDs mind you, they contain DTS Dolby Atmos mixes of the recently released Beatles collections “1962-1966” and “1967-1970”.

Of course by this time these Atmos mixes are probably old hat to a big section of Beatles fandom but as usual I have one foot in the old world and one foot in the new and do not stream in Atmos but do have the ability to play Atmos mixes now that I recently bought a new sound bar for my TV that’s capable of playing them.

Since I don’t really stream much music I’ve never had the opportunity to partake of any of the Beatles Dolby Atmos mixes but am gleefully playing catch-up as the Dolby Atmos mixes from the Beatles Deluxe box sets from a few years ago sound terrific.

I was wondering if it might be time to break down and get a streaming subscription somewhere to hear the new “1962-1966” and “1967-1970” Atmos mixes but alas I struck physical gold. I stumbled upon these two new double CD sets on the Voo Doo Records label that contain the new Atmos mixes of these albums thus no need for a subscription (for now anyway) which makes it much less of a hassle to hear them.

I do wish Apple (The Beatles company) would change their mind and issue this material on a blu-ray disc but apparently that’s not going to happen as sales I’m guessing don’t warrant it. And that’s too bad as I have to say that after hearing these two sets this is the way to hear these new mixes.

(Note: I can’t say where I found these sets but if you look hard enough online you’ll find them)

For starters the dynamics of the music on both of these sets is much improved over their CD counterparts. The music breathes more and is less hard on the ears but does let the listener discover aspects of the songs that you can’t hear on the regular stereo mix.

Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed the 2023 CD versions of the “1962-1966” and “1967-1970” sets but from now on I’ll probably reach for these two new DTS sets which are much more pleasant to listen to while also making the music sound more engaging and satisfying.

Even the strange new 2023 mix of “I Am the Walrus” is less jarring on the Atmos mix as you can hear the end dialogue more clearly than the regular stereo mix which makes this crazy new mix more enjoyable, at least for me anyway.

Of course listening to Dolby Atmos though my TV’s soundbar system may make these new mixes sound more quiet than through my stereo as this set-up isn’t quite as powerful as my receiver but these Atmos mixes nonetheless still sound really impressive and are much more fun to listen to than the regular CDs.

Of the two sets I’d have to say I prefer the Atmos mixes of the “1967-1970” set as the later material seems to be better suited to surround sound but the second disc of the “1962-1966” set isn’t far behind.

The first disc of “1962-1966” is fun but didn’t sound as engaging as the early material didn’t stray too far into an expansive surround feeling as much as the later material did. There were a few songs that sounded really different but for the most part the Atmos version of the earliest material didn’t sound too different from the stereo mix.

Overall though I truly enjoyed these Dolby Atmos mixes and am so happy to have them in disc form. Once Dolby Atmos is easier to access online I may bite the bullet and try some steaming but it seems that getting Atmos to work though my TV soundbar was more of chore online that on a disc format through my 4k blu-ray player.

Besides as this blog is all about physical media how fitting to have found a physical format for these sets. I own one other Voo-Doo Records release and I have to say that the cover and packaging are superb as well as the disc artwork – love that Apple label! Very well done and top notch sound makes these CD sets a true treasure for fans of physical media.

As usual you can see photos of these two sets above and judge the quality of the packaging for yourself. As far as the sound well if you get a hold of these discs I’m sure you won’t be disappointed as long as you have a disc player (more than likely a blu-ray player) that plays DTS and a system that can play Dolby Atmos.

That’s all for now. I hope you are healthy and well and until next time enjoy your day and listen to some music!!!

See you soon.

 

Today I’m going to introduce a new series of posts here called “From the Underground”. 

These “From the Underground” posts will consist of looking at CDs I’ve garnered over the years that are “gray market” or what’s more commonly known as bootleg CDs. Bootlegs have been around in the music industry for decades but it wasn’t until the late 1980s, and the advent of the compact disc, that bootlegs began to rival the sound of official discs/recordings.

Some bootlegs of course were decent but most of them left a lot to be desired at least sound wise. It was the rare content of these bootlegs that drew fans in even though the sound may have been really dodgy.

Starting in 1988 with the release of the epic and stunning sounding collections of Beatles outtakes known as “Ultra Rare Trax” (Volume 1 and  Volume 2)” the world of bootlegs took a major leap up as far as sound was concerned as these two CDs were fresh from the original Beatles sessions tapes and to this day are THE best sounding glimpses of The Beatles at work in the recording studio.

These collections of mostly stereo outtakes consisted of The Beatles playing live in the studio without any noise reduction or compression; just the raw studio tapes in pristine sound. These first two “Ultra Rare Trax” collections were soon followed by numerous follow-ups that flooded the collectors world with a treasure trove of unreleased Beatles material.

Following the release of the “Ultra Rare Trax” series the market was flooded with CDs of stunning quality of not only Beatles recording sessions but their BBC performances as well as a host of terrific sounding live recordings.

Suffice to say that The Beatles camp and their record company were none too pleased about the release of this material. The fact that these discs sounded better than some of the official Beatles releases really made The Beatles and EMI (their record label) stand up and take notice with an eye to combat the bootleggers.

Because of that flood of quality bootleg material from the 1988 to 1993 CD era The Beatles decided to release their own official releases from their archives. The three Beatles “Anthology” CD sets from 1995 and 1996 were meant to address the leakage of all the unissued Beatles material and improve on the sound quality from the bootleg releases.

While the “Anthology” series was indeed a goldmine for unreleased Beatles material there were still a lot of older bootlegs that had better sound and more material than could ever be issued officially.

This is where today’s post comes in. Today I’m sharing four CDs that contain some of my favorite Beatles live recordings, some of which have come out officially, that have stood the test of time and offer something special for those who want some of the better Beatles live recordings that are out there.

The four CDs I’ve chosen today include:

The Beatles – “Stars of ’63” (Swinging Pig label) – A complete Swedish radio show that features one of the best ever recorded early Beatles performances that also features truly inspired performances from the group with a somewhat unique setlist

The Beatles – “The Ultimate Live Collection” (Yellow Dog label) – A 2 CD set that features four different and excellent Beatles live performances: Indianapolis 1964, Philadelphia 1964 and two shows from 1965 in Houston, Texas

The Beatles – “Hollywood Bowl Complete” – (Yellow Dog label) – This CD features a complete 1964 Beatles show at the Hollywood Bowl in mono from an original Capitol Records acetate and a complete 1965 show from the same venue in stereo plus three bonus live tracks from 1964 from television appearances.

The Beatles – “Shea!/Candlestick Park” – (Spank Records) – Two of the more significant Beatles live performances, 1965’s first Shea Stadium appearance (though just the soundtrack to the 1966 TV special and not the raw audio) and The Beatles last ever live appearance before a paying audience at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park in 1966

These four CDs offer a lot of great Beatles live material that’s not available elsewhere or in better sound than the official release counterparts.

For example most of the “Stars of ’63” appearance made its way to an official release on 1995’s “Anthology 1” but here the performance is complete, with an interview, and in better sound. I love the way this unofficial release sparkles while the same songs featured on “Anthology 1” are a bit flatter sounding with less punch.

The “Ultimate Live Collection” features four of my favorite Beatles live recordings including one captured in my home state of Indiana from September of 1964. Each one of the shows on this set sound very good to excellent and while there’s not a great deal of variation of the setlists they are all really solid and enjoyable live shows that are a must for any true Beatles fan.

The “Hollywood Bowl Complete” CD is special because even though some of these performances were issued on the terrific sounding 2016 “Live at the Hollywood Bowl”, which was remixed by Giles Martin, the two shows on this CD feature the original mixes Capitol Records created for their aborted attempts at an issue of this live material.

It’s so nice to be able to hear what these shows would have sounded like on a Capitol vinyl album from the 1960s and this CD is the nearest you’re ever going to get. Plus these two shows are complete and the “Live at the Hollywood Bowl” CD is a mixture of different performances from different nights.

And last but not least, the “Shea!/Candlestick Park” CD contains my favorite sounding issue of The Beatles final show from 1966. Granted the recording is lower fidelity than the other shows I’ve mentioned as it was recorded with a handheld cassette recorder from in front of the stage by The Beatles press officer but it still sounds good and is a fun listen.

To me it’s the most exciting 1966 Beatles live recording (much more animated than the 1966 Japan shows) and probably the most historic Beatles show as it was their very last one. I must say I listen to this show more than the others as I really enjoy the energy The Beatles give in this performance and I love the feeling that they are having fun and putting their best into this performance.

So there you have it. Just a look at some of my favorite underground releases and the first in a series of these blog posts that will highlight some of the hidden gems that have made it to the compact disc medium oh so  long ago now in the late ’80s and early ’90s.

That’s all for now. 

Until next time be well and healthy and Happy Spring (almost!)

Sixty freakin’ years. That’s a long time but some things are definitely worth remembering.

Today marks the 60th anniversary of the day The Beatles first performed on the Ed Sullivan Show on the CBS network and as usual there’s a lot of media coverage both online as well as traditional TV coverage.

It seems like only yesterday I was celebrating the 50th anniversary of this event (where did those ten years go???) and now that sixty years have passed it’s kind of mind-blowing that The Beatles are still so much a part of the American psyche that this long ago appearance is still making headlines.

It goes without saying that The Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was a sort of Big Bang moment for the current rock era at least in the U.S. After that appearance the modern age of Rock music was born and along with it fashion and social norms for a new generation.

I’ve spoken before about my feelings of seeing the Ed Sullivan appearances as a second generation fan who can only look back through video footage and print coverage but even through second-hand exposure I totally got the feeling of this being something special.

Now in today’s media landscape of anything goes the Ed Sullivan Show appearances probably seem quaint and tame but to me there’s still an energy and excitement to these Beatle performances that transcends time.

Oh well, I won’t blather on but it is a significant event and something well worth celebrating. If you’ve never seen The Beatles Sullivan performances that night do a search online as they can easily be found. Here’s to an anniversary well worth celebrating – Happy 60 Beatles Sullivan Show!

On the other Beatles topics – my recent Beatles finds.

A couple of weeks ago I found a few really nice things that I was surprised to see as they usually don’t pop up in my search through antique stores. The one that really made me smile was a still sealed CD copy of a U.S. first issue of “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” from 1987 in its original longbox with the added bonus of a sticker on the back saying the CD was made in West Germany!

(Note: West Germany Beatles CDs are early pressings sought out by some collectors as they say they sound a bit better than the standard US issues.)

I have a longbox version of this very CD but my original store bought copy was made in the U.S. In fact I don’t recall ever seeing one of the original Beatles 1987 CDs with this small info sticker so I was really elated to find it. I haven’t seen a sealed longbox Beatles CD in well over thirty years and because this CD was very cheap of course I had to buy it.

(Note 2: has it really been that long since CDs came out – ouch!)

The same week I bought that lovely “Sgt. Pepper” CD I also came across a pressing of The Beatles 1964 Capitol album called “Something New” (stereo) which was the last vinyl issue of this album before being deleted because of the CD issues of Beatles albums.

This purple label with the C1 prefix sounds way better than the original 1964 pressings and is dead quiet. It’s definitely the best sounding vinyl version of this album that I own and the fact it was near mint in the shrink, and again pretty inexpensive, was a great bonus.

These C1 pressings are the way to hear the Capitol Beatles albums as they just sound terrific.

The last thing I stumbled on was an oddball Vee Jay record again from 1964 called “Jolly What! The Beatles and Frank Ifield On Stage”. I found this slightly worn mono copy for $6 dollars in a stack of old records from the same time frame.

I have never actually owned a copy of this album and despite the cover having a slight water stain on the rear the record was in very good shape and plays great! It is a fairly odd record though and the Frank Ifield songs are certainly an acquired taste but it is an iconic record that I’ve seen in price guides for decades so finally finding one this inexpensive was a great way to start 2024!

As usual you can see photos above (some classic U.S. 1964 Capitol Beatles albums on vinyl as well as CD) and below (the newly acquired Beatles goodies).

That’s all for now.

Until next time I hope you are healthy and well and today is the perfect time to either slap on a copy of “Meet the Beatles” (in whatever format you own) or watch the 1964 Ed Sullivan Beatles performances and take a trip back in time away from the weird and stressful times of 2024.

To say that November 22, 1963 is a day that has been burned into history is putting it mildly.

Not only was November 22, 1963 the day that The Beatles issued their second long-player in the United Kingdom, an album that truly ignited Beatlemania, it was also the day that President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Looking back it seems like such a weird juxtaposition of joy and terror. Kids in Britain were exploding with anticipation of the latest Beatles release while people in the States were greeted with a tidal wave of horror and disillusionment that sadly has permeated the political and social landscape to this very day in my opinion.

How odd to have the candle of youth and vitality and hope distinguished so brutally by the winds of change (and an assassin) whilst in another breath the youth of the 1960s was galvanized by four lads from Liverpool that took the mantle of hope that JFK represented and began breaking down barriers socially and politically which led a generation on a quest for meaning and a desire for personal freedom.

Heady stuff certainly. And certainly low these sixty years later that powder keg of excitement and vitality that was lit by the music on “With the Beatles” still reverberates with all the energy and power it possessed on that far away day in November.

As a second generation fan who was born in 1966, it was ironically the early Beatles and the “Meet the Beatles” album (the American version of “With the Beatles”) that drew me toward the group and made me a fan.

I distinctly remember walking around the record section of a local Sears store in 1975, yes Sears sold records back then, and spending about an hour gazing at the cover of “Meet the Beatles” and “The Beatles’ Second Album” while my mother was shopping and being transfixed by images on the covers.

By this time in 1975 long hair was the norm yet their was still something different about these guys. They had an aura of excitement and yet an oddness that reached out to me even twelve years after these songs were originally recorded.

I had never seen this unique mixture of cool and strangeness (the suits and long hair was weird to me in 1975) plus there was just a magnetism that leap off of these record covers that drew to discover what the music was inside.

Shortly thereafter a few weeks later I received both albums, courtesy of my grandmother, and thus began my life-long love, some would say obsession, with The Beatles’ music.

Sure I was already familiar with The Beatles hits like “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You”, both on these records, but the pure power and force of Lennon’s vocals on songs like “It Won’t Be Long”, “You Really Got a Hold on Me” and especially “Money (That’s What I Want)” were even by 1975 standards so gutsy and vital that I had to hear more.

In the next few years I obtained most of The Beatles US albums followed a few years later by the British pressings. As they say it was the beginning of it all for me as far as my love of The Beatles music was concerned. Because I started listening to the early Beatles first I never felt like a second generation fan as I was discovering their music almost in order of release and marveling at each new twist and turn their music would make on the later albums.

So even after listening to “With the Beatles” and its US cousin “Meet the Beatles” for well over forty years myself I still find the music on them fresh and vital and something that stands outside of time for me.

So in celebration, above and below are some photos of the favorite issues I own of the “With the Beatles” album. The tattered and well-loved copy mono of this album pictured here is a first issue UK mono copy that I found in a flea market in the early 1980s and the first original UK pressing of any Beatles album I ever owned.

Despite the cover looking like it has been chewed up and spit out the vinyl itself sounds great and beyond a few pops and clicks retains all the energy and power as the day it was bought in the UK back in 1963.

There is a slight skip on “Roll Over Beethoven” but I have read that these first 1N copies (the number stamped in the matrix on the inner groove of the record) had this same skip on some or most copies so it was quickly withdrawn and redone. I see no visible scratch on any of the tracks on this album so I’m guessing it was one of the bad copies from this first issue.

I’ve also pictured my first CD pressing of “With the Beatles” that was made in West Germany plus my favorite stereo version of this album on CD the SHM-CD mini-lp version made in Japan.

And last but not least I have a photo of my favorite sounding US pressing of “Meet the Beatles” as this US version of the album was the start of Beatlemania in the States after its release in December of 1963 on Capitol Records.

Anyway, so happy 60th anniversary to one monumental record and to one of my all-time favorite records not only by The Beatles but by anyone.

Take some time and reflect on or maybe discover some of the truly wonderful music that’s contained in this album and maybe you can find a minute or tow of pleasure that will take you away ever so briefly from the troubled world of 2023.

As usual take a gander at the photos above and below and until next time I hope you are healthy and well and have a most Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow if you’re reading from this somewhere in the United States.

See you soon!