Monkees HEAD from Rhino Handmade (Part two)

While we're on the subject of Do-It-Yourself discs, here's a track list for anyone who wants to make their own additional disc of music for their "Head" set (just using official-release sources)....

Porpoise Song - Listen to the Band mix
Ditty Diego - mono film mix
Circle Sky (live) - mono film mix
Can You Dig It - Hit Factory version (standard mix, but fades out)
As We Go Along - mono film mix
Daddy's Song - Music Box edit
Happy Birthday To You - mono film mix
Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again - mono film mix

REALLY OBSESSIVE BONUS TRACKS!!!
Porpoise Song - mono promo edit
Porpoise Song - By Request version (fades in, with coda)
Porpoise Song - Hit Factory version (fades in, no coda)
Ditty Diego (session) - 1994 edit
Ditty Diego (LP version) / Porpoise Song (LTTB mix) - crossfade from 1994 promo CD
Circle Sky (live) - Missing Links 2 mix (same as Music Box, LTTB, etc?)
Circle Sky (live) / Happy Birthday (1994 mix) - crossfade from 1994 Head CD
Head promos (Coming Soon / Now Playing) - 1994 edit
Head dialog / Theme From The Monkees - edit from 1994 promo CD

Perhaps throw in even more official radio or record promos. Or the entire "33 & 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee" special. Lots of possibilities here, so enjoy.

 

Well it's better than saying it's "Toppy" as a Brit might say!

 

Bright, as in too many high frequencies in the mix/mastering.
The Roundhouse set was extremely bright. Almost painful.

 

OK, thanks for cluing me in one what "bright" meant.

Now, can you explain the meaning of life?

 

I didn't think it was bright at all or too compressed. It sounded great for a change. IMHO it's the best sounding Monkees remaster.

 

In high school, one of my band brothers wrote this on the blackboard:
"Life is like life, but more life-like".

I should have said to him "sounds like a lot of supernatural baloney to me".

 

Could someone answer two questions for me? I'm still on the fence about this set.

1. Are there really any significant differences in the mono mix of Porpoise Song when compared to the stereo version? (A lot of the mono mixes on the previous sets didn't really sound that different to me)

2. Are the vocals to Circle Sky just as buried in the mono version?

Thanks, really want to consider getting this set.

 

1) From The Monkees Mixography site: The mono single mix "favors one of Micky's double tracked vocals; the spots out of sync are not as noticable." If that's not different enough, the additional mono "rough mix" is markedly different, with Micky's vocals well upfront (you even hear him clearing his throat a bit before he starts singing!), and no backing vocals from Davy.
2) There are four studio mixes of Circle Sky on this set. The album version with buried vocals, and the alternate/audible vocal version each have a stereo and mono mix. In addition, the live version is a different mix to what you hear on the 1994 remaster.
I hope that helps.

 

That helps a lot. What is still not clear to me is if the Circle Sky mono version vocals are just as buried as the original stereo album version. Thanks much.

 

The first mono mix on Disc 2 has the audible/reverb vocals from the Monkee Flips/Missing Links 3 version (which is a stereo bonus track on Disc 1), while the second mono mix has the buried vocals similar to the stereo album version. Both are authentic mono mixes from 1968. Sorry for any confusion.

 

Thanks, I knew I saw it somewhere.

Darryl

 

Thank You dasjr.

 

I just got my box - undamaged, thankfully. Wasn't there supposed to be a 45 rpm single included with the box?

 

Yes, inside the box set, on top of the liner notes. Have you opened your box yet?

 

My copy arrived in yesterday's mail. The back of the padded mailer was kind of battered, so I was a little concerned about the condition of the contents. Happily, everything was perfectly intact. And, I love how the bar code was on a sticker on the shrink wrap and not the box itself.

Now if I can only find the time to play the discs!

 

I've had the opportunity to listen to the first two discs. The problem with this type of collection is that there is quite a bit of the "curiosity". For example, the last track of disc one is 20 plus minutes of the Monkees going over and over the ditty diego bit. It was interesting for the first five minutes, tiring by minute ten and "I want to kill myself" boring by minute twenty. I am quite sure I will never listen to that track again. And that's over a quarter of the disc.

Having said that, many of the tracks are unfamiliar enough to make for a fun listen. The Circle Sky tracks are mixed differently enough that I think I like one of the alternate mixes better than the album version.

And the alternate singer tracks are always fun.

But the biggest problem with this set is that there are only six core songs. Creating a three CD package (plus extras) is really pushing it.

The packaging is very cool. The mylar cover really brought me back to my childhood. I remember listening to the album while looking at myself and bending the cover for a "funhouse mirror" view of my seven year old face. Although I can't bend the box - still very cool. Perfect replica of the original cover. The booklet is quite good.

I have yet to listen to the interview disc. And today I'm going to dig my turntable out of mothballs to spin the single (which I am really looking forward to).

 

I played the first two discs at a pretty high volume and I think they sound quite good. There were a few tracks here and there that were harsh but they were ALL non studio/music tracks. All of the studio recordings sound just fine.

In short - nice job.

 

Not preaching here, just applying some rationale. The Ditty Diego session is not there as filler. It's there because it's a rare artifact that brings all four guys interacting as a unit. Nothing scripted other than the song (if you want to call it that). There's not much record of these guys not acting as their characters. It's just them being themselves. So I wouldn't necessarily call it a piece of curiosity, more like a piece of history. And Jack Nicholson directs the fiasco which makes it even more fun. You can see the piece unfold and the creative process that made it. The one on the Headquarters session set is equally amazing.

 

Head sounds hissy!

Is it me, or is there just a terrible amount of hiss on these recordings? I think the other recent releases sound much, much better.

I've got to say that I wasn't expecting much from this set.. and I wasn't disappointed. There was very little on here that I didn't aleady have or heard. The music isn't really worth the $$$, but the packaging is terrific!

And Rhino better figure out how to package the button correctly. It scratched the hell out of my Disc 1 jacket. Keep the button next time and make sure the contents aren't damaged!

Just my $.02.

 

I don't know if these links have been posted already, but these sites dedicated to 'Head' are pretty detailed about the production of the film and are pretty extensive about the deleted scenes and break-downs on the movie.

http://www.sotcaa.net/head.html

http://www.brilton.net/html/i/monkees_head_outtakes.html

 

Did you pre-order the box ? If not, I believe only pre-orders were to receive the 45.

 

My box just arrived and was miraculously unscathed. Nice envelope, Rhino. One of the corners had exploded - ugh. Lint Fest '10.

Off the break the seal and give it a spin!

 

The HEAD boxed set bonus 45.

I would say that all first pressings of the HEAD collection include the 45.

I'm no Kate Columbo (although I do love a mystery...), but let's look at the facts:

1. The 45 comes sealed inside the box. This tells us that all copies of the first production run have it. (As Rhino had no idea how many copies of the set would be pre-ordered, they obviously just pressed up enough singles to more than cover themselves.)

2. The single is *still* being offered at part of the box - more than a week after its release.

Feel free to draw your own conclusions, but to those of you who "didn't receive the single", open the box and you'll probably find it.

Below is a screen shot of the set at Rhino - captured on Nov. 5, 2010 - more than a week after the release of the title. As you can clearly see, the single is still being offered.

The other picture is an ad from Rhino's main page. It clearly shows the single. (The ad still says "preorder", but the set's own page lists it as "available now".)

 

I agree with Mr. Schneider. It's really cool IMHO to be able to hear the guys talking to each other as the co-workers (the "guys at work" like they engraved on the watch they gave to Peter when he quit) that they were. It also emphasizes that though the finished product is something enjoyable, it's likely a tedious process to reach that final state. I love hearing how they keep flubbing things, and how truly goofy things get as they keep trying. I guess it just feeds that part of me who longs to be an "insider."

 

I do know one thing tho..Peter is annoying as hell!