New Monkees Release from Friday Music

Available July 24th:

THE MONKEES Instant Replay (180 Gram RED Audiophile Vinyl/Limited Edition /Gatefold Cover)

In 1969, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz went back to the studio as a trio this time and recorded the classic Instant Replay album.  Noted for their hit single Tear Drop City,this masterwork also found The Monkees reuniting with the production team of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart for several of the tracks as well as previous team Monkees writers like Carole King and Neil Sedaka, and highly touted producers like Bones Howe (The Association/Tom Waits) and Shorty Rogers and resulted in some of the finest collaborations ever with this superstar act.  Instant Replay also offered the first look at Michael Nesmith’s experimental and groundbreaking recording sessions in Nashville as well as solid compositions from all three Monkees.

Opening up with the pop rocker Through The Looking Glass, Micky Dolenz is on top of his game vocally with a brilliant background of horns, Bobby Hart on piano and guitar work by legends Keith Allison (Paul Revere & The Raiders) and Gerry McGee (The Ventures/John Mayall).  A major fan favorite, this classic was performed at many of the reunion concerts over the years.

The late great Davy Jones belts out another Boyce and Hart classic with the haunting balladDon’t Listen To Linda.  The tune truly resonated with the fans back then and continues to be one of the more appreciated classics in his long list of time tested Monkees favorites.

Carole King and Gerry Goffin’s I Won’t Be The Same Without Her features a strong vocal performance by Michael Nesmith and the stunning guitar work of both Monkees’ Peter Tork and Glen Campbell.  A real summer time feeling song, this track would be a nice bridge to Micky Dolenz’s orchestral masterpiece Just A Game.

It is no secret that Michael Nesmith was a fan of country music, but also lauded as one of the first pioneers of the country rock genre, not only with his contributions to the earlier Monkees’ recordings as far back as Papa Gene’s Blues, even for other noted artists like Linda Ronstadt for whom he penned her first smash single Different Drum.  For the Instant Replay album, Nesmith ventured to Nashville’s RCA Studios and cut Don’t Wait For Me, the first released tune from his now famous Nashville sessions. With the fusion of country studio players and the voice and guitar of Michael Nesmith, The Monkees again were on the forefront of this new genre and would continue with this groundbreaking sound ever more so into future classics like The Monkees Present (FRM 117)

As the sixties would come to a close, Davy Jones would also contribute his major impact on the generation with his truly hip and psychedelic masterpiece You And I.  Noted for its hard rock opening to Side Two, the track also features the stunning lead guitar textures of Neil Young who recently departed with The Buffalo Springfield. Again, another historic element of this album, which once again proves The Monkees were the real deal.

Mike Nesmith’s While I Cry is one of the artist’s finest compositions of the era.  With some very beautiful acoustic guitar work and help from artists like Harry Nilsson, this ballad would truly become one of the more enduring songs from this 1969 classic Monkees album.

Neil Sedaka and Carol Bayer Sager contribute one of the classiest ballads on the LP with The Girl I Left Behind Me.  Once again, the late great Davy Jones provides a superstar vocal second to none, with a soulful orchestra fill and band setting featuring the production and skillful piano work of Neil Sedaka himself.

Micky Dolenz always one of the more intriguing writers of the band would close out the album with his classic Shorty Blackwell. The whimsical tale of Micky’s cat and a somewhat nod to his friends The Beatles’ A Day In The Life, Shorty Blackwell would take almost a year to record and feature a bevy of the original wrecking crew of Hollywood’s finest musicians like Jim Gordon (Derek & The Dominoes/Traffic), Tommy Tedesco on guitar and even his sister Coco Dolenz on vocals. This track along with the other eleven tunes make this one of the more enduring and loved albums in the superior catalog Monkees classics.

Friday Music is once again very honored to announce the continuation of The Monkees Friday Music 180 Gram Audiophile Series with the re-release of their 1969 masterwork Instant Replay.Mastered by Joe Reagoso (The Monkees/Elvis Presley/Brian Wilson) from the original Colgems Records tapes at Friday Music Studios, this first time audiophile vinyl release is also for a very short time being offered in limited edition red vinyl as well as a first time gatefold cover presentation.

The Monkees….Instant Replay…First Time 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl Release….LIMITED EDITION RED VINYL…..from your friends at Friday Music…..Through The Looking Glass!

Available September 25th:

DAVY JONES  Girl b/w Rainy Jane (45 RPM RED Audiophile Vinyl/Limited Edition/Picture Sleeve)

When The Monkees released their final studio album Changes (Friday Music 119) for Colgems Records in 1970, the legendary Davy Jones soon signed on with Bell Records to record his second solo album simply titled Davy Jones(Friday Music 6067 as The Bell Recordings 1971-72)

Produced by Jackie Mills (Bobby Sherman), the Davy Jones album featured the superstar reunion with original Monkees songwriter friend Neil Sedaka, who penned the amazing first hit single from the album called Rainy Jane.  This early seventies pop music gem truly showcased Davy’s brilliant vocal delivery, as the tune immediately charted upon its release and helped further the entertainers career as a much in demand solo artist to his millions of fans around the globe.

A year later…..well…let’s just say his appearance on the Getting Davy Jones episode of The Brady Bunch  television show surely changed Davy’s fortunes once again.  His performance of his immortal hit Girl would go on to become a permanent fixture in pop music and television history.  This brilliant piece of music manna will forever be etched in the minds of fans as one of his most popular signature tunes.  A masterful tune composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimble (Love American Style), the original Bell Records version of Girl is one of the hardest 45 RPM records to find anywhere.  Used copies sell for hundreds of dollars, but that has all been changed now…..

Friday Music is honored to announce the classic pairing of the super rare Davy Jones Bell Records singles Girl andRainy Jane on a stunning red colored 45 RPM audiophile vinyl.  Remastered from the original Bell Records tapes by long time Monkees friend and fan Joe Reagoso (The Monkees/Davy Jones) with Kevin Gray, this limited edition release also comes with a very nice two sided picture sleeve which features the album cover photos from his 1971Davy Jones album, as well as the Bell Records label elements not seen in years.

Available October 30th:

THE MONKEES  Justus (180 Gram CLEAR Audiophile Vinyl/Limited Editon/Gatefold Cover)

In 1996, after a thirty year hiatus as a quartet, the original Monkees Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork went back to the studio and recorded what would ultimately be their final studio project, the Justus album.  Noted for their return to the studio and touring around the legendary release, this final work also found The Monkees as the sole musicians, vocalists, writers and production team for all of the tracks assembled for the recording.  The results truly showed one of the more organically produced albums ever from their superstar catalog of fine recordings.

Originally an idea spearheaded by Michael Nesmith, the Justus album was conceptual in nature almost mirroring  the original idea behind their classic Headquarters album, which like Justus, showcased these four musical talents as a team and offered no single track to radio but instead a full musical album listening experience.

Opening up with a new take on Circle Sky, Michael Nesmith is on top of his game  with this metal-like rocker originally from Head.  Featuring a wall of loud guitars, retro lyrics and chorus, this classic track was performed at the reunion concerts around this album, and once again reemphasized the importance of the original quartet setting, making this a great intro track.

Davy Jones belts out one of his finest compositions with the uptempo groove of  Oh, What  A Night.  The tune truly resonated with the fans back then and continues to be one of the more appreciated classics in his long list of time tested Monkees favorites.

Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones repeat the magic with their revisit of You And I from their Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart era. Featuring a  strong vocal performance by the duo and the stunning guitar work of both Monkees’ Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith, this track truly captures the innocence and the feel of their sixties sound, as it became a time tested track well into their final tour of 2011.

Much like their Instant Replay (Friday Music 113) album, Micky Dolenz contributes a good helping of original compositions to the Justus project.  Either rockers like Dyin’ Of A BrokenHeart, the blues balladry of It’s My Life, or the Rolling Stones vibe of Regional Girl, the Justus album was a watershed for Dolenz’s writings and vocal prowess which truly makes this 1996 session a true winner.

Peter Tork was always one of the more intriguing writers and musicians of the band, and it is fitting that the more progressive sounds would derive from his pen with the classic I Believe You as well as his fine prog-rock track Run Away From Life featuring the powerful vocals of Davy Jones.

The late great Davy Jones gets the honor of closing out this wonderful album with his classic ballad It’s Not Too Late.  With his stunning vocal and heartfelt lyrics , and the brilliant chorus from the his Monkees brethren, the song in itself is a fitting tribute to these four geniuses, as the legacy of this superstar band will forever stand the test of time.

Friday Music is once again very honored to announce the continuation of The Monkees Friday Music 180 Gram Audiophile Series with the first time vinyl album release of their 1996 masterwork Justus. Mastered by Joe Reagoso (The Monkees/Elvis Presley/Brian Wilson) from the original Rhino Records tapes at Friday Music Studios, this first time audiophile vinyl release is also for a very short time being offered in limited edition clear vinyl as well as a first time gatefold cover presentation.

The Monkees….Justus…First Time 180 Gram Audiophile Vinyl Release….LIMITED EDITION CLEAR VINYL…..

captured in the audiophile domain…..only from your friends at Friday Music…..It Looks Like We’ve Made It Once Again!

Click here to see Friday Music Web Site