Review: Micky Dolenz MGM Collection On CD!

By Fred Velez

Link: Micky Dolenz MGM Singles Collection CD

7a Records, the label begun by Iain Lee and his partner Glenn Gretlund, has had a banner year of great releases, beginning with the premier launch of the vinyl version of the Micky Dolenz MGM Singles Collection, compiling for the first time the ten sides Dolenz recorded in the early 1970’s after the Monkees project ended. A later digital release of the album added several bonus tracks of stereo and mono mixes and a interview between Iain Lee and Micky about the MGM recordings.

Due to rights issues there was a long delay in securing permission to release the album on cd. Once the rights were obtained, 7a Records uped the ante by not only including the Micky interview but also adding 12 bonus cuts! Among the tracks are the first time on cd issue of the 1979 Chrysalis British single ‘Love Light’ with its Dolenz penned b-side ‘Alicia, and the 1982 Japanese single ‘To Be Or Not To Be’ and the Dolenz written b-side ‘Beverly Hills’. The rest of the cd is comprised of the limited edition 7a singles releases ‘Chance Of A Lifetime’ with a previously unissued alternate version, ‘Living On Lies’ and the tracks recorded with Christian Nesmith and Circe Link ‘Porpoise Song/Good Morning, Good Morning’, ‘Crying In The Rain’ and the remake of ‘Randy Scouse Git’. The sound quality of the tracks is excellent and should please fans who have the original singles and those who long have been searching for these releases.

Having all these rare and hard to find tracks available on one cd is a dream come true for Micky Dolenz and Monkees fans and collectors. As in the vinyl version of the album, the cd comes with a booklet containing Mark Kleiner’s extensive liner notes and a release update by Glenn Gretlund along with many rare photos by the legendary photographer and longtime Monkees’ friend Henry Diltz. Fans who attended a special release party in England not only got the cd but also a limited edition single of two songs from the upcoming release of the 1982 Micky Dolenz Japanese solo concert featuring the songs ‘Sunny Girlfriend’ and ‘Zor And Zam’, as well as the first 7a DVD release of the rare Dolenz movie ‘Keep Off My Grass’ which will be reviewed soon.

In this 50th anniversary Year Of The Monkees, 7a Records cd release of the Micky Dolenz MGM Singles Collection is a must have for all Monkees and Dolenz fans.

Fred Velez, 2016.