“Headquarters” - The Monkees

The Monkees: “Headquarters”

Episode 6

Episode date - October 22, 2021

How Music Changed
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    “Headquarters” proves that there was something magical about the ‘Summer of Love’. Against all odds, with the whole world watching and pre-judging them as talentless hacks, the Monkees set out to prove that they could do things for themselves.

    After two albums that could have been subtitled “Don Kirshner’s Greatest Hits”, they took matters into their own hands. They wrote their own songs and played virtually all the instruments. They also took on an aura of experimentation, which could have caused the entire project to become a disaster. This could have been one of the most embarrassing records ever made, but instead it’s one of the most charming.

    They reign themselves in and focus on the music, while allowing their sense of play and curiosity stand at the forefront of the project. Artistically, it was a resounding success, and it reached #1 on the charts, although it didn’t linger nearly as long as their previous commercial releases. Sadly, the public remained convinced that the songs were a product of studio players and producers, which would have made all their efforts moot, except that we still have this wonderful, playful album to enjoy.

    Featured tracks include:

    Mr. Webster

    Band 6

    Randy Scouse Git

    You Told Me

    Zilch

    I’ll Spend My Life with You

    Forget That Girl

    Jericho

    If I Learned to Play the Violin

    Peter Vunn’s Gun

    You Just May Be the One

    Shades of Gray

    I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind

    No Time

    Early Morning Blues and Greens

    For Pete’s Sake

    Channel 152 - The Monkees