Title: Headquarters
Artist: The Monkees
Label: Colgems
Year: 1967
Songs: You Told Me*/I'll Spend The Rest Of My Life With You**/Forget That Girl***/Band 6#/You Just May Be The One*/Shades Of Grey##/I Can't Get Her Out Of My Mind**/For Pete's Sake###/Mr. Webster**/Sunny Girlfriend*/Zilch#/No Time^/Early Morning Blues And Greens^^/Randy Scouse Git^^^
Written by: *Michael Nesmith, **Tommy Boyce & Bobby Heart, ***Douglas Farthing Hatelid, #David Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork & Mickey Dolenz, ##Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil, ###Peter Tork & Joseph Richards, ^Hank Cicalo, ^^Diane Hilderbrand & Jack Keller and ^^^Mickey Dolenz
Produced by: Douglas Farthing Hatelid
Thoughts: If there is anyone who truly believes that the Monkees themselves were not musicians and "just a whole cash-in", raise your hands so I can throw you a copy of Headquarters. This album truly proves that The Monkees could all work as musicians themselves and didn't need a helping hand from the corporate heads at Colgems. All Mike Nesmith's songs are brilliant, particularly the striking opening, "You Told Me." "Forget That Girl", written by producer Chip Douglas (under his pseudonym, he is also the only session player here, with his strong bass playing) is another charming track here. Mickey Dolenz even gets in the act of songwriting with his rousing, rocking closer, "Randy Scouse Git". What makes this album the best Monkee album, though, is what's not here: a hit single. I don't know who's arm they twisted to let them do this, but I think it's a move that truly helps this album stand out from the other hit-driven Monkee LPs.
Rating: 8/10
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