The Monkees: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork.

The Monkees: Peter Tork (acoustic 12-string guitar); Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith (12-string guitar); Micheal Nesmith (pedal steel guitar); Micky Dolenz (background vocals).

Additional personnel: Don Thomas, Sal DiTroia, Gerry McGee, Hugh McCracken, Al Gorgoni, Louie Shelton, Wayne Erwin (guitar); 'Unknown' (acoustic guitar); Frederick Seykora (cello); Vincent DeRosa (French horn); Stan Free (Clavinet); Artie Butler (organ); Jerry Yester, Larry Taylor, John London, Lou Mauro, James Tyrell (bass guitar); Billy Lewis, Herb Lovelle (drums); Tom Cerone, Gene Estes (tambourine); Neil Diamond, Chip Douglas (background vocals).

Audio Remasterers: Andrew Sandoval; Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Recording information: 1967.

One of the Monkees' two best albums, HEADQUARTERS is also the one '60s album on which the band played nearly all the instruments, save for a string section and occasional bass from producer Chip Douglas. Since Michael Nesmith had instigated the revolt that led to the band's musical independence, he's in the forefront here, and his songs are uniformly excellent. The banjo-driven "You Told Me" and "Sunny Girlfriend" are two of his best country-influenced tunes, and "You Just May Be the One" is magnificent REVOLVER-influenced psychedelic pop.

Douglas' "Forget That Girl" features one of Micky Dolenz's best vocals, and Dolenz's own "Randy Scouse Git" is an impressionistic, trippy delight. Perhaps the album's best track is the Davy Jones lead "Early Morning Blues and Greens," a moody slice of atmospheric pop. Even oddities like "Band 6" and "Zilch" are interesting ephemera. This reissue features six interesting alternate takes and demos.

Rolling Stone (p.95) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[A]s a pop encounter with the hippie moment, it's hard to beat."

Q (5/95, p.127) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...the only one which features Tork, Nesmith, Jones and Dolenz playing on every cut without heaps of session players. Even their songwriting stands up as classic country-esque 12-string folk-pop..."

NME (Magazine) (2/18/95, p.51) - 7 - Very Good - "...Palpably fun and groovy, it is the sound of blind men suddenly marvelling at the gift of sight, with at least three self-composed gems: Nesmith's `You Just May Be The One,' Tork's `For Pete's Sake' and Dolenz's `Randy Scouse Git,' a wild portrait of London life at the height of Beatlemania..."