Rating: - HONEST, PURE, AND ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!
The Monkees were not happy with the way their second album 'More Of The Monkees' had turned out. They had been carefully planning the production of their second album with Boyce and Hart while on their first concert tour. However upon return from the sold out tour, the guys found out that not only had their second album already been recorded but released and rising up the charts as well! All four boys were extremely upset, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork especially. The Monkees then went to the producers and demanded the chance to play on the next album. Don Kirshner however was not gonna give up the creative control over the music despite the producers siding with the boys. After trying to reason with him, Screen Gems threatened to fire Donnie if he didn't agree with their terms. Kirshner still refusing to give in then released the single 'A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You/She Hangs Out' without permission from the producers or The Monkees themselves. Originally The Monkees wanted Nesmith's 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' as the b-side but this was another thing Kirsner was refusing to allow. In the end Don Kirshner was fired and The Monkees had finally gained creative control over their music. Thus the sessions for 'Headquarters', The Monkees first true album, commenced. Getting creative control of the music was one of the best things The Monkees ever did. Sessions had been held for the third album before the true Headquarters sessions commenced with Donnie still as Musical Supervisor. You can thank Michael Nesmith for giving Kirshner the boot. Had the Monkees not overthrown him, the third album would have been even worse than the second! None the less the Monkees played their own instruments on this record, proving they were capable of being a real band. Not only that but this album was quite a step up for the group. It's stronger than both of the first records because it does not have that negative manufactured assembly line pop feel. There is a very positive vibe that comes off Headquarters. It may not be the best band playing but it's four guys who love music just getting together and playing it and having a good time doing it and thats what makes Headquarters so sweet.

The music has improved greatly since their last outing on record. Gone, are the weak uninspired feeling of sickly sweet pop tunes and they've been replaced by a somewhat progressive blend of pop, folk and country rock. The Monkees are no longer the manufactured group now they are actually a band that is improving both musically and creatively. Michael Nesmith's influence is shown greatly for the first time on this album. His song writing had also improved. Opening the album with somewhat country rockin' YOU TOLD ME indicates that he plans to help the Monkees try and get out of their manufactured image. Nesmith's love songs are more powerful here also then on the previous records. YOU JUST MAY BE THE ONE is one of the most meaningful Nez tunes ever. It's also obvious that Michael was influeced by the Rolling Stones on the rocker, SUNNY GIRLFRIEND (which sounds similar to `It's All Over Now' but definetly has it's own flavour and is not a carbon copy). Micky Dolenz is also top notch here as well. He sings the beautiful folk/country version ballad I'LL SPEND MY LIFE WITH YOU. Which The Monkees did a more jazzy version during the `More of The Monkees' sessions. He rocks out James Browne style on NO TIME. His last two songs here though are the true highlights. He sngs lead on Peter Tork's excellent hippy anthem FOR PETE'S SAKE (which became the closing theme for the Monkees tv show during Season 2). The other song is Dolenz own compostion RANDY SCOUSE GIT. A period piece this briliantly describes the feel of Britain in 1967. Even the melody gives that feel which really shows you that Micky was an accomplished songwriter despite his modesty. Davy's material is somewhat dry here still. The good thing is that it's not the uninspired pop that appeared on the previous record. FORGET THAT GIRL has a pleasing R&B feel to. I CAN'T GET HERE OFF MY MIND is the weakest offering here but is an improvement from the previous version. Perhaps David's best song here is EARLY MORNNG BLUES AND GREENS which is a psychadelic mood piece with great vocals but Jones himself. Peter Tork finally gets to display his instumental talents on this album he also puts in a nice vocal here and there on the group effort ballad SHADES OF GRAY. As for ZILCH and BAND 6 these are merely entertaining studio bits that were put on the album for fun I guess but they are nothing super special. The bonus tracks for `Headquarters' range between some nice outtakes to nothing but studio gibberish which is fun to listen to despite not beng really a song. ALL OF YOUR TOYS is a great track that was considered for a single but was put off due to legal reasons. A nice outtake of THE GIRL I KNEW SOMEWHERE with Nez on lead vocal shows up here too. The group plays the popular tv theme PETER GUNN'S GUN impressively. JERICHO is just Micky and Peter goofing off. A beautiful early demo of Nesmiths NINE TIMES BLUE shows up here as well. So does a roughly improvised and comical version of Micky's PILLOW TIME.

Overall `Headquarters' is a great album that I recommend anyone owning. The Monkees really held there own on this album and it should have silenced critics right then and there but it unfortunelty didn't. I guess they figured the Monkees should have been as good as The Beatles That's pretty hard considering the Monkees had never really played together as a band. However suprisingly the Monkees have a lot of growing chemistry here. They sound just as good as any of those garage bands like Love that performed on the Sunset strip in LA. Besides this album just has such a nice homemade feel to it. It's honest pure and absolutely wonderful! Highly recommended!

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