Sneak Preview: CIRCLE SKY (Justus) The Monkees Pad Show remix, 2023
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- čas přidán 13. 09. 2024
- BUT WHY? Like many, many other Monkees fans, I was never quite able to fully embrace the 1996 JUSTUS album. Here we had a full Monkees reunion, with new songs, that revisited the "Headquarters" self-contained band performance formula, yet I was disenchanted with the production. I felt the mixes were over-aggressive and it it detracted from the songs, and especially the vocals. I sensed a more appealing version of the material (for MY taste) existed within the recordings: just buried. I intended to keep the power and hard edge intact, but wanted to tone down the "steel and hammer" element a bit and let the vocals come more to the front. I'm not trying to change minds, win points or tamper with history with this project. I did this strictly for my own edification and have decided to share it with you, the fans who may have similar impressions about the sound of JUSTUS. So please do not take it as an effrontery or a slight to Nesmith's original production. (It's not that big a deal. I just kinda made it less "Screaming Trees" and more "Monkees". Besides, you can always listen to the original version.) I'm curious what you think of the first track-the rest will follow in an upcoming episode of The Monkees Pad Show (JR) PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS/REACTIONS BELOW~
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To me, this is a solid album with a dual personality- it exists as a bit of snark, like The Monkees continued as a tv show band and this just happened to be their modern output at the time, and it also served to prove that they guys could cohesively pull off an independent production as an "actual" band as sort of coming full-circle from Headquarters (I know, but try to stay with me). What some people couldn't grasp was the grownup, middle-age slant the songs had and quite on purpose: The Monkees weren't Teen Idols anymore but rather actual people who had lived actual lives and gone through raising families, relationships, ups/downs, divorces, and so forth. The lp also allows some contemporary satire, outright anger and lashing out from Nez at the media and its dissent and disdain for his style, as well as commercialism as a whole (tounge-in-cheek self-deprecating internal analysis from the inside of the group). And the work as a whole allowed each member of The Monkees to inject some of their influences and personal styles into the material. If the rehearsal and recording footage of "Circle Sky" is any indication, this certainly was more than a labor of love, as they say-- and certainly a labor in the sense that these men put everything they had into making this a 5-star, thickly-layered production that, as Robert Smith from The Cure once said about recordings (Like "Kiss Me, Kiss Me..") that he felt included more personal feelings, they "hurt more" and, as a result, stand to resound more for the artist and the fans. Justus certainly had more feeling and "hurt more" than, say, Pool It! or Changes possibly could, but those were products of their time, just like Justus. It wasn't ill-fated, but badly promoted and, I think, mostly hurt by Nez taking his bow out before the US tour could get started. What probably soured some people to the record was, simply, not knowing about it, not knowing about the ABC special until it came and went, and then thinking, "Well, Nesmith left again, so the group is over.. again!" It wasn't over, yet. Just as Davy's anthem, "It's Not Too Late" closed the lp, time would show that it wasn't too late and that more than JUSTUS, just them and Good Times! were yet to come!-- Now, having said that, let's hear what you've got. Lay it on us! And, do tell me that you're going to make this project available as a decent quality download and not just a YT compressed file, [in an Archie Bunker voice] Huhhhh?? Lulz!!
Agreed
This was an odd choice as it was a redo in what I like to call Monkees Grunge. I think the reason the album was so lop sided was because theey were four solo artists (at the time) bringing their Solo work to the table. Some tracks were already released on DJBH & Micky / Davy Solo small releases . The biggest problem with the album was because it was Monkees loose in the studio with no supervision. Which is a double edged sword, Yes it's just the Monkees and thats great!!! Yes it was just the Monkees with no one to guide them or edit their work making it a cohesive unit. I understand their disappointment with Pool it and 10 years later wanting to say "were doing this ourselves" (Now that we have Mr. Producer back in the group). Let's Face it - Pool it was made for David Fishof , - Justus was made for the Monkees, and - Goodtimes was made to be a hit (using The Monkees collective not just the 4 of them)
One of their best albums and long overdue. I was never interested (much) in the songs that had been written or performed by others/always fascinated with what kind of band they would have been entirely on their own. A bunch of great songs on this album, and solid playing (the only thing I didn't care for was the re-do of CIRCLE SKY with all their voices, as well as Mike's "mic-ing"/didn't care for that odd sound and vocal treatment).
You mention the way Michael's voice was captured, here. I never understood why he buried his vocal in the original mix to start with. I know the impact of the vocal should come from the strong, belted out opening G, but the choice of backing away from the mic and utilizing the reverb of the vocal booth is puzzling. Recordings that bookend Nez' career feature many of his vocals processed through vintage microphones that oroduce distinctive, exaggerated mid-tones with muted sibilance (listen to the vocals on "The Door Into Summer" from The Mike & Micky Show for an example), with an output that mimics the sound of a motion picture's optical soundtrack. It adds character to his already silky-smooth delivery, and the idea of burying his vocal in the original mix I can only presume was his way of not trying to overshadow the other three guys-- not jump in and steal their thunder, as it were, since they were the main ones to carry the Monkee Mantle for the longest time. Nez didn't employ this technique much during the Pacific Arts years, favoring a more natural, intimate sound (this is before works like Newer Stuff, etc.), and other acts he produced like Garland Frady also had that natural sound. But back to Justus, while collaborative, the lp was a Nez production by-and-large where each song had its own character and sound design and, well, I guess he had a plan from the start even without "total control"? This song, Circle Sky, in this iteration really would have benefited from a bassline boost, imo. I think the version used on the Colgems soundtrack for HEAD was bad-ass and hard-driving despite, again, a bit of muddy production. Comparing tonight's new mix of the Justus track, it feels like the soundstage has been shifted from the original horizontal "V" shape where the guitars are the arms facing us and the vocals are backed into the corner, to a more uniformly balanced stereo image with emphasis on percussion, harmony and a more balanced mid-low range. The lp might have benefitted from one good ol' fashioned, big-time Nashville-sounding Nez number a-la "Saint Matthew" and a bit of a nod to the Red Rhodes accompaniment style (were that even possible pre-Pete Finney years!), but.. I'm curious to see how the rest of this project turned out and, I must say, I'm one of the apparent few fans of Peter's bass playing on "You And I", so I hope that retains its front-and-center presence on the new mix!
@@robbieblackmon1801 I can't say i've ever noticed much about the fine points of recording (mics, placement etc etc) over the decades (with any band), but it's interesting to hear about these observations. The only things that stuck out to me over all these years of listenting was that strange---I guess you could call it "booth echo"---sound of Michael's vocal on CIRCLE SKY. In fact, on 2nd thought, I noted a similar thing on a song on JUSTUS that I REALLY especially like, IT'S MY LIFE. Again, Micky sounds like he's in that "booth" again, and I think the song suffers a bit from that. I wish his voice could be given a different treatment/it doesn't sound the best of all possibilities.
Thanks for the comments and observations. Guess we'll see. Er, I mean hear!
I love Circle Sky
Looking forward to giving it a listen. I agree with your assessment of Justus. But a couple songs did not disappoint.
I think there's nothing wrong with the songs, just the production/mix...BTW Micky kills it on every single vocal...and his drumming is wonderful...he's the MVP of the record, for me.
Nice job I like the Justus album, and I would love to hear a remixed version. The 30th anniversary of the 30th anniversary of 1996-1997 is coming up. I would love a boxset including the Justus (remix) Album, the videos, the TV episode, and updated documentary.
I have the original Justus CD and am sad Mike sang lead on just one song.
It was one of the drawbacks, for sure...considering he had 5 leads on the "Pisces" album
I always felt that individually each song on Justus is good, but when put together as an album it feels like the songs lack a variety of styles. Nez didn't contribute any country pop tunes. Peter had just released his sensational solo album. Milkshake should have been a Justus track. I think if Mikes two tracks (only one as a lead singer) are replaced with something similar to his tropical campfires album and Peter had been given better representation on the album with 2 songs similar to the quality of Stranger things, and they didn't recycle a whole bunch of songs, it would have been better accepted. I love that the guys went all in to do everything themselves, but it also makes me sad that they felt they had to do everything in order to prove themselves.
This was a lot of fun! I think it's definitely an improvement - the original '96 version leaves a lot to be desired, so one can only go up from there. People are passionate about this one since there's no way to top the '68 live/film version, but I look forward to hearing what you do with the rest of the songs!
I love Justus. I think it's their best. I don't like this version of Circle Sky, but I was never crazy about it period.
Oh, man. Tork, in the true live version from Head (not the studio session Mike slipped in) plays a really cool bluesy bass riff on the bridge. He didn’t replicate it in this version… too bad.
The Justus is Album is just fine as it is , Michael knew what he was doing your version has been found wanting dont mess with a masterpiece. The Justus LP is their best work to date. 🤨
Perhaps you didn't read the explanation at the top of the posting?...it might mitigate your indignation...and from my experience, you can fit all the people who would consider this their "best work" into an average-size elevator~but I agree it has tremendous merit, I just prefer my own version of it
@@TheMonkeesPadPODCAST Dig, ..as I understand it Michael, had the helm onthat LP Project and it awesome, your diminishing of that good work is not appreciated, you like that soft stuff . well that's why you got the 2016 LP leave well enough alone.. do something i else instead of damaging good music.
@@jessieodawa you don't have to listen to it and the other version is there for you-lighten up
@@TheMonkeesPadPODCAST Yea right... have respect of other people's work especially if they are passed. RIP Michal Nesmith, Peter Tork , David Jones. Ya feel me.
@@TheMonkeesPadPODCAST Haver respect for those passed. Do not alter their music.