line-up 1: (1976-77)

- Tommy Boyce (RIP 1994) -- vocals

- Mickey Dolenz -- vocals, drums, percussion

- Bobby Hart -- vocals

- Davy Jones -- vocals

- Tommy Boyce (solo efforts)

- Boyce and Hart

- Christopher Cloud (Tommy Boyce)

- Mickey Dolenz (solo efforts)

- Bobby Hart (solo efforts)

- Davy Jones (solo efforts)

- The Monkees (Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones)

Genre: pop

Rating: ** (2 stars)

Title:  Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ST-11513

Year: 1976

Country/State: US/UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: original lyric inner sleeve

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4267

Price: $25.00

Cost: $1.00

While critics can endlessly debate the musical merits of The Monkees, there's little doubt as to the band's commercial clout.  

Reduced to Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones, 1970's "Changes" marked the final Monkees studio album (prior to their late-'80s comeback).  Almost as soon as Dolenz and Jones called it quits, business interests started pushing for a Monkees reunion.  One of those interests was publisher Christian DeWalden.  In 1975 DeWalden offered to finance a band reunion, however Michael Nesmith had no interest in a reunion and Peter Tork had vanished.  For their part, Dolenz and Jones were willing to participate and in an effort to form a pseudo-Monkees former Monkees songwriters/producers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart signed on.  

The original plan was to have the quartet undertake a large summer tour.  With COLGEMS unwilling to allow the use of the Monkees name, the tour was dubbed 'The Great Golden Hits of the Monkees - The Guys Who Wrote 'Em and the Guys Who Sang 'Em'.  The resulting tour proved quite successful and was extended to include a number of dates in the Far East, including Japan and Thailand (where they became the first American band to perform in the country).

The tour's surprising success caught the attention of Capitol Records which was more than willing to take advantage of the resulting publicity and hastily signed the quartet to a contract in 1975.   Co-produced by Boyce and Hart, "Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart" featured a mix of Boyce and Hart originals, with a scattering of oldies covers and isolated Dolenz/Jones originals.  The problem was that virtually every one of the twelve tracks sucked.  As chief songwriters, Boyce and Hart seem to have completely lost their ability to craft a memorable melody. Moreover, none of the four principles seemed capable of carrying a tune.  Even their group sing-along efforts proved pretty insipid ('It Always Hurts More In the Morning') and some of the performances were downright painful - check out the opener 'Right Now' and the gawdawful 'Along Comes Jones'.   Focusing on slower numbers and heavily over-orchestrated pop, side one was particularly horrific.  So was their anything worthwhile here?  'Moonfire' and 'Sweet Heart Attack' were probably the highlights due to the fact they had decent melodies, sported unexpectedly dark lyrics and actually rocked a bit.  Not even a major network television special "The Great Golden Hits of the Monkees" or help from Capitol's publicity machine could salvage the album.  A pair of singles were floated, however both vanished without a trace.  The album also proved a commercial disaster leaving the four to complete their touring obligations in early 1977.  

"Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Right Now   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 

2.) I Love You (and I'm Glad that I Said It)   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 

'I Love You (And I'm Glad That I Said It)' b/w 'Savin' My Love For You' ( Capitol catalog number 4271)

3.) You and I   (Mickey Dolenz - Davy Jones) - 

4.) Teenager In Love   (Doc Pomus - Mort Shuman) - 

5.) Sail on Sailor   (Doug Trevor) - 

6.) It Always Hurts More In the Morning   (Mickey Dolenz - Tommy Boyce) - 

(side 2)

1.) Moonfire   (Williams E. Martin) - 

2.) You Didn't Feel that Way Last Night (Don't You Remember?)   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 

3.) Along Came Jones   (Jerry Leiber - Mike Stoller) - 

4.) Savin' My Love For You  (Mickey Dolenz - Davy Jones) - 

5.) I Remember the Feeling   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 

'I Remember the Feeling' b/w 'You and I' (Capitol catalog number 4180)

6.) Sweet Heart Attack   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 

Dolenz and Jones subsequently toured with Mickey's sister Coco Dolenz and The Laughing Dogs.  In 1978 they returned to England where they starred in a musical adaptation of Harry Nilsson's The Point.

Genre: pop

Rating: *** (3 stars)

Title:  Concert In Japan

Company: Capitol

Catalog: ESC 91018

Year: 1981

Country/State: Japan

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: includes Japanase/English lyric insert and bonus poster; white label promo copy

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 4268

Price: $50.00

Cost: $13.99

Given how lame the previously issued studio set was, "Concert In Japan" was actually half way decent.  Part of the explanation may have stemmed from the fact the live set focused on The Monkees catalog, avoiding most of the pop schlock that marred the forthcoming studio set.  In fact there were only four selections from the future "Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart" set, including a decent version of 'Savin' My Love for You' and the horrible 'I Love You (and I'm Glad that I Said It)'.  With the exception of a couple of lame ballads (notably Jones' ever-nausiating 'I Wanna Be Free') and a weird medley of Boyce-Hart penned non-Monkee hits, the performances were all pretty good, sporting a tight backing band (including Keith Allison) and surprisingly adept vocals from all four principles - though Dolenz's performances were heads above the others.  Highlights include an enthusiastic opening 'Last Train To Clarksville', '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone' and 'Action'.  Nice that they included so much of the stage patter, though it was odd to hear sporadic outburst of screaming Japanese fans  ...  

"Concert In Japan" track listing:

(side 1)

1.) Last Train to Clarksville   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 2:49

2.) Medley: Valleri / Daydream Believer / A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You  - 4:28

3.) I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight    (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart)- 2:35

4.) (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 2:38

5.) I Wanna Be Free - 2:35

6.) Savin' My Love For You  (Mickey Dolenz - Davy Jones) - 2:53

7.) Pleasant Valley Sunday  (Carole King - Gerry Goffin) - 3:31

(side 2)

1.) I Remember the Feeling   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 3:40

2.) A Teenager In Love   (Doc Pomus - Mort Shuman) - 2:46

3.) Cuddly Toy   (Harry Nilsson)  - 2:10

4.) Medley: Come a Little Bit Closer / Pretty Little Angel Eyes / Hurt So Bad / Peaches 'N' Cream / Something's Wrong With Me / Keep On Singing - 5:05

5.) I Love You (And I'm Glad That I Said It)   (Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart) - 3:04

6.) Action   (Tommy Boyce - S. Venet) - 2:42