7a Records announces "Davy Jones Live in Japan" in multiple formats with bonus tracks (UPDATED)

6/8/2019

(Courtesy of 7a Records)

Iain Lee and Glenn Gretlund, co-founders of 7a Records, have revealed the details surrounding their latest upcoming release. Davy Jones Live in Japan will highlight two of Davy Jones' early 1980s Japanese live albums, Live in Japan (1981) and Hello Davy (1982), while also providing fans with a bevy of bonus materials, including Davy's Japanese singles from this era on CD and vinyl and a DVD of one his concerts filmed in Japan in August 1981.

Japan experienced the first rebirth of The Monkees in the 1980s even before Davy, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork reunited for the mega-successful 20th Anniversary Tour of North America in 1986. When "Daydream Believer" was used in a Kodak commercial in Japan in 1980, Monkeemania was rekindled as the group's television show returned to the airwaves and Monkees albums were reissued, causing them to chart in that country once again. Demand for The Monkees was so high in Japan that Davy, Micky, and Peter (with The New Monks) all toured there individually between 1981 and 1982, playing to extremely enthusiastic audiences. Davy also released several solo singles in Japan during this time period, including "Dance Gypsy" and "It's Now."

1981 LP cover for "Davy Jones Live in Japan" (Courtesy of Monkee45s.net)

1982 LP cover for "Hello Davy" (Courtesy of Monkee45s.net)

7a's Davy Jones Live in Japan arrives on August 9, 2019 (a week earlier in the United Kingdom) in two different formats, all of which will contain bonus materials.

First, a triple vinyl LP set will include both of Davy's early '80s Japanese live albums along with a 28 page booklet that replicates an original Davy Jones Japanese tour program. Pressed on individually colored vinyl (red, white, and blue), the third LP is dedicated solely to bonus tracks (alternate mixes and single sides, including all of Davy's Japanese 45s).

There will also be a 2CD + DVD set consisting of both live albums, 22 bonus tracks of alternate mixes and single sides, and a 24 page color booklet with liner notes by Iain Lee and Mark Kleiner. This set also exclusively features a DVD of the Hello Davy concert which has been transferred from a LaserDisc issued in Japan in 1982.

Stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for further previews of this release, and be sure to pre-order below!

UPDATE 6/17/2019: The complete track listing is now available:

Make Your Own Sweet Sunshine: Davy Jones’ “Live in Japan” Arrives on CD/DVD and LP from 7a Records

Pre-order in the US

2 CD + DVD

Amazon
Deep Discount

Triple Vinyl LP

Amazon
Deep Discount

Pre-order in the UK

2 CD + DVD

Amazon
Keymailrecords

Triple Vinyl LP

Amazon
Keymailrecords

(Photos courtesy of 7a Records)

Davy Jones Live in Japan 7a Records vinyl

12 Comments

David Cox

6/8/2019 19:32:56

Somebody help!

DVD instead of Blu-ray?

The format licensing fee must be better for the bottom line but I would pay the difference!

Ardent Langer

6/9/2019 17:49:01

...wow -- Monkees fans can always find something to complain about!

6/10/2019 08:51:58

Ardent,

I officially retract my statement... no kidding!
You busted me! I agree, any Monkee related release is a gift to the fans and is, in my book, exempt from criticism!

I rarely, if ever, complain when it comes to the luxuries in life but this one has me stumped. Blu-ray was developed twelve years ago. DVD player sales are less than 1% of the retail market. Samsung has to-date even discontinued Blu-ray development. So at this point, it wouldn't be far fetched to say that even Blu-ray is on it's way out!

My grunt was more of an ultr-nerd technical query and truly not aimed at The Monkees!

6/11/2019 08:08:26

Retraction appreciated!

Consider the origin of the material as well: If the concert recording is from an old U-matic or open-reel or even VHS or Beta video source, all that the high resolution of Blu-Ray will do is expose flaws. DVD may be high-res enough for this content...and it's probably a bit cheaper for an independent label to author and manufacture...

Scott Erickson

6/15/2019 12:13:54

To paraphrase Ardent.

Depending on the source material. Bluray is not always the better choice.

6/16/2019 09:01:54

Thanks to Scott for rephrasing what I already said perfectly clearly!

6/15/2019 12:11:19

The concert was shot on Video. Releasing in on Bluray will not improve the resolution or audio quality. DVD is more than sufficient for this release

I.Zisman

12/3/2019 02:45:56

I own the Laser disc and one thing I have to give props to the DVD transfer. My LD has more laser rot by the day given how old it is. The DVD is very enjoyable and saved for history! I have one complaint about the audio tracks if you read on the bottom.

7/23/2019 08:16:00

Are the bonus tracks on CD 1 alternate "Live" versions?

7/23/2019 08:29:30

Also, are all of the audio selections from the actual masters or are they "needle drops"? I actually have 2 copies of laserdisc of "Hello Davy" and from their age, suffer from areas of "Laser rot" which distorts the picture and adds horrible static to the audio (which I realize can be replaced by the LP audio). This is quite a bit of money and would hate to be disappointed if I am spending it on what I already have. Thank you.

Mike TeeVee

8/9/2019 08:57:45

I am wondering the same thing. The fine folks at 7A aren’t always as transparent as some would like.

Also.. a minor criticism.. but why is there a photo of Davy from the 60s on the cover Instead of an era-appropriate photo? Seems like someone who doesn’t know could think that it’s a concert from a different time.

12/3/2019 02:41:13

Well, I finally went for it and got the CD set. The sound is good but for some reason, with the studio single of "How Do You Know", things go terribly awry! It's not the single stereo mix but some boot sounding mono fold down! Luckily, I have 2 mint singles but don't see the need now to buy the 3 LP set knowing I probably have better sounding Japanese vinyl. No where does it say where any of the music was sourced from.