Justus was released in late 1996 and was recorded and produced by all four members of The Monkees.  Via their Facebook page, Friday Music will this summer issue what they are calling a deluxe edition Justus CD/DVD package.  No further details as of right now as to what bonus tracks will be included or what the content of the DVD will include.

Friday Music had previously announced a vinyl release of Justus for this summer.

Courtesy of this website, here's the recent Rolling Stone article on Davy Jones.  Click on each image to enlarge it for easier reading, or check it out online.

The deluxe edition will feature two bonus tracks.  Peter's own "MGBGT" was recorded live on the '86 tour and was the b-side to "Heart and Soul."  The single remix of "Every Step of the Way" is the second bonus track.  (Where's the live version of "I'll Love You Forever," which was the b-side to "Every Step of the Way"?)

Also included in the deluxe edition for the first time on DVD is Rhino's Heart and Soul videography from 1988. 

You can pre-order at Amazon here.

THE DAVY JONES MEMORIAL
An Evening of Music & Memories

At B.B. King Blues Club in New York, NY

Hosted by Cousin Brucie of Sirius XM
Featuring the Davy Jones Band past & present and many very special guests

April 3, 2012
Showtime @ 8:00PM
Doors Open @ 6:00PM
Tickets $15.00 in advance, $20.00 day of show 
Tickets on sale NOW!

General Admission Seating
First come, first seated

I thought everyone might enjoy this blog post that highlights some of Peter's best moments with The Monkees.  Check it out here.

The current issue of Rolling Stone (with Bruce Springsteen on the cover) includes a feature on Davy Jones. 

As announced recently by Friday Music (and don't forget to see my earlier blog post from this morning below):


COMING THIS SUMMER: 
This is what is slated for the near term, but there are more surprises we are working on right now too…..stay tuned.
 
THE MONKEES-Instant Replay 180 Gram Vinyl/Gatefold Cover  (FIRST TIME GATEFOLD COVER AND AUDIOPHILE VINYL RELEASE)
 
THE MONKEES-Justus  180 Gram Vinyl/Gatefold Cover (FIRST TIME ON VINYL! FIRST TIME AUDIOPHILE VINYL RELEASE)
 
KIND REGARDS,
Joe Reagoso, Friday Music

Davy's 1971 Bell album (with bonus tracks) is now available for pre-order at Amazon.  Friday Music has announced an April 24, 2012 release date for the CD.  I'm guessing that it will be available via iTunes as well.

A deluxe edition of The Monkees' 1987 album Pool It! was thought be released by Friday Music on March 27 but is now going to be released on April 24 as well. Their original announcement read like this: 

Friday Music will be issuing the original compact disc with bonus tracks, plus a separate DVD of the super rare Monkees Rhino Video HEART & SOUL- The Official Monkees Videography. The liner notes also feature a recent conversation with Micky Dolenz, as well as the usual cool rare picture sleeves, 45 rpm labels, and other cool photos and elements from the original 1987 release.

Check out a new video posted of The Monkees arriving in London in 1967 for the British portion of their tour that year here.  The 1968 Far East Tour section has a new picture of the band arriving in Tokyo for the Japanese shows that year, and the DJBH section has a new photograph of the quartet.

Here's a video I recently uploaded to YouTube of Davy on the Today show in 1984:

The issue is available now:

Monkees co-creator Bob Rafelson looks back on his time with Davy Jones here.

Another excellent Monkees piece in Rolling Stone by Rob Sheffield, who examines his favorite Davy Jones musical moments, can be found here. 

ABC's report:

And CBS Sunday Morning:

Finally, two clips from both Sky News and Channel 4 News in the United Kingdom:

Just announced by Friday Music:

DAVY JONES / THE BELL RECORDINGS (1971-72) THIS APRIL 2012

Michael Nesmith recently spoke to Rolling Stone about Davy Jones and his legacy.

Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval paid tribute to Davy Jones on his Come to the Sunshine podcast.  There are plenty of Davy and Monkees rarities, alternate mixes and interviews to be heard.  Check it out here.

Peter Tork recently appeared on the Iain Lee Pocket Radio Show in tribute to Davy, which can be heard below.  Fast forward in about 25 minutes to hear Peter.

By PETER TORK
The Hartford Courant
March 6, 2012

I wrote an article after the death of Michael Jackson in which I meditated upon the inner life of the pop star.

Now comes the loss of my sometime partner Davy Jones, and I'm in an entirely different position. I was close to David (as I almost always called him), and I got to know him as few others could.

I've often said I loved, liked and respected each of the other three Monkees in different proportions. What I don't often say is that I loved David the most.

When we first met, I was confronted with a slick, accomplished, young performer, vastly more experienced than I in the ways of show biz, and yes, I was intimidated. Englishness was at a high premium in my world, and his experience dwarfed my entertainer's life as a hippie, basket-passing folk singer on the Greenwich Village coffee house circuit. If anything, I suppose I was  selected for the cast of"The Monkees" TV show partly as a rough-hewn counterpart  to David's sophistication.

What stands out for me about David, however, were the several events through the years in which I came to see a man of extraordinary heart and sympathy. First comes first:

We had just been selected as co-cast members and introduced to each other.  Shake hands, "How do you do?"  The producers sent us out to the desert, a drive of a couple of hours, to film a commercial for Kellogg's, which was sponsoring the show.

We were almost entirely silent throughout the drive. "Nice day." "Huh."  Silence. "Anyone hungry?" "Hunh." We pulled into a diner, sat down and ordered. For some reason, Micky Dolenz's and my salads came first. He and I basically stuck our forks into the bowls, and put whatever came up into our mouths.

"You pigs!" David said. "Anyone would think you was raised in a bahn the ways you guys is eatin'!"  Micky and I were shamefaced.

David's salad came. With all eyes upon him, he carefully cut the salad into one-inch strips, turned the bowl 90 degrees and cut the strips into one-inch squares. He doused it all with creamy dressing. Then, he reached into the bowl, grabbed a fistful of the salad and smashed it into his face.

I suppose he felt he'd overdone the manners maven thing and was making it up to us, but it was the style and willingness to go overboard that was so appealing, and more to the point, so very funny. I laugh to this day thinking about it.

The Monkees (the group now, not the TV series) took a lot of flack for being "manufactured," by which our critics meant that we hadn't grown up together, paying our dues, sleeping five to a room, trying to make it as had the Beatles and Rolling Stones. Furthermore, critics said, the Monkees' first albums (remember albums?) were almost entirely recorded by professional studio musicians, with hardly any input from any of us beyond lead vocals.

I felt this criticism keenly, coming as I did from the world of the ethical folk singer, basically honoring the standards of the naysayers.

We did play as a group live on tour, including a concert in Osaka, Japan, in 1968. There, in the middle of a performance of Mike Nesmith's "Sunny Girlfriend," we hit the pocket. The beat fell into place, solid and grooving. Rock 'n' roll was happening there for us on stage. David came bouncing over to me and yelled above the volume, "WE'RE GONNA FORM A GROUP!"

David's sympathy for my feelings about the criticism, his musical awareness and his sense of humor buoyed me that day about as much as getting into the groove. Later, when we four argued to be the musicians on our own albums, it was  David's agreement that provided the unanimity that made the difference. This was  huge, actually; Micky and David came from an entirely different tradition.  Actors sang on records made for them, and nobody thought twice about it. Folkies  and rockers made their own albums!

There were many such incidents, but I hope these help to convey David Jones' sympathy, humor and heart, qualities always in too short supply.

He's yukkin' it up somewhere else, now.

This cartoon from the Hartford Courant is being syndicated across the country this weekend.

Since Davy's passing, I've received a lot of nice emails. Gustavo from Mexico sent me a picture I have never seen before of Mike and Micky being interviewed in Mexico City in 1969: