Category: Blu Ray

Update: Monkees Blu-ray set will now ship on July 8

6/8/2016

This evening, Monkees.com emailed the following message about the forthcoming Monkees Blu-ray package that was scheduled for a June 24 release:

(Click the image above for the full email message)

The Blu-ray set was first announced by Rhino on September 8, 2015 with a street date of January 29, 2016. On January 12, 2016, Rhino pushed back the release date for the first time to April 29, 2016 but later announced on April 14 that the set would be delayed until June. Rhino's John Hughes commented on the third postponement on the Zilch Facebook page:

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Monkees Blu-ray set receives advance preview on YouTube

4/21/2016

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This evening, The Monkees' official YouTube channel posted the following message and video:

The Monkees – Episode 56 "Some Like It Lukewarm," new HD restoration, FULL EPISODE

As a teaser, please enjoy Episode 56, "Some Like It Lukewarm": To enter and win a band contest, Davy poses as a girl and falls in love with Daphne, posing as a boy. THE COMPLETE SERIES is coming to Blu Ray in glorious high definition June 2016! Pre-order only at Monkees.com – not sold in any other store!

(Make sure you select HD in your player settings.)

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Complete Blu-ray packaging unveiled

4/21/2016

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The official online Monkees store has provided a closer look at the upcoming Blu-ray set:

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Andrew Sandoval and John Hughes provide massive updates on Monkees 50th Anniversary events

4/16/2016

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"She Makes Me Laugh" will be the first new Monkees single since 1987;
Release date set for end of April

Monkees archivist and producer Andrew Sandoval, along with Rhino executive John Hughes, were interviewed this week by Ken Mills of the Zilch! podcast. The duo discussed an array of topics, including the brand new Monkees studio album, Good Times!, the forthcoming Blu-ray package, the 50th Anniversary Tour, and much more. Ken previously conducted an interview with Sandoval and Hughes which included even more details about the topics discussed below. Here's a summary of Ken's most recent conversation with them:

Good Times!

"Good Times!" is completely recorded, mixed, and mastered and has been sent to the production facility. The booklet is finished, and the album features 13 songs.

Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and John Hughes visited the iTunes headquarters in San Cupertino, California and previewed the new album for iTunes executives. "The most jaded people in the music business," Hughes said, but Good Times! received a phenomenal reaction from the execs there.

The album was also played for Rhino Records employees at a recent company event.

Hughes praised producer Adam Schlesinger. "He brought out things from all three guys that we didn't know were there."

Sandoval spoke about the Paul Weller/Noel Gallagher track, which he called the "mindblower of the entire thing," where The Monkees return to "psychedelia." The song is called "Birth of an Accidental Hipster" and features lead vocals from Michael Nesmith. Sandoval compared the track sonically to "St. Matthew."

Sandoval noted that Good Times! has all of the ingredients of the original Monkees records: acoustic folk, pop, show tunes, bubblegum, psychedelic, country twang, rock, singer/songwriter. "This album has all of those things."

Hughes said The Monkees analyzed the songs and lyrics that were submitted to them by the various songwriters contributing to the project.

Sandoval produced a bonus track called "Love's What I Want" (written by Andy Partridge) which he said was "completely in the original Monkees style," and it features Bobby Hart on Vox organ. Sandoval sent it to Michael Nesmith who praised the message of the song.

Micky contributed a lyric change to the Rivers Cuomo song "She Makes Me Laugh," which will now be the album's first single. (It was previously announced that the Andy Partridge track, "You Bring the Summer," would be the first single.) "She Makes Me Laugh" will be made available as a digital single during the week of April 25. Sandoval called it a "fantastic Monkees single."

The album is being mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound. Hughes called Smith an "audiophile" and assured everyone that the sound will not be "brickwalled." "It's a very well-recorded record," Sandoval added. The album will also be made available on HD Tracks and 180 gram vinyl.

There will be multiple editions released: 1) Mass market CD - 13 tracks. 2) FYE/FYE.com exclusive CD - 14 tracks, including Peter Tork's "A Better World" (which features a string quartet). 3) FYE exclusive teal-colored vinyl - 13 tracks. 4) Barnes & Noble exclusive vinyl with bonus 7" of "Love's What I Want" b/w "A Better World." 5) iTunes & HDTracks deluxe edition with "Terrifying" (written by Zach Rogue) and "Me & Magdalena" (Version 2), along with a digital booklet.

Micky thinks Good Times! is The Monkees' best album since 1967's Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Note: In a Facebook message after this interview was posted online, Hughes confirmed that Michael will be featured as lead vocalist on three of the album's songs.

The Monkees: The Complete Series on Blu-ray

Sandoval and Hughes also provided updates on the upcoming Monkees Blu-ray package:

Last minute discoveries led to a second delay in production. John Hughes promised that there will be no further changes in the release date (which is now set for June 24, 2016). The discs have been mastered, and the sleeves and booklet are being printed at this very moment.

Andrew Sandoval explained that more time was needed to restore footage that was recently discovered. He said they were "embarrassed" about the delays, but that the wait will be worth it.

Sandoval notes there will be buttons for each year between 1965 and 1970 on the bonus disc in the Blu-ray package.

A full HD episode from the Blu-ray set will be uploaded to YouTube during the week of April 17 as a preview for the fans.

The complete contents of the box along with an official picture of the packaging will be published during the week of April 17.

"We have more surprises to come" regarding The Monkees' 50th Anniversary, according to both Sandoval and Hughes.

Blu-ray details: The TV Show

The full and uncut screen tests of each Monkee will be included on the bonus disc, as will the screen test for Dallas Williams, who auditoned unsuccessfully.

The unaired pilot has been restored to stunning quality which cost several thousand dollars alone in order to complete.

Outtakes from the television show include an unused scene of Davy Jones directing traffic and The Monkees pushing Davy across the street on a block of ice (set to the song "I Can't Get Her Off My Mind"). Outtakes from the "Saturday's Child" and "Gonna Buy Me a Dog" romps have also been found and will be part of the set, as will the old Kellogg's bumpers.

Original 8mm film of the September 1966 Screen Gems block party was discovered and restored to HD, along with footage from the KHJ San Juan Capistrano "Clarksville" event (including audio and interviews from that day).

The bonus disc is a mix of high definition and standard definition due to some licensors only being able to provide standard definition material.

"The Royal Flush" episode will include the 1967 alternate soundtrack aired during summer reruns, and "The Monkees on Tour" will include the alternate 1969 soundtrack.

Backstage footage of The Monkees at the 1967 Emmy Awards was discovered and will be included, and as a bonus, an unissued backing track of "The Door Into Summer" will play over this footage.

Blu-ray details: Head

The outtakes from Head are extensive.

The commentaries by The Monkees that Sandoval completed in 2010 for the Criterion Collection will be included in the Blu-ray set.

Sandoval provided a sampling of some of the Head bonus features: alternate scenes for the "Can You Dig It" harem scene; alternate takes and performances of "Daddy's Song" (both the black and white tuxedo takes will be available as individual scenes); unseen footage from the "Long Title" birthday scene; about 15 minutes of outtakes (with sound), including Mike escaping from the black box; and alternate takes of the diner scene with different dialog.

Blu-ray details: 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee

33 1/3 has been restored (by co-producer Dan Wingate) from newly found tapes and "looks incredible," according to Sandoval. The set will include the broadcast version of the special as shown by NBC in 1969, along with commercials.

Alternate takes of "Goldilocks Sometime," Peter's Bach piece, and "String For My Kite" will be part of the bonus features.

There is 17 minutes of previously unseen footage for the "Listen to the Band" performance, including previously unheard audio!

Updates on Blu-ray Bonus Features

All of the 1969 Kool-Aid commercials, including the long 35mm promo film from 1970

The Monkees on Laugh-In (1969)

Syndicated rerun-era soundtracks (including "French Song," "I Never Thought It Peculiar," "Midnight Train," "Do You Feel It Too, and "All Alone in the Dark") appear in their mono TV mixes, which are not available anywhere else.

The "Oh My My" video from 1970 will include the original mono audio.

All of the commentaries from the early 2000s DVD sets have been ported over to the Blu-ray set.

Monkees collector and historian Gary Strobl sat with Andrew Sandoval to provide commentary on two episodes.

The final part of the interview on "Zilch!" discussed the upcoming tour.

50th Anniversary Tour and Merchandise

The tour is nearing 50 dates on the itinerary. Rehearsals begin in a month.

International dates are in the planning stages.

The 50th Anniversary concerts will feature a new set list and multimedia show, songs that have not been previously performed in a live setting, along with songs from Good Times! The acoustic set that was a part of Micky and Peter's shows in 2015 will return. Sandoval noted that Micky will play drums during the concerts, and Peter will play banjo, too.

Sandoval assured fans that both Davy and Michael will be represented in and be a full part of the concert experience.

The tour book is being compiled by Sandoval and will be hardback. It will include unpublished photos and annotations.

The merchandise table will feature a shirt dedicated to Davy and his horses. Proceeds from that shirt will go to the Davy Jones Equine Memorial Foundation.

All four Monkees will appear on the merchandise being sold (shirts, accessories, and more). Unique items will include Micky's poncho that he wore in the "Randy Scouse Git" video and Davy Jones red maracas. Good Times! will be available in the various editions at the merchandise table, too.

More dates are likely to be added to the tour, and Hughes teased special guests at the Los Angeles concert in September.

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Updates on Monkees Blu-ray package, "Good Times!" and more

4/15/2016

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The Live Almanac would like to thank Ken Mills at "Zilch: A Monkees Podcast!" who recently interviewed Monkees archivist Andrew Sandoval and Rhino executive John Hughes. Andrew and John delivered a ton of news this Friday evening about a multitude of Monkees-related items, including updates about the Blu-ray package, Good Times!, and the 50th Anniversary Tour. You will hear Andrew and John talk about outtakes from both Head and 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee, and much, much more!

Zilch #53 JOHN HUGHES & ANDREW SANDOVAL WITH MONKEES NEWS!

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Monkees Blu-ray set delayed for second time; Release date moved from April 29 to June 27

4/14/2016

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An important message about THE MONKEES: THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray

Dear Monkees fan:

It's another good news/bad news situation about THE MONKEES: THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray. The good news is we've found even MORE incredible content for our bonus disc, including the very first live performance from The Monkees as they took the Last Train To Clarksville for a KHJ radio promotional event before the show premiered! And how about a fully restored version of the original unaired pilot from the original 35mm negative?

Unfortunately, the bad news is we've had to move the release date again, to June 27. We realize this is not ideal, but we want this to be the truly definitive collection of The Monkees' television and movie appearances in the 1960's. We want to get this right. We truly appreciate your patience and believe us when we tell you, it will most definitely be worth the wait!

Regarding the status of your current pre-order:
Your order has not been cancelled
Your bank card will be charged when your order ships
If you paid via PayPal, or authorized customer service to charge your bank card before your order ships, you will receive no further charges.

If you have any questions, please contact Rhino customer service:
drrhino@rhino.com
(800) 546-3670

Thank you again for your patience!

The Blu-ray set was announced by Rhino on September 8, 2015 with an original street date of January 29, 2016. On January 12, 2016, Rhino pushed back the release date for the first time to April 29, 2016.

Stay tuned to The Monkees Live Almanac for further updates!

UPDATE 5/14/16: Monkees.com now lists a release date of June 24, 2016.

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Glen Campbell, Mike, Davy, and Micky

1/31/2016

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Micky, Davy, and Mike were guests on Glen Campbell's variety show, airing on February 5, 1969. The trio performed "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," and "Salesman" live and lip-synced "Tear Drop City" (their brand new single at the time) after participating in comedy sketches. The entire Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour appearance will be included on the bonus disc of the upcoming Monkees Blu-ray set.

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Rhino reveals full contents of limited edition Blu-ray box set; Release date moved from January 29 to April 29

1/12/2016

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*UPDATE: APRIL 14, 2016*
Rhino has announced a second delay regarding The Monkees' Blu-ray package, which now has a release date of June 27, 2016.

In an email this evening from Monkees.com, the following information regarding the upcoming release, The Monkees - The Complete Series on Blu-ray, was provided:

Full contents of THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES
on Blu-ray revealed!

All 58 episodes, newly remastered in stunning HD from the original negatives for the very first time, plus the 1969 TV Special "33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee"

Bonus material featuring commentaries from all four Monkees, original Kellogg's Monkees commercials, and more

The 1968 Monkees film "HEAD" in HD with never-before-seen outtakes

Unique packaging including a 7" featuring "Star Collector" b/w "Goin' Down" in unique TV mono mixes

Strictly limited to 10,000 individually numbered sets

Only available at Monkees.com

We're excited to reveal the contents of this long-awaited collection. But first, check out the fantastic packaging - a lenticular 3-D cover mount that "moves" as you tilt it!

Discs 1-7

All 58 original, uncut episodes of THE MONKEES, remastered in HD from the original film negatives
Audio commentary from all four Monkees

NEW audio commentary from Micky Dolenz, Rodney Bingenheimer and
"Monkee Girl" Valerie Kairys Venet

Alternate "Saturday morning rerun" versions of 10 episodes with alternate songs and mixes

All in the original glorious mono direct from the film audio mags

Disc 8

The 1968 movie HEAD, in HD

Optional DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround soundtrack

Audio commentary from all four Monkees

Disc 9

The 1969 NBC television special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE, restored from
newly discovered video elements

Audio commentary from Micky Dolenz

Disc 10 - BONUS DISC, AVAILABLE IN THIS STRICTLY LIMITED EDITION ONLY!

Original screen tests

Original TV commercial spots featuring The Monkees

Newly discovered outtakes from THE MONKEES TV series

Newly discovered color promo film for "Randy Scouse Git" created for TOP OF THE POPS and unseen since its original airing

Never-before-seen backstage footage of The Monkees at the 1967 Emmy Awards

Newly discovered outtakes from the movie HEAD

Newly discovered outtakes from the TV special 33 1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE

The Monkees on THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW in 1969, including "Nine Times Blue" and "Everybody Loves A Nut (with Johnny Cash)"

The Monkees on THE GLEN CAMPBELL GOODTIME HOUR in 1969, including a medley of "Last Train to Clarksville/I'm A Believer/Salesman" and a performance of "Tear Drop City"

The Monkees on ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN in 1969

Davy Jones performing "Someday Man" from the 1969 TV special MUSIC BAG,
unseen since its original airing

Newly restored color promo film for "Oh My My"

As you can see, we've been working up to the last minute to make this the most spectacular collection possible for fans. As a result, we reluctantly have to move our release date a few weeks back, to April 29. We realize this is disappointing, but we want to ensure this is release is up to Rhino's highest standards. And believe us, it will be worth the wait!

This collection is strictly limited to 10,000 individually numbered boxes and once those are sold out, this edition and bonus disc will never be available again. Don't miss out - pre-order your copy now!

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Rodney Bingenheimer adds commentary to Monkees Blu-ray set

1/6/2016

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More new commentaries are being recorded for THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu Ray!Today, reissue producer...
Posted by The Monkees on Wednesday, January 6, 2016

The Monkees & Rodney Bingenheimer

Rodney Bingenheimer - Prince of Pop

(From Monkee Spectacular #2)

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Cover art for THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray!

12/21/2015

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Presenting - the front cover of THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu Ray!The actual photo will be a mounted...
Posted by The Monkees on Monday, December 21, 2015

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Andrew Sandoval talks with Micky about footage of the KHJ train ride, "33 1/3" outtakes, and more!

12/18/2015

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The Monkees on Blu-ray

MIcky Dolenz on the Monkees on Blu Ray
More new commentaries are being recorded for THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu Ray!Today, reissue producer Andrew Sandoval welcomes the one and only Micky Dolenz! Catch a bit of what they'll be discussing in the exclusive video below.Get 'THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES' in glorious High-Definition Blu Ray January 2016! Order at Monkees.com here: http://smarturl.it/MonkeesD2C
Posted by The Monkees on Friday, December 18, 2015

The Monkees, KHJ, the 1966 Promotional Tour, and more

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Monkees guest star visits with Andrew Sandoval

12/16/2015

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Valerie Kairys, who made appearances in several Monkees episodes and Head, is recording commentary for the upcoming Monkees Blu-ray box set.

(Screenshot courtesy of Sunshine Factory)

Andrew Sandoval & Valerie Kairys Venet talk Monkeess
We have a couple of special visitors today at Monkees HQ - Blu Ray Reissue Producer Andrew Sandoval and "Monkee Girl" Valerie Kairys Venet! They're here today recording brand new commentaries for the boxed set. Check out the video below for some behind-the-scenes insight!Get 'THE MONKEES - THE COMPLETE SERIES' in glorious High-Definition Blu Ray January 2016! Order at Monkees.com here: http://smarturl.it/MonkeesD2C
Posted by The Monkees on Wednesday, December 16, 2015

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Dangerous Minds examines The Monkees on Blu-ray

12/16/2015

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'Here we come in high definition...' : See The Monkees as you have never seen them before

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Sneak Peek: "The Frodis Caper" in HD Blu-ray glory

12/3/2015

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Monkees.com is previewing another clip from the restoration process of The Monkees television show currently underway in preparation of the forthcoming Blu-ray box set. Check out this before-and-after look at "The Frodis Caper," the last original Monkees episode ever aired, which was also co-written and directed by Micky Dolenz.

Is "The Frodis Caper" one of your favorite Monkees episodes? Dig back into the Live Almanac's archives for more:

Behind the Scenes: "The Frodis Caper"

Micky Dolenz, Director!

A track from The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album is loaned for a Monkees TV episode

Interview with Monkees screenwriter Dave Evans, who co-wrote "The Frodis Caper"

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Davy on Dick Clark's "Music Bag"

11/20/2015

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In case you missed it, last week the official Monkees Facebook page shared a screengrab of a previously unseen 1969 performance by Davy on the television program Music Bag. The bonus disc of the upcoming Monkees Blu-ray set will include Davy's performance of "Someday Man," unseen since its original airing in 1969!

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Monkees YouTube channel issues another preview of Blu-ray restoration work

11/9/2015

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Latest sneak peeks at the Blu-ray set

11/4/2015

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The official Monkees Twitter account has shared a few more photos as production continues on the upcoming Blu-ray box set. This one, of Mike on the set of 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee with his Gibson Les Paul, appeared today.

And a picture of a previously unseen late 1969 appearance by Davy Jones on Dick Clark's Music Bag, featuring Davy singing "Someday Man," was unveiled yesterday.

Be sure to keep an eye on the Live Almanac's Twitter account (in the blog sidebar to the right). I recently added a feed so any updates, news, or photos like those above can be readily available on the blog in the event I can't update the site at that moment. Or, you could follow me on Twitter!

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Sandoval and Hughes analyze upcoming Monkees Blu-ray set

11/2/2015

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In a revealing and often tantalizing interview with Zilch podcast chief Ken Mills, Monkees historian and archivist Andrew Sandoval, along with Rhino Records producer (and longtime Monkees fan) John Hughes, spoke in great detail about the ongoing production of a special limited edition Monkees Blu-ray box set, one that will stretch ten discs and include numerous bonus features. It is available exclusively at Monkees.com with a scheduled release date of January 29, 2016. (UPDATE 1/12/2016: The release date has been moved to April 29, 2016.) Here's an overview of the interview which casts light on the contents of the set and more. (At the same time, let me highly encourage you to visit Zilch and listen for yourself, as it is a must-hear interview for any Monkees fan.)

General Information

This particular set will encompass The Monkees on film from 1965-1970.
Andrew's good working relationship with Sony Pictures while producing the Criterion box set of BBS films (which included Head) led to the discovery of outtakes from the movie and The Monkees' television show (which Andrew had been told previously in the 1990s didn't exist).
Andrew, on the restoration process of the TV show from the original film negatives: "My jaw drops every day."
John detailed the packaging, which will be similar to the Monkees Rhino Handmade sets but thicker. The front cover will be "a huge lenticular cover mount from the Rainbow Room...when you tilt it, it will move...and it will be amazing."
An attempt was made to include a mini-Monkeemobile with the package but the production company needed 18 months notice in advance for production purposes. However, Hughes relayed that "a licensee will create a Monkeemobile later on."
Audio is not 5.1 (or fake 5.1) but is true to the original soundtrack and "sounds significantly better" than previous DVD releases; John Hughes says the "mono mixes really leap out..."
A "Play All" feature will be included
Addressing some fans who are expressing concerns over the cost of the set, Andrew noted that "the restoration of the series is costing about $300,000 alone." John added that figure "doesn’t include publishing costs, SAG costs, Directors Guild...this is not your typical release." Sandoval explained that "It's a joint venture between Sony and Rhino, which has taken several years to happen...it's a monumental event in Monkees history."
Regarding commentary tracks on the TV show and commentaries from the Criterion Head: commentaries from the original Monkees DVD sets will be ported over to the new Blu-ray set; commentary from Criterion Head will not be ported over due to rights issues. Andrew noted that they are "in discussions with various parties to do some new commentaries."

The Monkees television series

Original film has been found for all 58 episodes of the television series
35mm version of the pilot featuring different title cards and opening/closing credits
There will be an option to play music videos from the TV show on each respective disc of the set, but as of now there won't be a complete collection of the videos.
Outtakes from the TV show have been located but are mostly silent footage from the romp scenes. No extended scenes or interviews have been found to date.
Original film of the "Too Many Girls" episode exists and the set will include both the censored and uncensored versions.
There will be some alternate soundtrack versions of the shows included
The original version of the pilot will be included and has been remastered.

Head

Andrew, regarding the original ending of Head: "Footage does exist from the four different times The Monkees escape the box, but I can’t confirm right now whether or not we have everything...it's certainly not a cut together ending."
30 canisters of footage from Head have been discovered. Andrew: "A lot of amazing stuff in there," but it's too early to confirm what will be used for the set.

33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee

A couple of camera reels from 33 1/3 have been located, and regarding this footage Andrew noted that "It's the most earth shattering, historical Monkees development in my world in many a year, I think."
33 1/ 3 Spanish version will be included
Original uncut performance of The Monkees playing "Listen to the Band" from 33 1/3 has been unearthed, and John promised that an excerpt will "be premiered on a major online outlet in the next few weeks."
Alternate version of Davy's "Goldilocks Sometime" scene

Bonus Material

7" single to be included with the box that will feature previously unreleased TV mixes of "Goin' Down" (the live in-house studio vocal version) and "Star Collector"
Work will continue until the very last minute to include as much extra material as possible in the box set. Items are still being searched for and there will be surprises.
Bonus material will only be included in the limited edition release. There is a chance the set will come to normal retail outlets in late 2016 but not with the bonus material (licensing costs, etc. prevent the release of the bonus material outside of the limited edition).
Various items have been located that were not detailed in Andrew's 2005 book, The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the '60s TV Pop Sensation, including a promo video for "Randy Scouse Git" by British filmmaker Peter Whitehead, unseen since its original 1967 airing on Top of the Pops in the United Kingdom. That airing was in black and white only but a color version of the video will appear on the Blu-ray set.
The complete 1969 appearances of The Monkees on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (including the live medley and lip sync performance of "Tear Drop City") and The Johnny Cash Show (highlighted by the live performance of "Nine Times Blue") have been officially licensed and restored.
Previously unseen late 1969 appearance by Davy Jones on Dick Clark's Music Bag, featuring Davy singing "Someday Man"
Kool-Aid promo film screened during the pre-show on recent Monkees tours
Original "Oh My My" promo video
Footage of the KHJ contest live performance from the 1966 Promotional Tour

In the Works

John Hughes teased a re-release of Dell Monkees comic books
Andrew Sandoval confirms that a 1980s/1990s Monkees video package is one of the next projects in the pipeline. Andrew said that such a package could include things like the 1987 Heart and Soul Videography, the 1997 Justus home video, the 1996 Billboard Live performance by all four Monkees, 1980s MTV material, and hopefully the 1997 ABC television special (which is not owned by Rhino but instead by all three Monkees and Davy's estate). Andrew said he would like to focus on this era because of the high volume of fans that come from the mid-'80s wave of Monkeemania. Hughes on potentially licensing 1980s footage from MTV: "We have a really good relationship with MTV."
John Hughes hinted that there's much more to come to celebrate The Monkees' 50th Anniversary: "This is the beginning for Monkees 50...this is just the beginning." Andrew added: "We've got a lot of exciting stuff...there's going to be more surprises...stuff that you won't expect is going to happen. We are very excited."

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Monkees on Blu-ray: Producers divulge contents and sneak peek bonus features

11/1/2015

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In the latest Zilch podcast, Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval and Rhino producer John Hughes preview the upcoming Monkees Blu-ray set and reveal for the first time in-depth details about its contents. The duo discuss the restoration process of The Monkees' television series, recent film discoveries (promised to shock even the most hardcore Monkees fan, and including the full uncut performance of "Listen to the Band" from 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee), outtakes from Head, and more. Andrew also relays that a promo video for "Randy Scouse Git" produced by Top of the Pops in the United Kingdom has been discovered (unseen since its original airing in 1967), and that it will be one of the many bonuses included in the package (along with The Monkees' appearances on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour and The Johnny Cash Show in 1969).

There's much more information to be heard from this interview, and I've tweeted some highlights on the Live Almanac's Twitter account. Click on the image below for this must-listen podcast! And thanks to the Zilch team for a job well done.

UPDATE 11/3/2015: You can now read a detailed overview of this interview with Monkees Blu-ray producers
Andrew Sandoval and John Hughes.