Hollywood Hills tree house

3/19/2015

Here The Monkees pose at Mike's house in the Hollywood Hills in December 1968. They are in a tree house built for Mike's son.

(Photo by Henry Diltz)

6 Comments

David

3/20/2015 10:39:22

I think I just found an official Monkee Easter Egg! I have owned the post Peter album Instant Reply since 1970 and I just noticed that Peter is pictured on the back cover. Look at the Cash Box advertisement on the wall between Mike and Davy. Can't believe I hadn't seen it until today. I am equally surprised that no one else saw it before me! At least I have never seen a reference to it anywhere. Intentional? Very cool. Unintentional? Still very cool...

Monkees Live Almanac

3/20/2015 11:33:48

Great catch, David! Would love to hear your story of picking up "Instant Replay" in the record shops.

David

3/20/2015 12:40:37

I was just reaching the age where my Mom and Dad would let me wander the department store without direct supervision. First stop, the record department. There was still a Monkees header card in the alphabetical bin. There I found Instant Replay, Present and Greatest Hits. The real surprise was also finding Michael Nesmith and the First National Band's Magnetic South and Loose Salute filed under the Monkees. Finding Mike under the Monkees header card made perfect sense to me but most likely would have shivered Mike's timbers at the time.

My birthday was near so my parents said I could pick two and only two. Oh My God! I clearly remember using the process of elimination. Silly as it sounds, here was my process at the time. I didn't like the way the titles sounded on Present (Mommy and Daddy and Pillow Time in particular). I thought they sounded childish so Instant Replay won by default. Plus I also remember thinking that Micky, Mike and Davy looked much cooler on the back of Instant Replay.

The second album had to be a Nesmith LP as I had no Idea he even had a solo career at this point. This was a landmark discovery. I chose Magnetic South. I looked at the track listing for both albums and saw that Magnetic South contained the dedication to David, Mickey and Peter. "Alright! I said to myself, They are still friends!"

While writing this reply I could clearly remember the heavy metal bins highlighted by the harsh fluorescent lighting of the Higbee's Department Store record department. I thought I had found my cooperative Monkee retailer. Sadly, within the year, the Monkees inventory only decreased in size. The Monkees header card was gone and the remaining titles were stored under the big letter "M".

Thanks for asking!

Monkees Live Almanac

3/21/2015 04:24:13

Excellent, David. I really enjoyed reading your recollections. Great details! It's interesting to hear a first hand account from someone searching for Monkees records at that time, and then also discovering Michael's solo album. Good stuff.

scott catton

3/21/2015 06:00:06

Great story! ..fascinating!....In the summer of 1983 (i think),in london,ontario,canada I actually found a sealed copy of mike nesmith & the first national band in an old record display stand in a variety store.I believe I paid about $3-5.00 for it.That was an unusual really GREAT find! :)

Ronald K Munson

3/22/2015 10:16:53

I remembering seeing Instant Replay at the music store in 1969. I didn't even pick it up as i thought it was another greatest hit LP. I later bought it in the early 80's for $50

Hollywood Hills tree house

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