Description
Label Review.
‘Live In Japan’ combines Jones’ early 1980s Japanese albums and singles with 16 bonus tracks, and a replica tour programme. Also available on 2CD+DVD.
Our Overview.
Davy Jones, the effervescent English singer/actor, pint size pop star, heart throb and ‘frontman’ of the American television rock ’n’ roll group The Monkees; the wildly famous and preternaturally buoyant pop group of the 1960s, also toured as a solo singer-songwriter. And now The Monkees specialists 7A Records are releasing ‘Live In Japan’ - long sought after by The Monkees fans worldwide - which has been lovingly remastered and presented in this stunning box set / triple vinyl.
The 3LP Vinyl Gatefold includes a unique 28 page brochure with an actual replica of an original Davy Jones Japanese tour programme, not available anywhere else. The three LPs are pressed on individually coloured vinyl and a whole LP has been dedicated to bonus tracks.
The 2CD + DVD set features Davy’s two original Japanese live album releases, including 22 bonus tracks consisting of alternate mixes and original Japanese single releases. All recordings have been digitally remastered for optimum sound quality and have never sounded better. The set comes with a comprehensive 24 page colour booklet, including sleeve notes by Iain Lee and Mark Kleiner and recollections from Japanese fans that were actually there, as well as many previously unseen photos. The set also includes a DVD of one of the concerts, which has been transferred from a laser disc issued in the Far East, back in 1982. It isn’t BluRay quality but it still looks and sounds amazing.
Born in Manchester, England, Davy Jones will always be best known for his role in the hit American TV show ‘The Monkees’ in which he appeared alongside Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith. The Monkees were one of the original boy bands - before the term was penned - who drove young teenagers crazy with hysteria for their antics and their music. Often unfairly referred to as the “Pre-fab four”, The Monkees shifted some 35 million in record sales and five top albums (four of which went to No. 1 in the U.S.) and six top hits and yet have still never been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of fame.
The series which ran from 1966-1968 charted the adventures of an imaginary pop group, inspired by the wave of films featuring British bands such as The Beatles, and Herman’s Hermits. Jones’ boyish good looks meant that in some quarters he was seen as the frontman of the group, generally singing and shaking percussion, although he was an accomplished musician too and Tork said much later that he was a very good drummer but the producers felt that Jones should be up front. Nesmith once said “For me, David was the Monkees. They were his band. We were just his side men.”
Preceding the second wave of Monkeemania which kicked off in 1986, there was something of a resurgence of love for the group in Japan in the early 80s. Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones all toured there separately and were met by screaming fans desperate to see their heroes. Davy seemed to get the most attention in Japan and was the subject of two live LP releases and a clutch of singles which are all collected in this wonderful package.
Before his renowned fame in The Monkees, Jones was a young actor and as a teenager appeared in UK TV shows before hitting the West End, London stage in ‘Oliver!’ which is what led him to the USA when he then appeared in the same production on Broadway. His acting career continued once The Monkees disbanded appearing in numerous TV shows but music remained his first love, and he regularly toured right up until his untimely death at 66. This is the first authorised Davy Jones release since his passing and we hope that there will be more to come!