Can anyone explain why the 80s cassette reissues (also the LP reissues, as I found out today) feature different mixes in a few cases? Or, if not why, where these alternate mixes originate?

I'm just now combing the internet for information, but I noticed the changes as soon as the first round of reissues in the 90s rolled out. Off the top of my head, the main differences are on Pisces and Head...

-The 80s mix of "Daily Nightly" is missing several prominent Moog frequencies

-The mix of "Don't Call On Me" is missing the person saying 'It's a great bar' above the other talking in the intro

-The Head soundtrack features the single mix outro of "Porpoise Song", and my copy actually features a badly warbled section in the outro. Always curious if that was indigenous to the alternate mix or just a bad copy.

There are also other minor things like previously inaudible talking during the intros of some songs, such as "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" and "When Love Comes Knockin'" which made me suspct that the tracks had been remixed.

Anyone have any thoughts or other info?

The recordings were owned by Arista Records at the time those Cassettes were made. This resulted in different mixes done by Arista from the original multi-track tapes,then given to Rhino. A lot of fans were not pleased by the total lack of respect for either tha artist or Rhino,either. I suspect Rhino didn't know about the remix snafu,as they issued them as is. But,in the '90's,they corrected this as they bought the name and recordings of the group,thankfully. Michael Boyce

The 80's mix of "Porpoise Song" does indeed have a dropout, that was corrected on "Then & now".

I always liked the sound of the Arista cassettes. I guess that's because that's what I had first. My cassette of "Headquarters" (which is long gone) had a much better mix of "Early Morning Blues And Greens." Better than anything I've heard of that song since. The biggest difference being a lack of a fade out. "Then & Now...The Best Of The Monkees" sounded awesome, too.

I would suspect also it being different pressing, you get the odd anomity plus yes, cassette being a different format you get a different sound and the songs are remixed.


The Live 67 cassette also had chatter missing on the CD, yet it appears on the Summer Live 67 Box Set that Rhino issued in 2001.

Yes, I noticed that, too. I was glad to hear it again on the Live Box Set.