''Justus'' is the eleventh studio album by

the Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

. The album was recorded in celebration of their 30th anniversary and released on October 15, 1996. It features the return of

Michael Nesmith Robert Michael Nesmith or Mike Nesmith, (December 30, 1942 – December 10, 2021) was an American musician, songwriter, and actor. He was best known as a member of the pop rock band the Monkees and co-star of the TV series ''The Monkees'' (1966� ...

to the group.

Background

''Justus'' was the first Monkees album since ''

Head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

'' was released in 1968 to feature all four Monkees. It was also the final studio album to feature contemporary recordings of Davy Jones before his death in 2012. Although Nesmith sang lead vocals only on a remake of the 1968 song "

Circle Sky "Circle Sky" is a song written by Michael Nesmith which appeared on The Monkees' sixth album, the Head (The Monkees album), ''Head'' soundtrack, and also in the film ''Head (film), Head'' as a live concert performance. Background and inspiration ...

", he did write the Dolenz-vocal song, "Admiral Mike", and provided background vocals for all tracks. Although preliminary work on the album was begun using songs from various writers, upon Nesmith's agreement to join the production it was agreed that all songs would be written only by the four members of the group. The four also produced and recorded all the tracks jointly, making it the first Monkees album since ''

Headquarters Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the to ...

'' to be produced entirely by the group as a single unit, and the first album ever to be recorded by the foursome alone. A video was also produced to promote the album. "Circle Sky" is a remake from the ''

'' soundtrack, with new lyrics from Nesmith. "You and I" is a different song from the song with the same name on ''

Instant Replay Instant replay or action replay is a video reproduction of something that recently occurred which was both shot and broadcast live. The video, having already been shown live, is replayed in order for viewers to see again and analyze what had j ...

''. It originally appeared on a 1976 album, ''

Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart was a supergroup, consisting of songwriting/performing duo Boyce and Hart and two members of the Monkees, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. Boyce and Hart had written many of the Monkees' biggest hits, such as "Last Train ...

'', recorded during a reunion of Jones and Dolenz with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who were the band's first writers and producers. A different version of "It's Not too Late" appears on Jones's solo album ''Just for the Record, Vol. 4.'' The title is pronounced as either "Justice" or "Just Us", the latter implying that only the four Monkees perform on the album. The tracks "Circle Sky", "You and I" and "Regional Girl" were promoted, with music videos, in the 1997 television special ''

Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees ''Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees'' is a one-hour comedy special televised on the ABC Network on Monday February 17, 1997. The show features all four of the original Monkees and was the last time Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter ...

''. These songs, along with "Oh, What a Night", were performed as part of the 30th anniversary reunion tour. While all four members of the Monkees receive producer's credit, Nesmith ultimately produced and mixed the project while the other three Monkees toured.

Track listing

Personnel

Micky Dolenz George Michael Dolenz Jr. (born March 8, 1945) is an American actor, musician, TV producer and businessman. He is best known as the drummer and one of three primary vocalists for the pop-rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and multiple reunions ...

– drums, percussion, vocals *

Peter Tork Peter Halsten Thorkelson (February 13, 1942 – February 21, 2019), better known by his stage name Peter Tork, was an American musician and actor. He was best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of the Monkees and a co-star of the TV ...

– bass guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals * Davy Jones – percussion, acoustic guitar, vocals *

– guitars, percussion, vocals * Arranged and produced by

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

* Engineered by Bob Bullock and Michael McDonald, with assistance from Terry Bates, Gary McGrath, Grant Greene, and Steve Mixdorf * Mixed by Michael McDonald, with assistance from Tim Gerron * Mastered by Michael McDonald

References

{{Authority control 1996 albums The Monkees albums Rhino Records albums