Forty years ago this evening, the Jam recorded their show at the Hammersmith Palais, in London. It's a good show, three of the songs - including Eddie Floyd's " Big Bird " - ended up on Dig the New Breed . Another six tracks are from The Gift , which would be released the following March. The band is supported by horns (or a horn) and keyboards on the new tracks tracks (organ on " A Town Called Malice ").  Some of their older songs get the treatment as well.  A squeaky sax (maybe a clarinet) rounds out the sound on the bridge of " Going Underground "and the chorus of " That's Entertainment ", something would be mixed better - at least in Glasgow -during the tour supporting The Gift . Nevertheless, some good stuff.

During my commute home I caught the end of "Joanne" on radio. I don't recall which channel I had on, but it was a deep cut, slightly out of place. It gave me pause...upon returning home, I got the news. He was my favorite Monkee. The "Smart" (or smarter or - maybe - smart-ass) Monkee, he was one of two playing musicians and the only real songwriter in the band. Even early on, before the "band" was given some creative control, their albums featured some of his songs. In late '67 Linda Ronstadt and the Stone Poneys scored a top 20 hit with his "Different Drum". This playlist includes most - if not all - of the songs he wrote, co-wrote, or sang lead on for the band. "Different Drum", while not a Monkees tune, features the Poneys backed by crack El-Lay sessioneers... kind of like when Mickey sang "Mary Mary" . Several of the songs, especially the more straightforward, country ones, remained unreleased until the 1990's