# Instant Replay (The Monkees album)

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Swaptree | (favorable) |
Instant Replay is the seventh studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1969 by Colgems Records. Issued 11 months after the cancellation of the group's NBC television series, it is also the first album released after Peter Tork left the group and the only album of the original nine studio albums that does not include any songs featured in the TV show.

## History

Although the Monkees had recorded dozens of tracks since the release of their last studio album, spring 1968's The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees (a soundtrack LP from their film Head had been released between the two studio LPs), several of the songs on Instant Replay actually dated from sessions up to two and a half years earlier.
The band's new music coordinator (and former road manager), Brendan Cahill, believed that releasing previously unused tracks recorded in 1966—prior to the group's seizing control of their own recording process—was the way for the group to regain commercial success. The album's lead single, "Tear Drop City", written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, was one of the songs taken from the vault and was identified by Michael Nesmith as their intended first single in 1966. The track was not a major hit, only managing to reach No. 56 on the U.S. charts, while reaching No. 34 in Australia. Despite the single's poor chart performance, the album charted on the Billboard Top 40 Albums chart at No. 32.

## Production

Two songs from these sessions, "A Man Without a Dream" and "Someday Man" (later issued as the B-side of the "Listen to the Band" single), were produced by Bones Howe and recorded at Wally Heider's Studio. Howe brought in Wrecking Crew musicians, including Tommy Tedesco (guitar), Joe Osborn (bass) and Hal Blaine (drums), and a nine-piece horn section. Despite having already quit the group, Peter Tork makes an appearance on this album by playing guitar and Danelectro bass on the 1966 outtake "I Won't Be the Same Without Her".
Micky Dolenz's "Just a Game" had originally been written during the sessions for the album Headquarters (1967), while Nesmith's "Don't Wait for Me" was the first released product of his 1968 sessions with Nashville studio musicians. Davy Jones' "You and I" featured guitar work from Neil Young.

## Reissue

In 2011, Rhino Handmade released an 89-track deluxe edition of Instant Replay. Disc 1 features stereo versions and various remixed versions. Disc 2 features mono released and unreleased versions. Disc 3 features alternate takes, backing tracks, and tapes from the television special 33⅓ Revolutions per Monkee. The 7-inch vinyl single has two songs sourced from acetate: alternate mixes of "I Go Ape" and "(I Prithee) Do Not Ask for Love".

## Personnel

Credits adapted from Rhino Handmade 2011 "Deluxe Edition" box set.
The Monkees
* Micky Dolenz – vocals, guitar, keyboards
* Davy Jones – vocals
* Michael Nesmith – vocals, guitar
Additional musicians
* Don Addrisi – backing vocals
* Keith Allison – guitar
* Max Bennett – bass guitar
* George Berres – violin
* Maurice Bialkin – cello
* Hal Blaine – drums, percussion
* Tommy Boyce – guitar, backing vocals
* Harold Bradley – guitar
* David Briggs – keyboards
* Bud Brisbois – trumpet
* James Burton – guitar
* Glen Campbell – guitar
* Conte Candoli – trumpet
* Jerry Carrigan – drums
* Al Casey – guitar
* Bill Chadwick – guitar, backing vocals
* Buddy Childers – trumpet
* Gary Coleman – percussion
* Mike Deasy – guitar
* Jim Decker – French horn
* Vincent DeRosa – French horn
* Frank DeVito – percussion
* Rick Dey – bass guitar
* Justin DiTullio – cello
* Coco Dolenz – vocals
* David Duke – French horn
* Bobby Dyson – bass guitar
* Bob Edmondson – trombone
* Wayne Erwin – guitar
* Alan Estes – percussion
* Victor Feldman – percussion
* Al Gafa – guitar
* Jim Gordon – drums, percussion
* Lloyd Green – pedal steel guitar
* Bobby Hart – keyboards, backing vocals
* Ron Hicklin – backing vocals
* Bill Hinshaw – French horn
* Eddie Hoh – drums
* Leo Kahn – violin
* Anatol Kaminsky – violin
* Armand Kaproff – cello
* Larry Knechtel – keyboards
* Bernard Kundell – violin
* Ronnie Lang – flute
* Billy Lewis – drums
* Herbie Lovelle – drums
* Edgar Lustgarten – cello
* Lew McCreary – trombone
* Gerry McGee – guitar
* Oliver Mitchell – trumpet
* Ted Nash – flute
* Erno Neufeld – violin
* Joe Osborn – bass guitar
* Sonny Osborne – banjo
* Dick Perissi – French horn
* Joe Porcaro – percussion
* Emil Richards – percussion
* George Roberts – trombone
* Nathan Ross – violin
* Jimmy Rowles – keyboards
* Michel Rubini – keyboards
* Russ Savakus – bass guitar
* Julius Schachter – violin
* Neil Sedaka – keyboards
* Bud Shank – flute
* Louie Shelton – guitar
* Kenny Shroyer – trombone
* Joseph Stepansky – violin
* Willard Suyker – guitar
* Larry Taylor – bass guitar
* Tommy Tedesco – guitar
* Don Thomas – guitar
* Peter Tork – guitar, bass guitar
* Ray Triscari – trumpet
* Bob West – bass guitar
* Neil Young – guitar

## Charts
### Album

| Chart (1969) | Peak position |
| Canadian Albums (RPM) | 45 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon) | 26 |
| US Billboard 200 | 32 |

### Single

| Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
| 1969 | "Tear Drop City" | Billboard Hot 100 | 56 |
| 1969 | "Tear Drop City" | UK Charts | 47 |
| 1969 | "Someday Man" | Billboard Hot 100 | 81 |
| 1969 | "Someday Man" | UK Charts | 44 |