While the first phase of the Monkees’ career was a bit of a totalitarian state, there was a revolution and instead was installed a more democratic republic.  The Monkees weren’t allowed to play on their first few records, but were expected to go out on tour and recreate the hits they had no hand in creating.  This is started to rile the actors whose names and faces were now being touted as The Monkees.  Particularly the prickly Michael Nesmith.  After a confrontation where Nesmith put his fist through a wall, Kirshner’s days were number and he was soon ousted. 

In his stead, the four actors who had been playing together as a band for a couple of months elected Chip Douglas, bass player from The Turtles, to produce their album despite having less experience producing than Nesmith himself at this point.  The first album they recorded together reeked of amateurish enthusiasm.  They were proving a point to the world.  Micky Dolenz played drums on every track, despite having only learned the instrument less than a year before.  Headquarters was recorded during the hiatus between the first and second (final) season of the TV show, and they wanted to prove that they were no joke.  Even though they still employed the services of several of Kirshner’s stable of songwriters, they started bringing more material to the band themselves.  Both Micky’s first song (Randy Scouse Git) and Peter’s first song (For Pete’s Sake) are on this record.  They were very conscientious about playing all the instruments themselves, it was in fact Chip Douglas who played bass on most of this record as Peter was far more accomplished on the keyboards.  Mike even arranged and Peter notated the French horn and cello parts on Shades Of Gray.  Davy even bangs his tambourine through hundreds of takes of these songs just to show that they can.  And they did.  Despite having no real singles from the album, Headquarters remained comfortably ensconced in second behind Sgt. Pepper throughout the entire Summer of Love. 

For many this is their finest album.  It is certainly their most consistent, although some may argue that having these under-rehearsed, newly founded band playing on every track leads to sameness in the sound of the record.  The other record frequently floated as The Monkees’ best is their next one, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.  Chip Douglas is still at the helm for this one, but it is a far less cohesive affair.  Davy has lost all interest in playing tambourine and maracas, which is a small loss.  However, Micky feels he’s proven himself as a drummer, and doesn’t want to spend the time necessary to do a whole other album.  So now we’ve got Nesmith on guitar, Chip on bass, Tork on keyboards, and session musician Eddie Hoh on drums.  As a result, the sessions go much quicker and smoother and the recordings sound far more polished and professional.  Whether you think this is a benefit or detriment I suppose is dependent on your personal taste.  While this is not quite the Headquarters line-up, it is still nice to know that even with The Monkees playing their own instruments; they were able to score some of their biggest hits (Pleasant Valley Sunday, Daydream Believer).  It would’ve been a little disappointing if as soon as the crew mutinied the boat immediately sank.  In fact, Daydream Believerwas such a hit, that it was held off of the album to ensure there would be a hit to help sell album #5.

While Micky wasn’t playing on drums on this album, he did buy one of the first ever Moog synthesizers and brought that to the studio.  While they hired a professional to play it on Star Collector it was Micky himself who wrangled the random squeaks and noises on Daily Nightly.  The Monkees (and Chip Douglas) are expanding far beyond the limited reach of Headquarters.  Instead of having Peter play the banjo on What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round? they hire bluegrass legend Doug Dillard.  They discover Harry Nilsson and give him his first big songwriting break.  Indeed, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd. has a nice combination of experimentalism without falling into self-indulgence, with songs ranging from country to lounge to rock to soft-shoe. However, the sweet siren call to the ego of self-indulgence would soon lure The Monkees to the third (and for a time, final) stage of their career.  Especially as the show was cancelled and any reason for them to continue as band and/or making records became far more nebulous.