The Doors ~ USA ~ Los Angeles, California

Absolutely Live (1970)

Worth keeping for this album's version of 'When the Music's Over' which sounds like a crazed Krautrock track with psychotic vocals from Morrison. Both Krieger and Manzarek go off the rails with their respective guitar and organ solos. Densmore is very active on the drum kit as well. Much more kinetic than the also great studio version. There's plenty of other moments like that interspersed throughout. They front load the blues tracks which is my least favorite aspect of The Doors, so they get most of that out of the way early.

Ownership: 1970 Elektra (2xLP). Gatefold. Acquired in 2024.

7/5/24 (review)
 

Other Voices (1971) 

I've been wanting hear these post-Morrison Doors albums for some time. A college chum played me Full Circle way back then, but I recall little about it. Based on what I'm reading, I can pass on a revisit. And that's primarily because Other Voices, which is supposed to be better, isn't really all that good either. The easy out here would be to just state it's The Doors without Jim Morrison, so how could it be good anyway? Well... plenty of bands have survived tragedy only to improve from there. I could very easily see this album being the next Doors release after LA Woman. It's not like Morrison would go "Gee guys, I'm not so keen on 'I'm Horny, I'm Stoned'". Now he'd for certain sing it better than Ray or Robby, but the song still stinks. I do like 'Ships w/ Sails' and 'Hang On To Your Life', but not enough to keep. Too bad, as this is a very fine glossy German gatefold. 

Source: 1973 Elektra Germany (LP)

1/2/22 (review)
 

The Doors (1967)

The older I get, the more I have become to realize that the "big name" bands of the late 1960s are really not to my taste. Bet you thought I'd say the opposite. It's something I hear quite often among my age group and older, just how much better the music was back then. Utter nonsense I say. You just have to dig harder for it - and that's been the case ever since I first started collecting in earnest in the early 1980s. But in the late 60s, FM radio was all one really needed.

With that out of the way, The Doors are proving to be the exception for me. I'm really starting to enjoy not only their hits - something I've always had appreciation for - but also their more obscure album cuts. I've recently picked up the entire Doors catalog (Morrison era) of remastered CDs, and will be revisiting all of them. Though I'm rather certain my favorite will remain this debut - an album that is groundbreaking as it is enjoyable. That's a rare combo actually. Sgt Peppers was groundbreaking, but I get bored with it. Zappa/Mothers of Invention's Freak Out is even more pioneering. I can barely listen to it. The Doors though. Yea, wow. After all these years, I still get goosebumps listening to the instrumental section of 'Light My Fire'. I don't know how that's even possible. Whatever - you know this album already. Just wanted to join the chorus for once and state I agree with its lofty reputation.

I really love the remastered CD version, but I imagine its quite controversial among the fans. Apparently the original version was released slower than intended. So it's been pushed up to its original intended speed. It's a bit disorienting, but sounds really great to my ears.

Ownership: 

2007 Elektra / Rhino (CD) 40th Anniversary edition. Booklet with recording details and the history of the band. And bonus tracks. Acquired in 2019.

Elektra (LP). Later commodity pressing. First acquired in 1982. This version acquired in 2024. 

Elektra (MC). Later commodity pressing. Acquired in 2025.

1982; 7/21/19 (review)

7/21/19 (new entry)