Sunday, July 21, 2019

The Doors. 1967 USA-California


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.


CD: 2007 Elektra / Rhino (40th Anniversary edition)

My first copy of the album was purchased while in high school. Whatever was in print during that time (early 80s), is what I would have purchased. I eventually let it go, figuring the "Best Of" is all I really needed. Until now. I really love the remastered 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. I'll keep the Best Of anyway, just for the contrast - and the familiarity. The CD has a detailed booklet on the recording and the history of the band. Oh, and there are bonus tracks. Excited to explore the rest of this series.

1982; 7/21/19 (new entry)

No comments:

Post a Comment

Daily Journal Posts are now Complete

---2/5/25 2023 is now complete and so is this project. I'm caught up to the present day and 2025 journals are being built real time. 202...