The Doors

[Perry Vale]

Any fans of The Doors here? Rhino have just issued a lovely 6xCD/6xDVD boxset of their catalogue (well, the six studio albums), all remastered & in 5.1 surround sound, called "Perception", to celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

Got my copy this morning and have just been listening to their debut, which sounds truly amazing. If you think you've heard The Doors 'The Doors' before, you're wrong! The sleevenotes tell the story of how it's been uncovered that it was mastered at the wrong speed all those years ago, and has been running slow & at the wrong pitch on every LP & CD issue of it since (although the singles released at 45rpm were at the right speed appartently).

All the discs have bonus unreleased tracks, and as mentioned, the DVDs have the albums in surround sound. Can't wait to hear them like that.

[Paul Clement]

I like a few songs, People are Strange, Light My Fire, Break on Through, Riders on the Storm, Strange Days and The End. Enough to be interested in a Best Of album but probably not enough to buy anything else

[Dave Lewis]

Any fans of The Doors here? Rhino have just issued a lovely 6xCD/6xDVD boxset of their catalogue (well, the six studio albums), all remastered & in 5.1 surround sound, called "Perception", to celebrate their 40th Anniversary.

Got my copy this morning and have just been listening to their debut, which sounds truly amazing. If you think you've heard The Doors 'The Doors' before, you're wrong! The sleevenotes tell the story of how it's been uncovered that it was mastered at the wrong speed all those years ago, and has been running slow & at the wrong pitch on every LP & CD issue of it since (although the singles released at 45rpm were at the right speed appartently).

All the discs have bonus unreleased tracks, and as mentioned, the DVDs have the albums in surround sound. Can't wait to hear them like that.

I'm interested in the unreleased material - whatever that may include - but I've been dubious about the speeding up of the album since I first heard about it. Is it noticeably quicker? Is it - heresy - better? I've got "The Doors" on vinyl, cassette, and CD (what a SAD B*****D!) and it's original speed (though apparently wrong) is seared into my emotional and musical memory for all time. I don't care if it's wrong, it's how I remember it. I'm hoping the difference is negligible.

[Perry Vale]

I'm interested in the unreleased material - whatever that may include

I've been doing a bit of reading about them over the weekend (from the latest 'Record Collector'), and it appears nearly all (?) of it has been released before. There's some great gems I hadn't heard before though, "Who Scared You" (B-Side to 'Wishful Sinful'), "Whiskey, Mystics & Men", "Orange County Suite" & a 17 minute version of "Celebration Of The Lizard King. Plus some interesting early takes etc. It's not the last bonus material we'll see released though.....

but I've been dubious about the speeding up of the album since I first heard about it. Is it noticeably quicker? Is it - heresy - better? I've got "The Doors" on vinyl, cassette, and CD (what a SAD B*****D!) and it's original speed (though apparently wrong) is seared into my emotional and musical memory for all time. I don't care if it's wrong, it's how I remember it. I'm hoping the difference is negligible.

Hmmmm, I'd say 'no', it's not noticeable.....until you're told it is. If that makes sense? The album has always sounded a bit 'flat' to me, but I couldn't put my finger on why until now. But then, 'Break On Through' still doesn't sound right to me with the 'She get high' line back in place!

[Rob McCow]

Does 'The End' have lots of rude words in it? I seem to remember that I saw it on a film soundtrack and the F-word turned up numerous times, but on the CD he just says "Wooooaaahhhaaahh!!! Come on!!!"

The Doors never really excited me, but I can see that they were good. I've had their first album for years and probably last listened to it in 2000.

[Dave Lewis]

Nor does The End with the ****ing and killing back in it! The Doors have ****ed and killed my adolescence by bringing them back.


I've just been looking into the "unreleased material" myself, and it's all stuff that I've got already. No surprise, really - it's been the same old story for Doors fans ever since BMR was formed and we were promised lots of fantastic releases of previously unreleased live and studio material, only a fraction of which has actually materialised.

I wish I was one of these hardcore Doors collectors, who owns absolutely everything, including things that even the Doors don't have...

[Perry Vale]

Does 'The End' have lots of rude words in it? I seem to remember that I saw it on a film soundtrack and the F-word turned up numerous times, but on the CD he just says "Wooooaaahhhaaahh!!! Come on!!!"

Yes, they've put them back in too. It was the 'Apocalypse Now' OST, wasn't it?

[Carol Baynes]

I'm nowhere near as zealous about The Doors as I used to be, but very occasionally their music can take you to places other bands cannot reach....

...the swirling harpsichord sound of "Spanish caravan" before Robby Kreiger's guitar kicks in...the first snare drum of "Light my fire" and all that follows...the libertine yarning and wonder of "End of the night"...the dark wonderland of "You're lost little girl" (and most of the "Strange days" LP)...the astounding power of belief that is "When the music's over"...the joyful yet bittersweet "Love street"... the killer commerciality of "Hello, I love you".... the marvel that is "Peace frog"...you get the idea.

They occasionally seem vaguely ridiculous to me now, perhaps due to their pretentious qualities (not least Jim Morrison's lip service to the performing arts and literature). But the fact that those things informed the band is what made them so unique- made them what they were to be honest.

They were a little bit on the dark side, but they were always on our side.

I've just remembered by tribute to Danny Sugerman got no replies. Shame on you all. Not even Dave replied!

[Carol Baynes]

I don't suppose "Other voices" and "Full circle" are getting a re-issue too?? (the last two studio albums with no Jim Morrison, for those not hip to the beat )

[Milky Tears]

Baynes has started replying to her own posts. My disease is spreading!

[Dave Lewis]

I don't suppose "Other voices" and "Full circle" are getting a re-issue too?? (the last two studio albums with no Jim Morrison, for those not hip to the beat )

Have you got a copy of them, Baynes?

They've never had an official release on CD, which is a shame because there are some gems tucked away on them. My dodgy Russian import copy has recently gone missing, which is a shame because sometimes you need to hear I'm Horny, I'm Stoned or The Peking King And The New York Queen. Admittedly, sometimes you don't.

[Carol Baynes]

Eveyone keep calling me 'Baynes', which hasn't gone unoticed. What am I, the bloody PS secretary or something?! Admittedly, only Dave can get away with it.

I have "Other voices" on original issue vinyl, but that's it as far as the Morrison-less Doors is concerned. It's not all that bad actually, but it has been a fair number of years since I heard it. There are some horrible song titles on it though, and a couple of tracks are truly ****e (in my opinion of course).

[Dave Lewis]

Tightrope Ride is brilliant - I've got that on 7" vinyl, unbelievably enough. It's easily the best song on either album.

Do you want a copy of Full Circle? I can do you one if you like.

[Milky Tears]

There's a new Jim Morrison single coming out!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6316743.stm

Morrison poem backs climate plea

Rock legend Jim Morrison has been enlisted to help fight global warming more than 35 years after his death.

Woman in the Window, a previously unreleased poem written and recorded by The Doors frontman shortly before he died in 1971, has been set to music.

The single will be used to publicise the Global Cool campaign, which is aiming to cut carbon emissions.

The recording, which describes an angel warning humanity about its actions, was released by the Jim Morrison estate.

The song has been produced by Perry Farrell, former singer with grunge band Jane's Addiction.

Small changes

It will be released as a single in April.

The London launch of the 10-year Global Cool campaign was attended by singer KT Tunstall and Hollywood actor Josh Hartnett.

The campaign is asking a billion people to reduce carbon emissions by one tonne a year each, mostly by small changes such as using energy-saving light bulbs and switching off electrical devices.

According to Global Cool, this action will buy enough time to develop cleaner renewable energy sources.

Perry Bloody Farrell will make it sound so cool.

[Perry Vale]

You can't rewrite history, not one line......

Unless you're The Doors. There's a new 'Best Of' coming out for the 40th Anniversary on March 26th, big deal you might say? Well, it's slightly different, as Ray MANzarek explains.....

"We want our fans, both new and old, to hear what we discovered on listening to the actual multitrack. There are background vocals by Jim Morrison, piano parts of mine that weren't used, and guitar stingers and solos by Robby Krieger that never made the original recordings, that can now be heard for the first time. We used state-of-the-art techniques to bring these discs to the same sound quality we experienced in the studio when we initially recorded our songs. We invite all our fans to join us in this recreation of the legendary recording sessions of The Doors. And to be a part of our original conceptions." Ray Manzarek

I was sent a copy this morning, and put it on to work to, and thought (before I read this) that it sounded different.....is there no end to the madness?!!

[Carol Baynes]

Manzarek just can't help it!

[Carol Baynes]

There's a bloody new Best of out...again!! As it's the 40th anniversary of theri debut, I'll let them off. They've got a star on the Hollywood rock n' roll walk of fame too. Well done!
Their first six studio albums are also being re-issued on vinyl too. It's the format of the future!

[Carol Baynes]

I bought the new mixed and remastered versions of "The Doors" and "Strange days" today. The debut sounds as good as ever...but oddly different.

Apparently it's at the right speed now!

Oh JESUS! I've just put "Strange days" on and (as The Doors themselves may have said) it's blown me away, man! It's already one of my favourite albums ever, but this is a revelation!
The title track alone has just blasted me with a whole new dimension of fabness. All Doors fans are going to cum in their underwear, I promise.