Doors "LOVE ME TWO TIMES" 45 "hit" mix, best edit in Rock history? & "Touch Me" 45 mix, Stereo King?

Which mix was used on 13? the 1970 hits album.

I never knew why engineers panned drums to the side.
Even during the 8-track era, the drums are side on the side which makes no sense.

 

Ascot, do you have a dedicated mono stylus? You want a 1 mil stylus for those old mono 45s. (2 mil for real beaters.)

 

No, I do not have a mono stylus. I've always summed to mono when doing those.

But "Touch Me" is a stereo 45.

 

Steve, wasn't the LP released before the Love Me Two Times 45? Did you only hear the LP after a while?

I really like the mono mix but I'm struggling with the edits. I have always enjoyed how this song builds up to a frenzy after Jim's shout, during the solo, then quietens down. Robby changes the riff and hammers on the E rather than doing the G/G# hammer on. I think the effect of the retreat after the solo is lost with the edit. I can see how the edit makes the song more immediate and more hit-worthy though - it's all power and speed and the song doesn't really slow down after the solo.

Incidentally, finding the release dates for The Doors' singles seems impossible. Lots of sources give the months but I haven't found any that give the dates.

It's a fascinating discography because so many tracks were released and became hits months before the LPs, often in unique mixes or edits, but now are just regarded as album tracks. It's one of the cases where a singles compilation done properly would NOT just be yet another greatest hits compilation. We all know how many of those The Doors have done...

 

This trounces the LP mix, which leaves me a bit cold: the elements are so disparate. It's mainly because of the bass and drums but the horns being quieter makes them much less intrusive. Everything is emphasised to the extent it should be. This gives the song the power that it song needs but doesn't sacrifice the sweetness.

Why can't they re-release this stuff????!? Someone needs to sit John and Robby in a room (ok, maybe not at the same time) and convince them the merit of the single mixes by playing them to them. Neither of them has probably heard these in 40+ years.

 

Thanks. In retrospect People Are Strange seems like an odd choice. A great, great song in my opinion, with a genius guitar solo, but probably not what the kids were hoping for after Light My Fire.

Sorry to retread old ground but...the four single tracks were all given unique mono mixes, right?

 

It was rhetorical!! It's just ironic when there are so many unique mixes and edits that were the actual versions that were all over the radio but these have been consigned to history (and YouTube).

I am hopeful though. The Japan boxset is close to being comprehensive. I wonder if we'll get a complete set someday soon...

 

Oh right. I must have read that several times but had forgotten it. I'll make my offerings to the audiophile gods so that AF and you get to do it one day.

 

Even more 'obscure' than the 45 single mixes. There are (11) tracks mixed to Quad that appeared only on 'The Best of The Doors' 1973 vinyl lp.

 

I don't know if either is to blame . . . "Love Me Two Times" was mastered at Madison Sound Studios in New York on one of the first-generation "automatic variable pitch" Scullys from the 1950-55 period, probably with Grampian feedback cartridges that made the overall sound, sound "brittle." I certainly go for the 45 edit every time, that's for sure . . .

 

Actually, the pressing shown in this pic was also East Coast - from Specialty Records Corp., Olyphant, PA, with label fonts from Keystone Printed Specialties of Scranton. West Coast pressings with this label came from the Monarch plant in L.A. The earlier red/white label was exclusively by this point on Columbia pressings from both Pitman, NJ and Terre Haute, IN - and both plants used Pitman's fonts.

 

Interesting, no sax solo at the end!

 

Sax solo is definitely there, just not as present as the mix we normally hear.

I agree that when it was slated for inclusion on "Soft Parade", they probably chose to make the stings and horn elements as prominent as the rest of the album.

 

I should know this and have the details at home but were any of Wild Child, Wishful Sinful, Tell All The People, Easy Ride, Runnin' Blue or Do It presented in a different mix and/or edit on the singles?

 

I was listening on the computer at work through the tinny speakers(s) and it appears the left channel isn't working. The sax is panned hard right on that mix and I wasn't hearing any of it whatsoever (nor the horns). I actually thought it was the mono mix (didn't look at the label very closely, was playing it in the tiny quoted window). I think I like it better without the Ajax jingle at the end.

 

I don't like that mix at all. Stupid (because it overpowers everything else on the record) bass. Cool TV footage though!

 

Isn't the fact that you can't spot 'em part of what makes them great edits? If they were really obvious and noticeable I would think that would be bad....

 

In regards to brittle sound. I noticed that the red/white label 45's are a mixed bag. Good chance you may find/own a copy pressed on styrene rather than vinyl. While the orange/black label appear to be pressed on vinyl only.