The Doors' live albums: recommendations?

Excellent performance and my top pick.

 

The Bright Midnight sampler is proof that the Doors were very often an outstanding live band. Buy that one and then you'll need all the others too!

 

Things go better with a sober Jim, don't they?

 

First time I heard this.

 

He might not have been "totally" sober for this performance, but he's definitely in fine and focused form, nonetheless. The whole band was locked in on this gig for sure!

 

Why was Rothchild so prone to exaggeration? I'll tell you something else I've listened to just about every live Doors release and it's not always Jim that let down the team! the band musically had off nights & Robbie could be really sloppy sometimes.. all in all though a great live band when they hit it right.

 

compare it to the Live At The Bowl '68 release.

 

Thanks for the info. I don't own any of the Bright Midnight releases except for the sampler.

 

The 2012 version used some of the 1987 guitar overdubs too. It's quite easy to spot the original guitar track.

 

I thought I'd mention that if you like that LP cover, it is taken from a book called ROCK DREAMS which is illustrated by Guy Peellaert, a full colour paperback book, filled with imagined situations using stars of country, soul, rock and blues - plus Sinatra.

 

Another vote here for In Concert. It's the perfect starter set for the Doors live. I've been listening to it since 1971 and it was, in fact, my first Doors album (so I guess I'm somewhat biased). The two non-album tracks from Absolutely Live, "Who Do You Love" and "Celebration of the Lizard" are among my favorite Doors songs. "Who Do You Love", a song from their 1967 sets, was rarely played in later years. The slide guitar is downright scary in the New York version that was used and is unlike any slide style I've ever heard. "Celebration of the Lizard" is another song that was not part of their regular set. So it's nice to have both of those on a single CD set. And for In Concert they added in "Roadhouse Blues", which WAS part of their regular set and a real barn burner.

 

Do you happen to know offhand where the overdubs are, or could you direct me to somewhere where I could find out?

 

They actually recorded "Who Do You Love" in the studio but it remains unreleased. I believe it was one of the tracks that leaked out on Youtube a few years ago and was quickly taken down. Would be nice to hear that version someday.

 

I don't think The Doors, as it relates to their best live work, are particularly well represented on any of their official releases. There are fantastic moments captured on the 1970 "Absolutely Live" multi-tracks, but none of those shows can be defined as truly great concerts. Even the 1969 shows at the Aquarius Theater are uneven. The '68 Hollywood Bowl release provides a better glimpse into how great they could be, but again, it is uneven (and the audio manipulation in places can be jarring). Unfortunately, the band was never properly recorded when they were at their best. The Matrix recordings are probably the closest thing to capturing the band's magic, but even the master tapes have their sound limitations.

 

The Doors In Concert is essential, imho, and a great place to start.

 

As a casual Doors fan I agree, it seems to contain enough of what we need.

 

I also like Live in Detroit (5/8/70), although it's going to be pricey now (I got it when it first came out, through the website. Man, in retrospect I wish I'd bought all of those Bright Midnight releases as they came out!).

 

If there is one thing "missing" from In Concert, it's the Mystery Train medley that they usually busted out on stage.

Still, the album has great stuff like Who Do You Love, Universal Mind (the earlier arrangement that quotes Afro Blue, rather than the 1970 version that just has Ray take a solo), and of course the DEFINITIVE Celebration Of The Lizard.

 

There is something just magical about that second night Aquarius show that just slays me. I know its not everyone's favorite show but Jim seems really relaxed and I think their version of Crystal Ship is one of the best ever. Lots of good moments during that show.

 

Robby manages to miss the mark quite a few times during the first show, but he's on fire for the second.

 

As far as the "Mystery Train" medley is concerned, I think that it was a significant omission from the original "Absolutely Live" album. One has to assume Rothchild was not particularly enamored with that track, but I think it is one of the more interesting and inspired extended songs that the band performed in 1970. It was a very melodic arrangement and allowed the band to stretch out musically outside the normal confines of longer pieces such as "When The Music's Over" and "Light My Fire." If anything, the plodding version of "When The Music's Over" from "Absolutely Live" could have been omitted in place of what I think is a superior and much more interesting track in "Mystery Train."

I agree that the Aquarius (1st Set) performance of "Celebration Of The Lizard" is definitive. I don't think they ever topped it. I do think it could have been a compelling studio piece, but to date, the only thing that servives is the outtake/rehearsal version originally issued on the Legacy compilation, a version that does not seem like a genuine attempt at recording a focused studio version. If anything, one can assume that Rothchild would have recorded the piece in sections. Just imagine if each section sounded as tight and focused as "Waiting For The Sun's" "Not To Touch The Earth?"

 

Actually, I feel even Not To Touch The Earth on the original album pales next to the version in the live Celebration.

 

I think the studio version is perfection. A great Rothchild production.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Live in Detroit would be my choice as well, at least as far as official releases go.