The Doors - L.A. Woman 50th Anniversary - what do we expect?

I hope for the 5 disc set that never happened. I expect a bonus disc with Orange County Suite and Paris Blues, with maybe an outtake or two with the LA Woman live track (and others) from Dallas. Although those were released on Boot yer Butt. I'm not sure what they will do, I don't expect a lot though.

 

No one knows what was really earmarked for the 5 disc set; there was never a confirmed track-listing. It is doubtful the concept resurfaces next year. Warner ultimately wouldn't finance it then (The Doors were told they would have to finance the box set, and the band declined), so one suspects Warner won't commit to it this time around either. It will probably be a 3 CD set with a vinyl reproduction.

 

Gottcha, I thought the above track list was from the proposed 5 CD. Looks like a lot of incomplete takes. That would be a fun listen.

I’m at a loss as to what they will fill out on 2 discs. Everything besides Paris Blues has been released aside from mostly incomplete outtakes.

 

this one? Korean 1st pressing 1971

 

I'm not seeing an image but I would love to

 

I never thought to check Discogs. I recall the print I had as a lighter color but yes this is the sort of thing we were buying there.


Doors ‎– L.A. Woman
Label:
Academy Record Company ‎– HD 1021, Academy Record Company ‎– KMQ 1021
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Unofficial Release
Country:
South Korea
Released:
19 Apr 1971



Neil Young With Crazy Horse ‎– Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Label:
High Stereo Light ‎– BR 312
Format:
Vinyl, LP, Album, Unofficial Release, Stereo
Country:
South Korea
Released:
1969

 

I'm almost afraid to ask.....what did those albums sound like? Typical bootleg quality?

 

Back then when we were listening to them on a little Pioneer system in our barracks after having smoked a bunch of pop and now sitting drinking beers who cared! I can't really recall but I can't imagine too good either.

 

here is the link
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND! The Doors "L.A. Woman" 1st Korean LP Pressing,1971. RARE! | #1788885557

 

Are the "studio banter" tracks unique to the singles set only?

 

Listening to the L.A. Woman 40th Anniversary Mixes tonight, and coming away with two conclusions. The first is that, while I'm glad to have these mixes for documentary purposes, I infinitely prefer the original release -- this version is endlessly cluttered with little intrusions that the music is better off without.

The second is that, even with the lesser mix, the title track is ridiculously great -- easily one of the very best and most exuberant things they ever recorded. Could've been a whole new beginning for them, but instead it's one hell of a way to go out.

And I think having Jerry Scheff on board was huge: had Jim somehow, impossibly survived Paris (and his Miami sentence), having a dedicated bass player starting in 1971 could have done a great deal to enliven the band for us and for Jim. Ah, well.

 

Yes.

 

I emailed AP and was told the 45rpm will be back in stock. covid slowed things down for them.

 

yes, they are awaiting repress. they are terrific!

 

I expect to be 0 for 6 on purchases of 50th anniversary releases. But I am waiting to see the tracklist before I make a final decision. I'm trying to keep an open mind.

 

At least on this album Morrison was having fun and most of the vocals were done live - so there should a lot of quality outtakes? I enjoyed the ones released so far.

 

Unless The Doors made him an equal partner, Jerry Scheff was not going to leave his sweet gig with Elvis Presley, so they would have needed another bass player for the road. The Doors were cheap, so it seems unlikely that they would have given Jerry a 20% stake in the band -- they most likely would have given him a salary. Regardless, even if the band had secured the services of a bassist for the road, it is doubtful Jim was going to tour with The Doors in '71. According to Bill Siddons, the band had already decided to move on without Jim prior to his death.

 

I don't expect many, if any surprises. The Doors haven't exactly delivered many exciting archival finds on these box sets so far. That said, the LA Woman outtakes are interesting to a degree because as you stated, a lot of it is live with alternate vocals. It appears there are a lot of false-starts, but there should be enough remaining outtakes for a solid additional disc of alternates (plus Paris Blues).

 

maybe there isnt a full takes but can make something like she smells so nice, a jam now as a complete song

 

Oh, absolutely -- from all impressions, Morrison was probably done with the Doors, and vice versa. Still, it's amazing how much the presence of a top-shelf bassist frees up Manzarek and lets them get out of their usual schtick. (And I love that schtick, but it was due for an update.)

If someone had waved a magic wand and adjusted Morrison's attitude and habits -- which is what it would've taken to save his life -- one imagines the other three would have come around.

Anyway, listening to the record again got me excited about this box set, even if I realize that realistically there's likely to be nothing revelatory, e.g. a studio take of one of the live-only songs.

 

The only thing that comes to mind is Paris Blues. That's an L.A. Woman song that really needs a release. And all the tracks on that canceled box set but we know that ain't happening.

 

I think history shows the band needed Jim more then he needed them.
To bad Jim couldn't get his act together but it's not even a fair fight.
You'd think the achievement of LAW would have been a motivator but it wasn't sadly. Those next two records tell the tale .

 

Paris Blues? Not familiar with that. Might that be something he recorded during his final days in Paris??
I heard he wandered into a cheapo studio and recorded some poetry during that final time period.
Also that he may have jammed with some street musicians and possibly also have dragged them into the same studio
to accompany him on some ad lib blues stuff. The other Doors I imagine wouldn't really have been in touch or involved with him at all at this time as it seems he was trying to distance himself from his previous life.

 

Agreed. I doubt Morrison cared much about the success of LA Woman other than the royalties it would undoubtedly bring later in the year. All of the band's albums had sold relatively well (some very well), so it probably was not a big surprise that it was showing signs of initial sales success prior to his death.

According to Jack Conrad, Other Voices was allegedly in the can at the time of Morrison's death (sans the reworked Tightrope Ride), which is additional evidence that the band was moving forward without him prior to his death. One question that remains is whether any of the Other Voices tracks contained vocals from Michael Stull, who according to Bill Siddons was chosen to replace Morrison. Additional work on Other Voices continued during the summer of 1971, likely consisting of work on Tightrope Ride and supplemental overdubs -- and perhaps that is when it was decided not to move forward with a new vocalist, and when Ray and Robby laid down their lead vocals?

 

Paris Blues has been one of those holy grail Doors outtakes discussed for a couple of decades. It is a full band performance, allegedly recorded between Morrison Hotel and LA Woman, quite possibly during the LA Woman sessions. The multitrack appears to be missing, with The Doors' copy allegedly sourced from a cassette dub that was in Ray's possession (and partially recorded over), or perhaps it was just an impromptu performance captured on cassette during a a 1970 rehearsal. They tried to get it issued on Perception back in '06, but missed the deadline, and then it was apparently under consideration for the When You're Strange soundtrack. It will most likely appear on next year's LA Woman box set.