Photo: Press
50 years ago today in 1967, The Doors broke through to the other side for the first time with its eponymous debut on Elektra Records.
To celebrate this landmark recording’s 50th anniversary, the new version (available from Rhino on 31 March) includes a remastered version of the album’s original stereo mix, available on CD for the first time in a decade and remastered for the first time in nearly 30 years. The album’s original mono mix was also remastered for this set and is making its CD debut here
The third disc features live performance from The Matrix in San Francisco recorded on March 7, 1967, just weeks after The Doors was released.
The Matrix recordings heard on this deluxe edition were sourced from the recently discovered, original tapes, previously thought to be lost. The Matrix recordings originally released in 2008 were from a third-generation source, so the sound quality of the versions debuting here is second to none.
The album is widely considered to be one of the all-time-classic rock and roll debuts and this new deluxe set is essential listening, as this extra information gives the best record of The Doors' creativity when they were just starting out ever. The live recordings, which are available on Youtube you can hear how great of a gig it is but hearing the fuzzy sound quality is off putting and the chances are the new record could end up being the best live album from The Doors available. We simply cannot wait to get our hands on a copy.
To coincide with this, today (January 4) will be declared “Day Of The Doors” in the city of Los Angeles.
The proclamation will be made this afternoon by Council member Mike Bonin during a public event at the intersection of Pacific and Windward Avenues, the location of the iconic “Venice” sign. Founding Doors members John Densmore and Robby Krieger will be on hand at the event as will family members of the late Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison.
The Doors (50th anniversary deluxe edition) track listing:
Disc One (Original Stereo Mix)
Disc Two (Original Mono Mix)
'Break On Through (To The Other Side)'
'Soul Kitchen'
'The Crystal Ship'
'Twentieth Century Fox'
'Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)'
'Light My Fire'
'Back Door Man'
'I Looked At You'
'End Of The Night'
'Take It As It Comes'
'The End'
Disc Three: Live At The Matrix, March 7, 1967
'Break On Through (To The Other Side)'
'Soul Kitchen'
'The Crystal Ship'
'Twentieth Century Fox'
'Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)'
'Light My Fire'
'Back Door Man'
'The End'
LP (Original Mono Mix)
Side One
'Break On Through (To The Other Side)'
'Soul Kitchen'
'The Crystal Ship'
'Twentieth Century Fox'
'Alabama Song (Whisky Bar)'
'Light My Fire'
Side Two
'Back Door Man'
'I Looked At You'
'End Of The Night'
'Take It As It Comes'
'The End'
